Suzuki promises thrills on and off the track at 2025 Festival of Motoring
Suzuki GSX-8R Cup set to wow aspirant racers
From stylish city cars to terrain-taming 4x4s, Suzuki Auto South Africa will have something for everyone at this year’s Festival of Motoring (FOM), taking place from 29 to 31 August at the Kyalami International Grand Prix Circuit in Midrand, Gauteng.
The Japanese carmaker’s presence will be hard to miss, with numerous display sites across the venue. Its primary hub will be in the Main Pits, where the brand will exhibit some of its most popular models, including the Fronx, Jimny, Grand Vitara and Baleno. Visitors are welcome to refresh themselves with a coffee served from a specially converted Eeco van while getting a close-up look at the fourth-generation Swift.
Introduced late last year, the new Swift has already proven a strong seller for the Hamamatsu-based brand, combining nimble handling, best-in-class safety technology and a fuel-efficient 1.2-litre engine without compromising on performance.
In the Main Pits, guests can also sign up for high-speed passenger laps with professional drivers in selected Suzuki models, including the Swift Sport and new Swift GLX – both proven performers at this year’s Simola Hill Climb. For 2025, the Fronx and Baleno will also be strutting their stuff around the 4.529-kilometre circuit.
Just a short stroll away, Kyalami’s Upper Pits will host a uniquely accessorised Swift alongside a Fronx kitted out with various styling upgrades, protection gear and performance parts.
Nearby, Suzuki Motorcycles will showcase its two-wheeled range, from the nimble 125cc Avenis scooter to the legendary 1,300cc Hayabusa. Making its FOM debut will be the new full-fairing GSX-8R Cup race bike, first seen in South Africa at the 2025 Simola Hill Climb.
The GSX-8R Cup is a single-make series featuring machines as close to their road-going counterparts as possible. Racing will take place in Gauteng, with plans to expand in future as demand grows. Designed to keep costs manageable, a new bike can be on the grid for as little as R190,000, with competitors limited to a single set of tyres per round.
New for 2025, Suzuki Marine will also make an appearance alongside Suzuki Motorcycles, showcasing the very popular DF140 4-stroke outboard motor and a Suzumar inflatable boat package.
Out on the handling track, Suzuki will run a self-drive circuit where showgoers can get behind the wheel of a Baleno, Celerio, Fronx, Grand Vitara, Jimny 5-door or fourth-generation Swift. Outdoor adventure enthusiasts can trek over to the 4x4 track where they can ride shotgun in a Jimny 5-door along a challenging off-road course.
“The Festival of Motoring is always a highlight on our calendar because it’s such a fun, hands-on way for people to experience the Suzuki Lifestyle and all that it has to offer,”
says Brendon Carpenter, Brand Marketing Manager of Suzuki Auto South Africa.
“We’ve been part of this fantastic event since it began in 2016, and this year we are bringing one of our biggest and most diverse line-ups yet – from the award-winning Swift and adventure-ready Jimny to an exciting display of high-performance motorcycles and outboard motors. We can’t wait to share the unfiltered Suzuki experience with visitors and look forward to welcoming everyone to our stands at Kyalami.”
