BMW Group South Africa icons soak up the spotlight during 2023 Simola Hillclimb Classic Car Friday

On Friday, 5 May, motoring enthusiasts welcomed the start of the 2023 Knysna Simola Hillclimb – a three-day motorsport lifestyle showcase. Local and international fans and broadcast viewers gathered in anticipation to watch drivers take on the famed Hill.

Image supplied by BMW Group PressClub South Africa

Classic Car Friday

The action kicked off with Classic Car Friday. Historic, classic, and vintage cars were also displayed at the Fan Fest on Thursday, which concluded with a grand parade along the picturesque Waterfront Drive.

A Tier One partner of the 2023 Simola Hillclimb, BMW Group South Africa entered several of its significant locally developed vehicles. Amid its “50 Years an Icon” anniversary activities, the brand’s participation was a true celebration of its unique heritage and automotive history in the country. It was all systems go for the BMW vehicles on Friday as the brand’s legends took on the hill.

Classic performance

Each car and driver brought something unique to the event. BMW Group South Africa test engineer and dynamics specialist Bradleigh Boshoff brought the rare BMW 530 MLE to the party. The BMW 333i, or “Triple Three” as it is affectionately known among fans, was steered by BMW Group South Africa General Manager of Customer Support and team manager, Rob Gearing. Spectators were wowed by the sight of this rare Triple Three, restored to immaculate condition ahead of its headlining appearance.   

The sunny weather conditions gave way to a blazing race day where the Winfield BMW 745i, piloted by Neil Botha, proved another red-hot favourite with the crowds. Reliving its heyday as a bona fide race car, the Group N BMW 325iS was in fine form with classic car collector and restorer Oliver Broome behind the wheel.

A Class Act

On the overall performance of the iconic BMW vehicles, team manager Gearing said:

“It has been a fantastic day up the hill. We saw a true showcase of icons that reflect our proud heritage. As expected, the BMW 530 MLE and the BMW 333i were crowd pleasers and we truly enjoyed our outing today.”

Ahead of the King of the Hill competition, Gearing commented:

“The cars are looking great for Saturday and Sunday. The BMW M2 and its full set of M Performance parts is already a headturner in its bespoke Simola Hillclimb wrap. We are definitely looking forward to the weekend’s results!”

Read more on the Simola Hillclimb website