BMW South Africa has announced that it will hold an “M Festival” at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in Johannesburg on 21 and 22 October 2017, with a handful of enticing upcoming models set to debut locally at the event.
The local arm of the German automaker says the festival will give “customers, fans and car enthusiasts” a preview of upcoming BMW M products, as well as allowing them to experience hot laps and book test drives across the range.
The new F90-generation M5 will make an appearance ahead of its local launch, while the special-edition M4 CS will hit the market at the festival itself. In addition, BMW says the first M Performance model in the new X3 range – the BMW X3 M40i – will be on display, ahead of its local launch in November.
The X3 M40i will employ a 3,0-litre inline-six with an output of 265 kW, which the Munich-based brand says will send the flagship X3 to 100 km/h in just 4,8 seconds.
“South Africa has been one of the top performers in the world in terms of BMW M market share and sales,” said Alexander Baraka, general manager for marketing services at BMW Group SA.
“For example, since 2015, BMW South Africa has been ranked fifth in the world in terms of overall BMW M market share and managed to rise up to third place this year.
“It is therefore very clear that South Africans are big fans of our BMW M vehicles and – as seen at the international BMW M Festival held annually at the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring – we would like to use the BMW M Festival as an opportunity to inspire our customers and fans with innovative experiential platforms,” Baraka added.
BMW says those who attend will get the opportunity to “participate in drag races” and drifting, book test drives and enjoy live music and “gourmet food”. The BMW DTM race team (Team Schnitzer with driver Tom Blomqvist) will also make an appearance, offering visitors hot laps in the M4 DTM car.
In addition, the Gauteng BMW Car Club Concours Event will take place at the BMW M Festival.
A one-day pass will set you back R150 if you opt for the “M-Ticket” (which includes access to the festival, main music stage, food and lifestyle village, as well as a peek at the M cars display, vintage M display and the right to sign up for “one of hundreds” of BMW M car track test drives, on a first-come, first-served basis), while going for the “M-VIP Ticket” instead will cost you R500 (but adds access to the BMW M Sky Lounge with cash bar, bar snacks, private ablutions, VIP parking and entrance to the evening’s M-Afterparty).
An “M-Hospitality” package, priced at R2 500, will also be on offer, adding VVIP parking, a private area within the M VIP lounge with a view of the track, concierge, all-day canapés as well as “all local spirits, beers and wines”.
If you prefer a weekend pass, the M-Ticket will cost R250, the M-VIP Ticket R900 and the M-Hospitality package R4 500.
