Debuts for Chinese and German cars at Simola Hillclimb

Preparations are under way for the 15th edition of the Simola Hillclimb in Knysna, Western Cape from May 1-4.

Every year since 2009, the Old Cape road that leads to the Simola Golf and Country Estate in Knysna is turned into a paddock filled with some of the country’s most powerful cars vying for the king of the 1.9km climb crown.

The event has become one of SA’s premier automotive events, with large crowds of enthusiast spectators gathering to watch the action. It’s also become SA’s own Goodwood Festival of Speed with a host of brands opting to debut their new cars. 

New Car Debuts

Mercedes-Benz SA will give the new AMG GT 63 S E Performance coupe with its 600kW engine developing 1,420Nm of torque an action debut this year, once more driven by AMG Driving Academy head and racing driver Clint Weston. 

The AMG GLC 63 S E Performance SUV and the AMG C63 S E Performance sedan powered by 2.0l four-cylinder turbocharged engines will also be in action.

BMW SA will debut the new MINI Cooper John Cooper Works. Though not new, the ultra rare M4 CS and M4 CSL will also point their flared nostrils up the hill.

New Chinese entrant MG is taking the Cyberster roadster up the hill with Joshua Lowe as the pilot. The breezy car with scissor-doors and all-wheel drive pumps out 375kW from an all-electric drivetrain.

Lowe will be joined by Johannes Pretorius in the yet-to-be-released MG4 XPower EV. Stellantis will debut the Opel Corsa GS Irmscher.

“We are delighted that several of these brands are using the Simola Hillclimb to debut exciting new cars,” said Geoff Goddard, the Simola Hillclimb sporting director.

The event

Pre-event action commences on Friday May 2 with scrutineering followed by a late-afternoon parade along the town’s Waterfront Drive. The competition gets under way on Saturday, May 3 starting with four practice sessions and three qualifying rounds. Sunday morning kicks off with the last three qualifying runs to whittle down the top three competitors for the class finalists, who then battle it out for Sunday afternoon’s Top 10 Shootout. 

Classes

Class A7 is for turbocharged or supercharged eight-cylinder cars, with a contingent of Shelby SA Super Snakes dominating the grid. They compete with the Roush supercharged Mustang, and a British McLaren 720S.

Class A6 pits naturally-aspirated eight-cylinder cars and above, including a Ferrari 458, Audi R8 V10 Plus and a 2000 BMW M5.

Class A5 sees three naturally-aspirated six-cylinder Porsches compete, including a 2014 Cayman GTS, 2000 911 GT3, 2018 911 GT3 RS and a 2003 BMW M3.

Class A3 includes another official BMW SA M2 Competition, a 2023 M4 CSL, 2020 Toyota Supra and a 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio.

Class A1 for two-wheel drive cars has the new-generation Suzuki Swift, and the older Swift Sport model. They are joined by the latest MINI John Cooper Works edition, Opel Corsa GS Irmscher, Fiat 500 Abarth and a Ford Fiesta ST among others.

Breaking boundaries

Guy Davies will make his debut as only the second physically challenged person to compete at the Simola Hillclimb in a Porsche 911, after Terry Smith’s outing in 2021.

“This will be my first competitive event of any kind in more than 25 years. I’ve been keen on competing at the Simola Hillclimb for several years but didn’t believe it would be possible due to the required safety regulations,” says Davies, who will compete in Class A3. 

“I just need to pass the vehicle clearance test to get out of the car in the stipulated time so I can get my racing licence, which I will do as soon as my head restraint that works with the car’s standard seat belts arrives.”

More information and online ticket sales are available at Simola Hillclimb.