The Festival of Motoring is back and promises to outdo the previous year’s event. Our focus will be on the exhibitors, specifically looking at the brands that might be set to announce or launch new vehicles to the media. Here are some rumored appearances making their debut for this year’s FOM.
This years exhibitors will feature an appearance from 17 major manufactures, namely ; Volkswagen and VW Commercial, BAIC, Chery, GWM, GWM TANK, ORA, Toyota, GAC, Isuzu, Suzuki, Haval, Subaru, MG, LDV, Mahindra, BYD, GeroTek Test Facilities. here are some vehicles we suspect may be showcased and unveiled at the event :
- Volkswagen
Do you remember the Volkswagen Tiguan All-Space? This was VW’s answer to all of its rivals that offered a four-seating SUV and the option of a seven-seater. Now there is a Tayron, which was touted to replace the All- Space. The Tayron made its debut in the States and Europe, and having launched the VW Tiguan locally recently, it is imminent that they also include a seven-seater offering, as there is a strong appetite for it.
2. BAIC
The BAIC B30 is a hybrid compact SUV that has a more rugged-focused demeanor, evident in its off-road-biased styling. However, even though the car looks rugged, it sits on a calmer monocoque setup , as opposed to a ladder-on-frame chassis. The B30 has been teased as an incoming model for a while now, so the Festival of Motoring might be the day it makes its debut.
3. Mahindra
The Mahindra Global Pik Up is a concept Bakkie set to offer a more lifestyle-oriented approach without losing functionality and off-road capability . It was first showcased at Mahindra’s Futurescape event in Cape Town in 2023 , as it was expected to be close to the production model. Mahindra usually showcases their current models with radical modifications, but this concept could make an appearance as the production-ready model.
4. MG
MG aims to bring the fight to the likes of the Volkswagen Polo and Suzuki Swift with this hatchback offering called the MG3. This is a small, budget-friendly car that MG ensures has all necessary technology, cabin , and cargo space needed to shake off opponents. It typically comes with a 1.5-liter petrol engine, paired with a five-speed manual gearbox and a hybrid option. Could we see this make an appearance on the day?
5. LDV
LDV entered the country in 2024 with a smart model to offer , as it is a Bakkie, and you already know Mzansi doesn’t play about those. The T60 has since made a strong impact in the market, as it recently appeared on the list of the best-selling Bakkies. However , when checking the official LDV website, you see that there is another vehicle called the D90 listed , which hasn’t made its official debut. This SUV rivals the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Everest and promises not only good capability but good looks. We hope to see it in the flesh.
6. SUBARU
Subaru currently offers the following models in South Africa: the Crosstrek, Outback, and Forester. All of these mentioned vehicles have received an update for the new year, so most likely the Subaru team will be showcasing these cars , and they should be at the off-road display, as the models are off-road capable vehicles.
7. BYD
Set to be the cheapest electric vehicle in SA, BYD has announced that they are expanding their lineup, and the latest to join the fray will be the small ATTO 1. It is feature-rich with things such as customizable drive modes, advanced driver-assistance tech, a wireless phone charger, six airbags, and passive and active safety tech. It will have a 30- or 39-kWh battery pack, offering respective single-charge claimed ranges of 305 km and 405 km.
8. Chery
Chery South Africa recently showcased their NEV range, and among the Tiggo Cross and Tiggo 7, there was a bigger vehicle on show. This brand-new vehicle is the Tiggo 9, which is now the new flagship offering, topping the Tiggo 8. Thecar will feature a 1.5- liter four-cylinder turbopetrol engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission, and pricing could be announced on the day.
9. GAC
GAC only has two models on offer right now in South Africa but has much more to offer in different markets globally. One that stood out for us is a luxury MPV offering from the brand called the M8. It is a long shot ; however, it would be radical to witness this imposing vehicle make an appearance at the GAC stand, as we’re sure it would pull much attention.
10. Isuzu
Even though the beloved “Nogwaja” has been caught out for showing its age, Australia had gone through the effort of giving the vehicle a much-needed facelift, which we still haven’t received, as it debuted in 2019 in Thailand and made its way to Australia. Could FOM be the day it makes an appearance and becomes available locally?
11. Haval H9
This is a seven-seater offering from Haval, which could possibly make its debut as the flagship offering from the manufacturer.
12. Toyota
oyota is one of the many brands that have stood their ground on not adopting the recent all – electric models trend; however, they’ve introduced some models in hybrid setups to align with global standards at the moment. The latest to join the fray will be the Toyota Bz4x, being the brand’s first all-electric SUV, built on the e-TNGA platform and designed as a mid-size crossover.
13. GWM
During the latest Shanghai Auto Show, we saw many wonderful and weird concepts being showcased . Among all those, we found a Tank that was fully kitted out to tackle the beaten track and become the ultimate camping vehicle when needed. We hope that this modded Tank 300 will be on showcase at the Festival of Motoring.
14. Suzuki
There is a lot of noise about a fully electric Vitara being offered in parts of the world, but the intriguing part is that the vehicle has new design looks-wise, and this could then trickle down into the normal Vitara vehicle, which should be due for an update sometime this year. Could Suzuki showcase the e-Vitara or even the Vitara as a facelift? We certainly hope so.
