The Gas Motorshow National Tour made a pitstop at Granger Bay recently
Cape Town has become one of South Africa’s premier sources of automotive culture, so just recently the Gas Motorshow National Tour made a stop in the Mother City ahead of the national event.
The promotional stop in Granger Bay on June 10 quickly evolved into a show ‘n shine of note. Hundreds of enthusiasts came out to admire the collection of display vehicles carefully selected by car aficionados CapeStance, transforming the parking lot into a well organized showcase of Cape car culture.
For many visitors, the headline attraction was Hollywood actor Sung Kang, known worldwide as Han from the Fast & Furious franchise, who made a special appearance at the event. Yet as the evening unfolded, it became clear that the real stars were the cars and the people who built them.
Diversity of machine was the calling card. There were immaculate classics sitting alongside personalized imports. European performance cars shared space with custom-built show vehicles, the latter often representing years of hard work and dedication. It’s the show car that really tells the story though, with the art of the personal touch conveying the character of the owner.
That is perhaps the greatest strength of events like this. While outsiders sometimes see modified cars simply as expensive hobbies, enthusiasts understand that every vehicle has a history. Behind every polished engine bay and custom body panel are late nights in garages and hours of research.
At the main event in Durban, it can be said the Cape Town petrolkoppe made a big impression. Young Connor February has blown up all over social media. Son of the legendary Spinner and Drifter Sean February, Connor made a big show in his little 11-year-old frame, wowing the crowds and stealing hearts with his Spin antics.
Trained and mentored by his father, the Durban show was Connor’s first-ever shakedown, with word on the street being that this guy is a Spinner to watch as he grows in skill and stature.
With well-known names on the national scene as judges, and the inimitable Vic Pardal as Emcee, the competitions were tight. A notable unveil, literally the cabbie had a cloth pulled from it, was a Golf Mk1 fitted snugly with a Bentley W12 engine, not something you see every day.
Sanjay Premllal won first place for his immaculate build, a Golf Mk2 left-hand drive with an RS3 implant, engine bay so clean it looks almost digital, another goal achieved for this dedicated petrolhead.
South African automotive culture gets leveled up year by year. Gatherings are no longer solely about horsepower figures and quarter-mile times. They combine motoring, lifestyle, entertainment and community. Families attend. Photographers build portfolios and content creators document the scene. Businesses connect with customers.
Ricardo Moreira from The Germanese CPT, an established automotive media house, says: “I have been travelling the country shooting cars for years and this has to be the best show in the country.”
Organisers of the Durban-based Gas Motorshow have been at the forefront of this evolution, attested by the annual event’s rapid growth and its expansion onto the international stage. The Cape Town stop offered local enthusiasts a glimpse of that larger vision while simultaneously showcasing the strength of the Mother City’s own automotive community.