JIMS to Open its Doors on Thursday 6 October 2011
JIMS – the Johannesburg International Motor Show – gets underway on Thursday, kicking off with a media breakfast on the General Motors stand, where they’ll unveil the Chevrolet Sonic (which replaces the Aveo) and the next generation Chevrolet Utility. It is fitting that Chevrolet kicks off Africa’s biggest motor show, as the brand is currently celebrating its centenary.
The first two days of the show are aimed specifically at media and the motor industry, but on Saturday October 8 it opens to the public. Expect to be wowed. Last held in 2008, the show will see manufacturers pulling out the stops with an array of shiny new metal, concept cars, interactive elements and of course, girls.
And we’re not being sexist – the organisers expect more members of the fairer sex to attend the show as prospective buyers, and the international trend is for the female of the household to take a larger role in the purchase decision. Still, we hope to see a good few girls sprucing up the stands and displays, which in many cases will have been brought in directly from overseas, complete with the staff which assemble and disassemble them, ensuring they can move on swiftly to the next international show...
Some of the cars the public can expect to see include the next VW Beetle, Golf Cabriolet (which has an electro-hydraulic soft-top that opens in 9,5 seconds), the handsome Ford Kuga MPV (due to reach showrooms by the end of the year), Citroen’s dramatically-styled DS5, Subaru’s next-generation XV crossover and Toyota’s whacky Aygo Crazy.
Nissan’s exhibition might just be the best of the bunch though. Not only will motoring lovers get a sneak peek of the much anticipated Nissan Juke and multi-award winning fully-electric zero-emission LEAF, but they’ll also have the chance to show off their driving skills in a Nissan GT-R Playstation 3 simulator – it is the closest most will ever get to driving Nissan’s supercar.
There will also be stands full of motoring accessories, so if you’re looking for a way to pull your 4x4 out of the mud, or carry your bicycles to your holiday destination, or kit your van out as the perfect mobile workshop, you’ll find it all here. And don’t forget Asimo, Honda’s rather cute singing, dancing, stair-climbing robot, which showcases just what’s possible in the 21st century. It isn’t motoring-specific but your kids will love you for, especially after being dragged from one car display to the next.
The Johannesburg Motor Show will be held at the Johannesburg Expo Centre from 6 – 16 October, with the show opening to the public from 8 October. Entrance costs R80 for adults, R20 for children aged between 6 and 12 and entrance is free for children under that age. It is bound to be money well-spent.
