With BMW South Africa turning 50 years old this year, they kicked off their celebrations with racing a few of their Museum Classics up the Simola Hill Climb circuit. 

I was fortunate to be a competitor of this years' Simola Hill Climb event, and managed to be in amongst the action on Classic Car Friday and King of the Hill for the rest of the weekend.  

BMW South Africa was a partner in this years' Simola Hill Climb. The 13th running of this annual Speed Festival.

They officially entered 5 cars for the Classic Car Friday segment, and another 4 brand new Beemers for the King of the Hill shootout on the Saturday and Sunday.

On the Thursday they kicked off the Simola weekend with a display on a field near the Knysna Waterfront, some latest BMW vehicles from the George Dealership were also on show amongst their museum pieces brought down from Rosslyn.

After our drive up from Cape Town on the Thursday, we joined the BMWSA stand, and were warmly welcomed by the BMWSA crew, and their BMWSA Simola Hill Climb project team.

They displayed :

The outstanding M1 from 1978.

As well as the the unofficial first ///M E12 from 1976 - the 530 Motorsport Limited Edition.

The only race-prepped proudly South African E23 745i, as well as Shaun van der Linde's ex-DealerTeam 325iS which was also raced in the Stannic GroupN series

They also had in their stable the Speedy Car Sales' Farouk Dangor with his 325iS that he raced in the group series back in the early 90s,

and the TonyViana 325i shadowline driven by Geoff Goddard Jnr.

The very rare E30 333i - from 1986

As part of their display, they also had a former BMW Car Club members (who now resides in the Knysna area) - replica track Jagermeister 635csi , copied from the E24 that raced in the German Production Car Championship.

The new M2 was entered into the King of the Hill shootout (its' first South Africa road debut) as part of BMWSA's celebration for the weekend, competing on the Saturday and Sunday.  

BMWSA's former technical manager and current General Aftersales Manager Robert Gearing piloted the 333i on Classic Car Friday, and then the new M2 on the Saturday and the Sunday running a best time of 52.488 

Amongst the line-up of new Beemers were : 

i4 M50 which is hailed as an All-Electric Performance Gran Coupe driven by Thomas Falkiner with a best time of 53.311

The G90 M5competition 

The 460kw TwinTurbo V8 X6M 

The ///Monstrous XM ran an impressive best time of 48.437 ath the hands of Ashley Oldfield

BMW is really pushing the electricVehicle agenda in SA. They also entered the allElectric iX3 

Other independant BMW entrants :

TracK-prepped E46M3

An X5M5Od powered 2series 

And myself with the little V10

A seperate article is being put together highlighting our experience and journey with this E60M5 to the Simola Hill Climb 2023

VIEW VIDEO OF OUR RUNS HERE

and lastly, 

As part of an exhibition run during the lunch break on Sunday, the South African born CEO of BMW South Africa Mr Peter van Binsbergern drove the legendary 333i up the Simola Circuit. We said a quick hi, and had a small chat. 

Simola Hill Climb 2023 was a blast !!

Photo credits :RBPhotographyCPT