BMW M FEST RETURNS TO KYALAMI THIS OCTOBER AFTER A 2-YEAR HIATUS.
Ever heard of BMW M Fest? Well, it was an event for fans of the letter M, but the ones attached to BMW cars, not random fans of the 13th letter of the alphabet. Thanks to the worldwide pandemic, the event has been on a bit of a hiatus, but after a two-year break, it’s back. M Fest is BMW's celebration of all things M, and the South African edition has been one of the biggest and most exciting. The event usually takes place at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit in Johannesburg, which is pretty iconic for motorsport enthusiasts. At M Fest, you can expect a full-on experience that blends car culture, racing, and lifestyle. Here's what you typically find there…
M Car Displays: BMW brings out the big guns with a showcase of the latest M models, along with some classic and rare M cars. It's a paradise for any BMW enthusiasts, photographers and content creators.
Test Drives and Hot Laps and Racing: Fans get the chance to test drive some of the M cars on the track, but if you’re more of a passenger, there are hot lap experiences where a professional driver takes you around the circuit at full tilt. That’s always an adrenaline rush, we know some of those drivers. The BMW Car Club racing series will also have a special round taking place during the festivities, no passenger rides here but always great action.
Drifting: This is on again for 2024, and it’s going to be hard to beat seeing the Drift Brothers in action like at the last event. We’re keen to see how they top this.
Lifestyle Activities & E-gaming: Beyond the cars, there’s usually a festival atmosphere with live music, food stalls, and a family-friendly vibe. BMW often brings in some pretty cool entertainment to keep everyone hyped with some famous bands and celebs. A gaming setup will be there for virtual fun to keep the Gen Z crowd happy who were dragged there unwillingly by parents. Sad parents of Gen Z’s can drown sorrows in a beer tent.
Merchandise and Exhibitors: You can definitely snag some official BMW gear, accessories, and other car-related merchandise. There will also be exhibitor stands where you can check out the latest in BMW-related car tech and products and modifications.
Meet and Greet with BMW Personalities: Sometimes, there are opportunities to meet BMW racing drivers or get insights from BMW engineers and designers. We’re pretty sure that you’ll recognise some of the celeb drivers that will appear, but we won’t mention them in case they feel obligated to go and miss on an aunty’s 99th birthday.
For 2024’s instalment, things have changed up a bit and so for the first time, BMW SA has introduced a special Friday preview programme for BMW M FEST./ This means that those of us, I mean you, who work for yourselves can take a day off and attend the show with a heck of a lot less human interaction. An early Friday visit also means an exclusive first look at the latest high-powered BMW M models before the main festivities commence. BMW South Africa is set to launch the latest models from the BMW M lineup, including the new BMW M5, BMW M4 CS, BMW M3 Touring and the BMW M2. All ticket classes are available on Howler.co.za and prices start from R350. Follow BMW South Africa and BMW Motorrad South Africa on X, Instagram and Facebook for the latest M FEST information. We hope to see you there!
Take a look at the YouTube video from the last event in 2022 as The Carbon Connection does the rounds at Kyalami to check out everything that was on offer - let's hope 2024 is the same: BMW M Fest South Africa 2022 | Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit | M2 M4csl XM The Carbon Connection | The Carbon Connection
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