Share

Knysna Hillclimb back with Jaguar

Knysna's Simola Hillclimb - cancelled in 2013 - will be back for 2014 with Jaguar as the main sponsor and (Yay!) the deal is for three years. Let's hope Jag puts in its own entries.

Renault  pulled its sponsorship for the 2013 event which subsequently led to the event being cancelled.

Back in 2013 event director Ian Shrosbree said: “The event, which grew tremendously in the four years that it was run and had become one of South Africa’s premier motorsport events, has been unable to secure a title sponsor following the withdrawal of Renault."

The associated Knysna Speed Festival, with which it was associated, still went ahead.

Shrosbree added: “Renault unexpectedly withdrew very late, leaving us with little time to find a replacement. We tried our best but most of the companies that were interested had already committed their budgets to other marketing initiatives."

THREE-YEAR DEAL

The Jaguar-sponsored event, part of Knysna's annual Speed Festival, will be the fifth iteration of the hill-climb as the event returns in May with sponsor Jaguar South Africa.

It will take place during the Speed Festival over May 16-18 2014 with a number of automotive events and competitions designed to satisfy any motorsport aficionado.

Jaguar has signed up to be the title sponsor for three years. Kevin Flynn, MD of parent company Jaguar Land Rover, told Wheels24: “The Simola Hillclimb is custom-made for Jaguar, a brand which not only has an incredibly rich heritage but also an impressive current product line-up and an equally exciting future. 

“We are thrilled to be the headline sponsor of an event which pays homage to the past but is firmly rooted in the present.

“The Jaguar Simola Hillclimb transcends the mere metal, however, and is ultimately a weekend for those who love car culture and what it embraces. It's a celebration of all that personal mobility is about, bringing people with a common passion together. I can’t wait to enjoy the sensory pleasures that are part and parcel of the weekend!”

'A PERFECT FIT'

The hill-climb will include Classic Car Friday (May 16) for pre-1975 cars and the King of the Hill Shoot-out for modern, exotic and supercars on Saturday and Sunday (May 17/18).

Shrosbree said: “We're incredibly excited to have Jaguar on board as the title sponsor as there is no doubt it will mark a turning point for the event that will lift it to a new level. Jaguar and the Simola Hillclimb are a perfect fit, each representing the finer things in the automotive world.

“It has been our vision from Day 1 to build the hill-climb into the premier motorsport event in South Africa – objectives which gel perfectly with Jaguar’s goals for the event. Jaguar is as enthusiastic as we are to grow the Simola Hillclimb into the South African equivalent of the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

“It has grown incredibly quickly in its first four years which has set a solid foundation for it to now move to a new level. Competitors and fans will not be disappointed when they arrive in Knysna in May."

BUDGET CONSTRAINTS

Jaguar believes the event is expected to attract a wide variety of the best and fastest competition cars in the country, including “at least one surprise never seen on SA roads”.

Fans hoping to test their hill-cllimb skill were devastated by the announcement that the 2013 event was cancelled.

Renault SA's then head of communications Danielle Melville told Wheels24: "It was decided towards the end of 2012 that due to our two major launches in 2013 (Clio4 and Duster), our focus and priorities in terms of budget had to be with these models which meant we were unable to be a sponsor in 2013."
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE