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As an extension of the
Italian Festival which started last week, Fiat Auto South
Africa will be hosting an Italian Heritage Open Day at
Kyalami the famous former Grand Prix circuit tomorrow
(Sunday) where the new Alfa 159 will take a starring role.
The day will provide many
attractions, the highlight undoubtedly being the public debut in South Africa of
the Alfa Romeo 159, with the opportunity for visitors to
drive this dynamic newcomer around the former F1 track. The
Alfa 159 saloon heralds the arrival of a new breed of Alfa
Romeo models, which include the 159 Sportwagon, Brera and
Spider, and after being rapidly rolled out across Europe
since its launch last autumn it is now jumping continents to
arrive in Africa.
There will
also be a chance to experience other models in the
ever-growing Fiat Auto South Africa range including the
freshly-launched 'compact' Fiat Grande Punto. The public will also be
able to view various displays from marques that include the
Alfa Romeo Club, Fiat Club, Lancia Club, Ferrari and
Maserati Club. Other displays will include a presentation by
the Fiat Group's commercial vehicle division, Iveco, as well
as from Italian motorbike manufacturers' Ducati and Aprilia,
while stands will be on hand from various dealers of Fiat
Auto products in South Africa.
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The famous Kyalami
circuit, former home to the South African Grand
Prix, still plays host to top-level motor racing.
Here one of the Alfa 147GTA racers is seen during
February's round of the South African Production Car
Championship. |
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The new Alfa 159 will make its South African public
debut at the Kyalami Grand Prix circuit tomorrow
where it will be available for test drives. |
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A motorsport display will
include the exciting new Fiat Grande Punto Rally, a car
built to the FIA's new 'Super2000' regulations and which made its first appearance outside of Europe during
the FIA African Rally Championship Zulu Rally of South
Africa two weeks ago, as well as by a Ferrari Formula One
racing car.
Over thirty Ferrari sportscars will
visit the circuit on the day as part of the SEFAC [Southern
Equatorial Ferrari Automobili Club] Charity Challenge which
will see over seventy classic cars ending their rally at the circuit.
The dramatic, sweeping Kyalami circuit will play an excellent host to
the proceedings. The famous track held its first major motor
race in 1961 (the non-championship Rand Grand Prix, won by
Jim Clark) before the FIA F1 World Championship arrived in 1967,
starting off an unbroken run of appearances at the circuit
that went right through to 1985. Since Kyalami
lost its place on the F1 calendar the track has been fully
rebuilt, and it is still today the country's premier racing
facility.
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