Franschhoek’s finest vintage cars, which are showcased in the Franschhoek Motor Museum on the L’Omarins wine estate, will be put on show today and tomorrow, when the first Franschhoek Motor Museum Concours and Time Trial takes place on the wine estate.

Sixty of the approximately eighty vintage cars, dating between 1900 and 1980, in the Motor Museum’s collection will be taken through their paces on one of three routes:  up to 50 km/hr, 70 km/hr and 90 km/hr, to showcase the pedigrees and speeds of the various vintage cars. 

The Concours will showcase Africa’s finest vintage cars, a panel of judges finely examining the detail of each masterpiece, from the upholstery, the paint, to the mechanical condition of each vintage vehicle.

The Franschhoek Motor Museum was established by Johan Rupert, in honour of his father Anton Rupert, who was an avid vintage car lover.  Anton Rupert built up a museum of vintage cars in Heidelberg in the Cape, and his son Johan moved the car collection to the L’Omarins farm, which belonged to his late brother Antonij, after his father’s passing.   More than 80 vehicles, including motorcycles, bicycles and memorabilia, are showcased in four air-conditioned halls, The Motor Museum is closed on Mondays, so that all vehicles can be polished for the visitors arriving on subsequent days of the week.

The event is so popular that most accommodation in Franschhoek has been sold out for tonight.

For further details, visit Franschhoek Motor Museum www.fmm.co.za.  Tel 021 874 9000. Buy tickets at Computicket only.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com