The George Old Car Show is one of South Africa’s biggest get-togethers for old and veteran cars and the 29th edition will take place on February 14 at Eden Technical High School in George.
Organised by the Southern Cape Old Car Club, it is an annual celebration of motoring history, engineering ingenuity and timeless automotive beauty.
It will also honour the 140th anniversary of the invention of the horseless motor carriage by Carl Benz in 1886. To commemorate the occasion, visitors will be treated to a special exhibition of early Benz vehicles that pioneered modern motorcars, including replicas of the 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen, the 1901 Benz Ideal and the 1913 Benz 8/20 PS Tourenwagen.
The show will also celebrate the 130th anniversary of the first motor vehicle, a Benz Velo, arriving in South Africa. Imported by John Percy Hess, who later became the sole agent for Benz in the country, the car was shipped from Germany to Port Elizabeth in 1896 and then transported to Pretoria.
The event will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the formation of Mercedes-Benz in 1926, when the predecessor companies Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft and Benz & Cie merged to form Daimler-Benz AG with an exclusive exhibition of pre-World War 2 Mercedes-Benz cars.
Among the exhibited highlights representing the evolution of the German marque will be a 1935 Mercedes-Benz W23 130H, a 1938 Mercedes-Benz W142 Type 320 and a 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Roadster. These classics will be joined by a selection of exclusive post-war Mercedes-Benz models, presented by the Mercedes-Benz Club of South Africa, as part of its activities commemorating its 40th anniversary.
VETTOER
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Vettoer, organised by Philip Kuschke, will precede the George Old Car Show on February 13. Reserved for vehicles manufactured without front brakes, the tour is an iconic tradition strongly supported by the Model T Ford Club of South Africa.
In a symbolic tribute to motoring’s origins, the organisers are planning to have the Benz Patent-Motorwagen lead the line-up of participating vehicles when they depart, alongside entries including a Stanley Steamer and a selection of interesting veteran motorcycles.
The car show’s main exhibition field will present these vehicle, as well as a selection of classic tractors, bringing to life the dawn of motoring for enthusiasts, families and collectors alike.
“The George Old Car Show represents a meeting place, a focal point for all iconic marques and those who share the passion for old and classic vehicles,” says show co-ordinator Alewijn Dippenaar.
“We again expect over a thousand participants for the 2026 event, with every single vehicle on show representing someone’s passion — not only for old cars, motorcycles and tractors but also the passion for locating them, restoring them and driving them, sometimes over long distances to be at the show.”
For more information, or to exhibit, visit the Southern Cape Old Car Clubs’s website.
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