After a week on the Western Cape’s finest roads, the roar of South Africa’s rarest and most unique vehicles faded as the fourth edition of “South Africa’s Most Beautiful Drive” came to a close.
From 16 to 21 March, a mix of 65 hand-selected vehicles took part in The Cape 1000, an annual grand touring regularity rally that sees participants drive 1600 km (1000 miles) across the province. Supported by Private Clients by Old Mutual, The Cape 1000 reimagines iconic rallies of the past within an African context.
Vanessa Crichton, the organiser of The Cape 1000, says, “The running of the fourth edition of The Cape 1000 has just been phenomenal. The memories that are made, the friendships that are forged and the event itself has revolutionised the way car rallying is seen in South Africa.”
The vehicles participating in the event are a carefully curated mix to ensure every single one involved provides a unique element to the event. The entries to The Cape 1000 are either by invitation or application and the vehicles are divided into pre-1977 classics, modern classics (1977 to 1996), sports (1997 to 2025) and special.
Each category is limited by brand and model, which allows for the widest possible variety of cars taking part in the event.
Warren Brosnihan, official event MC and former Springbok rugby player, says, “The cars are always the absolute rock stars of The Cape 1000. All of these cars have got a backstory to them, and it is amazing to learn those backstories and to have them come together to make the event what it is.”
Some standout vehicles from the 2025 The Cape 1000 included a Ferrari Daytona (1970), a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (1962) and an iconic Lamborghini Diablo (1993). Providing a modern twist to the event were a 2025 Ferrari Daytona 12 Cilindri, thanks to Scuderia South Africa and a still unreleased 2025 Mercedes-AMG CLE 53, provided by Mercedes Benz South Africa.
The Cape 1000 also has a strong charitable aspect, as each year the event raises money for the QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA) and the Motorsport Legends Benevolent Fund. The money that goes to these organisations was raised at an end-of-event auction, where the event participants could bid on unique memorabilia and other items from this year’s The Cape 1000.
QASA is a non-profit organisation representing persons with spinal cord injury and physical disability in South Africa and the Motorsport Legends Benevolent Fund provides emergency financial relief to people involved in the sport who have fallen on hard times.
While The Cape 1000 is more than just a rally, a winner still had to be crowned. After spending a week traversing the province, Sean and Daisy Flynn emerged victorious in the 2025 The Cape 1000 in their stunning Mercedes Benz SLS AMG. Alongside the overall winner’s prize, a spirit award was presented to Steve Geogala & Peter Wales.
The Cape 1000 will return for its fifth anniversary in 2026. While the route will only be revealed in the months leading up to the event, registrations will open towards the end of 2025 and will be via The Cape 1000’s website.
Sponsors and partners of The Cape 1000:
- Private Clients by Old Mutual Wealth
- SCL Travel
- Mercedes Benz South Africa
- The Archive Automotive
- Scuderia South Africa – Official Ferrari Dealer
- Motorsport Legends Benevolent Fund
- The QuadPara Association of South Africa
