South Africa is getting its own Top Gear test track

South Africa is getting its very own Top Gear test track, taking inspiration from the famous BBC Top Gear show broadcast in the United Kingdom.

The new track is the first of its kind for a publication outside of the UK, and is set up right here at the Brakpan/Benoni Airfield in Gauteng.

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Celebrating its third year of operations, Top Gear South Africa’s new test track is 3.5km long and will allow the publication to expand its content portfolio to produce content that is uniquely tailored to local motorists.

The main goal of the platform’s content expansion is to allow for its own performance tests within a safe operating environment, lettings its content producers conduct straight-line performance tests, and measure attributes like braking and weight transition parameters.

It will also record timed laps, which will be placed on an official Top Gear SA Fastest Lap board.

“The facility allows us to put each car through the same, rigorous test to see how these would perform bone-stock from the dealer floor,” said Lerator Matebese, the publishing editor at Clipping Point Publishing.

“While this will be great for car debates at the braai or carwash, it also puts into perspective each car’s performance credentials in a controlled environment.”

The test track is not the only cue the local publication is taking out of its UK source material, however, as Top Gear South Africa will also be introducing its own “Star in a Reasonably Priced Car” challenge, letting numerous Mzanzi celebrities get on-screen and behind the wheel to compete for the fastest lap around the new circuit.

In addition, the motoring site plans to introduce two big events, starting with the first-ever Top Gear Awards, sponsored by Wesbank. These will take place at the end of the year and will encompass all the best cars across a variety of categories, much like the South African Car of the Year Awards.

The second event is Top Gear Speed Week, which will take place in October this year. This will be the largest performance feature for the publication as it looks to find out the best performance car in the country.