South Africa's flagship classic car rally is getting global attention. The Cape 1000 has been shortlisted in the Rally or Tour of the Year category at the 2026 International Historic Motoring Awards, putting it on the same bill as the world's most prestigious historic motoring events. Judges flagged the rally's regularity format, its tightly curated car line-up and the Western Cape routes as standouts. Winners will be announced at a ceremony at The Peninsula London, where the international motoring crowd gathers each year.
Launched in 2022 and presented by Private Clients by Old Mutual, the Cape 1000 unfolds over five days and around seventy rare and collectable vehicles, split into four classes: Classic, Modern Classic, Sports Cars, and Specials or Recreation. It's not a flat-out race. The regularity format asks crews to hit strict time targets across mountain passes and coastal roads — without ever breaking the speed limit. Precision, not power, wins the day.
The event also does good beyond the tarmac. Recent editions have raised more than R300 000 for the Motorsport Legends Benevolent Fund and the QuadPara Association of South Africa, supporting injured motorsport veterans and local causes. Even CAR magazine got in on the action, with editor Ian McLaren running a 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SL Pagoda in this year's rally.
There's a public-facing element too, which is where travellers come in. The next edition runs from 20 to 25 March 2027, kicking off with a Show and Shine display at Cape Town's V&A Waterfront on the Saturday — free for anyone to wander among the rare metal before the cars head off towards Franschhoek and the Overberg. Registrations for 2027 are already open if you'd rather be behind the wheel than at the barrier.
Event Director Vanessa Crichton called the nomination a proud moment for the event and for South Africa, saying the goal was always a rally that could hold its own globally, with great cars, great roads and a genuine charitable purpose.
For visitors, this is a neat excuse to plan a Cape autumn trip: classic cars on Franschhoek passes, wine country in mild weather and a waterfront spectacle to open the week.
