THE ART OF FLIGHT
CAR South Africa|CAR July 2023
From humble beginnings, the discipline of monster-truck driving has spawned a multi-million-dollar business that continues to wow audiences, young and old, around the world. Ian McLaren attended the Cape Town leg of Monster Jam's recent tour
lan McLaren
THE ART OF FLIGHT

"We're gonna drive this truck till it don't drive no more!" exclaims an excited Tony Ochs, the driver of Earth Shaker, the 5,4-tonne monster truck that rarely had all four of its wheels on the ground at the same time during its recently completed so-called "skills" session. The near-capacity crowd seated within the Cape Town Stadium erupts in delight as Ochs raises his arms like a gladiator savouring a victory.

While the "art" of crushing cars using modified pickup trucks began as small-town weekend entertainment in Midwest America in the 1970s, footage in the early '80s of a heavily modified Missouri-based Ford F-250 named Bigfoot quickly caught the attention of various promoters. Broadly acknowledged as the first so-called monster truck, Bigfoot would soon begin touring the US, leaving small sedans pulverised in its wake, to the continued delight of thousands of paying onlookers.

Marketed as "controlled chaos", the Monster Jam brand was founded in 1995 by the US Hot Rod Association and is operated to this day by Florida-based Feld Entertainment.

Significantly, of the more than 140 000 spectators that filled three stadiums around South Africa during this event's most recent visit to our shores, the majority of these were children. Indeed, fuelled by everything from T-shirt sales to Mattel-produced replica truck toys, the Monster Jam brand has grown to become a multi-million-dollar extravaganza able to tour the world with remarkable efficiency, considering the sheer size of its cast.

THE TRUCKS

Esta historia es de la edición CAR July 2023 de CAR South Africa.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición CAR July 2023 de CAR South Africa.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE CAR SOUTH AFRICAVer todo
Toyota Fortuner
CAR South Africa

Toyota Fortuner

Considered by many as the quintessential adventure SUV, the Fortuner is about as strong a used buying proposition as you can get in this segment. We take you through the things to look out for and list two rivals for comparison.

time-read
4 minutos  |
CAR July 2024
MIND THE HURDLE
CAR South Africa

MIND THE HURDLE

With a repaired car and a point to prove, Alex Shahini returned for Round 3 of the Toyota GR Cup at Zwartkops Raceway to achieve a career-best finish

time-read
2 minutos  |
CAR July 2024
KING OF KILLARNEY
CAR South Africa

KING OF KILLARNEY

For four decades, Denis Joubert was directly involved with the creation, development and ongoing success of Cape Town's international motorsport venue, Killarney. Having just celebrated his 90th birthday, we talk to the man whose contribution to South Africa's motor-racing heritage is priceless....

time-read
6 minutos  |
CAR July 2024
Selecting the 4WD SYSTEM for your needs
CAR South Africa

Selecting the 4WD SYSTEM for your needs

As 4WD SUVS and double cabs grow in popularity, more first-time buyers face the challenge of selecting a vehicle with a drivetrain that best meets their requirements. We explain the key differences between the all-wheel drivetrains available

time-read
6 minutos  |
CAR July 2024
Kia Picanto 1.0 LX MT
CAR South Africa

Kia Picanto 1.0 LX MT

Kia's ever-popular budget hatch has recently received a range of exterior and interior updates - we test the entry-level variant to see if it remains a force to be reckoned with in this highly competitive segment

time-read
3 minutos  |
CAR July 2024
Super C
CAR South Africa

Super C

The fastest and most technologically advanced flagship C-Class to date, AMG's C63 S has evolved into an electrified uber-sedan. Has this mighty model forsaken some character in pursuing this status? We strapped our test equipment to the new shooting star.

time-read
4 minutos  |
CAR July 2024
Bentley's Brutes
CAR South Africa

Bentley's Brutes

A break in proceedings during an exclusive preview of the fourth-generation Bentley Continental GT afforded us an opportunity to sample the stately yet hair-raising Bentayga S

time-read
3 minutos  |
CAR July 2024
RUNNING UP THAT HILL
CAR South Africa

RUNNING UP THAT HILL

Now in its 14th year, the Simola Hillclimb continues to combine adrenaline-fuelled competition with showcasing some of the most appealing classics out there in a heady mix that keeps local petrolheads coming...

time-read
3 minutos  |
CAR July 2024
BAND OF BROTHERS
CAR South Africa

BAND OF BROTHERS

Complete with rugged bakkie-based underpinnings that encourage off-the-beaten-track venturing, largely proven powertrains that afford maximum range and towing capability, and brand names with enviable respective reputations for reliability, adventure SUVs remain the favourite of thousands of South Africans.

time-read
7 minutos  |
CAR July 2024
TWELVE OF THE BEST
CAR South Africa

TWELVE OF THE BEST

Ferrari keeps things suitably old-school with its V12-engined 12Cilindri GT

time-read
2 minutos  |
CAR July 2024