After reading about the Franschhoek Motor Museum and its immaculate collection of cars, I knew I would have to make a stop. However, since moving to Cape Town I had never gotten round to visiting this world-famous museum. Time to change that.
The challenge was simple: get to the museum in the morning and have a walk about, then head into Franschhoek for lunch. A car would be needed for the trip and a hot hatchback ticked all the criteria: fast, fun to drive and most importantly, comfortable. Ford’s 2013 Focus ST was at the top of the shortlist and the keys to a violently bright orange unit were snatched without hesitation.
After one of those dreary highway cruises up the N1 where you battle to escape the clutches of traffic, we reached the turn off to Stellenbosch. Once we were off the straight and monotonous roads, the wine-producing capital loomed ahead. The route skirts the town centre and takes you up through Hellshoogte Pass. Famous for its sweeping bends and changes in altitude, Hellshoogte is a challenge for cyclists. However on the day it was deserted and our Ford Focus ST, which had been quietly purring along, finally had a chance to show what it’s capable of.
Once clear of the built-up areas, the Focus ST took off like an ADD-afflicted teenager after a few energy drinks. It’s deceptively quick and charged through the bends like a low-flying orange rocket with a delicious soundtrack to accompany us. In no time at all, we had entered the outskirts of Franschhoek. Turn right onto the R45 and head towards this little Winelands town. The Franschhoek Motor Museum is signposted and is on your right.
Owned by Anthonij Rupert of L’Ormarins fame, the museum features some incredible cars in its collection. The collection is rotated often and there’s always a chance you’ll see something different if you visit more than once. Housed in four big barns, the collection comprises around 220 vehicles, with about 80 on display at each time. There are also classic motorbikes on display, as well as an assortment of motoring-related memorabilia.
It didn’t take long to fall in love with the Franschhoek Motor Museum. Cars that I had only read about in books were all in immaculate condition and many are still driveable. Some of the cars are worth an awful lot of money and I can’t even begin to work out how much the entire collection is worth. The McLaren F1 for example, is one of only 106 in the world and is estimated to be worth around R10-million.
The collection consists of cars from around the world dating back over 100 years. There are classics from the early 1900’s, racers from the 1970’s as well as super cars from the modern era, plus so much more. If you’re a fan of Ferrari, then the collection of red Italians will have you shaking with excitement. However I was here to see a special car. The vehicle that would essentially spark the world’s desire for personal transport. Lurking in the third building was not one, not two, but four variants of the Ford Model T. The Model T is regarded as the first affordable family car for the masses and it’s amusing to compare features from this vehicle to the family Ford Focus that I’m driving. The Model T didn’t have seatbelts, side windows, radio or any of the comfort features of the modern car that we take for granted. In comparison, the Ford Focus ST is able to connect to your mobile phone through Bluetooth and you’re able to control it using voice command. We’ve really come a long way!
I could have spent an entire afternoon taking in each and every car, but a late lunch beckoned. Back into the orange rocket and a quick five minute drive sees you enter Franschhoek. Declaring itself the food and wine capital of South Africa, there really is no shortage of fine dining to suit all pockets. We opted for the popular BICCCS (Bread, Icecream, Cake, Croissant, Coffee and Sandwich) for a light lunch.
BICCCS calls itself a ‘cross-over between the traditional Italian Gelateria, a top quality Bakery and Patisserie and a comfortable and contemporary coffee bar.’ Having experienced the special sandwiches before, I chose the roast beef, Provolone and honey mustard on Italian salt dough bread. The trick with BICCCS is you should always make space for the ice cream and an intense, mouth-numbing strawberry sorbet rounded off a perfect afternoon.
Once the bill was settled it was time to tackle the Franschhoek Pass, which many claim to be one of the best pieces of driving road in the country. Is this pass the best, or are there other spectacular driving roads in the Cape? You’ll just have to wait for the next road trip post to find out…
This trip is the first in a three-part series using the Europcar Road Tripper app. The Facebook-based app allows the creation of your very own road trip, complete with photos and useful information such as accommodation, landmarks and restaurants. You can print it out and use it as a map, as well as share it online so other users can be inspired by your travels. Who knows? Your road trip may become a part of someone else’s…
Trip advisor:
Franschhoek Motor Museum
P.O.Box 435, Franschhoek, 7690, South Africa
Telephone: +27 (0)21 874 9000
Fax: +27 (0)21 874 9100
Email: [email protected]
http://www.fmm.co.za/home/
BICCCS Franschhoek
Telephone:021 876 3333
Email: [email protected]
http://www.bicccs.co.za/content/franschhoek_home
Ford Focus ST
You can read my comprehensive review of this fast Ford here:
http://davethecarguy.wordpress.com/2013/04/01/driving-impressions-ford-focus-st/
Or, read more about the car here:
http://www.ford.co.za/cars/focus/st
Who knew that these innocent-looking barns hold immense motoring heritage?
At its happiest on the twisty mountain roads
Porsche 956C, Ford GT40, Jaguar D-type
Extremely rare: Ferrari F50 and Ferrari Enzo
The Aston Martin DB6 and Ferrari 250 SWB Berlinetta
102 year-old car... which still works.
The Ford was hungry and wanted unleaded.
Roast beef, Provolone and honey mustard on Italian salt dough bread with potato salad.
Pick a flavour, any flavour...
BICCCS Franschhoek: home of epic sandwiches and ice cream.
Ford's tarmac terrorist
The Europcar Road Tripper App
How does the Europcar Road Tripper app work, you ask? Firstly, it’s free and secondly, all you need is access to a Facebook account on a pc or a desktop. It allows the creation of your very own road trip, complete with photos and useful information such as accommodation, landmarks and restaurants. You can print it out and use it as a map, as well as share it online so other users can be inspired by your travels. Who knows? Your road trip may become a part of someone else’s.
You can follow the hashtag #roadtripper, myself @DaveTheCarGuy or @EuropcarSA as I make my way around the Western Cape on weekends.
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