The Citizen e-edition

My long motoring journey

HIGHLIGHTS: 50-YEAR CAREER

Roger Hougton

Opportunity to record local motoring history for posterity.

Iknow that the brief for this feature is to select and then write about five favourite vehicles I have driven over the years and why they are special. However, I’m doing things differently and my article is about five of the major happenings or interest areas I have experienced and enjoyed in a career in and around the local motor industry that stretches back more than 50 years.

It all started when I joined the Pretoria Motor Club in 1961, and blossomed when I was appointed the first motoring editor of The Pretoria News in 1968. Later that year, I made my move into the motor industry when I joined the public relations department of Chrysler South Africa at its new facility in Silverton, Pretoria, (now owned by Ford).

Chrysler later morphed into Sigma, Amcar and Samcor before I decided to move on and joined the public relations department of Toyota SA in Sandton in 1988.

I retired from Toyota at the beginning of 2007, but have remained involved in the motor industry as a freelance journalist, which keeps me current with the latest developments and provides an outlet for my views on a host of matters motoring.

No 1 (in my personal Big 5): My interest in motorsport goes back to my school days when I used to go to the Grand Central circuit in Midrand to watch motor racing, while avidly reading British car and motorcycle magazines to stay informed on the international scene.

When I got into the motor industry I always wanted to know when the various companies I was involved with were going to enter Formula 1 racing. Imagine my delight – and the high-level emotion – when Toyota took that route, and I attended the launch of the F1 car at the Paul Ricard circuit in France on 23 March, 2000.

No 2: I was privileged several times to visit Toyota’s Higashi-Fuji research and development centre in Japan. It was always awe-inspiring and included driving and being driven in a variety of concept cars – including hydrogen fuel cell, petrol- and diesel-electric hybrids; a car with an ultra-lean burn four-cylinder petrol engine; and even a car fitted with an experimental six-cylinder two-stroke engine with an overhead camshaft and regular valves.

This was also where I and a group of SA journalist watched a Corolla being crash-tested, which was most dramatic.

No 3: I have been able to spectate at many kinds of motorsport at the top international level, from F1 Grands Prix, to MotoGP, Superbikes, World Rally Championship, World Endurance Championship, IndyCar (in the US), IMSA Sports Cars (also in the US), Japanese GT championship, World Rallycross Championship, and the Isle of Man motorcycle TT. However, the outstanding motorsport event – and a biggest heartbreak – came at the 1999 Le Mans 24-Hour Race when the leading Toyota lost time with a punctured tyre only 20 minutes from the end of the race.

This allowed BMW to score its first and only win in this famous race, with the Toyota GT-One, driven by a trio of Japanese, having to settle for the runner-up position.

No 4: I had an early interest in motorcycles and rode various 50cc models from 1957, when I was in Form 2 (Grade 9) at Pretoria Boys High. I rediscovered motorcycles – this time classic models – in about 2005 when I bought a 1968 BSA 500 Royal Star.

A 1963 Triumph Bonneville joined the collection later. During this period, I visited numerous motorcycle museums around the world, as well as joining local classic motorcycle clubs and avidly reading a host of British classic bike magazines. I also attended major motorcycle races, including a memorable visit to the Isle of Man TT in 2011.

No 5: I have had the opportunity of recording local motoring history for future generations and am proud to have written a coffee table book chronicling the first 50 years of Toyota history in South Africa – 50 Years by your Side – as well as doing most of the writing in Driven – McCarthy’s 100-year Journey in South Africa.

I’m currently editing a coffee table book detailing the first 60 years of the Kyalami Grand Prix circuit. I’ve certainly had a fulfilled and interesting journey in the world of motoring and am glad it continues with an ongoing involvement in the classic car and motorcycle movement.

MOTORING

en-za

2021-12-04T08:00:00.0000000Z

2021-12-04T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://thecitizen.pressreader.com/article/282329683224408

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