140 years in the making: Weston is King of the Hill
· Citizen
Clint Weston is the 2026 Simola Hillclimb Road Car and Supercar King of the Hill for the second time in a row in a Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance Coupe.
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Up against stiff local and international competition, Weston dominated every session of the Simola Hillclimb he competed in throughout this year’s event.
He not only powered his way to a second consecutive victory, but also set an exceptional new overall class record in the process during the Class Finals of 42.527 seconds. He achieved a standing start average speed of 160.839km/h with his Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance Coupe.
“It’s surprising how we’ve managed to keep going faster in this totally standard production car, setting times that are comparable with many of the race cars,” Weston said.
“I’ve enjoyed every moment of this weekend; it’s been really amazing. Mercedes-Benz and AMG are planning something special for next year, so I’m already looking forward to 2027.”
Mercedes-AMG South Africa once again owns the 1.9 km stretch of road in Knysna. Picture: Supplied600 kW and 1 420 Nm
The car is powered by a 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine and the AMG Electric Drive Unit. Together, they generate a system output of 600kW and a maximum torque of up to 1 420Nm.
This in turn is supported by the likes of AMG Active Ride Control suspension with semi-active roll stabilisation and active rear-axle steering. Thus, enabling man and machine to take the top step on the podium.
Courtney Nicholl, found himself in a heated battle with the BMW boys: Picture: SuppliedPodium for Nicoll
Weston was not the only Mecedes-AMG South Africa entrant. Longtime competitor and team-mate, Courtney Nicoll also tackled the hill with a Mercedes-AMG CLE 53.
Despite being comprehensively outgunned by larger capacity, more powerful machinery, he still managed a second in class and seventh overall in the Road Car and Supercar category.
The car that Emil Jillinek helped bring to fruition in 1900. Picture: SuppliedRacing since 1900
A little considered fact is that Mercedes-Benz is not only celebrating 140 years of the automobile, 130 years of transport, and 100 years of Mercedes-Benz this year. But they also have been racing and record hunting for over a century.
Mercedes-Jellinek was the daughter of race car driver Emil Jillinek. Much like how AMG started, Emil would purchase Daimler vehicles, modify them, and race them.
Only after establishing some credibility, did Emil begin to work with Wilhelm Maybach to design cars that delivered more performance and reliability. In 1900, the first Mercedes was born.
It was a name given to a car that Jellinek modified and it came from his daughter, Mercedes. It had 35 horsepower and was one of the world’s first “modern cars”.
An anniversary year full of magic moments:
- 140 years since the Benz patent in 1886;
- 130 years of transport with the first van and truck unveiled in 1896;
- 100 years of Mercedes-Benz when Benz & Cie. and Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft merged in 1926;
- 50 years since premiere of Mercedes-Benz E-Class model series 123 in 1976; and
- 20 years of the Mercedes-Benz Museum since 2006.
What is next?
In 2026, this DNA is set to become particularly visible: the 140th anniversary year is defined by the biggest product launch programme in the brand’s history. Over the next two years, Mercedes-Benz will launch more than 40 new models globally that blend tradition with innovation and set new standards across all segments.
Locally, Mercedes-Benz South Africa will also launch the following vehicles:
- Mercedes-Maybach SL;
- Mercedes-Maybach S680 V12 Edition;
- All-new Mercedes-Benz CLA; and
- Mercedes-Benz GLC 200 4Matic.