Leaving Cape Town International Airport, we drive down the N2 over the scenic Sir Lowry’s Pass, heading east through the beautiful Grabouw apple country. Then the landscape changes and the golden, freshly harvested fields of the Overberg farming region can be seen to the right and left of the road. There are many vineyards not too far away. In the heart of the Western Cape province, we take the turnoff to Bonnievale, which leads over a mountain pass. Then we see the sign: Angora Stud Guest Farm & Classic Car Collection. A narrow tarred road leads down the hill to two white gateposts sporting the Le Roux family coat of arms. The gates open slowly and the long pebble driveway beckons us into an incredible world.
Departure: Family man Bertus (at the wheel) and his mother, Colleen, have chosen the R 230 for the trip, while wife Rozitha follows them in the R 129.
Ehepaar: Die Oosthuizens leben größtenteils in Kapstadt, besuchen ihre zwei Autostunden entfernte Ranch aber regelmäßig.
Auf der linken Seite plätschert ein verlockender Kanal, eine ideale Abkühlung in den heißen Sommermonaten und typisch für viele südafrikanische Farmen. Es ist ein warmer Tag mit nur wenigen Wolken am Himmel. Die Auffahrt führt uns zu den Ställen, wo das Besitzer-Ehepaar – Rozitha und Bertus Oosthuizen, beide 62 – uns bereits erwartet. Schon jetzt kommt Freude auf, denn heute Nacht werden wir in einem dieser luxuriös umgebauten Ställe schlafen. Dieses einst florierende Rennpferdegestüt wurde in eine elegante Gästefarm umgewandelt, die Reisenden sowie Liebhabern von Mercedes-Benz und anderen Klassikern eine Vielzahl von Erlebnissen bietet. Rozitha (geborene Le Roux) und Bertus Oosthuizen sind die dritte Generation, die hier zu Hause ist. 95 Jahre nachdem Rozithas Großvater begonnen hat, die Farm aufzubauen. Heute ist dies hier ein Stück Paradies. Nicht mehr – aber auch nicht weniger.
An diesem Mittag aber bleiben die Menschen stehen, zücken die Handys und zeigen staunend auf das, was da vor ihren Augen vorbeirollt. Sogar beim Cricket-Spiel der heimischen Mannschaft gegen die Westindischen Inseln wird das Bild im TV kurz eingeblendet – jemand muss es dem Sender vom Handy aus zugespielt haben: drei klassische Mercedes-Benz, die erhaben durch den Verkehr gleiten. Es sind betörend schöne Autos, so makellos herausgeputzt, als kämen sie frisch vom Band: ein 220 SE Coupé der „Heckflossen“-Baureihe 111, ein
190 SL und eine 170 S Limousine, damals „Innenlenker“ genannt. Chromblitzende Zierleisten, funkelnde Stoßstangenhörner, majestätische Kühlerhauben, in denen sich die Palmen spiegeln
Couple: The Oosthuizens mainly live in Cape Town, but regularly take the two-hour car journey to visit the ranch – and always enjoy doing so.
An enticing farm dam on the left, an ideal way to cool off in the hot summer months and a typical feature of many South African farms. It’s a warm day with only a few clouds in the sky. The drive leads us to the stables where the owner couple – Rozitha and Bertus Oosthuizen, both 62 – are already waiting for us. They have good news for us, as we will sleep in one of these luxuriously converted stables tonight. This once thriving racehorse stud farm has been transformed into an elegant guest farm, offering travellers – as well as lovers of Mercedes-Benz and other classic cars – a range of experiences. Rozitha (née Le Roux) and Bertus Oosthuizen are the third generation to call this home. It’s 95 years since Rozitha’s grandfather started building the farm. Today, this is a piece of paradise. Nothing more – but certainly nothing less.
South African summer: Jacques and his wife drive up in “Ponton” convertible.
Rozitha’s favourite place is on the lawn under the parasol and the African sun. The view from here – from the whole farm, in fact – is spectacular. As we make ourselves comfortable, she begins to tell us the story of her family, the farm, and how it came to be what has to be one of the most beautiful places in the area. “My grandfather bought the land in 1928. There was nothing here then except dust and open steppe where, with great dedication, they created paddocks. The farm became one of the first stud farms for racehorses in this region,” Rozitha explains as she leads us to a very special “farm building”: this one has long since been turned into a gigantic dining hall, the likes of which probably do not exist anywhere else in the world. The ambience would not be complete without the automotive highlights parked on either side of the stylishly set table seating 40, welcoming you to high tea with freshly baked cheesecake.
The Oosthuizens’ collection of classics at the star ranch includes fantastic roadsters such as the R 129, R 230, and R 107 through to the W 186 (300 “Adenauer”) and the W 180 (220 “Ponton” Cabriolet). A W 108 (280 SE), a W 116 (350 SE) and a W 111 (230 S), to name but a few, are also parked in the sumptuous dining room. You are transported back in time by their smell alone as you approach the automotive beauties or even climb into them. What a scent!
Bertus and his son Jacques, 26, are now busily taking out a few cars and parking them on the soft grass, ready for the family picnic that is about to start. While Jacques and his sister Danielle, 36, share stories and anecdotes about the ranch, it’s their grandmother Colleen Oosthuizen – not looking a day over 70 despite her 86 years – who in turn shares some of her own entertaining stories.
An diesem Mittag aber bleiben die Menschen stehen, zücken die Handys und zeigen staunend auf das, was da vor ihren Augen vorbeirollt. Sogar beim Cricket-Spiel der heimischen Mannschaft gegen die Westindischen Inseln wird das Bild im TV kurz eingeblendet – jemand muss es dem Sender vom Handy aus zugespielt haben: drei klassische Mercedes-Benz, die erhaben durch den Verkehr gleiten. Es sind betörend schöne Autos, so makellos herausgeputzt, als kämen sie frisch vom Band: ein 220 SE Coupé der „Heckflossen“-Baureihe 111, ein
190 SL und eine 170 S Limousine, damals „Innenlenker“ genannt. Chromblitzende Zierleisten, funkelnde Stoßstangenhörner, majestätische Kühlerhauben, in denen sich die Palmen spiegeln
Sophisticated ambience: Colleen, Rozitha and Bertus (left, top to bottom) take a break on the stairs in front of the farm building.
Packed full of humour and liveliness. The mood on this summer day? Excellent! Hardly surprising, with this weather and the hospitality. After his university studies, Bertus tells us, he went into the insurance industry. In 1989, Rozitha and he started their own company and built it up over the years until they sold it to a Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed company in 2011. In 2014, the two started a franchise company specialising in short-term insurance. Jacques followed in his father’s footsteps, also studied economics and then joined the family business. He says that he had an interest in cars from a very young age and that he “of course” has his own particular favourites in the family collection: “If I had to choose two, the ‘Ponton’ convertible would be number two and the ‘Adenauer’ number one.”
An diesem Mittag aber bleiben die Menschen stehen, zücken die Handys und zeigen staunend auf das, was da vor ihren Augen vorbeirollt. Sogar beim Cricket-Spiel der heimischen Mannschaft gegen die Westindischen Inseln wird das Bild im TV kurz eingeblendet – jemand muss es dem Sender vom Handy aus zugespielt haben: drei klassische Mercedes-Benz, die erhaben durch den Verkehr gleiten. Es sind betörend schöne Autos, so makellos herausgeputzt, als kämen sie frisch vom Band: ein 220 SE Coupé der „Heckflossen“-Baureihe 111, ein
190 SL und eine 170 S Limousine, damals „Innenlenker“ genannt. Chromblitzende Zierleisten, funkelnde Stoßstangenhörner, majestätische Kühlerhauben, in denen sich die Palmen spiegeln
Bertus laughs and puts his hand on his son’s shoulder: “You also have impeccable taste in classics!” Then Bertus tells us how his passion for beautiful cars came about: “It all started with my uncle, who owned a white ‘Fintail’ with a red leather interior. This uncle lived in Carolina, Mpumalanga, and that was the first time I was consciously aware of a Mercedes-Benz as a child. At that time, my father and his brothers were still driving Fords and Chevrolets. The first Mercedes my father bought, which must have been in 1974, was a blue 116 series 280 SE. He then bought my mother a bright-yellow W 114 with brown seats. My own first Mercedes-Benz was a 280 SE 126 series, which I treated myself to in the early 1990s.”
Star ranch: Jacques and his wife, Emma, with Danielle, Bertus, and Colleen (from left to right) enjoy some sparkling refreshment while sitting on the lawn. Those who will be behind the wheel later enjoy alcohol-free sparkling wine.
An diesem Mittag aber bleiben die Menschen stehen, zücken die Handys und zeigen staunend auf das, was da vor ihren Augen vorbeirollt. Sogar beim Cricket-Spiel der heimischen Mannschaft gegen die Westindischen Inseln wird das Bild im TV kurz eingeblendet – jemand muss es dem Sender vom Handy aus zugespielt haben: drei klassische Mercedes-Benz, die erhaben durch den Verkehr gleiten. Es sind betörend schöne Autos, so makellos herausgeputzt, als kämen sie frisch vom Band: ein 220 SE Coupé der „Heckflossen“-Baureihe 111, ein
190 SL und eine 170 S Limousine, damals „Innenlenker“ genannt. Chromblitzende Zierleisten, funkelnde Stoßstangenhörner, majestätische Kühlerhauben, in denen sich die Palmen spiegeln
Open for adventure: Scudding clouds and 26 degrees.
Rozitha’s side of the family also has a long Mercedes-Benz tradition, and she fondly remembers the day she first fell in love with a star: “I was 16 years old. My father was looking for a super-cool car. His eye was quite quickly drawn to a brand-new 450 SLC. The dealership was on Bree Street in Cape Town. I remember it very well because I was with him. The car had a beautiful beige exterior and this moss-coloured leather interior, such a classic combination. I fell head over heels in love. Father went in, bought the coupé – and we drove off!” The farm has long since become a destination for regular weekend outings for the whole family, and it is clear that it holds a special place in the lives of everyone there. Daughter Danielle says pensively: “For me, it’s all about the memories I have of this farm and this area. When I was a little girl, I used to go with my grandfather into the steppe. I remember our driving lessons in his farm ‘bakkie’, a light truck. That was something very special.”
Unrelenting sunshine : Weather made for a convertible!
Jacques, who recently married Emma, 25, who comes from a farming family in Worcester, says he too has a deep attachment to the farm: “The legacy that our great-grandfather and grandfather left us is really special and incredible for me. At the same time, our parents have built and improved the farm over the decades to fulfil their farming dream.”
A highlight awaits us the next morning. We get into an open safari vehicle and go with Jacques, Emma, Rozitha and Bertus, who drive in the “Adenauer”, to the other side of the farm. The landscape is dry and barren. It’s called the “Bossieveld”.
Birds of prey circle, and through binoculars you see antelopes in the steppe.
“Bonnievale means beautiful valley in Old Scots,” explains Rozitha. We climb the hill and are rewarded with a fantastic view of the landscape – and of the parked 300 from 1954. It stands in front of a gleaming white cottage, and like everything else on the farm, this house too has a history of its very own.
The old and the new have found their perfect combination in this small house. Rozitha’s attention to detail is everywhere to be seen. The sun beats down on our skin. Not a scrap of shade anywhere. Bertus pours us some refreshing sparkling water. Inside the cottage, the thick walls of the building are remarkably efficient in lowering the temperature. A framed picture on the wall shows Rozitha’s father as a little boy on a horse next to the goatherd who lived here at the time.
Ehepaar: Die Oosthuizens leben größtenteils in Kapstadt, besuchen ihre zwei Autostunden entfernte Ranch aber regelmäßig.
Auf der linken Seite plätschert ein verlockender Kanal, eine ideale Abkühlung in den heißen Sommermonaten und typisch für viele südafrikanische Farmen. Es ist ein warmer Tag mit nur wenigen Wolken am Himmel. Die Auffahrt führt uns zu den Ställen, wo das Besitzer-Ehepaar – Rozitha und Bertus Oosthuizen, beide 62 – uns bereits erwartet. Schon jetzt kommt Freude auf, denn heute Nacht werden wir in einem dieser luxuriös umgebauten Ställe schlafen. Dieses einst florierende Rennpferdegestüt wurde in eine elegante Gästefarm umgewandelt, die Reisenden sowie Liebhabern von Mercedes-Benz und anderen Klassikern eine Vielzahl von Erlebnissen bietet. Rozitha (geborene Le Roux) und Bertus Oosthuizen sind die dritte Generation, die hier zu Hause ist. 95 Jahre nachdem Rozithas Großvater begonnen hat, die Farm aufzubauen. Heute ist dies hier ein Stück Paradies. Nicht mehr – aber auch nicht weniger.
An diesem Mittag aber bleiben die Menschen stehen, zücken die Handys und zeigen staunend auf das, was da vor ihren Augen vorbeirollt. Sogar beim Cricket-Spiel der heimischen Mannschaft gegen die Westindischen Inseln wird das Bild im TV kurz eingeblendet – jemand muss es dem Sender vom Handy aus zugespielt haben: drei klassische Mercedes-Benz, die erhaben durch den Verkehr gleiten. Es sind betörend schöne Autos, so makellos herausgeputzt, als kämen sie frisch vom Band: ein 220 SE Coupé der „Heckflossen“-Baureihe 111, ein
190 SL und eine 170 S Limousine, damals „Innenlenker“ genannt. Chromblitzende Zierleisten, funkelnde Stoßstangenhörner, majestätische Kühlerhauben, in denen sich die Palmen spiegeln
On the sunny side: The two Oosthuizen couples enjoy the view of the steppe – and of the almost 70-year-old, immaculately maintained 300 – from the terrace of their gleaming white cottage.
“The building was constructed in the 1940s, then in the late 1950s the second building, a shed, was built for storage,” Rozitha says. “This is where my father learned everything he knew about agriculture, the steppe, animals and nature. Later, the house stood empty for a very long time. My dream was always to be able to sleep here one day and breathe new life into it. The only residents in the ruins until a few years ago were owls. About five years ago, we brought some friends to this side of the farm. One of them, an experienced builder, said that if we don’t put a roof on this semi-ruin, it will soon be nothing but a pile of stones. So one thing led to another, and the ruin became a complete renovation and construction project.”
The Uil Huis (Owl House) is now a place to switch off, unwind, pick up a good book, soak up the sun and sip a glass of wine before lighting the fire for a South African “braai” (barbecue) later in the evening.
“It’s important to us to preserve the historic and to create spaces with ambience where we can gather with our children and our friends and enjoy what we love,” says Rozitha. “It’s just the same with our classics,” Bertus agrees with his wife, smiling.
“Looking after them, maintaining them, driving them, having fun with them; it’s all an important part of our lifestyle that we love so much.”
After two very sunny, very eventful days at the Angora Stud and the time we spent with the three generations of the Oosthuizens, parting was indeed a sweet sorrow.
The “Adenauer” under palm trees: All the Oosthuizens regard the Light Ivory 300, built in 1954, as one of their favourite classics. And if son Jacques could choose just one car from the impressive collection, this would be the one.