WHEELS, South Africa’s original motoring annual, was conceptionalised in a Ford Granada at Goodyear’s test facility in Luxembourg, Europe in 1980. Publisher, Adri Bezuidenhout, was doing an interview with three-time Formula One world champion, Sir Jackie Stewart, for an Afrikaans motoring programme called Ankers for SABC. With rain interfering with progress, Sir Jackie and Adri had more than enough time to talk about matters not even remotely related to the reason for them being together – the interview.

Out of the blue Sir Jackie came up with a question: “Why don’t you start publishing a motoring annual in South Africa?”

Adri took the bait, so to speak and the rest – as the saying goes – is history.

Two years later, in 1982, the first edition of WHEELS appeared on the shelves at CNA outlets throughout South Africa.

There are a number of reasons why WHEELS has made it through some good times and some challenging times. The main reason for the publication’s success is that it is a team effort. In fact, it’s another lesson the publisher learned from Sir Jackie. He maintains: “I’ve always surrounded myself with people more talented than me, in racing and in business. That’s the best way to be successful.” Since the publication of WHEELS 1 in July of 1982, 290 000 copies of the annual have seen the light of day and each edition is treasured and drawn on as a definitive reference guide to the local motor industry.

In a survey of WHEELS readers, it emerged that the publication is read mostly by males who fall within the above-average income group and have a passion for motorcars. Results further indicate that WHEELS enjoys a readership following spread evenly across the five age groups surveyed – confirming that WHEELS is a respected South African motoring institution that is passed along from one generation to the next. It also suggests that, in general, the content appeals to a broad spectrum of individuals.

It is indisputable that WHEELS is considered a niche publication in terms of the matchless quality of content. As a result, WHEELS enjoys one of the highest number of readers per copy – namely seven – and unprecedented reader loyalty, with 30 per cent of readers indicating that they own a complete set of the annual. A further 22.5 per cent own six or more of the most recent issues.

WHEELS aims to promote reader enjoyment by allocating no more than 50 of the annual’s 256 pages for advertising purposes. This relatively low “above-the-line” advertising content also guarantees brand exclusivity for companies who advertise in the annual.

August 2011 will see the publication of the 30th anniversary edition of WHEELS, a book that will undoubtedly be even more informative, technically superior and visually stunning than is usually the case. Through an advertising presence in this collector’s edition, you will benefit by reaching influential readers and industry professionals alike.

For more information regarding advertising in WHEELS or on our website, contact liana@wheelsannual.co.za.