Picture this. Jeremy Clarkson and all of his chommies from Brand Events UK (the team responsible for putting together the previous four MPH shows in South Africa), are sitting in the departures lounge at OR Tambo after another successful screening of their arena-based Live Motoring Theatre.
A fresh Peroni cracks open and someone comes up with the wise idea of creating a new look for the show, but this time on a scale of biblical proportions.
Pen and paper come out, Jeremy starts listing mates with cool car collections, the Red Bull F1 team gets mentioned and an idea is hatched to shoot Richard "The Hamster" Hammond out of a cannon in a refrigerator three times a day for four days.
Thing is, it's not just a hair-brained, pie in the sky effort and when you've got the BBC and BP Fuels behind you anything's possible. So this year, from March 17-20 at the Kyalami Grand Prix circuit in Midrand, Jeremy Clarkson and his band of merry men will host the new Top Gear Festival powered by BP Ultimate. And yes, current F1 world champs Red Bull Racing will be there. And yes, Hammond will play human cannonball.
With 500 of the world's most desirable cars in attendance, the festival is expected to rival the world's best car shows such as Pebble Beach in the USA and the the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK, said Jeremy via a live television feed at a press conference in Johannesburg last week. "This will be one of the greatest gatherings of cars the world has ever seen," he said. "It will be a genuinely big event".
Confirmed celebrity guests include David Coulthard, Sir Stirling Moss, Eddie Jordan, Derek Bell, Nick Mason (of Pink Floyd fame with a massive car collection), Tiff Needell, Sabine Schmitz and of course The (new) Stig.
Local DJ Sasha Martinengo will share mike duties again this year with Clarkson, Hammond and James May, who will stand on the same live performance stage for the first time ever at the debutant event.
South Africa's own F1 Champion Jody Scheckter will also be on hand to lap the 4.2km circuit in both his championship Ferrari 312 T4 and his six-wheeled 1975 Tyrell.
Showgoers will have a much more interactive experience, say organisers, and are encouraged to make entire days or even weekends out of the gathering. The go kart circuit will be in full swing for visitors, and prizes such as passenger laps in supercars will also be possible.
Clarkson promises to challenge his rival Tiff Needell and The Stig to a drifting contest in the track's bowl, drag racing will happen on the main straight and a stunt show similar to what we've seen at previous MPH events will happen at various times throughout the days.
"South African audiences are by a country mile the best in the world," said Clarkson who admits that he's visited Johannesburg more than any other city in the world besides London. "I cannot wait to get there".
Organisers also say that around five more big announcements about the forthcoming Top Gear Festival powered by BP Ultimate will made soon, so stay tuned and don't miss it.
Tickets are priced from R365 including parking and can be bought from www.computicket.com or www.topgearfestival.co.za.