NZ Classic Car

Russ McIntyre is well known in hot rod circles for having built several superbly engineered top-quality cars in recent decades, so imagine our surprise when, during a visit to his home a few months ago, he announced that he was buying a 100E. Looking

Not everyone appreciates an NSU, apparently. Owner Mark Crompton says that when he turns up among a group of classic car enthusiasts with his Ro 80, he’s as likely to be greeted with sorrowful shakes of the head and comments like, “Why would you?” an

Good morning! Further to Donn Anderson’s excellent article on Bruce’s M6GT in the March issue [Motorman, No. 339], let me tell you a tale! In the early ’70s, I came to know Bruce’s mum and pop quite well and regularly called on them at home in Te Ata

Bentley — undoubtedly one of the world’s most recognized and revered car brands — celebrates its centenary in July this year. To mark the occasion, the company celebrated its history and its global success with a special-edition Bentley, inspired by

From the moment you saw the silver Lycoming Special in the paddock, on the entry list of a North Island hill climb, at a car club grass track, or at sprint speed events, you knew that the result was a fait accompli. While predictable but never boring

It’s manufactured from aluminium alloy; has overhead cams; has 12 cylinders in a 60-degree V-formation, each with four valves; produces prodigious horsepower; and has an unmistakable sound, yet it’s not in an Italian supercar. This is the 27-litre Ro

‘Gorgeous’ is not a word that I — or anyone else of my acquaintance, for that matter — would normally use to describe a racing car. ‘Quick’, yes; ‘purposeful’, definitely; but ‘gorgeous’? It’d have to be a pretty — and, yes, that pun was intended — s

When my wife refers to Bill Gavin, she invariably adds, for context: “The man with the interesting life”. In his 82 years so far, he has trained to be a doctor (this was first), then planned to be a car stylist, spent the ’60s following motor racing

Despite the recent dominance of Mercedes-Benz in Formula 1 (F1), combined with the significant increase in the number of races each season, the German giant has yet to break into the top three of wins for constructors at the highest echelon of motor

Many were surprised when the Rover Group relaunched the classic MG roadster in 1992, almost three years after Mazda had introduced a little roadster called the ‘MX-5’. The two cars were almost exact opposites. The MG strongly resembled its predecesso

Three decades on, and lovers of fine cars still marvel at the technological triumph that was the Porsche 959, one of the greatest cars of the modern era. A rare masterpiece, this jewel in the crown of Porsche was so far ahead of its time, it was almo

The 250cc Honda Dream in blue and 150cc Honda Benly in red definitely have looks that instantly evoke their era — late ’50s, early ’60s — but they are even cooler now than they were then, when they were smart workaday transport. The deeply valanced g

Chances are that by now you’re well aware of the Route 66 tours hosted by Beach Hop frontman, Noddy Watts. The concept is simple: book the fully-escorted self-driving tour — which includes accommodation, vehicle hire and insurance, fully programmed G

In the 1970 Stoplight Grand Prix, there were the big dogs — and then there was everyone else. Anything less than 400 cubic inches (6555cc) was no longer cutting it, so, if you had to pick a regular-production car from the bowtie camp to go up against

The distinctive clatter of its air-cooled flat-four engine and its unique body outline makes the Volkswagen (VW) Type 1, or ‘Beetle’, a statement of individuality today. Back in the ’60s, the Beetle was a symbol of a generation defying the norm as th

Driving from Dunedin to Kaitaia can be challenging at the best of times, but to do it in cars ranging from 40 to 60 years old, then turn around and drive all the way back to Invercargill, can lead to all sorts of problems. Team Kelly hails from Duned

After managing a lead that they held from midway through the first day, Haydn McKenzie and co-driver Matt Sayers won the 2019 Targa Hawkes Bay tarmac motor rally in their Mitsubishi Evo X 4WD. The rally was held over three days from Friday, 17 May to

Clues across: 7. William (Billy) and Reginald ------were brothers who ran one of Britain’s most successful car companies from 1913 to the mid 1960s (6) 8. Model name for TVR’s 1967–’71 V6 or V8 GT sports coupé (6) 10. Italian vehicle builder with a 6