November Newsletter

If you were upper-middle management at a city accounting firm in 1971 the Vauxhall Viscount might’ve been the car you aspired to. The big boss would have a Jag and those under you, maybe something Aussie with a bench seat. Your equivalent at a law firm across town might’ve gone for a Holden Premier, but being an accountant, you thought the Vauxhall offered better bang for buck. And that might still be true today. Read on..

KTM are a company more known for motorcycles, so for its first foray into four wheels it’s maybe not surprising that the X-Bow looks like something a motorcycle designer might come with for a car. There’s no (proper) windscreen, roof or side windows – basically all the comfort of a sports-bike. However, it’s under 800kg and can sprint its way to 100kph in 3.9 seconds, so has the performance of a sports-bike. It’s less “wind in the hair motoring” and more hurricane in your face motoring. Read on...

You may ask yourself why a fairly plain 1992 Porsche 911 with an automatic gearbox and a few niggly problems to sort could be worth $140,000. Surely you could get a newer, faster 911 for that money? Well the answer is “air-cooled”, and, to some extent, “resto-mod”. This car is to be auctioned by Turners in Auckland. Let’s explore why it will be so popular. Read on...

21.5 million Volkswagen Beetles were built across its long production history, and yet, the very desirable and popular convertible version only accounted for 331,847 of that number. That’s still a big number, so to break it down, this 1965 Beetle Convertible - being auctioned by Turners Christchurch - was one of just 10754 built that year. Total Beetle production that year was around 1.6 million. So they are rare by Beetle standards. Why was that? Read on...

Colin Chapman, the founder of Lotus and legendary Formula 1 driver, said the secret to speed was to “simplify, then add lightness”. Chapman died in 1982 and not all subsequent Lotus cars have adhered to his philosophy. But the Elise is the very embodiment of the quote. Sure, Colin would have deleted the radio, air conditioning and floor mats, but the series 2 Elise is a slip of a thing coming in at 850kg. And boy, is it fun. Read on...

For some, the thought of touchscreen dashboards, plastic bumpers and EV drivetrains gives them night sweats. For them, dreams of a large V8, a thin rimmed steering wheel - with no buttons unless it activates a horn- and a stereo that only plays rock from the golden years, are the key ingredients for a good night's sleep and a calm mind. If that sounds like you then your dreams could become very real with this 1965 Chevrolet Impala 2 door hardtop Super Sport. Read on...

Sometimes you have to admire a car, not just for it’s funky retro design, it’s brown vinyl seats, it’s 70s primary colour or it’s old school simplicity. But also for its very existence nearly half a century after its birth. Many 120Y sedans and wagons were assembled in NZ, first in Mt Roskill and then in Wiri, but only a handful survive today. And maybe only one in Kermit green. Read on...

Nissan Skylines from the late 80s and 90s have become hot property over the years, and their appreciation rates show no signs of diminishing. And this is a problem if you are on a budget below $20k. An R32 or R33 GT-R is way out of sight, and even the lesser turbo models seem a long way off. So where do you start? You have to start somewhere, right? Well this might be the answer. Read on...

The Ford Mustang is a motoring icon, born in the sixties and still a fan favourite today. Sure, it’s had its ups and downs along the way, but the current generation is arguably the best one for decades. It’s fast, muscular, stylish, and perhaps most importantly, given its buyer base are largely also children of the sixties, it’s comfortable. This 2023 GT is available now at Turners North Shore. Read on...