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Ford set to quit V8 Supercars?

22 October, 2014

 


In a shock announcement to Ford, and V8 Supercars fans alike, reports surfaced over Bathurst weekend that Ford Australia were set to quit V8 Supercars.

The reports concerned speculation that Ford Australia was looking to exit the sport once its contract with Ford Performance Racing (FPR) expired at the end of the year. The announcement follows the demise of the Falcon as we know it — the new Falcon FG X is the final Aussie Falcon to go on sale before Ford Australia shuts its local assembly facilities down by October 2016.

This could mark the beginning of the end of the Ford badge in the V8 Supercars event. Ford Australia’s impending switch to importer status means their entire business model is under review, including investment and participation in motorsport.

“We are working with the teams now and any announcements we have will be after the season is over,” says Ford Australia’s president, Bob Graziano, adding to the speculative nature of the reports.

The report put a bit of a damper on the weekend which was a high point for Ford fans, with Chaz Mostert and Paul Morris taking pole at the Bathurst 1000 event in their Pepsi Max Falcon, racing for the factory-backed FPR team.

Regardless of what camp you sit in, you can’t deny that it would be a dark day in Australian motorsport if Ford were to pull out — here’s hoping that we’ll see the legendary Ford versus Holden rivalry continue for many years to come.

Luxury by design

15 January, 2026

How do you define luxury? To some it is being blinded with all manner of technological wizardry, from massaging heated seats to being able to activate everything with your voice, be it the driver’s side window or the next track on Spotify. To others, the most exorbitant price tag will dictate how luxurious a car is.
For me, true automotive luxury comes from being transported in unparalleled comfort, refinement, and smoothness of power under complete control. Forget millions of technological toys; if one can be transported here and there without the sensation of moving at all, that is luxury — something that is perfectly encapsulated by the original Lexus LS400. It was the first truly global luxury car from Toyota, and one that made the big luxury brands take notice.

NZ Classic Car magazine, January/February 2026 issue 403, on sale now

15 December, 2025

Morris’ ground-breaking, world-beating, Minor
It was Britain’s biggest small car, and it got Britain mobile again.       Morris Motors celebrated its millionth Minor in December 1960, a car that defined the British motor industry, and was in production for 10 years alongside the iconic Mini of 1959.
Whakatane dentist John Twaddle has a passion for Morris Minors going back to 1982, and he still has his first example. There are now three ‘Morries’ in his garage. One, however, is quite special, a rare ‘Minor-Million’. 
One of just 350 made commemorating the millionth Morris Minor produced, the first British car to hit a million units, the well-rounded little Brit’ would end production in 1971with a tally of over 1.6 million units.
John finished his Minor Million six years ago, resplendent in lilac, its official factory colour. He calls it his ‘Minor Resurrection’, and it has won numerous awards.
This summer edition also comes with our annual FREE classic car calendar, a must for every garage wall.
Every issue comes with our FREE huge wall poster; this issue, our poster is of a couple of garage mates, a 1957 Ford Ranchero and a 1968 Lincoln Continental.