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McLaren P1 touches down for Big Boys Toys event

30 October, 2014

McLaren P1 supercar arrives at Auckland International Airport

It’s here! The star attraction at this year’s Big Boys Toys event at the ASB Showgrounds on November 7–9, seen here rolling out of the cargo hold of an Emirates A380 Airbus at Auckland International Airport, arrived in fine style.

The world’s most eagerly awaited supercar, the McLaren P1, follows closely in the footsteps laid down by the iconic McLaren F1 and is set to push the boundaries further than any of its rivals.

This stunning machine is set to wow the crowds at Big Boys Toys 2014 with its sleek, function-led, purposeful design created specifically to deliver on a range of challenging targets — and which it manages to achieve each and every one of.

If looks alone won’t impress, then the unbelievable list of specifications — such as a scintillating 0–100kph time of just 2.8 seconds, and 0–200kph in a mere 6.8 seconds, thanks to its 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 that’s dripping with cutting edge Formula 1 technology — will make the average daily commute feel somewhat pedestrian.

Big Boys Toys 2014 is definitely one event not to be missed — and The Makita Motorhood in Hall 6 is where you can come to see a showcase of our hand-selected vehicles, many of which have been previous cover cars of New Zealand Classic Car, NZV8, and NZ Performance Car. For more details on the event see bigboystoys.co.nz.

Grand Routier — in the french tradition

10 July, 2025

Sitting in Paddy and Patsy Williams’ Dunedin garage is a stunning example of one of these rare French grand routier sedans. It is a 1949 four-door Lago-Record Factory Berline sedan, to give its full name. Daughter Cath let us know how proud she was of her dad, who had been tinkering away in his garage on this car for so many years.
Without exaggeration, it has been a mammoth task. I first saw this Talbot-Lago in mid 2019. The long-nosed, sweeping, curved four-door saloon, clothed in its misty green metallic paint, was quite breathtaking. There’s more than a little English influence in it, too, harking back to company owner Tony Lago’s involvement in the Clement-Talbot-Darracq era. The long front wings and bonnet, usually multi-louvred, highlighted with artful touches of chrome bling, are typical of the era, but these were indeed luxury length. Interiors provided leather-clad, armchair-style seating and ample legroom, with touches of wood and surprising details such as dainty childproof interior locks — a far cry from today’s lozenge boxes.
Paddy, a retired civil and structural engineer, knows his way around a lathe. He has a well-equipped garage-workshop to assist in any machining tasks along with his other passion for restoring classic motorcycles.

The Great River Road

4 July, 2025

A few years ago my family, knowing my fondness for driving, gave me the book Unforgettable Road Trips: Thirty-Six Drives of a Lifetime by Martin Derrick. Most of the road trips listed take less than a day in places like Scotland, Monaco, and Australia, plus one in New Zealand. Most of these places were too far to go just for a short drive but four of them would take several days. My interest was piqued, and those four drives were added to the bucket list. To date, I have done three of them: ‘Route 66’ (USA 21 days), ‘State Highway 6’ (NZ 10 days) and ‘The Great River Road’ (USA 22 days). You can drive all of them in less time, but you could also fly over them. We wanted a decent immersion in their charms.
The great river referred to is the Mississippi. While the name conjures the deep south, the river actually starts at the bottom of the great lakes, before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico about 3800km later. The great road is more of a concept than a specific strip of tarmac, as you can drive down either side of the river on various routes. Regardless of which side you drive, time should be kept aside for detours to places such as Nashville, which is famous for something or other.