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Highlands Festival of Speed teams up with Aussie Racing Cars

3 December, 2014

It’s been confirmed that the two-day Highlands Festival of Speed — Muscle Car Battle, to be held over the weekend of January 30–February 1, 2015, has been paired with the popular Aussie Racing Cars. 

Powered by 1.2-litre, 125hp, twin-cam, 16-valve engines and weighing only 450kg, the Aussie Racing Cars (ARC) will easily reach 230kph plus on the Highlands’ circuit straights. Constructed on a purpose-built space-frame chassis, the cars sport one of numerous composite panel designs, including the classic ’40 Ford and FJ Holden body styles, Ford Falcon, and Holden Commodore. This year ARC designers have taken inspiration from American muscle, including characteristics from Ford’s Mustang and Chevrolet’s Camaro.

All cars are approximately half the size of their full-sized counterparts and all mechanically identical. On top of that, Falcon GTs, Boss Mustangs, Chevrolet Camaros, Chrysler Chargers, Holden Monaros, and the giant-killing Holden Toranas are just some of the iconic muscle cars you’ll see racing throughout that weekend. Then there’s the other categories competing — modern and classic saloons, vintage and classic single seaters, and Formula Libre open-wheelers.

Taking place at the world-class Highlands Motorsport Park, fans can enjoy classic car racing, classic and retro displays of cars, motorcycles, caravans, and boats, as well as other fun, classic entertainment for the family.  

Highlands’ General Manager, Mike Sentch, is looking for a range of vehicles, from hot rods to immaculate classics — if you reckon your car fits the bill, get in touch with him at [email protected]. There’s no charge, and you’ll be provided with one free weekend pass if your vehicle is chosen. 

Motorman – The saga of the Temple Buell Maseratis

30 January, 2026

Swiss-born Hans Tanner and American Temple Buell were apparently among the many overseas visitors who arrived in New Zealand for the Ardmore Grand Prix and Lady Wigram trophy in January 1959. Unlike Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, Ron Flockhart, Harry Schell and Carroll Shelby who lined up for the sixth New Zealand Grand Prix that year, Tanner and Buell were not racing drivers but they were key players in international motor sport.
Neither the rotund and cheery Buell nor the multi-faceted Tanner were keen on being photographed and the word ‘apparently’ is used in the absence of hard evidence that Buell actually arrived in this country 64 years ago.

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.