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Win a Scalextric Lotus Exige

3 December, 2014

Most would normally link Colin Chapman’s legendary Lotus marque to Formula One and sports car racing rather than rallying, although those who remember the legendary Sunbeam Lotus know better. Having made their rally debut in 1978, the Lotus 908-powered Sunbeam hatchback competed successfully in frontline events, winning the Championship for Manufacturers in 1981.

After 30 years absence from the rally stage, Lotus returned in 2011 with the Exige R-GT, a car purposely designed for tarmac rallies. Powered by the Evora’s supercharged 3.5-litre V6, this special Exige made its competition debut at the 2012 Rally Vinho da Madeira in Portugal.

As a special Lotus treat, courtesy of the good guys at Toymod Ltd – the NZ Scalextric distributors – we’re giving away an Exige R-GT racer to one lucky reader. Just fill in the form below and answer the question.

This competition is now closed

Terms and conditions

The prize is available for delivery in New Zealand only. One entry per person. Prizes are not transferable, not redeemable for cash, and no exchanges will be made. There is one prize to be given away. The judge’s decision is final. Employees of Parkside Media, associated sponsor(s), and their immediate families and agencies are not permitted to enter. Entries are the property of New Zealand Classic Car magazine and The Motorhood and may be used for promotional purposes by Parkside Media. Entrants must be over the age of 18. Entrants agree to their name/photo being used for publicity purposes. By entering this competition you agree to receive occasional information from New Zealand Classic Car and The Motorhood including out monthly newsletter. Entries close January 10, 2015.

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.