Flick through the Ellerslie Intermarque Concours d’Elegance 2015 programme

1 February, 2015

It’s time for movie and TV show actors to take a back seat and let the cars be the stars at the 2015 Ellerslie Intermarque Concours d’Elegance. They’ve appeared as part of the scenery, a prop, or getting the stars through all the action and car chases, but now it’s time to let them have centre stage. The theme for the event’s 42nd show is ‘the big screen’, so cars just like the ones you’ve seen featured in movies will be on display at Ellerslie Racecourse on Sunday, February 8 from 10am–4pm.

As well as the movie cars on display, the venue is expected to showcase vehicles from 750 owners and 70 car clubs, plenty vying for the series of best restoration trophies as well as the best unrestored everyday ‘survivor’ trophy. There will also be a splendid selection of new and exotic marques on display that will surely captivate everyone. 

We’ve created a programme for you to have a flick through to see what to expect from the event, some great information about the history and who is involved, as well as a handy map so you can find your way around the show and see everything you planned on seeing. It’s only $15, with children under 12 free, for a day out filled with beautiful classic cars.

Motorman – The saga of the Temple Buell Maseratis

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

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.