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Keep a piece of automotive history in your garage

13 February, 2015

The new Ford Falcon FPV GT F is the most powerful production Falcon GT ever built — the supercharged five-litre quad-cam V8 boasts all-alloy construction and produces 470hp (351kW) and 420lb·ft.

Only 50 GT Fs were built for the New Zealand market, and the very last of these, number 50, will be up for auction on Trade Me for two weeks, from February 16 to March 2. A portion of the auction’s proceeds will go towards Ford NZ’s charity partner of 25 years , Variety — The Children’s Charity.

FPV GT F build number 50 is guaranteed to be a collectable, and includes the personalized plate ‘GTF 50’ and a custom GT F car cover. The car comes in silhouette black with matte-black stripe package, and the supercharged V8 is backed by the popular automatic transmission.

The GT F wears a ‘351’ badge, not just symbolic of the car’s huge 351kW power output, but also reminiscent of the legendary 351ci V8 that made history in the Falcon GTs of the ’60s and ’70s. Just as those superb vehicles are now sought-after collector’s items, so too will the newest version.

Corey Holter, managing director of Ford NZ, says, “Not only will it be a high-performance vehicle that is fantastic to drive, it will also make a very fine and valuable addition to any enthusiast’s collection.”

Head of Trade Me Motors Darren Wiltshire reckons it’s going to be one of their more popular vehicle auctions, saying, “We know lots of Kiwis love their Fords and will get pretty excited once they spot this one. We reckon this will be one of the most popular vehicle auctions on the site so far this year.”

It’s not just a collectable, but an all-round great car — make sure to check the auction out, even if just to see what all the fuss is about. Given that the last GT F built for Australia was put up for auction and sold for over $260,000, there could be a high-stakes bidding war happening on March 2. Could be a touch more exciting than the Baccarat tables at the SkyCity casino.

Lunch with Bill Leckie: An Imp’s tale

6 August, 2026

Seeking limelight is part of Bill Leckie’s DNA, but when I asked him if anyone had written about his career and the cars he created, he didn’t think so. Even so, I was delighted when he agreed to sit down with me over a pie and coffee to reminisce. I started by asking how it is that someone who is so fanatical about F1 only ever raced saloon cars? Well, we’ll get to that, but where did things start? “I went to Cornwall Park Primary School and then to Remuera Intermediate where I became good mates with Geoff Perry, son of the legendary motorcycle racing legend Len.” Geoff Perry was 23 and on the edge of stardom when he was killed in a mystery air disaster over the Pacific in 1973. “We used to race around his backyard on a cutdown motorbike. It was friendly competition that I suppose helped hone our racing instincts. There was never much between us and so, by 11 or 12, I had a definite leaning towards speed.”

Mitsubishi’s secret weapon

31 July, 2026

Ewen’s Starion is a little different and special. He saved this one – literally ‘found in a paddock’ — just in time, as he relates.
“Mine is a 1983 Starion. I’ve had it about five years. I first saw it in a paddock at Ryal Bush [north of Invercargill], and I went past it three times. The third time I went back and knocked at the door, but the owner didn’t want to sell. He rang up a year later, and put a price on it, which we accepted. Only thing wrong was the motor was totally dismantled.”
Ewen then set about getting the car back to its current state.
“It took me six months to find somebody suitable to refurbish it back then. Simon Bradley at Midas in Invercargill offered to do it and he did a great job on it. The head was badly damaged around the valves, and Simon said you could get generic cylinder heads now, so he installed one, and it cost $800. It’s made such a difference to the car. Mine is an intercooled, fuel-injected turbo model, fitted with a five-speed manual gearbox. It’s a great car to drive too.”
Except for a small patch of surface rust, Ewen’s car was in surprisingly good condition despite its paddock life.