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Highlands Festival of Speed: the perfect family festival

3 February, 2015

The Highlands Festival of Speed, which ran for three days over January 30–February 1, was every bit as good as it was hyped up to be. The event attracted close to 150 competitors in a diverse field of racing vehicles, and thousands of spectators flocked through the gates to check it all out.

The trans-Tasman trophy is safe in Kiwi hands, thanks to Dean Perkins winning three of the five combined TCM/CMC races, including the trophy race. On Friday, January 30, Perkins set the quickest qualifying time in his Ford Falcon, with fellow CMC competitors Paul Kelly (whose Firebird we’ve got a feature on in NZV8 Issue No. 118) and Tony Galbraith completing the top three. New South Wales’s Tony Karanfilovski was the fastest Aussie, placing fourth in his 1969 Ford Mustang Fastback. Mike Sentch, Highlands’ general manager, said two-time Australian Touring Car Champion Glenn Seton, who raced a ’64 Mustang over the weekend, told him that the Highlands Festival of Speed was one of the best race meetings he’d ever been to.

A feature well enjoyed by the crowds was the Highlands Classic Motor Show, which displayed over 100 vehicles, including a huge array of classic, retro, and vintage motor vehicles. The People’s Choice award went to Trevor and Davina Mitchell, whose stunning Excalibur Phaeton roadster stole the show.

Aussie Racing Cars round winner Craig Woods. Photo: Graeme Oliver

In another trans-Tasman racing endeavour, the Aussie Racing Cars started their seven-round 2015 season at Highlands — the first time an Australian motorsport category has done so.

The Quinn family tussle, with multiple Quinn family members racing over the weekend, was taken out by Tony Quinn, who finished eighth for the weekend ahead of son Kent, and son-in-law Kynan Yu. In the Formula Libre single-seater category, Cameran Freeman from Dunedin proved to be the dominant player, winning all three races.

The vintage and historic open wheelers attracted 22 entrants, with UK-based visitor Robin Longdon in a Lotus 20/22 taking the largest points haul for the weekend. Dunedin’s Paul Coghill also snagged a win in his 1952 Jaguar Special, as did Invercargill’s David Robertson, in his 1959 Ace Buckler, and Western Australia’s Neil McCrudden in another Lotus 20/22.

Arrowtown’s Buckingham Belles. Photo: Hannah Cameron

Of course, cars weren’t the only attractions at the Highlands Festival of Speed. Highlands’ events manager, Melanie Kees, says seeing so many people really getting into the spirit of the classic festival, dressing up in clothes from many eras was another highlight — the Fashion in the Field competition attracted many entrants, and the many family-friendly entertainment options were guaranteed to keep all happy.

“We’re absolutely thrilled with the turnout, especially with so many events going on in the district this weekend. While the weather has been a mixed bag, people braved the odd shower to enjoy some amazing racing.” said Ms Kees.

Following the great feedback and excellent racing action the Highlands Festival of Speed delivered this year, you can be assured that next year will be as good as ever.

NZ Classic Car magazine, September/October 2026 issue 407, on sale now

16 August, 2026

We love bugs!
A bit of TLC that became a major restoration
The 1302S, or ‘Super Beetle’ as it became known, was built for two years before it, too, was replaced by a further-enhanced Beetle, the 1303, continuing an amazing 65-year lineage for one of the World’s best-known shapes.
The world’s best-selling single-model vehicle, the VW Beetle, possibly established another record for the amount of controversy it has created since the inception of the Type 1.
In a meeting with Hitler in June 1934, Ferdinand Porsche was contracted to build a ‘People’s Car’ that could accommodate two adults and three children, was air-cooled and simple to maintain, and could cruise economically at moderate speed along Germany’s proposed new Autobahns.
Our feature car, a 1972 1302S ‘Super Beetle’, was found by Dave and Michelle Dickie in Mosgiel a few years back. It was a runner, but like most VWs of this age, it needed a little TLC. They were looking for a daily driver for Michelle when they first came upon the VW being sold locally on behalf of its owner.
“The owner offered it to his grandchildren, and they didn’t want it, so he got the guy out at Mosgiel in the Mobil petrol station to sell it for him, and he put it on Trade Me for them. We never met the owner, and we were always dealing with the guy at the petrol station. We put a bid on it, and we were the only people that bid on it.”
Their bid was eventually successful, eight years ago. Not knowing much of the history, in situations like that, it’s always a risk buying a car, but they were in for a bit of a surprise.

The other Q car

12 August, 2026

Say the word ‘bond’ to anyone in the street and around 80 per cent straight away think of pop culture’s least-secret secret agent. The other 20 per cent may think of the wad of cash required to secure a flat or hire equipment that one gets back providing the fixtures and fittings stay much as they were.
However, mention ‘bond’ in specialist classic car circles and people will spin a very different yarn. If you dig deep enough, you will find an eccentric British carmaker that, throughout its 23 years in business, spawned some quirky and charming little cars.
The company was founded by Paul Sharp in 1922 under the name of Sharp’s Commercials Limited. However, the company did not start producing cars until 1948. The first car to carry the Bond name was the Bond Minicar. A three-wheeled, soft-top, two-cylinder eco car, the Minicar was a big hit at the time as the desire for an economical urban runabout that didn’t attract four-wheel car tax was strong in post-war Britain. All in all, 34,285 Minicars were produced over 26 years in a variety of variants.