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Win a Corgi Bentley Continental GT

15 April, 2015

In 2003, under the management of Volkswagen AG, Bentley really turned a corner when they revived an old model name with the introduction of the Continental GT. Powered by a massive six-litre W12 motor, replete with a pair of turbochargers, this Bentley for the new millennium boasted 412kW (that’s 552 imperial horses) and a top speed just a tad under the magical 200mph mark. Woolf Barnato, Sir Tim Birkin and the rest of the Bentley Boys would’ve loved this luxurious beast. Using the original Continental GT as a base, Bentley would subsequently essay a whole range of models, with one of the latest being the 2014-introduced V8 S.

If you try a Google image search on the V8 S, you’ll discover a whole pile of shots depicting a Monaco Yellow example — the UK press car.

Thanks to the good guys at Toymod, the NZ Corgi distributor, we have one example of the UK Press Car Bentley to give away to a lucky reader — just answer the following question:

Q:    What was the registration number of the Monaco Yellow Continental V8 S UK press car?

Competition closes on May 20, 2015

Name

Yes I agree to the terms and conditions
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 promoter is Parkside Media Ltd, 254 Richmond Road Grey Lynn, Auckland. The decision of the promoter is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Employees of Parkside Media, associated sponsor(s), and their immediate families and agencies are not permitted to enter. Entries are the property of [insert publication title] 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 monthly newsletters. Entries close [insert closing date]. Prizes are as specified and are not transferable or redeemable for cash. If the winner does not claim the prize within 21 days of contact being attempted, the prize will be withdrawn and a new winner drawn. Parkside Media reserves the right to make any changes to any prizes and to provide the winner(s) with a substitute prize.

“Gotcha!’’ The continuing tale of a Nissan/Datsun tragic – part two

8 May, 2026

In 1996, I was on a mission to buy a suitable pavement scorcher and visited the now-defunct Manukau City Car Fair. Unbelievably, among the sea of four-door utilitarian Japanese compacts was the absolute jewel in the crown, my automobile wet dream — a 1985 two-door R30 RS Nissan Skyline FJ20 Turbo five-speed manual in nice condition. The owner wanted $10,000 — a great deal.
But what did I do? I bailed out, paralysed by indecision. The money would have been a stretch, but it was the worst automotive choice I ever made. Instead, I went for a rusty Toyota Sprinter 8 Valve Twin Cam Coupé, which was pretty terminal from the get-go. I know. We’ve all done it, but there was really no excuse for passing up the Skyline, and I was haunted by that for years.

Last Tango in the Fast Lane

30 April, 2026

In the mid ’80s, I locked into a serious Nissan/Datsun performance obsession. It could have kicked off with my ’82 Datsun Sunny, though this would have been a bit of a stretch of the imagination, given its normally aspirated 1.2-litre motor — not the sort of thing to unleash radical road warrior dreams. But it did plant a seed, and it was a sweet little machine and surprisingly quick, in contrast to all the diabolical English offerings I had endured.
I was living in South Auckland at the time and was an unrepentant petrolhead. Motor racing was my drug of choice, and I followed the scene slavishly. Saloon car racing, with the arrival of the international Group A formula, was having a serious renaissance here and in Australia and Europe. There was suddenly an exotic air in local racing that had been absent for 15 years.
I was transfixed by this new frontier of motor racing that had hit our tracks in 1985–87 and the new array of machinery on display. In 1986, the Nissan Skyline RS DR30 made a blinding impression on me. The Australian Fred Gibson-run, Peter Jackson-sponsored team of George Fury and Glenn Seton were the fastest crew of the 1986 Australian Touring Car Championship. But Kiwi legend Robbie Francevic snuck through to win the Aussie Championship in his Volvo 240T after a strong start and consistent finishes.