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Taking a look at the new Land Rover Discovery

22 April, 2015

We’ve just finished featuring the classic ‘Landy’ Land Rover on the front page of New Zealand Classic Car Issue No. 293, and funnily enough we were invited to check out the new Land Rover Discovery. However, this was set to be a bit of a spectacular event with the invite mentioning breakfast and a test. On arrival, we noticed a big trailer with a weird form of ramp mounted to the base. 

With three new Discoverys, a kitchen, and a rock-climbing wall, there was a decent spot of entertainment for everyone. 

The ramp allows the driver to drive up to the top on the left-hand side, and then it adjusts to put the car on a near 45-degree angle. The car, with its new terrain-response setting, allows the car to automatically drive down the hill by itself, leaving the driver in safe hands. 

Utilizing the mud-ruts feature allows the car to lock up the diff and manage the power between the front and rear wheels to support the car as it travels down steep hills.

The car is then able to manage those tricky situations when out off-roading.

The car features a large amount of boot space with up to seven seats available, depending on which model you’re looking at. 

It also comes fully furnished in leather with a clean-cut, modern dash.

The car is set to be on the New Zealand market within the next few months. 
 

“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.