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Warbirds over Wanaka to stage trucking tribute in 2016

2 July, 2015

Next Easter (March 25–28, 2016), the Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow will be sporting a newly added four-wheeled flavour, with organizers inviting truck owners nationwide to become part of the show via a new display dedicated to celebrating New Zealand’s affinity with the truck.

The planned ‘Warbirds and Wheels Century of Trucking’ display will aim to depict 100 years of truck culture in New Zealand, from vintage trucks right up to current-day examples. Hoping to have around 50 of the country’s leading trucks present, event organizer Mandy Deans is urging owners to register and become part of a fitting display of what some regard as one of New Zealand’s true motoring institutions.

“Several airshows ago we had an amazing display of Fords, which proved a big hit with our visitors. This time around we’re hoping to have up to 50 vehicles of all shapes and sizes from 1916 to the most modern trucks. Truck owners will need to register because we want to ensure we get a good representation of different trucks from various decades over the 100 years,” says Mandy.

Trucks and Warbirds over Wanaka have enjoyed a close relationship for a number of years. Various annual truck rallies have used the airshow as a convenient rest-stop during their travels. The show also already enjoys various established classic car displays, which will no doubt complement the incoming flow of trucking goodness.

If you’re wanting to register your truck for the Warbirds and Wheels Century of Trucking, registrations are open now.

The motor car as an art form

12 March, 2026

We have certainly come a long way since the exhibition entitled 8 Automobiles, shown at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in the autumn of 1951, the first exhibition concerned with the aesthetics of motor car design.
It was here that the often-used term ‘rolling sculpture’ was coined by curator Philip C Johnson, director of the department of architecture and design, when he said, “An automobile is a familiar 20th century artefact, and is no less worthy of being judged for its visual appeal than a building or a chair. Automobiles are hollow, rolling sculptures, and their design refinements are fascinating. We have selected cars whose details and basic design suggest that automobiles, besides being America’s most useful objects, could be a source of visual experience more enjoyable than they now are.”

More to the point

6 March, 2026

This Daimler SP252 is so rare, few people know it exists. It’s one of a kind. It’s the only surviving, in fact the only SP252 ever completed; the would-be successor to the SP250 Daimler Dart. It is also the last sports car to have been designed by Jaguar’s legendary founder, Sir William Lyons.
Perhaps one of the original Dart’s biggest problems was it’s somewhat-divisive looks. It certainly went well enough to win fans, although Sir William wasn’t among them. It crushed the opposition in the Bathurst six-hour race, finishing five laps ahead of anyone else, and it was snapped up by police forces in Britain, Australia, and New Zealand, as it was the fastest thing on the road.
So you’d think a stunning new body with the magic Lyons touch would have been a surefire success. Why this car never made it into production is still something of a mystery, as the official explanations barely stack up.