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A take on perfection: Peter Giacobbi’s unbelievable home built Ferrari

21 July, 2015

As a child, Peter Giacobbi was an avid fan of motorsport who admired legendary drivers like Juan Manuel Fangio and Wolfgang von Trips. He also admired their weapons of choice, holding Ferrari’s beautiful 250 Testa Rossa above all others.

Image: Petrolicious

So when he found a handmade, all-aluminium Testa Rossa body in Italy, it didn’t take him long to arrive at an ultimate conclusion that would see him embark on one of the most memorable and emotional restorations we’ve ever seen.

“I looked at it, and I said ‘I have to do it,’” Peter says.

The team at Petrolicious met up with Peter and his car to produce this amazing video, titled Building a Dream.

Image: Petrolicious

Weighing in at 2300 pounds, or just over one tonne, Peter’s near-authentic creation makes use of a 4.4-litre engine from a Ferrari 365, capable of 400hp. While the engine may not be original, it has similar aesthetics to the original, and is faster.

Only when he was finally able to get behind the wheel of his own comparable beast was Peter able to fully comprehend the challenge his childhood heroes faced every time they got behind the wheel.

“I discovered it after driving it and racing it several times. They’re not only heroes — they’re supermen.”

“It’s the most fun and the most rewarding project that I’ve ever worked on. If somebody offered me a real one in exchange for it, I don’t think I would take it. Because this is what I want.”

Image: Petrolicious

This isn’t just a case of ‘built not bought’, this is a passion for cars and motoring at its most raw. Bravo, Peter.

Luxury by design

15 January, 2026

How do you define luxury? To some it is being blinded with all manner of technological wizardry, from massaging heated seats to being able to activate everything with your voice, be it the driver’s side window or the next track on Spotify. To others, the most exorbitant price tag will dictate how luxurious a car is.
For me, true automotive luxury comes from being transported in unparalleled comfort, refinement, and smoothness of power under complete control. Forget millions of technological toys; if one can be transported here and there without the sensation of moving at all, that is luxury — something that is perfectly encapsulated by the original Lexus LS400. It was the first truly global luxury car from Toyota, and one that made the big luxury brands take notice.

NZ Classic Car magazine, January/February 2026 issue 403, on sale now

15 December, 2025

Morris’ ground-breaking, world-beating, Minor
It was Britain’s biggest small car, and it got Britain mobile again.       Morris Motors celebrated its millionth Minor in December 1960, a car that defined the British motor industry, and was in production for 10 years alongside the iconic Mini of 1959.
Whakatane dentist John Twaddle has a passion for Morris Minors going back to 1982, and he still has his first example. There are now three ‘Morries’ in his garage. One, however, is quite special, a rare ‘Minor-Million’. 
One of just 350 made commemorating the millionth Morris Minor produced, the first British car to hit a million units, the well-rounded little Brit’ would end production in 1971with a tally of over 1.6 million units.
John finished his Minor Million six years ago, resplendent in lilac, its official factory colour. He calls it his ‘Minor Resurrection’, and it has won numerous awards.
This summer edition also comes with our annual FREE classic car calendar, a must for every garage wall.
Every issue comes with our FREE huge wall poster; this issue, our poster is of a couple of garage mates, a 1957 Ford Ranchero and a 1968 Lincoln Continental.