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The greatest love of all: New Zealand Classic Car Show 2016

11 February, 2016

‘A Classic Love Story’ is the theme for this year’s New Zealand Classic Car Show, which is being held on Sunday, February 14 (Valentine’s Day) at the picturesque Ellerslie Racecourse. New Zealand Classic Car magazine is again the major sponsor, and we are proud to be associated with a show that is recognized as the country’s premier classic car event — now in its 43rd year.

The New Zealand Classic Car Show not only provides the opportunity for over 75 classic car clubs to show off their best classics to the public, but it also awards excellence in the highly coveted Masters’ Class and Team Event along with the Survivors’ Class.

The highly prized Team Event Shield is awarded to the club presenting the finest pair of same-marque restorations — you’ll find them on display in the Parade Ring, next to the Members’ Stand.

The original event, over four decades ago, was a Concours d’Elegance competition between the marques of various participating clubs. Today, clubs still compete for the same prestigious club shield.

The two-car teams are judged for presentation and originality by a team of skilled and experienced judges — the winning team then hosts the following year’s event. This year’s host club is the Porsche Club of New Zealand.

Seven teams are vying for this year’s Team Event, one of which has been entered by the Auckland Mustang Owners Club. The two award-winning 1969 Mach 1 Mustangs seen above have been lovingly restored to original condition and have been meticulously prepared especially for this event — be sure to stop by and check them out.  

If elegance and style takes your fancy then you’ll need to head over to the Newmarket Room, where New Zealand Classic Car will have the amazing 1938 Mercedes Benz 540K Roadster on display. This massive, handcrafted, art deco sculpture was the absolute pinnacle of automotive desirability from the moment it was launched in Paris back in 1936  — and it is a must-see.

Head along to the New Zealand Classic Car Show 2016 at Ellerslie Racecourse between 10am and 4pm on Sunday, February 14 to share in the greatest love of all — incredible, immaculate classic cars!

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.