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Don’t get lost! October’s Caffeine & Classics has a change of venue

20 September, 2016

For those partial to a good cup of joe and a few hundred classic cars packed into one place, Caffeine & Classics is where you want to be.

Proudly brought to you by Protecta Insurance, Caffeine & Classics is held on the last Sunday of each month at Smales Farm, Takapuna, and has been going strong for the last three-and-a-half years. However, the October event will see a temporary relocation to the NorthWest Shopping Centre due to the surrounding streets of Smales Farm being closed for the Auckland Marathon the same weekend.

Don’t sweat, though — although our expertise may not be marathons, we do know that the runners will only block the way to Smales Farm for one event, and the move is a one-off. As for the finer details, the date and time remains the same as always, with the October event held on the 30th at 10am — in case that wasn’t clear enough, Caffeine & Classics will be back at Smales from November onwards.

If you haven’t already pulled the old girl out of the garage and headed out on a beautiful Sunday morning, you really ought to mark it down on the calendar. Numbers are frequently upwards of 500 cars and bikes, with like-minded enthusiasts to shoot-the-sh*t with. It’s a laid-back, family-friendly environment that you can bring the little ones to, and one of the few events that are open to all types of classic and collectible vehicles. Entry is free for vehicles and spectators — for more information click here.

  • October 30 (one-off event)
  • NorthWest Shopping Centre
  • Gunton Drive, Westgate
  • 10am–12pm

Breakfast of champions – Brink

17 March, 2026

Some older readers may recall the amusing late 60s advertisement for a breakfast drink using World Champion racing driver Graham Hill which was made while he was out here competing in the Tasman Series.
“Drink Brink” was the phrase, subtly altered by Graham’s characteristic lisp into “Dwink Bwinkl” which drew a grin or two.
Southland Mini racing enthusiast Howard Kingsford-Smith has preserved a little bit of Mini racing history when he re-created the “Brink Mini” some 25 years ago.
“I bought what remained of the original car and made a replica I suppose or look-a-like of the original Brink Mini from Cathy Henderson about 25 years ago,” Howard explained.

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.”