Get to know Tony Quinn’s Aston Martin Vulcan

10 November, 2016

This incredible piece of automotive machinery got a fair amount of PR when it arrived in New Zealand last year.

Its owner is businessman, racing driver, and race-track owner Tony Quinn. You might have heard of some of Tony’s exploits behind the wheel over the years. He’s become a mainstay of Targa events here and across the Tasman, and has recently purchased both Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell and Hampton Downs Motorsport Park in Waikato.

We briefly caught up with Tony at the recent Hampton Downs 101 event, where the Vulcan was holding court in and amongst some amazing machinery, and asked him, why the Aston? Quite simply, Tony explained, because he was offered one, and how could you pass up that opportunity?

We’ve included a few additional photos that didn’t make it into the feature in the December issue of New Zealand Classic Car (Issue No. 312) — grab your copy below to read the full story.

Grab a print copy of the mag now!

Blueprinting basics

3 October, 2025

You occasionally hear petrol heads tossing around the term ‘blueprinting’ when referring to an engine they have assembled, and have sometimes altered significantly. What they are probably trying to say is that their engine was carefully machined to optimum tolerances and balanced — probably for racing. But that isn’t what the term meant originally. You see, in the 1950s, when US stock car race cars really had to be stock, the racing teams would go to the factories and rummage through the parts bins until they found components that were closest in tolerance to the original blueprint developed by the engine’s designers.

Brothers in arms

26 September, 2025

When you think Porsche, you will often think of the 911 or 356 — both rear-engine, both air-cooled (or at least until more recent times for the 911), and both icons of the sports car world. The 356 is very desirable, in hardtop coupe or in one of the three topless derivatives — speedster, roadster or cabriolet. Similar to larger car firms, Porsche experimented with a cheaper entry-level car for the keen but more modest income prospective purchasers so they could obtain their first foray into the brand.
Reaching back to their roots, Porsche collaborated with Volkswagen and released the mid-engine 914 in 1969. It sold in significant numbers in the USA, and was a modest success.

Get to know Tony Quinn’s Aston Martin Vulcan

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