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For the love of cars

20 April, 2026

Passion, Pride & Joy:
A new chapter for New Zealand’s classic car custodians
In the world of classic and collector cars, continuity matters. Not just of ownership or
provenance, but of care shaped by skilled hands, patience, and deep respect for the machines themselves.
Since 1973, Auto Restorations has existed for this purpose: to ensure these cars live
on, not as relics, but as working expressions of design and engineering. Over more than five decades, we have restored and returned countless vehicles to the road and racetrack, and in recent years expanded our service offering to keep them
performing at their best.
Today, we are proud to introduce the next step in that journey: This is not a reinvention, but a natural evolution. A name that reflects the full scope of what we now offer, while staying true to the standards and values that have always defined us.

A broader offering, built on the same foundation
Classic ownership today extends beyond restoration. It requires trusted expertise across the
entire life of a vehicle. ARG brings together restoration, servicing, parts, and brokerage under one unified identity.
Wherever you encounter ARG, you can expect the same philosophy: careful work, considered judgement, and an uncompromising standard of quality.
Whether undertaking a full restoration, sourcing period-correct components, or carrying out routine servicing, our approach remains simple if it carries the ARG name, it will be done properly.

Built on passion, delivered with precision
At the heart of ARG is a belief familiar to any enthusiast: no one loves your car more than you do but we understand exactly what it needs.
Our guiding idea, Passion, Pride &
Joy, reflects that: Sharing your passion with people who understand it
Restoring your pride through craftsmanship without compromise
Rekindling the joy that made you fall in love with the car in the first place

Strengthening capability
The formation of ARG also marks a careful expansion of our capabilities, always with quality in mind. A key milestone is the acquisition of Bruce McIlroy Limited, one of New Zealand’s most respected independent Bentley and Rolls-Royce specialists. This strengthens our expertise, tooling, and parts availability in these marques, while complementing the wide range of vehicles we already support including Jaguar, Morgan, Aston Martin, Maserati and Ferrari.
We have also continued to invest in our workshop capabilities, including advanced tyre fitting, wheel balancing, and the latest alignment systems allowing us to service vehicles of all eras with precision and accuracy.

Looking ahead
As specialist skills become increasingly rare, the role of businesses like ours becomes more
important than ever.
ARG represents a commitment to the future of classic car ownership bringing together the expertise, facilities, and philosophy required to care for these vehicles properly. We remain, as always, a business built on relationships. You are always welcome to visit, see our workshop, and talk with us about your car.
Thank you for being part of our journey.

NZ Classic Car magazine, November/December 2026 issue 408, on sale now

18 October, 2026

Star status for classic Porsche
A long search ends: finding the right car
Unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1963, the Porsche 911 heralded an iconic lineage of sports cars, known for their exceptional performance, remarkable racing reliability, and adaptability, second to none.
New Zealand Classic Car, in conjunction with Star Insure, recently conducted a photo competition to find 13 suitably impressive classics to grace the pages of the magazine’s 2027 calendar. A flood of entries showed that Kiwis recognise eye-catching designs and restorations. Many are handy with a camera, too, and have entered some outstanding results.
The choice was not straightforward, with multiple stunning entries, and Geoff Long’s immaculate 1990 Porsche 911 (964 Factory designation) took top honours. Fortunately, Geoff had Ethan Hanlon handy to take the accompanying photos while working in his office.
“I’ve got a young employee who is doing work experience in my office at the moment, and he’s a very avid photographer. So, I said, I’ll buy you breakfast and then why don’t we go and take some photos. He found the right spot, and he spent over an hour photographing.”
Originally sold new in Japan, hence the right-hand drive, the Porsche was resident there for four years before being exported to New Zealand, as Geoff recalls.
“I bought it two-and-a-half years ago, but I looked for it for over two years, because it’s just the colour scheme, interior and exterior I was after. The service file that came with it is extensive; I mean, it’s been beautifully looked after, which is what I wanted to continue, as it does get driven. It doesn’t sit in the garage.”

Classics on the green

16 October, 2026

Many pretenders vie for the title, but the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance gets my vote as the biggest thing since sliced bread.
The 71st edition of the world’s pre-eminent and best-known concours event featured 28 classes, judged by a 180-strong jury, which also chose the recipients of 26 special awards.
The size of the event, the number of visitors, and, most mind-numbingly, the sheer number of amazing cars, is almost overwhelming. There are so many quality cars to gaze upon, and so many people gazing at those cars, that it is almost impossible to cover everything.
Notable among the many attractions were the centenary celebrations of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, an elegant Talbot-Lago Grand Sport, Hermann Graber’s Swiss-bodied cabriolets and coupés, the jewels of Otto Vu Italian V8s, early Alfa Romeos, Lincoln and its centenary, and cars with unorthodox propulsion systems.