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.

The Pininfarina 230 SL

It’s October 1964, and imagine you’re an automotive journalist covering that year’s Paris Auto Show (Mondial de l’Automobile). As you approach the Pininfarina booth, you come across a car that looks a bit like the Mercedes-Benz 230 SL introduced the previous year at the Geneva Auto Show, a car then arriving at Mercedes-Benz dealerships around the world.
But looking closely, its styling and proportions seem to be a bit different. And it has a fixed roof, unlike the Pagoda-style greenhouse of the removable hardtop seen on the production 230 SL. While today, the styling of the W113, under the supervision of Head of Styling Friedrich Geiger, with lead designers Paul Bracq and Bela Barenyi, is considered a mid-century modern masterpiece, acceptance in-period was not universal. Some critics called out the concave design of its removable roof, which ultimately gave the car its “Pagoda” nickname.

Ford Falcon display: Bill Richardson Transport World

Ford Falcon enthusiasts from around Southland have made their pride and joy, Australian Ford Falcons, available for the extensive display now on at Bill Richardson Transport World in Invercargill.
Avid local Ford Falcon GT collectors, Roger and Diane Whyte have made a number of their cars available for display, while a
real rarity is Robin MacDonald’s factory original 1971 Ford Falcon Phase II GTHO.
From the very first to the very last Ford Falcon, this is a great opportunity to view these Australian icons under one roof.
The exhibition is on until early June. Don’t miss it!