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Supercars by the sea

11 May, 2023

A wealth of automotive treats gathered on Wellington’s waterfront
By Christopher Moor

Summer Supercars by the Sea had a million dollar harbour backdrop for cars worth maybe 20 times more than that, parked along Wellington’s Te Papa promenade on Sunday 22 January. The capital’s anniversary weekend car show ran between 10am and 12.30pm.
Around 60 supercars graced the concourse for the Wellington Sports & Supercar Owners’ second show. Last winter’s show was at the nearby Odlins’ Plaza but the new venue for the summer event enabled an improved display, and easier access for visitors to get amongst them. A few cyclists and scooter riders detoured from their promenading around the waterfront to take a look at some of the finest alternative forms of transport.

It was the day of the coupé featuring American muscle, European classics, the sporty Japanese, and the best of British, plus a scattering of four door saloons and a handful of soft tops displayed with their hoods down. Those expecting Mustangs, Corvettes, Ferraris, Aston Martins, Hondas, Lamborghinis, or a DeLorean would have been well satisfied.
Children provided a pretty steady stream of visitors to the silver Lamborghini Gallardo to have their photos taken with this exotic beast. Hopefully they weren’t too disappointed to discover that the revving motors heard throughout the morning came from pre-recorded sources.

My happiest memory of the day is of the Aston Martin owner who opened the door of his convertible to let youngsters take a turn behind the wheel. Their matching beaming smiles told me he’d made their day – as well as his own. Here’s hoping kind gestures such as this from today’s classic owners will help ensure that the interest transfers to future generations.
An Englishman was overhead explaining the TVR 450 to some interested New Zealand mates, apparently a car they’d not heard of before. 
Summer Supercars by the Sea was a free entry event. Donations could be made on the concourse to Child Cancer, the day’s benefiting charity.

Lunch with… Jim Palmer

16 April, 2025

In the 1960s, Hamilton’s Jim Palmer won the prestigious ‘Gold Star’ four times and was the first resident New Zealander home in the New Zealand Grand Prix on five consecutive occasions. He shared the podium with Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, Bruce McLaren, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, Denny Hulme, Jackie Stewart, and Chris Amon. The extent of his domination of the open-wheeler scene in New Zealand will probably never be matched or exceeded. Yet he’s always been modest about his achievements.

NZ Classic Car magazine, May/June 2025 issue 399, on sale now

13 April, 2025

Who would have thought it would become such a worldwide motorsport star when Ford introduced the humble Escort in 1967?
Its popularity, particularly in Mark 1 form, is now of iconic status. Our cover story for this issue is on a 1968 Ford Escort Mark 1, Alan Mann Racing Tribute. We talked with the owner of this very special Escort, finished in tribute also to the owner’s father.
“Most children love speed, and motorsport typically comes courtesy of a parent, and Elliott is no different. His engineer father, Mark, had a love for motorcycles and going fast; however, when children came along, he swapped two wheels for four, in the form of two Ford Escorts.
Little did Mark know it at the time, but the humble Escort was about to weave its way into the family fabric once and for all.
After emigrating from London to New Zealand, Elliott recalled one evening when he was 14 being invited to tag along by his father, helping a friend convert an Escort road car into a racing car. This was the pivotal moment when Elliott remembers the motorsport bug taking over. He knew he had to have his own one.”