Ayrburn Classic 2026

NZ Classic Car magazine, March/April 2026 issue 404, on sale now

BMW’s flagship techno showcase
The supermodel 1995 BMW 840Ci is simply elegant and perfectly engineered.
BMW’s 840 Ci flagship Coupe provides superb comfort and equipment packaged in a stylish body, with grand-touring performance and surprisingly competent handling for its size.
It’s the kind of machine that stands apart from the start. When BMW first unveiled its flagship Grand Tourer at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show, the automotive world blinked twice. Sleek, low, and impossibly modern for its era, it combined drama with a sort of purposeful understatement. This silhouette still looks striking today, long after its peers have faded into obscurity.
Initially offered with a range of engines, the model you’re reading about is the V8 iteration, featuring a 4.0-litre eight-cylinder heart under its long bonnet and a smooth five-speed automatic at the back. It wasn’t about blistering sprint times so much as effortless velocity. There was power on tap, sure, but the way it delivered thrust felt unhurried and measured – the automotive equivalent of a deep exhale on a long drive.
Poster 1964 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, C2

NZ Classic Car magazine, January/February 2026 issue 403, on sale now

Morris’ ground-breaking, world-beating, Minor
It was Britain’s biggest small car, and it got Britain mobile again.       Morris Motors celebrated its millionth Minor in December 1960, a car that defined the British motor industry, and was in production for 10 years alongside the iconic Mini of 1959.
Whakatane dentist John Twaddle has a passion for Morris Minors going back to 1982, and he still has his first example. There are now three ‘Morries’ in his garage. One, however, is quite special, a rare ‘Minor-Million’. 
One of just 350 made commemorating the millionth Morris Minor produced, the first British car to hit a million units, the well-rounded little Brit’ would end production in 1971with a tally of over 1.6 million units.
John finished his Minor Million six years ago, resplendent in lilac, its official factory colour. He calls it his ‘Minor Resurrection’, and it has won numerous awards.
This summer edition also comes with our annual FREE classic car calendar, a must for every garage wall.
Every issue comes with our FREE huge wall poster; this issue, our poster is of a couple of garage mates, a 1957 Ford Ranchero and a 1968 Lincoln Continental. 

NZ Classic Car magazine, November/December 2025 issue 402, on sale now

Circuit racer to show stopper
A one-time racing saloon gets a new lease on life
Hugely popular back in the day, and European champions, Ford’s Capri is still a popular and competitive racing saloon, so to find one turned back into a pristine road car is rare indeed.
Loburn’s rolling hills and river plains in North Canterbury are renowned for their fruit-growing areas, and also have some great driving roads, perfect for enjoying the long-legged cruising Ford Capri featured here.
Since the Christchurch earthquakes, the area has become a sought-after lifestyle region. Toby and Donna Dimmock moved to the area a short time ago, and they enjoy the laid-back, sunny lifestyle of the region in their new home, which features a generously sized garage and sheds, perfect for a couple of gleaming classics. They are best known for their 1972 Holden HQ Monaro LS, a show-winning car that serves as their big, comfortable country cruiser when driving to car shows. However, their 1974 Ford Capri Mark 1, GXL 3 Litre, is something special with an unexpected background, quite at odds with its amazing current condition.