January Newsletter

As you will have heard already, Holden, the iconic Aussie car brand, is being discontinued by parent company General Motors at the end of this year. There are many ramifications for NZ consumers and fans alike, from motorsport to cop cars to parts availability. But today is a day to reflect on the Aussie car that had such a big presence in New Zealand. The band is breaking up so let’s look at some of their greatest hits.

So you want to use less of that expensive combustible stuff and be kinder to the planet at the same time? But you don’t want the range restriction of a full electric car? A hybrid vehicle could be for you, but which one might depend on your budget. Luckily there’s a hybrid option for most budgets but not all hybrids work in the same way so let’s take a look at the contenders.

It’s the size of an ocean liner, has a 6.8 litre engine that runs on the sweat and tears of the great unwashed and is quite difficult to park. But none of this matters as you’ll have a driver to deal with the tricky stuff while you sit in the back seat plotting another corporate takeover whilst savouring a very fine single malt. Read on...

It’s as British as warm beer and Brexit and was optimistically fitted with a convertible roof, presumably in case you planned driving it to a warmer climate. This 1953 Morris Minor Convertible tourer is in amazing condition and is being auctioned at Turners Christchurch next week. Read on...

When it comes to absolute power and luxury most think BMW M5, Mercedes AMG C63 or Audi RS6. But there’s a classy alternative to the Germans that could easily be overlooked but might be the best of the lot. Turners have this Jaguar XFR and the big cat might just blow your mind if not your budget. Read on...

The Morris brand has been exhumed from a British automotive graveyard and reanimated with a jolt of electricity with this new, Morris J Series inspired, EV van called the Morris JE. The body is made from carbon fibre and the chassis has been designed for multiple model uses so we can expect other versions to follow. The Morris JE has a range of around 320 kilometres on a charge and has a low, flat payload with a bigger capacity than the old J series.

The 1990s was the decade of Grunge, Clinton, Blair and Bolger, the beginning of the rise of the internet and the movie Titanic. But for many Generation Y readers it will also be looked back on as a golden age of motoring. The oldest cars from the nineties are turning 30 this year, so are some of these cars ripe for a classic revival? History would suggest so....

Some prefer to walk around for hours hitting small balls with long sticks at tiny holes with a trolley in tow. Others, however, prefer their golf a bit quicker. And there’s no quicker golf than the mighty Volkswagen Golf R. Turners Tauranga has this one for sale right now. Read on...

It’s hard to justify a big, heavy, gas guzzling SUV in these days of expensive fuel and global warming but if needs must then the Land Rover Discovery 3 is a pretty useful tool that can do a bit of everything. Read on...