First introduced to the automotive world in 1984, the BMW M5 was an overnight sensation. It brought together a myriad of driving emotions by combining the luxurious freedom of a large European 4-door sedan with the racing spirit of a track-ready sportscar. This year sees the new, sixth-generation BMW M5 taken into all new territory,…...
Audi e-tron Vision Gran Turismo From the PlayStation to the race, the Audi e-tron Vision GT turns virtual into reality New Mercedes-AMG Showroom Now you can experience the Mercedes-AMG brand with all five senses with the first dedicated AMG Performance Centre in New Zealand. With its high quality materials, motorsport theming and the hallmark AMG…...
The Ferrari Challenge is the widest ranging and most envied one-make series in the world and for the first time ever, it was held in New Zealand. Fittingly, Hampton Downs Motorsport Park played host to a weekend of high performance, high drama and ultimate luxury in an event like no other – and we were…...
There gets to a certain point in your life (hopefully) when your place in the universe begins to click. The relevance of things becomes clearer, your attitude is more defined and your ‘zen’ more apparent. It’s not necessarily an age thing (although there is a good argument for time served), it’s more about the acceptance…...
Back in the early 70’s, the hair was big, the shoes were platformed and the trousers were bell-bottomed wider than Cheshire Cat’s Smile. It was a flamboyant and expressive time where collars were long and the attention span wasn’t. Popular music was Disco and more importantly Glam Rock, with one of the Glamest being Marc…...
I was always brought up with the understanding that first impressions last, and that their importance is paramount. Apparently, during that chance or appointed meeting, the experts believe that this ‘battle’ is won or lost in an instant. Your approach, your smile, your persona, your handshake, what you first say (including the tone) and what…...
Held since 1905, the Geneva International Motor Show showcases exotic supercars, prototypes, the latest in technical innovation, and the best of the best in the automotive world. 1. Ferrari 488 Pista The Ferrari 488 Pista is powered by the most powerful V8 engine in the Maranello marque’s history and is the company’s special series sports…...
It seems to me that modern-day family life is not only getting unbelievably busy, but it’s also getting more and more disjointed. What used to be a weekend is now a series of ‘events’ and what used to be interaction now seems to be a group of people at the same location whose minds (and…...
A short trip up the M40 gets you (me) to Gaydon in Shakespeare county, Warwickshire. Gaydon is a sleepy enough little town, brick and tile homes and a couple of convenience stores, but it is also home to the British Motor Museum and a couple of very impressive car marques. I was there to visit…...
My friends at Winger Alfa Romeo were kind enough to offer me their Giulia Quadrifoglio for the weekend, but that, in turn, invoked a fair amount of inner turmoil. Although I had been chomping at the bit to drive the Giulia again, as most Alfa owners would probably attest, the Romeos of old have a…...
(Well, ok, three if you add the Cabriolet) Apparently, there are saloon people and there are those that have a penchant for the styling of a coupe. Mercedes-Benz New Zealand figured they’d let me decide what my preference was by lending me two E400 models, back to back. As you are probably already well aware, the…...
New Zealand punches above its weight in so many sports, boxing, rugby (of course), cricket, netball, sailing and motorsport to name but a few. However, aside from a particular chosen few, our venues still leave a lot to be desired. We are seldom on the list of must-see stadiums or event centres, but it would…...
With its Super Slow-mo video, best-in-class low light camera and AR Emoji for a more personalised way to express yourself, the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ are the smartphone reimagined. The Super Slow-mo feature makes everyday moments epic. Video is captured at a rate of 960 frames per second and can be started manually or through…...
Having recently been behind the wheel of the latest Honda Civic hatch and the new (and impressive) Civic Type-R, it seemed only right to visit the Swindon plant to see where and how they had been created. Call me a bit of a geek if you like, but I am actually fascinated by how things…...
BMW 640i xDrive Gran Turismo Five meets seven when creating the BMW 640i xDrive Gran Turismo. Take the front from a 7-series and combine it with the tail end of the 5-series. Add in some extra comfort, take away the road noise and you get BMW’s new 640i xDrive Gran Turismo. Built for conquering oodles…...
A recent study by Ford research boffins in Europe highlighted that regularly driving a sports car can greatly increase your sense of wellbeing and emotional fulfillment. Therefore, although our off-roading friends may find a certain sense of pleasure slowly wallowing around in the mud ruts of the countryside, they have evidently, by owning a mere…...
In my humble opinion, the idea or concept surrounding a man cave is, essentially, escape. It’s a place to call your own. You can ‘design’ it yourself (and by that I mean fill it with every toy and gadget you can lay your hands on), turn up the volume on your stupidly overpowered stereo, and…...
Performing Arts are essentially an emotional expression. They are a way for artists to convey feelings and emotive articulation through the likes of music, dance and theatre and generally in front of a live audience. The Jaguar Art of Performance Tour is all of the above but aptly presented, in vehicular format. In a very…...
What you need to know in the World of cars this February. URUS A super sports car soul and the functionality typical for an SUV. Introducing the Urus, the world’s first Super Sport Utility Vehicle. Produced by Lamborghini, the URUS opens up new possibilities both on and off road! What? Powered by both a jet…...
In cockney terms, a diamond geezer is a type of good bloke, a stand-up man, an all-round good sort… in other words, the Range Rover Velar. For as well as the Velar hailing from the UK, being a ‘bit of awright’, driving well and having some blinding good tech, it also comes loaded with diamonds…...
Pardon the pun but the ICE (internal combustion engine) has been getting quite the cold shoulder recently. Piston power and fossil fuel are being cast aside in favour of battery cells topped up by sunny days, flowing streams and wind chimes. Right now, it seems like the automotive world is on a quest for alternative…...
It’s been nigh-on one year since the Maserati Levante SUV hit the streets, and what an impact it has had on the brand; it’s been quite the transformation. A massive 35 percent of Maserati’s new sales last year were Levante, and they predict the figure to be 55 percent this year. What’s more, it’s not just movement inside…...
Heading over to Hong Kong to watch the Formula E was a breeze with Cathay Pacific. Flying over in business class is the definition of “life well travelled”.Born in Auckland, Mitch Evans is a very talented, trophy–winning racing driver taking Formula-E by storm. He’s already driven the Jaguar to its first-ever podium spot and has…...
Bringing you the ‘Shining Stars’ we discovered at the LA Auto Show. Mazda6 More style & more oomph The Mazda6 is the flagship of Mazda’s passenger car line-up and its improved styling looks to add greater maturity and composure to this popular sedan. With a refreshed exterior and a new high-grade interior that features Japanese…...
The opportunity arose to visit the Jaguar Land Rover Classic Works in Coventry, and I seized it with both hands. Not only would it give me the chance to pore over such iconic cars as the E-Type and Land Rover Series 1 , but it also came with the offer of being chauffeur driven there and back in a…...
As a kid, the coolest cat I remember was Top Cat or T.C to his close friends. Sporting a mauve pork pie hat and waistcoat, he and his gang of alley cats (Benny the Ball, Choo-Choo, Brain, Fancy Fancy and Spook), ruled Manhattan from their home base in Hoagy’s Alley, pulling high-jinx and tormenting Officer…...
Twice a year (March and September), the plane of the earth’s equator passes through the centre of the sun’s disk. The equinox, a derivative of the Latin word aequinoctium – Aequus/Nox (equal/night) is said to be when both day and night are equal. New Plymouth had an equinox pass through it recently. It wasn’t March…...
You’d have to have your head in the sand not to know that the world we live in undoubtedly has a few environmental issues, with one of the biggest culprits being our global population and, especially, where it chooses to reside. Estimates predict there will be nine billion of us by 2050 and although there…...
The Mazda VISION COUPE is a next-generation design vision model that showcases the ‘new elegance’ and draws upon Mazda’s long history of design. In creating the form of the body, the focus has been on stripping away everything that is unnecessary while bringing out the beauty of natural phenomena through exquisite, ever-changing patterns of light…...
BIG IN JAPAN – We took a trip to the Tokyo Motor Show at Big Sight events centre. Here are a few of our favourites. Toyota – Say-i The Concept-i integrates automotive technology with emotions (yes you heard that correctly). Using AI, Toyota is looking to turn cars from things into entities. Mercedes – AMG…...
Mazda’s Kodo (Soul of Motion) design language was first introduced to the world in 2010 in the form of the Shinari concept vehicle. The motivation behind this design ethos was, and very much still is, the ‘dynamic beauty of life’ and with its more muscular design characteristics, Shinari shows us that this form of motion…...
With the Laser Plumbing & Electrical HD 500 beginning to disappear in the rear view mirror, all eyes at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park are now focused on the summer. And with track days, driver training days, drift days and epic events such as Mad Mike’s Summer Bash and 4Guys Autobarn Legends of Bathurst, what a…...
First dates can be a nightmare – not the date itself (that’s a different story), I’m talking more about the pressure that surrounds it. It doesn’t help that the date is shrouded in anticipation (I assume from both sides) but if you’re the person organising it – trying to decide on the correct venue, whether…...
To catch a bullet in your hand or mouth takes skill and precision timing, or that’s what magicians and performance artists would have you believe. Of course, it’s a trick, but as a child, I used to watch in awe and wonder. What is not a trick, however, is the precision and timing that surrounds…...
As I am sure you smart people already know, Pomp is essentially a ceremony or display and Happenstance is a coincidence; on a recent visit to the UK both these words came together in spectacular fashion. Unfortunately, for many of us, I can safely say that riding in a Rolls-Royce motor vehicle is a very…...
