KEV, the cool Kombi

Volkswagen Kombis took to the roads during Easter, headed to Kaikōura for the VW nationals. Run by volunteers of the local VW club in each area where it takes place, the nationals have been held in New Zealand for more than 30 years. The 2024 Easter event was held in and around Kaikōura, organised by […]

The ultimate motorhome & caravan showroom: Motorhome Caravan & Leisure Show

If you are dreaming of life on the road, then make a start at the NZMCA Motorhome, Caravan & Leisure Show on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 May. Returning to Wolfbrook Arena in Christchurch, the South Island’s biggest outdoor lifestyle show is a two-day event, showcasing a variety of exhibitors, including this year more than […]

A bumpy ride: Torque Talk

Speedbumps. Believe it or not, they do come in handy, providing the context is relatively sound. Ben Selby reports. For example, if you have a quiet and long suburban street and there has been a history of excessive speed by some lead-footed motorists down it, no doubt a handful of evenly spaced speed humps will […]

A veritable car feast

Have you ever seen the film Ronin? Superb acting and plot aside, the highlights for me are the raw car chase scenes, one of which features a BMW M5 E34’s daring getaway through crowded Parisian streets. It’s a great film and if it was re-made, I’d wager the BMW used would be the i5 M60 […]

Gallic charm and exuberance: Armstrong’s Christchurch

Something really quirky and fun shines through in the French attitude to making cars. Rather than just adhere to simplistic form and function, the French ethos behind creating a vehicle ensures character, eccentric style, plus a sense of enjoyment. Ben Selby reports. This brings us to the new Peugeot 2008 GT, which certainly sports plenty […]

PHEV road user charges reduced

The thousands who use them have welcomed the Government’s about-turn on road user charges (RUCs) for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). In March, after rigorous complaints about the rates, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced a reduced road user charge of $38 per 1000km, which is half the full RUC rate. Pending regulations had proposed that […]

Top Marques with Niki Mills: Ice speed record

Back in 2007, four-time World Rally Champion, the original “Flying Finn” Juha Kankkunen attempted to break the World Ice Speed record in his privately owned, stock-standard, Bentley Continental GT on the frozen waters of the Baltic Sea. He succeeded with a blistering 1km average of 321kph, an astonishing result from a road-legal vehicle on ice. […]

Join the lifestyle move: Armstrongs Christchurch

The benefits of going hybrid for your daily transport these days couldn’t be more obvious. Ben Selby reports. Having a petrol engine working in harmony with a battery pack only significantly lessens the trips you make to the pump, and also leaves a much smaller carbon footprint with each drive. Plus, conventional hybrids are exempt […]

McLaren’s perfect storm

As hybrid technology in high-end supercars becomes more commonplace, the new Artura is McLaren’s way to show the word “hybrid” should be embraced in the supercar world. Ben Selby reports. Powered by an all-new mid-mounted 120-degree twin-turbo 3.0L V6 engine with 8-speed dual clutch transmission, the Artura also gets a plug-in 7.4kWh battery and axial […]

Polished and refined luxury

The Jaguar F-Pace has been a firm favourite in the immensely competitive market that is the luxury SUV segment. While late to the party compared to its competitors from Porsche and Audi, the F-Pace has held its own over the years, but is it still a proper Jag? Ben Selby reports. The Jaguar F-Pace P400e […]