Classics

Auto Trader Insights: The leading NZ car blog for reviews, news, and expert buying and selling advice
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28 June 2025

1995 TVR Chimaera 500

TVR mashes together a mix of parts to deliver a sportscar low in weight and heavy with power. The Chimaera, named after a mythical monster, is one of the more popular models here. We take a look at a nicely restored 5.0-litre version.  The British sportscar maker TVR is certainly one for the enthusiast. Founded in 1947 by Trevor Wilkinson
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4 May 2025
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1994 Mitsubishi GTO

The Mitsubishi GTO is one of the forgotten Japanese heroes. It was a technological showpiece packing equal amounts of power and presence, and plenty of gizmos too.  During...
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5 April 2025
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1986 Toyota Corolla GT

The hot-hatch revolution never really kicked off here like it did in Europe. Nonetheless, TNZ developed the ripper little Corolla GT, ensuring Kiwi’s had their own slice of...
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24 March 2025
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1939 Rolls-Royce Wraith claims ‘Best in Show’ at inaugural Ayrburn Classic in Queenstown

A brand-new motoring festival has cruised into Queenstown’s event calendar with style, as the Ayrburn Classic made a roaring debut over the weekend. Around 5000 car lovers flocked...
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1 March 2025
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2004 Aston Martin Vanquish

As Aston Martin entered the new millennium, it had a fresh flagship offering. The V12 Vanquish was a new machine that would help set the course for a...
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19 February 2025
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MG100 – The Centenary of MG

The MG brand began in 1924 as a dealer of Morris cars in Oxford. This is where Cecil Kimber, the sales manager, started producing special versions for customers....
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10 February 2025
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Government proposes longer WOFs for classics

The government is moving to ease compliance requirements for vintage vehicles and privately owned motorhomes, proposing a reduction in the frequency of Warrant of Fitness (WOF) and Certificate...
Autozam AZ-1 Mazdaspeed with gullwing doors open, in red
1 January 2025
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1993 Mazda Autozam AZ-1 Mazdaspeed

A tiny mid-engined kei car wouldn’t be our first choice for a commuter but that doesn’t stop the owner of this Autozam AZ-1 using it on the daily....
Ford Thunderbird third generation bullet bird, in blue, M-code
26 December 2024
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Ford Thunderbird Haven

Birds flock together, and on a once rural property in South Auckland, we check out a colony of Ford Thunderbirds nestled amongst hot rods.  Many moons ago, Barry...
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10 December 2024
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Get Set For Americarna 2025

Americarna is on again, the event taking place 19-22 February 2025 in the central North Island. It kicks off in Opunake, making its way to Waitara and Inglewood,...
11 October 2025
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1983 Alfa Romeo GTV6 3.0

South Africa is known for its wildlife, and it’s also the birthplace of a wild Alfa Romeo. Here we tell the tale of the GTV6 3.0, a rare southern hemisphere homologation special. There’s nothing quite like a homologation special. While some differ subtly from their garden variety brethren, with most of their motorsport magic hidden under sheetmetal, it’s hard not
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21 September 2025
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Classics Revisited

We return to the ever-changing Classics Museum in Hamilton, home to a trove of collectible automotive treasure. It had been a while since we last visited the Classics Museum. And it was personally my first time when we trekked there recently to pay homage to the great Bugatti recreation, featured last month.  The Classics Museum has been in operation since
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23 August 2025
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Bugatti Type 57S Atlantic Coupe

Here we tell the tale of a mammoth undertaking to recreate a famous lost Bugatti. While having one rare and desirable vintage Bugatti might be enough for some, Classics Museum owner Tom Andrews is not your typical collector.  Having purchased a Type 57 Ventoux in Paris in 2015, he was then inspired to recreate a famous Bugatti lost to history.
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2 August 2025
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2005 BMW M3

Each enthusiast will have their favourite generation of BMW’s M3. This clean-looking E46 is the gen-three version, the one with a melodious six-cylinder engine.  Finding the carpet with the throttle pedal for the first time in the E46 M3 helped stir the soul. What a wondrous wail. It’s all sorts of good. This is what an M3 should sound like,
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