Targa NZ to rebrand as NZ Silver Fern Tarmac Rally

The format for Targa NZ is in for an overhaul as it faces challenging economic times. In a recent post to Facebook, Peter Martin, Managing Director of the Ultimate Rally Group Limited, laid out a plan for the future of the event. 

The new direction would see Targa move to a biennial event, kicking off in 2027, with a tiered structure that would see it appeal to competitors with more limited time and budget right through to those seeking a proper marathon rally event. 

According to Martin, the NZ Silver Fern Tarmac Rally would run over seven days, with flexible participation options:

2-day Targa Regional (300km special stages)

5-day Targa NZ (750km special stages)

7-day NZ Silver Fern Tarmac Rally (1,050 km / 650 miles  special stages – FIA marathon status)

The event would be based in the North Island, with it running from Saturday through to the following Friday. The first two days would form the Regional Targa, with competitors able to continue into the longer formats

Daily competitive distance would be approximately 150km per day of closed special stages plus touring, striking a balance between endurance, challenge, and safety. 

Martin said the proposed structure would allow them to attract serious international competitors seeking a true marathon rally while still continuing to serve domestic competitors based on ‘appetite, budget, and time’. The move is seen as a way to ‘protect the long-term viability of Targa-style events in New Zealand’.

Martin said the Ultimate Rally Group had been assessing the factors affecting the viability of running Targa-style events.

“The current economic climate has reduced discretionary spending, and the New Zealand customer base alone is not large enough to sustain multiple Targa events each year without either relying heavily on international competitors or substantially increasing entry fees.” He said increasing fees would only ‘accelerate a decline in entries’.

He highlighted the fact the “Targa” brand has become increasingly problematic globally from an insurance and regulation stand point and there has been a global shift in motorsport from “Wild to Mild.” He noted the reduction of competitive stage mileage for Targa events in Australia as they altered their focus toward the Tour participants, rather than outright competitors. 

Martin sees it as an opportunity for a unique New Zealand event. 

“Rather than follow this global trend, my thinking is to create a clear point of difference by building on the international reputation of the NZ Silver Fern Rally brand and New Zealand’s status as the Adventure Capital of the world. Not the “Wild West,” but perhaps the last bastion of traditional rallying.

“We are introducing the NZ Silver Fern Tarmac Rally, to be run in November on odd-numbered years [starting in 2027], alternating with the NZ Silver Fern Gravel Marathon Rally held in even-numbered years.”

He says this will give local competitors more time to plan and budget, avoids cannibalising participation between events and creates a clear, internationally recognisable cycle.

He says that he is already receiving strong interest from Europe, Australia, and Asia for this concept.