Table of contents for No 281 May 2020 in NZ Performance Car

Damn it’s crazy how much life has changed from one magazine to the next. From everything moving forward, business as usual with plans being put in place to attend and cover events, trips booked, and shoots organized, to the handbrake being pulled on damn near everything and every single one of us now furiously washing our hands and social distancing to avoid any unnecessary contact with our fellow human beings, while trying to avoid the invisible bastard. It goes without saying the next few months — at least — are going to be unlike anything any of us has faced before. This is so fast moving that the status quo as I write this will not be the status quo when you read it. I, for one, am somewhat worried…

It’s one of those companies that have always done things a bit outside of the box, which is why you can count on Koenigsegg to make news for something out of left field. This time around, the Swedish brand is getting attention for its Gemera, a 1268kW four-seat hybrid grand tourer, particularly because of the engine package it boasts. The automaker is calling the engine the ‘Tiny Friendly Giant’ (TFG), which makes a lot of sense when you start breaking down the specs. It’s a two-litre, three-cylinder power plant that packs twin-turbos and cranks out 447kW. That’s 223kW per litre, making it the highest output per litre three-banger in the world — the next closest rival is the 199kW Toyota GR Yaris. What’s even more out the gate is that…

At RNZAF Base Ohakea, Sergeant Dean Hart has broken both the flying mile and flying kilometre land-speed records driving his turbine-propelled drag car — earning him the Castrol Trophy (which has been held by Owen Evans since 1996) for his efforts. To set the record, the car ran in both directions within an hour to take account of any wind, and the times were then averaged for a final figure. On the first run, Hard clocked 213.258mph (343.196kph) over the flying mile and 324.646kph for the flying kilometre, both falling just short of the previous records. The second run in the opposite direction was where the magic happened, with 251.046mph (404.008kph) and 402.280kph clocked. Averaged out, the records were set at 232.152mph (373.602kph) for the flying mile and 363.463kph…

Hoonigan front man, proprietor of the legendary Gymkhana videos, and acclaimed rally driver Ken Block has confirmed that he will be tearing up the streets of Auckland at the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) Rally New Zealand round in a Ford Escort RS Cosworth this September! It will mark Block’s fourth campaign at Rally New Zealand, pedalling back in 2007, 2008, and 2012 — achieving a best result of ninth. He’s also no stranger to our regional rallies, having competed at six with regular co-driver Alex Gelsomino, the pair winning the International Rally of Whangarei in 2015. The Escort RS Cosworth to be run is the same that appeared at the International Rally of Whangarei last year, and Block says the return is down to his love of New…

NZ Performance Car : Hi, Simon. You’ve been around the world competing in e-racing and are currently the number-one-ranked Gran Turismo player in New Zealand for the 10th consecutive season. Can you tell us about how you initially got into gaming? Simon: Hey, NZPC. I always had an interest in gaming as a kid and the first game I ever played was Gran Turismo 2 — on the PlayStation [PS] One, back in the ’90s. Growing up, I liked cars but my family were never really car people, so I didn’t have the opportunity to tinker with the real thing. Naturally, I gravitated towards premium racing games. I’ve played most of the titles such as Need for Speed, Forza, etc., but it’s mainly been Gran Turismo [GT], and I’ve played each subsequent game…

THERE’S NOTHING LIKE PLUCKING THROUGH THE GEARS OF A SEQUENTIAL — ESPECIALLY WHEN THE ENGINE IN FRONT OF IT IS A 3.2-LITRE BORGWARNER-STRAPPED STROKER In the past eight years, how many cars have you owned? How many engine combinations and set-ups have you been through? How many cars have conquered you? Eight years is a long time — especially when you’ve dedicated almost every minute of that time to honing and perfecting something. “It takes three generations for a restaurant to perfect the taste of its dishes” — a statement made by the modern GT-R’s creator, Kozo Watanabe and used in Emil Roshan’s first NZ Performance Car feature (Issue No. 226) some five years ago; a statement that to this day still represents Emil’s persistence with this particular black R34…

You don’t often see superchargers in NZPC. In fact, they have been somewhat of a scarcity on these pages, and that makes checking out Tony Elkin’s whippet-like Toyota Levin in Palmerston North recently, that much sweeter. This AE85 has been in Tony’s possession for a grand total of 15 years — it’s been with the hardworking workshop owner through the good times and the bad. It’s served a sequal parts fun-provider, motivator, and therapist over that time, and now, after having been transformed from wheezy, car by runabout to a perfect balance of speed, handling, and classic looks over the last decade-and-a-half, it’s time for us to delve a little deeper. “My old man was a mechanic, so I got introduced to cars at a young age,” says Tony. “I…

THE NEW OLD SCHOOL There’s no slowing down for DTM, which is dropping yet another new design in its Old Skool range. This time around it’s a two-tone matt black with gloss black lip example called the DTM Old Skool-V. Available in 15-inch, the deep dish and multi-spoke design is complementary to a whole heap of popular car models out there. To top it all off, DTM has revised its centre cap design in black with a dash of red and silver for a cohesive finish. Check out the whole DTM Old Skool range and more at dtm.co.nz. NO BULL Everyone loves a Ford Ranger — that’s why there are so damn many of them on the streets right now! But one accessory that every Ranger should have that few…

Man, the world is a crazy place right now. The global event calendar has all but dried up and people are one step below looting shop fronts. In these uncertain times, I want to stress the importance of not panicking and of taking the situation for what it is. Yes, it’s scary. Yes, it’s affecting most aspects of life right now. But we must remember this will blow over in time and measures are in place to ensure that it happens with minimal repercussions on the other side. In the meantime, let’s find pastimes that practice good social distancing and prevent the spread through physical contact. Did I hear someone say gaming? It’s wildly timely that before this whole virus thing started really kicking off here I’d been brewing up…

While fans of the Supercars championship reel at the news the series has been postponed in Tasmania, New Zealand, and Perth due to concerns over COVID-19, Supercars has come up with a solution to fill in the void: it’s launching an e-sport series. Supercars CEO Sean Seamer confirmed plans for the series, which will feature the full cast of real-life Supercars drivers. Inspiration was undoubtedly derived from the The Race All-Star Esports Battle, which saw Formula 1, IndyCar, and Formula E stars take to virtual tarmac after their respective championships were postponed. The Esport Series aims to offer fans the action they were expecting during a period of global motorsport uncertainty, with almost all of the major series around the world cancelled or postponed. It will use the iRacing platform,…

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Beauty can be found within even the most bog standard of cars. At their core, they are creations of design intent far beyond the layman’s understanding, having been sketched into existence multiple times over before ever being produced and released into the wild. Everything has a purpose and reason, appealing more to certain sectors than others depending on what that may be. There is so much variety available in the world, and perhaps the most beautiful part of all is often not the specific styling cues that one offers, the height at which it sits, or the way it makes you feel when driven, but the raw potential every example on earth possesses — with the right vision, passion, and ability, any car can be your next blank canvas. While…

When the subject of a midlife crisis crops up, there’s a whole swag of psychobabble simmering in the background. Most of it isn’t exactly geared positively, but boils down to a pretty basic definition. Essentially, an individual hits their mid 40s, and experiences “a transition of identity and self-confidence”. The experts reckon that, on average, a midlife crisis will last around six years, and it can throw in its share of challenges. What often happens is the individual in question — especially if male, it seems — goes out and buys a freakin’ badass car, bike, or boat. You know the ones: the bloke down the road who bought that Mitsubishi GTO when you were a kid, or that uncle who unexpectedly wobbled up to the family Christmas get-together on…

When we last saw Philip Huynh’s ‘Hyper Roadster’, the 1UZ-powered MX-5 had just undergone an aero aesthetics refresh and given y’all a masterclass in what it means to be a shokunin (artisan). Recognized for his ‘Hyper Camry’ JZX100 formerly known as ‘WAAA’ (NZ Performance Car Issue No. 204) and its version-two counterpart, a Lexus IS-F of the same ‘WAAA’ fame, Phil has been modifying cars for more than a hot minute. And while the MX-5 was officially featured back in NZ Performance Car Issue No. 256, it’s what he has been up to with it ever since that’s got us really frothing — a boot full of boost! Hanging a huffer or two off the side of a motor isn’t new; we’ve been cranking boost into stock blocks and hoping…

NAME: HARRISON SWITZER-CORBETT // AGE: 22  LOCATION: AUCKLAND // OCCUPATION: FITTER/TURNER, ENGINEER NZ Performance Car: Hi, Harrison. Can you tell us what led you to modifying cars and why you bought this R32? Harrison: I think it was hanging out with some guys at school that were a few years above me. They had Silvias and Skylines, which is funny, as I bought this one off one of them! I knew I wanted a Nissan of that era, initially looking at an S13 Silvia, but they had become a little out of my price range at the time and were hard to find in good condition. I had just got my restricted licence and needed a car to get to work because my mum was getting sick of dropping me…

By now we have no reason to beat around the bush. Most, if not all, motorsport events here and around the world have been cancelled or postponed to unknown dates. The risk of mass gatherings has become too high and the powers that be (governmental and mandating-body levels) have declared that no event with more than 100 people can proceed. MotorSport New Zealand (MSNZ) issued an update in response to the growing coronavirus pandemic stating that, as of 16 March, it was placing a maximum limit of 500 people at all events. It later suspended all events under MSNZ jurisdiction for a period of two months. With the travel restrictions and potential losses associated with a possible nationwide lockdown, it’s hard to blame event organizers for not taking the gamble.…

Testing for the Envision Virgin Formula E team, Nick Cassidy topped the field at Marrakech and claimed the lap record for his efforts. His 1min 16.467s lap during the afternoon session was the first-ever sub–1min 17s lap of the Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan circuit. The record was previously held by Dragon Formula E driver Nico Muller, who claimed it in his own 2018 rookie test. The lap saw Cassidy half a second clear of his nearest rival. In terms of overall timings, Venturi completed the most laps (184), with Arthur Leclerc at the helm.…

In a move aimed purely at those with period-correct views, Yokohama released a modern version of its iconic GT Special tyre last year. The sizes were designed specifically to fit on classic cars. Now, due to that success, the company is adding even more sizes to the line-up, which should be exciting news to anyone restoring classic J-tin. Originally launched in 1971, the GT Special was a defining tyre for Japan at the dawn of the radial era. The reproduction, known as the ‘GT Special Classic Y350’, combines the road feel of a classic with new-school tyre tech fit for the modern era. Not only suited to the likes of Toyota Carina, Daruma Celica, Nissan Bluebird, and Colt Galant GTO, it also benefits the Austin-Healey Sprite, MG Midget, and Triumph…

Thanks to the lack of public transport infrastructure in the smaller towns and cities scattered throughout this country we call home, the freedom we seek during our teenage years is often based around automotive ownership. For many, that quickly leads to modification, especially in smaller cities such as Whangarei, which was, and continues to be, a real hotbed for the modified car scene. It’s a place that has always punched above its weight, especially when it comes to drifting, and, for those growing up in the thick of it, that budding scene leaves a long-lasting impression. Born and bred there, Brad Wright was right there, soaking it all in during what you’d call the height of the scene. Brad was into anything low, loud, RWD, and obnoxious in the ported…

If we’ve learned one thing from our years and years of southern excursions, it’s this: the South Island loves to party. While there’s a handful of staple events on the calendar keeping the party going, up until last year there was one giant party that goes absolutely off in the northern portion of the nation and that had yet to head down country — which is why the team at Premier Events packaged up the show and bee-lined it straight to Ruapuna raceway in Christchurch for the inaugural Chrome Expression Session South! Let us tell you, it was bloody massive, so much so the locals were left itching for more. Fast forward to Friday, 6 March 2020 and Chrome was back in the south for a second time. Just like…

We don’t need to tell you that all combustion engines need two consumables to create fire via spark, those being fuel and oxygen. As a general rule, if you’re building a performance engine, you are going to be trying to cram the maximum amount of these two into the combustion chamber to create the biggest bang you can, therefore maximizing the torque pressing the piston downward. It’s a simple recipe of the bigger the bang the more energy, the more torque, the more power you’ll have. In this article, we’re going to focus on the oxygen side of the equation and, more important, the air available at your throttle body or carb. We’ll show you how to calculate the correct air-filter size for your engine, and also get some real-world…

It’s a chassis that has seen nearly every rotary engine combination you could dream of over the past decade, from the original 13B turbo that propelled it to a 7.6 during the first season, to the triple-turbo 20Bs back in 2011 when we first featured it, to the turbo quad-rotor that saw it dip into the sixes, then back to a 13B in search of 200mph (322kph); even a compound turbo set-up was flirted with for a brief second. For Brent Curran of Curran Brothers Racing (CBR), his full-tube-frame RX-2 has been and always will be a hot rod. More important, though, is that it’s a way for Matamata’s mad scientist to learn new tricks; test out crazy ideas and wild combinations; and, in the end, increase his skill set,…

NAME: ROBBIE JONKER // AGE: 33 LOCATION: CHRISTCHURCH // OCCUPATION: FABRICATOR/OWNER AT JB FAB NZ Performance Car: Hey, Robbie. You’re known as a man of many talents; what sparked your interest in building a drift car? Robbie: I really just wanted to get involved with drifting as a hobby, so I bought an R32 four-door, did a few things to that, then sold it and had a few A31 Cefiros, and now I’ve found my way into this one. Coming from the more traditional drift chassis, how did you wind up in the C34? Well, I didn’t really choose it, I stumbled upon it. My friend Vinny, who imported it from Japan, showed it to me at his house. I really liked the fact no one here really did much…

DREW JEFFREY’S AWD HONDA CRX The red mist is a dangerous phenomenon to experience behind the wheel; that’s where the majority of us have felt it for ourselves: a drive in anger, where sense and reason are thrown out the window in favour of winning at all costs — and for some that really does mean all costs. However, you can also experience the red mist elsewhere, specifically in the shed when it comes to building the platform on which, later, the aforementioned experience will be had. When that happens, well, things can get really dangerous. Drew Jeffrey’s red mist moment came after a friend introduced him to the world of GTRNZ and he began collecting pieces to transform his 1990 Honda CRX into an example fit for the series.…