Table of contents for No 306 January - February 2024 in NZ Performance Car

Well, this day was going to come at some point — I’m finishing up as the Ed with this issue being my last. I’d like to get real with you guys and explain the ins and outs of this decision. It definitely wasn’t an easy one to make. Ever since I was a kid, I have been reading NZPC magazine, and when I first got the opportunity back in the day to become the assistant editor under Marcus Gibson, I jumped at the chance, left my job as a qualified electrician, and delved into the world of automotive media, progressing from the photography I was doing at the time. It was one of the best life choices I made in my 20s and I have no regrets, with my life…

Way back in NZPC issue 280, we featured Reuben Bemrose’s latest creation at the time. Pure insanity by design, his ‘cheaply acquired’ Ferrari 456 GT was simply found rotting away in a paddock at an undisclosed location, being stripped for parts after it was written off with a mere 27,000kms on the clock. As you might remember, one thing led to another and instead of coming home with a few parts he was after, he came home with the thing strapped onto a trailer, with the Kelson community Facebook page meeting yet another disturbance to their wellbeing as it drove by their homes. The first stage — well, the final stage at the time — was a simple, affordably-built naturally-aspirated 13B-converted thrasher with the intention of having something he didn’t…

Over 40 clubs competed for the prestigious top award at Downtime Entertainment’s annual ClubFest, a car event organised by car clubs for car clubs, with its roots deeply embedded in the heart of the car scene. This event, often referred to as ‘the big one’, is known for drawing massive crowds to fill every inch of the race track, pit paddock, and garages at Hampton Downs. In 2023, ClubFest expanded to a two-day festival celebrating car club culture, modified rides, and both well-established and newly formed friendships. The program featured the famous cruising sessions, where drivers could complete controlled speed laps with as many passengers as legally allowed. These sessions were spiced up with the highly popular roll races and resurgent grip sessions, allowing owners of modified street rides to…

Period correct is one of those automotive terms that until relatively recently wasn’t really a common occurrence among the lexicon of the average modified Japanese car enthusiast. It’s one of those monikers that conjures up visions of the somewhat more stuffy vibe offered up by traditional ‘classic’ car owners and their bolt-polishing pursuits. Only a handful of years ago, you’d be forgiven for assuming the act of decking your vehicle out in both OEM and aftermarket parts of the era was reserved for tea-slurping, tsk-tsking grey haired gentlemen fussing over whether or not that knock-off hub was year specific on that leaky old Jag, or whether that Autocrat deluxe AM radio was really available the year that EH Holden came out. Funny how times change though, isn’t it? While the…

THANKS: BIG THANKS TO MUM AND DAD, AIMEE, ZEUS AT WINGER SUBARU, AND THE WHOLE TEAM AT NSTPARTS. NZPC: Hey Sam, how did you get into modifying cars? Long time lurker, first time modder. Over the last few years I’ve met some cool people that have encouraged me into it with this one. I heard you worked at NSTParts; how has that affected you building something like this? Being in such a passionate team of car lovers, you can’t help but be inspired to build something yourself! Why did you purchase a Levorg, over something like a WRX? The chassis, engine, and styling are practically the same but the usability of the wagon won me over. Did you have a direction for the build from the outset, or did it…

Over the past eight years, the journey with Alex MacAskill’s Corolla has been a testament to evolution. As its owner has matured, a car has emerged that perfectly aligns with both its intrinsic characteristics and the driver’s honed skills. The ultimate aim? To create a more balanced machine with enhanced reliability and fuel efficiency, particularly in anticipation of an upcoming one-hour endurance race. The spark for change came from videos showcasing 200hp hillclimb Ford Escorts with high-revving NA engines. Thus the decision was made to transition from a 400hp SR20 to a more modest 180hp 3SGE Beams, with a focus on delivering a thrilling yet manageable driving experience. Beneath the hood lies a factory 3SGE Beams engine featuring 4AGE 20V ITBs, an SQ Engineering manifold, 1000cc injectors, Pipercross filter, Surfab…

HERO CONTRIBUTOR AARON MAI Photography has pushed me through automotive doors I never even knew existed. I have been lucky to come face to face with my teenage JGTC heroes, poured over LeMans winners behind closed doors, chased World Rally Cars up the UK highways, and have been given the keys to some insane cars from Japanese tuning shops. When I started out shooting, I was all about the cars, aka ‘the stars of the show’. Getting up close with the Mazda 787B and Calsonic R32 were as good as it got, or so I thought. After spending time with Nakai-san of RWB, my outlook on the automotive world and photography changed. Yes, the cars are cool, but it is the people behind the cars we worship that make them…

If you’re into the automotive scene, then you’ll know the name Adam LZ. From a BMX rider who documented his riding and anything BMX, to now having 3.7 million subscribers on his mostly automotive, drift, and car culture YouTube channel — he’s definitely done well for himself. Expanding on his already massive following online, Adam launched the LZ World Tour back in March of this year. The LZ World Tour, in partnership with Drift Games, would consist of four events worldwide, starting in New Jersey, USA, then moving to Mondello Park in Ireland, on to Toronto Motorsports Park in Canada, with the final stop of the tour in Melbourne at Calder Park Raceway. Of course, being such an amped-up event via social media meant that Adam would make it an…

Newton Ferregel of Waiuku is the proud driving force behind one of the highest-powered street-legal Evo Xs in the country. The 40-something self-employed builder started his automotive passion at a young age, being roped into the Auckland car scene through the influence of his close mates shortly after obtaining his driver’s licence, setting his automotive journey in motion. His love for Japanese cars can be traced back to his early encounters with the Kiwi-staple hot-hatch Mazda Familia, owning three throughout his lifetime with each of them sharing the 4x4 DOHC turbo platform. Having had enough of the Mazdas, Newton transitioned over to the Mitsubishi side, finding himself behind the wheel of an ’84 Cordia turbo and later an ’87 Sigma. Onto the next decade, he got his hands on a…

Arvin Salvador was always captivated by model cars when he was young. He loved taking them out of the box and admiring the details, although the excitement was short lived — there was nothing much to fire up the imagination when it was merely a model car on a table. At that point he realised he needed to do something to extend that initial joy of a new model. Rather than customising the car, he decided to build something around the car to truly bring it to life. After imaging the model in 1:1 scale and what it would look like in the real world, he set to work and the results of that imaging are nothing short of incredible. Whether it’s a fictional scene or real-world replicated places, Arvin…

NEW ZEALAND’S QUICKEST STREET CARS NEW ZEALAND’S QUICKEST STREET CARS RULES Cars must be registered and have a WOE drive back up the return road, have raced within the last two years, and still belcng to the driver who set the time. If you know anyone who shcuid be on the list, make sure to let us know by emailing editor@performancecar.co.nz with their timeslip. NEW ZEALAND–IMPORT DRAG RACING RECORDS UNDER CAR Specialists FREEPHONE 0508 86 66 86 WWW.MOUNTSHOP.CO.NZ…

‘DRAGWARS’ CLASS ADDED TO COMP MEETS Meremere Dragway, in association with Prowear, is pleased to confirm the addition of the ‘Dragwars’ class to Comp Meets for the 23/24 season. This class is aimed at competitors who enjoy Nightspeed and want to achieve lower ETs on a prepared surface. The Dragwars class is designed for Japanese, European, and EV vehicles that run between 10-12 seconds, excluding V8s and bikes. The format is DYO, and participants must still meet appropriate safety specifications based on their vehicle. This is perfect for those looking for a competitive edge. MUKKA MOTORSPORT TURNS HEADS AT LZ FEST When a build boasts six billet-made rotors and is a dream build, it’s bound to attract attention. That’s precisely what happened when Benji Sneddon and his team shipped this…

Following your passion and not a paycheck has the ability to land an individual in some incredible situations. This story began back in 2004 in northern France when a young Florent Gooden picked up his father’s old analog camera and headed along to a racetrack. Fulfilling his passion of immortalising motorsport moments in hundredths of a second would ultimately lead Florent to work on the world’s biggest motorsport stage — Formula One. F1 is undoubtedly one of the world’s most photogenic sports; exotic locations and incredible cutting-edge technology is a recipe for eye-catching imagery, and those tasked with capturing it make it look effortless. So what exactly is it like being a professional, full-time motorsport photographer tasked with capturing all the action of Formula One, LeMans, Dakar and much much…

Oh, come on, you know the song. Now, sing along as we embark on a journey deep into the heart of clubland with GIMs, the full name being Girls In Motorsport — a 1500-member strong online community of like-minded women who have connected for friendship, support, a love of speed, and just good old-fashioned banter. Founded back in 2017 by its core members, Petrea and Sarah, the group has remained true to its core ideal: providing a safe online space for women of all ages to communicate and participate without dealing with some of the more common online behaviours (you know who you are… swipe left out of here). Members hail from all regions of New Zealand and are active in circuit, drift, show, speedway, and bikes, along with a…

Remember the name: Corbyn Wilson. You will hear more of him in the future, as the 15-year-old emerged victorious from Round 1 of the 23/24 MSC drift series at the Meremere drift park, triumphing over 31 others. MSC was brought to New Zealand around five years ago by Sky Zhao and his Drift Academy team, having deep roots in Japan and created by the founder of Formula Drift Japan. It serves as both a fun and feeder series to major toptier competitions. The main series prize, an FD2 Japan licence, offers aspiring Kiwis a viable path to obtaining a licence that might otherwise be unavailable. The main difference from other competitions is the use of 235-wide radial street tyres; aside from that, the cars are all competitionspec. There’s a wide…

Hey Richie, what is your history with performance cars? It all started with me getting my licence; it was the first time that you get the freedom of going anywhere, anytime. I remember booking my flight to Palmy myself to buy my first turbo car on the week of getting my restricted licence. I had already booked the flight on Friday and I had my test on Thursday, so it was ‘must’ pass (laughs). But that car didn’t last long as it had rod knock a month later. I’ve also had a few other cars such as BMW 3-series and Subaru WRX. But I always loved the Mitsubishi Evolution and that’s what I ended up with. Why did you choose this car to build? When I first got into cars…