Table of contents for No 318 January - February 2026 in NZ Performance Car

Another year that’s flown past, seriously, where did 2025 go? It’s been a bloody good one, with heaps of new builds hitting the streets and others just getting started, one more year in the books, and it’s clear as ever that the NZ car scene isn’t slowing down anytime soon. By the time you’re flicking through these pages, it’ll mark my second year as editor — and honestly, I’ve frothed every single minute. From spending my daysa spinning yarns about cars to the last-minute chaos of print deadlines, it’s been a ride, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Of course, I can’t take all the credit. The mag wouldn’t exist without the writers, photographers, feature car owners, event promoters … and of course, you, the readers. Every single…

FURSTY WENT ON TO RUN EVERY ROTARY SET-UP THAT THE DUO COULD THROW AT IT Let’s rewind to the early 2000s, which some would call the ‘golden era’ of the New Zealand car scene. The streets were alive with old-school rotaries on chopped springs, chrome wheels, and enough tyre smoke to choke half of South Auckland. Somewhere in the chaos was a young Mike Whiddett — not yet ‘Mad’, just a dirt bike FMX punk cruising in whatever cheap rotary he’d swapped for that week. “Dudes would go out and buy drugs and alcohol,” he laughs. “I could buy a rotary for the same price. That was my addiction.” Back when rotas were everywhere in the Trade and Exchange — the OG version of Facebook Marketplace. Mike would go through…

When we first brought back the In the Club section, much of its momentum came from the annual Clubfest event. Where car clubs were once portrayed as hanging out on back roads at night and causing havoc, Clubfest turned it into a celebration of car club culture — of belonging and the shared purpose of enjoying whatever flavour of horsepower you’re into. Mild to wild, and everything in between, chances are that you’ll find it represented at Clubfest over Labour weekend each year. Some might struggle to understand why it’s described as “by clubs, for clubs”, but once you see what powers the event, it all makes sense. Members proudly repping stickers, shirts, hats, and even giant banners are all over this major sell-out event. It’s a gathering that truly…

Taupō Motorsport Park was alive with horsepower and unpredictability on 31 October and 1 November as CARnival 2025 took over the track. Known as the only open event on the Choice Events calendar, CARnival is where anything goes — whether you roll in with a 746kW V8, a drift-spec Silvia, or a daily-driven hatchback. Two days of cruise sessions, roll racing, grip battles, drifting, and burnout chaos make this the ultimate playground for Kiwi car culture. As the official photographer for Choice Events, I get a front-row seat to the action — closer than most spectators ever will. After years of covering CARnival for NZ Performance Car, I wanted to do something a bit different this time. Instead of a generic event recap, I’m sharing my top five picks from…

Every now and then in this scene, a car comes along that stands out from the rest. That could be due to the stance, the power, the creativity, or something else entirely. This GTI-R is one of those cars — a machine ahead of its time that firmly cemented itself in the history books as one of the greatest cars of its era. While the car is most remembered in the hands of Altaaf Moses, who owned it during its show-winning days, the build actually began before he got his hands on it. The original builder went through the ‘who’s who’ list of well-known businesses to start the car’s transformation. That included the legendary ‘Dr Bob’ from Westside Panelbeaters in — you guessed it — West Auckland. It was Bob…

NZPC: Hey, Avesh — you’ve built yourself an absolute pocket rocket! Can you tell us how you got into the world of performance cars and what else you have owned along the way? Avesh: I’m originally from South Africa, and cars have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My dad was a motor mechanic, so I basically grew up in the workshop, handing him tools and watching him bring engines to life. As I got older, he slowly got me more involved in the car scene, and by the time I was 17, he bought me my first car, an Opel 200tS. That was it for me; from that point on, it was only up from there. How long have you had the…

I first picked up a ‘proper’ camera in my early teens after being inspired by some of my uncle’s work behind his own lens. Like most car people, my interest in cars was sparked early. Photography gave me a creative outlet to blend my passions as a relatively quiet teen and express myself in a way that I never knew was cooking under the surface. I’m Aaron Yates — an automotive photographer originally from Christchurch, now based in Auckland. You’ll find me lurking on social media as Aaron Yates Photo. I’ll always remember flicking through car magazines looking for inspiration, back in a time before digital content was as accessible as it is now. I was always inspired by the work going into those features. I knew I’d love to…

The first two rounds of the D1NZ 2026 Championship went off in the deep south of Invercargill. Fifty-five of New Zealand’s top drifters made the trip down for the double-header. With the Friday being a full day of practice before qualifying, Saturday consisted of the usual ‘normal’ direction on the drift section, while Sunday had a special ‘reverse’ direction to change things up for competitors. Judges for the 2026 season — Darren Kelly, Taylor James, Andrew Redward, and review judge Joel Counter — had their work cut out for them as the weekend rolled into the official competition. Friday’s practice and qualifying proved difficult for some, as the weather conditions were less than ideal, with rain setting in and affecting most of the day. Connor Halligan managed to secure the…

Got Instagram? Want print fame on top of all those likes that fly your way each time you post a photo? Want to show us your whip without actually talking to us? Want to see what other readers are up to in their sheds? Here’s the deal: keep an eye out on our story, where we’ll ask you to share your favourite photo on your ‘gram and tag us. Each month, we’ll handpick some of the best shots to feature right here in print!…

HOW IT ALL STARTED Back in 2017, the Euro scene looked very different. Interest in European cars was at an all-time low, and for anyone serious about tuning or modifying, it felt pretty barren. There were no local workshops stocking the performance parts that people wanted and no dedicated suppliers that understood the quirks of European engineering. On top of that, there wasn’t much online inspiration for Kiwis looking to push their cars further. Out of that gap, an idea started to take shape. Small at first, but 100 per cent passion fuelled. Why not build an online hub for Euro car lovers, even if everyone said it couldn’t be done? Fast forward to 2025, and Harrys Euro is now a staple in the scene. Almost any modified Golf or…

NZPC: Hey, Ronio. Sheesh, what a wicked 180SX! Before we jump into the car, can you tell us how you first got into modifying cars and what else you’ve owned over the years? Ronio: I’ve been into cars since I was just a wee young boy — maybe around 11 years old. Growing up in Jakarta, Indonesia, I lived with my grandparents, who spoiled me like a little prince. We had a family driver who took me to school every morning, but he’d often turn up hungover. One day, he secretly decided it’d be easier to teach me how to drive so I could take myself to school while he slept in the back seat! That went on for over a year. One day, my granddad said he’d give me…

Infamous Auckland-based skid enthusiast Naz, aka ‘MR1RAQ’, has packed his twin-turbo V8–powered Supra into a container and is headed to Australia to compete on what might be the most famous burnout pad in the Southern Hemisphere. Naz has put everything into a refreshed build (or builds), as you’ll see in an upcoming issue, and we wish him and his team well as they aim to get a set off in front of what will be a massive crowd. GOT SOMETHING COOL COMING UP THAT’S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND WORTH ATTENDING? EMAIL EDITOR@NZPERFORMANCECAR.CO.NZ WITH ALL THE DETAILS.…

This car reminds me of the old muscle machines I had as a kid: big shiny blower out the bonnet, staggered wheels, low roof with little headroom … it’s low, loud, and makes all the right noises,” says Haden Wasley, owner of this radically different 1979 Mazda RX-7. While the car was a hit when it was revealed at Mad Mike’s Summer Bash (MMSB) last year, those in the know understand that it’s not new to the scene. Sure, it never looked quite like it does now, but it first began turning heads way back in 1996. Back then, a young Craig Date — just a few years into his panel beating career — decided he wanted to make the car stand out. Careful planning and plenty of courage soon…

Like all good Kiwi things, C’s Garage humble beginnings, beginning in a tiny in Coatesville almost 20 years ago. Joel Hedges spent every spare minute in their rear-wheel-drive Nissan obsession kicking off in New Zealand. This was before social all blogs, forums, and trial and error. Adam and over and over, figuring out what worked, while it all on their blog — not for clout, but as a diary shenanigans. Before long, that shed became a spot where mates would roll up to wrench, name, C’s Garage, the ‘C’ for ‘Coatesville’. Joel’s S13 and Adam’s 180SX Type X started for their love of early 2000s D1GP and street of flipping through Japanese magazines and cars with genuine parts. Uni budgets and that the cars had to survive daily life too.…

NZPC: Hey, Shivran — you’ve got your hands on a seriously clean Chaser! How’d you first get into modifying cars, and what other rides have you owned before this one? Shiv: I’ve always been around cars since at a young age. My old man was into them back in the day and that’s kind of what kicked off the obsession. He owned everything from Skylines to Euro Rs, Caldina GT-Ts, and Evos. That’s really what started it for me. I grew up flicking through car magazines, scrolling Speedhunters, and cruising around in our first cars with mates during high school. Once I started earning my own money, that’s when things really took off. I’ve had a bit of everything over the years — a 5-Series BMW, a Euro CL7 Accord,…

NZPC: Hey, Kyle — that wagon is looking mint! How did you first get into cars? Kyle: My brother had the biggest impact on me when it came to cars. His first car was a blue Seat Ibiza, fully customised. In Ireland, we’d call it the ‘max power’ era; here, I think it’s called ‘sex spec’ [laughs]. He always had a clean, well-put-together car, and bringing me along to car shows got me hooked. How long have you had the Passat, and what state was it in when you first picked it up? I’ve had the Passat around 2.5 years now. I got it practically standard, although it did have a set of 19-inch VW OEM wheels on it. What made you go with a bag set-up instead of adjustable…

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