Kiwi IndyCar driver Scott Dixon has been confirmed as a special guest at next month’s inaugural Men’s Health Trust New Zealand’s big YOU night, a black tie fundraising event celebrating Motor Racing legend Ken Smith.

Any keen motorsport fan can attend the upcoming event at the SkyCity Convention Centre in Auckland on Saturday 30th July 2011. The evening is all about raising money for the Men’s Health Trust and also honouring the career of NZ racing icon Kenny Smith.

Special guest Scott Dixon is currently occupying third spot in the IndyCar series, a series he has won twice in 2003 and 2008. He is also a past champion of the biggest single race in the world, the Indianapolis 500, which he won in 2008.

When Dixon started his international motor racing career, he had considerable backing from many New Zealand businessmen, including Smith, who also acted as mentor to Dixon throughout the early part of his career.

The big YOU night will celebrate the 53 years and counting motor racing career of 69-year old Ken Smith.

Smith’s career includes three victories in the New Zealand Grand Prix across a span of 28 years. In 1988, Smith was named in the Queen’s birthday honours list as an MBE (Member of the British Empire) and in 1995 was inducted into the Motorsport New Zealand hall of fame.

Dixon, who will be interviewed by both Michael Clark and Bob McMurray on the night, is attending to support not only the Men’s Health Trust, but also to show his support to Smith, who helped kick-start Dixon’s career. Read full story…

The E-type Jaguar’s 50th anniversary is set to be celebrated in style this weekend at the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK. Jaguar will be featuring cars from the past present and a little way into the future with the brand being celebrated as the featured marque at this year’s event.

Capturing the attention of the crowds expected to number in excess of 175,000 over the three days of the Festival will be a dramatic Jaguar-themed sculpture erected on the lawn in front of Goodwood House. Measuring 28-metres in height and weighing 150-tonnes, the sculpture, designed by Gerry Judah, will make a centrepiece for the celebrations.

The main focus of the event will be the action on the famous Goodwood Hill. The high speed 1.16-mile run will feature key Jaguars from the past, including an E-type Group 44 racer, a D-type, an XK140 and the iconic XJ13 racer.

The event will also celebrate significant current and future Jaguars. The XKR-S, the fastest Jaguar in a generation, capable of accelerating to 100 mph in a little over 8-seconds will take to the hill with Mike Cross at the wheel. Joining it will be the new XFR making its UK public debut in 375kW form.

The striking C-X75 concept car will also be on display at the Jaguar stand. Serving as inspiration for a future, highly innovative road-going version being developed at the moment by Jaguar and Williams F1, the C-X75 has advanced, forward-looking design, innovation and engineering similar to that which made the E-type a world-beating sports car. Read full story…

Yesterday the news was all about hill climb master Monster Tajima breaking the once elusive 10-minute barrier at Pikes Peak and today we can go one better and show you a full video of the run.

It took the Monster and his Suzuki SX4 hill climb special exactly 9:51.278 to make the trip to the top of the mountain. An epic achievement and nearly 18 seconds quicker than Rhys Millen who took second place. Previously the Pikes Peak record stood at 10:01.408 which Tajima set back in 2007.

A team of tech experts from GoPro installed cameras all over Tajima’s Suzuki and while they have plenty of editing to get done, the first video shot from above the car is ready for viewing. So buckle up tight and check it out below – it’s crazy quick. Read full story…

The World Rally Championship is making a welcome return to NZ in 2012 and Auckland has once again been confirmed as the host city for the event.

Last year’s 2010 WRC Rally New Zealand proved very popular with the locals and was the first of three events under a host city contract between Auckland and Rally New Zealand Ltd.

Taking place between 21 and 24 June 2012, Rally New Zealand will make use of  several inner city locations with organisers expected to repeat the very popular super special stage in the Auckland Domain. The official ceremonial start and finish will again be at Viaduct Harbour in the centre of Auckland’s redeveloped waterfront, with exact locations yet to be confirmed.

The Chairman of Rally New Zealand, Peter (‘PJ’) Johnston, says it’s a pleasure to confirm the 2012 event will be based in Auckland. “Auckland proved a fantastic host city for the 2010 running of Rally New Zealand,” says Johnston. “We look forward to having another opportunity to showcase the exciting, ultra-competitive World Rally Championship to the extensive audience of sports fans across the wider Auckland region. Rally New Zealand, with the support of Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development and other parties, tendered for the right to host a round of the World Rally Championship. We were up against 32 other countries, so it’s particularly pleasing to now have our 2012 event dates confirmed.” Read full story…

Hill climb master Nobuhiro ‘Monster’ Tajima has taken the top accolades at the 2011 Pikes Peak Hill Climb and has become the first driver to break the 10 minute barrier.

Yesterday, the Monster won the Unlimited Class at the event and lowered his 2007 Pikes Peak record time by just over 10 seconds t0 9 minutes and 51.2 seconds to ascend the mountain. The recently adjusted setup on his Monster Sport Suzuki SX4 Hill Climb Special, has clearly paid off well.

The second fastest time was set by a very disappointed Rhys Millen with his RMR Hyundai-powered PM580. It’s the second year in succession that Rhys has been slowed by mechanical issues and been unable to achieve his goals. The PM580 was burdened with braking problems with Rhys claiming that they almost totally gave out with four miles left in the course and he was losing precious time on every corner. Despite these issues he still turned in a rapid time of 10 minutes and 9.2 seconds to take second place in the Unlimited Class.

Rhys’ father Rod Millen, returned to the mountain for the first time in more than 10 years and once again got a taste of success. Rod set a new record in the 2WD Time Attack Class using his son’s Formula Drift Hyundai Genesis Coupe and ascended in 11:04.912. Millen senior was suitably chuffed with the result but after the race said that it would be his last time competing at the event, although he greatly appreciated his son’s efforts to let him drive the mountain one last time. Read full story…

While having a late model Lexus as a wedding car isn’t unheard of for almost any ceremony, having Lexus actually build a car for your big day is something new. But that’s exactly how high flying Prince Albert II of Monaco is going to roll on his wedding day – in a bespoke Lexus LS 600h Landaulet.

If you’re like us, you’re now busy wondering what exactly a Landaulet really is. Turns out that a Landaulet is a design that was made popular in the early part of the last century and is basically a regular sedan with a stowable fabric roof-center. However, for this one-off Lexus LS 600h Landaulet, it’s fitted with a one-piece transparent polycarbonate roof.

The bubble top Lexus will be the Prince’s official wedding wagon this Saturday (July 2) when he marries Carlene Wittstock in Monte Carlo. Lexus is the official car brand of the green-loving Prince so it’s no suprise that this limo uses hybrid power.

In terms of bodywork the Landaulet conversion was performed by Belgian coachbuilder Carat Duchatelet in collaboration with Lexus. It took over 2,000 hours to complete and the Midnight Blue paintwork was applied manually using water-based paints. Read full story…

This home-built special aims to capture the spirit of vintage motoring.

To be perfectly honest, until recently I’d never really been able to get my head around the concept of building a ‘special’ – after all, isn’t there enough stuff around to restore? And, surely, there must be something that’s appealing without having to turn a pile of odds and sods lying around the garage into a home-made ride.

When mulling this subject over with Brian King, owner of the magnificent Alfriston Jaguar Special featured in these pages, he made a rather good point. The days of quality barn finds are more or less over, and while there are some restoration prospects hidden away – generally by people rarely prepared to part with them – in some cases they are barely worth the effort and expense of restoration, except that they are examples of what actually was manufactured and sold in the past and, in particular, ’30s British cars.

Brian’s main interest has been in the sort of vehicles which the British Vintage Sports Car Club was set up to preserve – high-end sports cars from revered manufacturers such as Bentley, Lagonda, Aston Martin and, in more modern times, from Lotus and Jaguar. Read full story…

It’s time to nick down to the shops for your monthly meal of NZ Classic Car magazine with the July issue reaching shelves nationwide today. The new issue is packed with wholesome goodness including articles, news and event reports, all to keep you up-to-date on NZ’s thriving classic car scene.

This month’s issue has a stunning cover car, it’s a kiwi-built replica of Zakspeed’s famous racing Ford Escort MkI. It’s an immaculate machine that serves testament to the skills of Kiwi specialist car builders. Other feature cars include a MacGregor Motorsport Mach SR7 with Mazda-power and we go vintage with a home-built Alfriston Jaguar Special. We have a full event report from the wet and wild 2011 Targa Rotorua and we have a special look back at some NZ-made racing specials. Our Motor Man Donn Anderson’s column looks at the Riley Brooklands Nine and we have the final installment in our feature on NZ Motorsport legend Garry Pedersen. Plus if you subscribe to NZ Classic Car magazine this month you’ll go into the draw to win a Total Garage System worth $7000. Read full story…