A lot of these kiwi made cars (even had one myself, Heron MJ1, wish I'd kept it) are all good and well, but from what I've seen the common denominator is they are all odd sports cars. I liked the Trekka as it was more of an 'everymans car', a bit more appealing to the masses, rather than gentlemen of wealth and *ahem* middle age. Would a reasonably boring standard but kiwi made car do the trick! If so, it would provide funding for more exotic sports cars, if people still want to go down that perilous track of trying to make a kiwimade sports car that actually sells :)
richardmayes,
May 9, 9:39am
I think a few people would look at a NZ-made no-nonsense, no-frills saloon car, but then almost all of them would go and buy a 10yo jap import Honda Accord after all.
smac,
May 9, 10:46am
The thing is, a NZ designed and built no nonsense no frills budget saloon is still gonna hit the shelves at $20k. But for that you can get a mainstream Jappa with Factory backed warrenty with a squillion parts suppliers.
julian.walls,
May 10, 4:59am
What you guys are forgetting in one of best Sportscar buys in NZ -built right here in Upper Hutt - The Almac Sabre - Closest thing Kiwis have built to a TVR - Based on a Cortina MK4 /5 chassis engines that can go from 2.0 4 ; 2.3 Ford V6 or up to 4.4 P76 V8 Ask Pat Hadlow who runs the constructors Car Clubhe got one (his is the one of the first) and there are several others floating around the Hutt. I met an ex Brit recent arrival in Feb this year at British Car Show at Trentham Memorial Park who recently built his - (He in the UK was a former owner of a TVR)
Previous attempt to produce a 2 door saloon car (Hoped other variants would be produced) There was an attempt by Alan Gibbs who tried to get Anziel Nova developed in 1967 heres some guff on it - Ford based http://www.carmagreviews.co.nz/default.aspx!Page=123
foxdonut,
May 10, 5:06am
I knew a guy had a Saker with a 3.6 litre buick in it and that went okay.
All these so called "car enthusiasts" talk a lot of shit about "project" Toyotas and the "import scene", but for forty grand you could build a Saker that completely smashes the nuts off pretty much anything built for twice the price, let alone some riced out Legnum or WRX.
Its a shame they didn't take off, I know I'd rather have a 2 door mid engine road racer that I'd had a hand in building than some gutless, tired old Japanese POS with a fart cannon and overnight chinese purple airfilter in it.
I actually own a deJoux - but it's a boat not a car.
rob_man,
May 10, 5:53am
I worked across the driveway from Ferris for a while in the 70s. He had a torana fastback under construction but a don't think it ever came to anything, the A9X appeared on the scene and kind of made it redundant.
poppajn,
May 10, 6:30am
Remember the Anzil Nova!No we should,nt design or build car,s
newtec1,
May 10, 8:13am
Ever heard of Bruce McLaren.He built plenty and they were a great success.
foxdonut,
May 10, 8:29am
Yeah, he's that guy that learned everything he knows in England and started that factory in England that operates out of Woking (in England) right!
newtec1,
May 10, 8:42am
No he started racing in NZ.It doesn't make any difference where he finished,they were his designed,built and driven which were proven to be ahead of their time,and still carry his name on the F1 circuit.
foxdonut,
May 10, 8:45am
Or where he started.
I'd just like to see some of the hyper-patriotism in New Zealand applied to up and coming people rather than those that have left for whatever reason.
Its okay to be a bit brash and optimistic.
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