SPIT-SHINNING SUNDAY

LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE AT THE ELLERSLIE CAR SHOW

Cars on grass. One of those default rules of photographing cars is that you just don’t pop them among some leafy blades and bang out a few shutters. For a number of simple reasons, it’s just not the done thing. Unless, of course, that grass is the finely manicured lawns of a classic car concours d’élégance. If you’ve been anywhere near popular international websites of the automotive persuasion, you might be familiar with some of the big names, such as the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, which is maybe the best known classic car show in the world. Here in Kiwiland, we’ve got the Ellerslie Classic Car Show, itself hosting a concours d’élégance aimed at showcasing the cream of New Zealand’s classic crop, since 1972.

‘Concours d’élégance’ is French for ‘competition of elegance’, and it involves an elite panel of expert judges scoring the cars with pedantic accuracy. Points are allocated to areas ranging from panel work to wiring looms. Everything must be correct, spotless — elegant. Judges use mirrors and spotlights to pore over every weld, stitch, and speck of paint. Shining bright in NZPC’s spotlight at the event this year, however, was a pristine Mark I Lotus Cortina, the OG small sports sedan.

While the Masters Class is the domain of finely restored exotics and collector cars, the Survivors Class — for unrestored, original vehicles — sees a somewhat more eclectic range of cars: a bog-standard canary yellow Mark I Mirage in ‘one-lady-owner’ condition, rubbing shoulders with a Porsche

964 Turbo that’s been pampered for life.

Outside of the parade ring, Ellerslie’s leafy grounds are devoted to a diverse spread. You can take a trip back to the turn of the (last) millennium, inhaling the scent of early 1900s horseless carriages as they chuff to life, amid an excited crowd of often-bearded onlookers.

But then, the wooden wheels and total-loss oiling systems rub shoulders with the Teutonic precision of the Porsche Club. The Stuttgart marque is still hotness, as far as classics go, and heading up the club’s display was Angus Cooper’s stunning 356 ‘Coopster’ build. A Porsche outlaw build in the truest sense, it also emphasized that modification isn’t verboten on the clipped grass of Ellerslie.

Among the traditional Bentleys, Jags, Triumphs, and Alvis marques, Aussie muscle roams the lawns. Pumped-up factory hot rods — in the form of Torana GTR XU-1s and Valiant Charger E49s — hark back to the early days of homologation specials. Among the Ford RS Owners Club, the turbo era is evident, with the twin-cam turbo Cosworth Sierras ushering in a growing trend of neo-classic machinery to the Ellerslie offering.

It’s a trend that hasn’t gone unnoticed, especially with the thirst for all things boxy and 1980s so prevalent. Four Lamborghini Countachs held pride of place for the Raging Bull’s representation, sharing real estate with a predominantly all-white-themed Alfa Romeo line-up.

Hunkering under some shade, even Ferrari’s ranks paid homage to the later cars. A lone silver 246 Dino was parked, with plenty of space for admirers, under the watchful eye of later V8 Prancing Horses in the form of a 458, a 488, and with that all important ’80s influence from a 348.

Lancia was also in on the act. The bulging arches of a Delta Evo II, housing hearty OZ wheels with massive brakes, offered some World Rally Championship flavour.

And don’t think Japan was left out. The Z Club is a bit of a fixture at Ellerslie, always bringing an array of quality early Z-cars, with S30 240Zs proudly displaying their L-series hearts. A sole Z31 showed off a future past, and an oddity from the US lurked to the side: a B210 twodoor sedan.

But there’s perhaps no better sign of a change of the times than the inclusion of the MX5 Club. Not content with factory-fresh examples, an NC sporting an LS3 swap shared the spotlight with a slammed NA with flares and Watanabe wheels. A turn-up for the books!

With the modern classic ethos gaining momentum, there’s every chance that the Ellerslie Classic Car Show — along with its Intermarque Concours d’Elegance — is going to continue to evolve in a progressive direction.

So get along in 2020, whip out the mobile phone, and shoot a few cars relaxing on some grass!