Former TV presenter brings supercar roadshow South
FORMER Channel 9 news presenter and more recently former Newshub motorsport reporter Shaun Summerfield may have the best car job in New Zealand.
The Giltrap Group’s head of communications and public relations and selfconfessed ‘‘car geek’’ certainly looked like he does as he helped orchestrate the arrival of 10 supercars into Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell yesterday.
The $4 million road show includes McLarens, Aston Martins, Bentleys and Lamborghinis, which will be displayed outside the circuit’s museum tomorrow from 9am to 5pm.
The former television presenter’s switch to the corporate world 19 months ago was an opportunity to continue his motoring interests in a different role.
Mr Summerfield, who now lives in Auckland, has continued sharing his passionate love for cars and telling stories.
‘‘All this wasted knowledge I’ve had all my life about cars, now it comes in handy,’’ he said.
His threetown trip south came about after he recalled his days as a youngster, desperate to see his dream cars in the flesh.
As a result, he asked Giltrap management if he could take these stunners to the masses.
Today, four of the newest supercars will be parked in Queenstown’s Marine Parade from 2pm to 6pm, ‘‘purely just so people can come and see them’’.
After growing up in Canterbury and having had a stint from 1998 to 2000 in Dunedin as the Channel 9 newsreader, he has a soft spot for the southern region and wanted local car fanatics to experience the supercars at home.
Test days will be held at Highlands and around Christ church and Wellington.
‘‘What a blast coming back down here to my favourite part of the country, with these cars.’’