OIL INTEL

With real-world racing being cancelled across the globe, most major series have taken to the digital realm to keep racing alive. The transTasman Virgin Australia Supercars Championship was one of those, with the launch of the 28race BP Supercars All Stars E-series. Kiwi driver Shane Van Gisbergen (SVG) has been crowned the e-series champion after claiming 14 race wins and eight pole-position starts. He sealed his season with a win and top-five finish across two races at Oran Park and Mount Panorama, making it his second Supercars championship title — he also took the 2016 championship crown. Fellow Kiwi driver Scott McLaughlin took out five race wins to put him in second for the season, while Penrite Racing’s Anton De Pasquale rounded out the podium in third.

The series now prepares for a real-world return for round three of a revised season schedule on 27–28 June at Sydney Motorsport Park.

In a 50/50 joint venture between Oil Intel and Total, Oil Intel has taken over the Elf Lubricants in New Zealand. The move means existing Elf customers will receive full support from Oil Intel, including its technical expertise, 24/7 support, and best-suited oil recommendations.

The company has been Total’s main distributor for 20 years and cemented that relationship in June, joining in a 50/50 joint venture with the French oil and energy major. “Embracing Elf is more than a natural extension of this new partnership, it also complements our range,” says Reuben Thickpenny, managing director of Oil Intel.

Total lubricants serve New Zealand’s highspec, heavy-duty industries such as mining, transport, and agriculture. Reuben says Elf complements that with an “outstanding range suited for the automotive and retail customers looking for high-quality oil”.

“Being backed by the fourth largest oil and gas company in the world has many benefits,” he says. “It enables us to lift that customer experience in product as well as in support. Now, with Elf as part of the Oil Intel family, we can elevate this brand the way we have been elevating Total lubricants. Elf fits into that quality picture.”

Oil Intel is the affiliated importer and distributor of Total lubricants, and now Elf, for the New Zealand market. The business was founded in 1999, now boasts 65 employees in 10 branches, with its head office in Hastings, and serves 12 industry segments with more than 50 product categories.

For more information on Elf products, see oilintel.co.nz/elf.

Following hard on the heels of a successful Shelby Mustang launch earlier this year, Matamata-based company Shelby New Zealand has announced two new additions to the line-up with the limited-edition 2020 Carroll Shelby Signature Series Mustang and a New Zealand–built new right-hand-drive Shelby F-150 truck — including the all-new supercharged Super Snake Sport.

The Shelby American team spent the past two years carefully engineering and refining the Signature Series Mustang to create a vehicle worthy of Carroll Shelby’s name. With the body widened using highquality alloy guards, this creates a ‘square’ footprint that allows the single-piece forged Monoblock wheels and tuned suspension to utilize all 825hp on tap. The metallic ram air hood, front fascia, and bodywork have all been sculpted to both tame the air and dramatically drop under-hood temperatures. Only 50 units will be built worldwide, with three of those allocated to New Zealand. Meanwhile, the local Shelby arm gears up to build and sell brand-new right-hand-drive trucks based on the popular F-150 platform, the 770hp Super Snake Sport included. Developed from demand for a scorching-fast street truck, it replaces the legendary SVT Lightning, and boasts performance figures that see it tickling 100kph in just 3.45 seconds. Other offerings include the Shelby F-150 Off Road model and F-150 Raptor.

For more information about the Shelby range in New Zealand, contact ross@shelbynz.co.nz or visit shelbynz.co.nz.

The suburb of Takapuna on Auckland’s North Shore has a lot to offer by way of beachfront living, good eateries and bars, and an all-year summery vibe — even if it happens to drizzle from time to time. Come 24 October 2020, just as the sunny months of summer start to roll around, you can also enjoy the charm of this beachside community at the Repco Takapuna Rocks festival, with its collection of classic cars paired with vintage markets, pin-ups, and live rock ’n’ roll music! For further info and regular updates, visit takapunarocks.co.nz.