NZ Performance Car
Encyclopedia
Automobile magazine
An automobile magazine is a magazine with news and reports on automobiles and the automobile industry. Automobile magazines may feature new car tests and comparisons, which describe advantages and disadvantages of similar models; future models speculations, confidential information and "spyshots"...
and website, and is the biggest selling automotive and men’s lifestyle magazine in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Parkside Media
Parkside Media is New Zealand's 2nd largest independent publisher representing 2% of the magazine market. Its offices are in Grey Lynn, Auckland. Established late in 1990 it is owned by Greg Vincent....
’s second title, it has eclipsed the success of NZ Classic Car. NZ Performance Car has evolved with the times, promoting the import drag racing
Drag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
scene, building the drifting
Drifting (motorsport)
Drifting refers to a driving technique and to a motorsport where the driver intentionally over steers, causing loss of traction in the rear wheels through turns, while maintaining vehicle control and a high exit speed...
scene and supporting modified car events such as Auto Salon and dB Drag Racing
DB drag racing
dB drag racing is a competition rewarding the person who can produce the loudest sound inside a vehicle. The "dB" means decibels of sound pressure level . In these competitions, Sound Pressure Level of 155 dB can be reached, and it is not unheard of to see more than 160 dB as well...
.
Issue 1 of the magazine was bundled free with NZ Classic Car issue 66 (June 1996), and featured a Series 4 Mazda RX-7
Mazda RX-7
Series 1 is commonly referred to as the "SA22C" from the first alphanumerics of the vehicle identification number. This series of RX-7 had exposed steel bumpers and a high-mounted indentation-located license plate, called by Werner Buhrer of Road & Track magazine a "Baroque depression."In 1980...
on the cover.
Change in focus
The magazine’s focus has evolved from initially covering all high performance cars, including Australian V8s, to Japanese import cars, and more recently import car culture and associated activities (BMXBMX
Bicycle motocross or BMX refers to the sport in which the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in motocross style on tracks with inline start and expressive obstacles, and it is also the term that refers to the bicycle itself that is designed for dirt and motocross cycling.- History :BMX started...
, FMX
FMX
FMX is an acronym used to describe several things:*Famoxadone, a pesticide abbreviated as FMX*FMX , a system employing audio noise reduction*Freestyle Motocross...
, interviews with local and international musicians, etc.).
Early issues featured cars such as Holden Torana
Holden Torana
The Holden Torana is a car which was produced by General Motors–Holden's , the Australian subsidiary of General Motors from 1967 to 1980. The name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning "to fly". The first Torana appeared in 1967 and was a four-cylinder compact vehicle that had its origins in the...
s alongside Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
Galant VR4s.
Mitsubishi Galant VR-4
The Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 was the range-topping version of Mitsubishi Motors' Galant model, available in the sixth , seventh and eighth generations of the vehicle...
Typical cars featured in NZ Performance Car
- Nissan Skyline GT-RNissan Skyline GT-RThe Nissan Skyline GT-R is a Japanese sports car based on the Nissan Skyline range.The first GT-Rs were produced from 1969–1973. After a 16 year hiatus since the KPGC110 in 1972, the GT-R name was revived in 1989 with the Skyline R32. This car was nicknamed "Godzilla" by the Australian motoring...
- Nissan SilviaNissan SilviaThe S12 was produced from 1984 to 1988, with revisions to the exterior trim in 1987 . It was sold in three configurations—a coupe , a hatchback, and a widebody chassis called grandprix .A number of different engines were equipped in the S12 chassis, depending on production year and more...
- Nissan Pulsar GTI-RNissan Pulsar GTI-RThe Nissan Pulsar GTI-R is a homologated 2 litre turbo-charged AWD vehicle manufactured by Nissan in Japan between 1990 and 1994 in order to enter the WRC under Group A rules. The body is based on the Nissan Pulsar N14 3-door hatchback model, but distinguished by the large rear wing and bonnet...
- Nissan 300ZXNissan 300ZXThe Z31 chassis designation was first introduced in 1983 as a 1984 Nissan/Datsun 300ZX in the US only. The 300ZX, as its predecessors, was known as a Nissan in other parts of the world. This continued in the US until 1985 model year when Nissan standardized their brand name worldwide and dropped...
- Nissan 350ZNissan 350ZThe Nissan 350Z is a two seat sports car that was manufactured by Nissan from 2002 to 2009 and marks the fifth generation of Nissan's Z-car line. The 350Z entered production in late 2002 and was sold and marketed as a 2003 model. The first year there was only a coupe, as the roadster did not debut...
- Nissan LaurelNissan LaurelIn April 1968 Nissan presented its new Laurel in four-door deLuxe and Super deLuxe versions, both equipped with a 1.8 L inline-four cylinder engine and independent rear suspension. In summer 1970 a hardtop coupé joined the line-up, one year later a 2000 cc engine became available...
- Subaru WRX
- Subaru LegacySubaru LegacyThe Subaru Legacy is a mid-size car built by the Japanese company Fuji Heavy Industries, and manufactured by its division Subaru since 1989, and is available as a sedan or wagon. Part of the original design goals for the Legacy model was to provide Subaru a vehicle in which they could compete in...
- Mitsubishi Lancer EvolutionMitsubishi Lancer EvolutionThe Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, colloquially known as the Lancer Evo or Evo, is a high-performance sedan manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. There have been ten official versions to date, and the designation of each model is most commonly a roman numeral...
- Honda IntegraHonda IntegraThe Honda Integra is a compact luxury performance coupe made by Honda during the years 1985 to 2006. The sporty front wheel drive car is able to house five passengers with a two door hatch or four door sedan available.The Integra was on Car and Driver magazine's annual Ten Best list six times, in...
- Honda CivicHonda CivicThe Honda Civic is a line of subcompact and subsequently compact cars made and manufactured by Honda. The Civic, along with the Accord and Prelude, comprised Honda's vehicles sold in North America until the 1990s, when the model lineup was expanded...
- Honda S2000Honda S2000The Honda S2000 is a roadster that was manufactured by the Japanese automaker Honda Motor Company. It was launched in April 1999 and was created to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary. The car was first shown as a concept at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1995, following which it was launched in...
- Toyota CelicaToyota CelicaThe Toyota Celica name has been applied to a series of coupes made by the Japanese company Toyota. The name is ultimately derived from the Latin word coelica meaning "heavenly" or "celestial"....
- Toyota SupraToyota SupraThe Toyota Supra is a sports car/grand tourer that was produced by Toyota Motor Company from 1979 to 2002. The styling of the Toyota Supra was derived from the Toyota Celica, but it was both longer and wider. Starting in mid-1986, the Supra became its own model and was no longer based on the Celica...
- Toyota Levin AE86
- Toyota Altezza
- Mazda RX-7Mazda RX-7Series 1 is commonly referred to as the "SA22C" from the first alphanumerics of the vehicle identification number. This series of RX-7 had exposed steel bumpers and a high-mounted indentation-located license plate, called by Werner Buhrer of Road & Track magazine a "Baroque depression."In 1980...
- Mazda 323
Modified car features
The extent that a car is required to be modified has steadily increased since the first issues. While 300 hp was considered to be a huge amount of power when the magazine started, 300 kW may not even secure a spot as a feature car, unless the rest of the car is outstanding or unusual.This is not to say that NZ Performance Car solely focuses on power, but power figures are part of a more holistic approach considered when modifying a car.
New car features
Less common are new car road tests. Recent examples have included the Mazda RX-8Mazda RX-8
The Mazda RX-8 is a sports car manufactured by Mazda Motor Corporation. It first appeared in 2001 at the North American International Auto Show. It is the successor to the RX-7 and, like its predecessors in the RX range, it is powered by a Wankel engine. The RX-8 began North American sales in the...
, Mini Cooper John Cooper Works
John Cooper Works
John Cooper Works is a company founded in the year 2000 by John Cooper, the racing car maker and tuner responsible for the Mini Cooper. JCW produces tuning parts and accessories for BMW's new MINI....
(JCW), and BMW 135i.
Cover girls
Female nudity in association with the magazine has polarised readers. The magazine took an online poll at the end of 2008, the results of which found that more than 80% of readers wanted to keep the cover girl.Cars were originally graded using a Jane-o-meter (a picture of Jane with a ranking from one to ten). This method was scrapped after car owners became reluctant to have their cars featured in case it received a low mark.
Poster
Two posters (a double-sided A2) have been included in most issues of the magazine since issue 80.Event coverage
Drag racingDrag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
, drifting
Drifting (motorsport)
Drifting refers to a driving technique and to a motorsport where the driver intentionally over steers, causing loss of traction in the rear wheels through turns, while maintaining vehicle control and a high exit speed...
, rallying
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
, Super Lap
Super Lap
Super Lap is a time attack motorsport event. Super Lap events are being held in Australia and New Zealand.The inaugural Superlap Australia Superlap Australia event was held at the Oran Park Raceway in July 2008...
, Japanese Super GT
Super GT
The Super GT series, formerly known as the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship or JGTC , is a grand touring car race series promoted by the GT-Association...
, hillclimbing
Hillclimbing
Hillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
, touring cars, auto salon, auto show
Auto show
An auto show, or motor show, is a public exhibition of current automobile models, debuts, concept cars, or out-of-production classics. It is commonly attended by automobile manufacturers. Most auto shows occur once or twice a year...
s and club events are covered, as long as the racing includes Japanese cars.
Driver and celebrity interviews
Local and international drivers have been interviewed such as Ken BlockKen Block (rally driver)
Ken Block is a professional rally driver with the Monster World Rally Team. Block is also one of the co-founders and recently appointed Chief Brand Officer of DC Shoes...
, Rhys Millen
Rhys Millen
Rhys Millen , nephew of IMSA GTS driver Steve Millen, son of Rod and elder brother of Ryan, is one of the world's top competitors in drifting. Prior to that he was a top rally driver in the US, and became the first works backed driver from a car manufacturer with GM in 2004 after narrowly losing to...
, Mike Whiddett, Sebastian Loeb, Linkin Park
Linkin Park
Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
/Fort Minor
Fort Minor
Fort Minor is a hip hop side-project of Mike Shinoda, who is better known as being a member of the American rock band Linkin Park. Shinoda's debut solo album as Fort Minor, The Rising Tied was released November 22, 2005.-History:...
and Nathalie Kelly (from Fast n Furious Tokyo Drift),
Regular sections
Readers’ letters, a technical question and answer section, equipment information, CD/DVD/game reviews, and a lifestyle section with clothing and related culture.Chop shop
A monthly Photoshop competition is run. An image of a standard car is modified in Photoshop to adopt a certain theme or style, such as hakosuka, rally, etc. In issue 144 readers were invited to Photoshop a Chevrolet VoltChevrolet Volt
The Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle manufactured by General Motors. The Volt has been on sale in the U.S. market since mid-December 2010, and is the most fuel-efficient compact car sold in the United States, as rated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency...
into a Pro Import drag racing vehicle.
Growth
Readership peaked at 336,000 in 2007. To address the fall in readership since then NZ Performance Car was relaunched with perfect binding, a new logo, and a broader focus on the import car culture in issue 132, December 2007Drop! (previous Street Style)
Drop! features hardcore modified show cars, auto salon features, and SPLSPL
-Sporting Leagues:*Scottish Premier League, or Clydesdale Bank Premier League, the highest professional football league in Scotland*Saudi Premier League, or Zain Saudi Premier League, the highest professional football league in Saudi Arabia...
competitions (db Drag Racing). The emphasis on Japanese imports is less. Previous featured cars have included a Jaguar, a Buick
Buick
Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...
, a Nash Metropolitan
Nash Metropolitan
The Nash Metropolitan is a car that was sold, initially only in the United States and Canada, from 1954–1962.It conforms to two classes of vehicle: economy car and subcompact car. In today’s terminology the Metropolitan is a “subcompact”, but this category had not yet come into use when the car was...
, and several types of minitruck.
Drift Factor
Drift Factor is a drifting special with driver interviews, in-depth profiles on drifting and the cars, and how-tos on starting in drifting.Raceline (previously Race Style)
Dedicated to circuit racing, rallyingRallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
, hillclimbing, drifting and drag racing.
Yearbook
The Yearbook is a round up of the scene and also contains many of the similar features to the magazine.Posterbook
A posterbook has been produced yearly since 2005 with 12 A2 posters of cars and/or cover modelCover Model
"Cover Model" is a pop song by Sabrina. It was released in 1992 as Sabrina's second non-album single. The song was produced by DJ Mori. Unlike Sabrina's previous singles "Yeah Yeah" and the Jo Squillo-collaboration "Siamo Donne", both of which had been performed on TV numerous times, "Cover Model"...
s
Spine art
For 2008 collecting all the issues created an NZ Performance Car logo when stacked together. This was to highlight the transition to perfect binding.Website
NZ Performance Car relaunched its website in July 2007 with a web 2.0Web 2.0
The term Web 2.0 is associated with web applications that facilitate participatory information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, and collaboration on the World Wide Web...
site featuring video, blogs, forums
Internet forum
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived...
, news, articles, cover girls, event coverage and more.
Users can register to the site, start a blog, upload their own media, and generally interact with the site.
Daily news articles are available weekdays which are additional to magazine content. Full magazine articles are available from previous issues, often including additional photos and information (including videos) that could not be fitted into the magazine.
Some writers run blogs on the website, such as Peter Kelly’s Pedeyworld, and a forum is run as a subsite to encourage user interaction.
Users can purchase books and DVDs related to the magazine’s content, as well as back issues and subscriptions in the online shop.
The website is run by Convergent Online Media, a separate company owned by Greg Vincent (owner of Parkside Media) and Darren Cottingham.
Social networking sites
A FacebookFacebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
fan page, Bebo
Bebo
Bebo is a social networking website launched in July 2005. It is currently owned and operated by Criterion Capital Partners after taking over from AOL in June 2010....
page (for NZ Drift Series
NZ Drift Series
The NZ Drift Series is a five-round motorsport series organised by Parkside Media, publisher of NZ Performance Car magazine. Competing against D1NZ it has achieved greater success because of NZ Performance Car and NZ Performance Car TV's marketing power....
), and Youtube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel exist.
Drift Legends
Drift Legends is a drifting game which features New Zealand tracks as well as custom tracks. Players can submit their score to a score boardSuper Lap Legends
Super Lap Legends was released to coincide with Super LapSuper Lap
Super Lap is a time attack motorsport event. Super Lap events are being held in Australia and New Zealand.The inaugural Superlap Australia Superlap Australia event was held at the Oran Park Raceway in July 2008...
. It features New Zealand racetracks in a time trial format
Midnight Sting
Midnight Sting is a shoot ‘em up whereby players protect their ride from damage in a dark alley.Britney’s Rehab Run
Britney’s Rehab Run is a shoot ‘em up which sees the player attempt to get Britney to rehab past scores of paparazzi.Mobile
A free opt-in text club which has more than 23,000 members is utilised to disseminate special offers from sponsors, and promote the magazine, games and events.NZ Performance Car is also one of the largest suppliers of mobile content (ringtones, screen wallpapers and the like) via Vodafone
Vodafone
Vodafone Group Plc is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers , with around 341 million proportionate subscribers as of...
’s network.
NZ Performance Car TV
NZ Performance Car TVNZ Performance Car TV
-History:NZ Performance Car TV is a free-to-air television program in its eighth series, produced in-house by Parkside Media. It has had airtime on TV ONE, TV2, TV3, Prime and Sky Sports, often with several networks simultaneously which is unique in its genre. Each series consists of 13 episodes....
is a free-to-air
Free-to-air
Free-to-air describes television and radio services broadcast in clear form, allowing any person with the appropriate receiving equipment to receive the signal and view or listen to the content without requiring a subscription or one-off fee...
television program in its eighth series. It has had airtime on TV ONE, TV2, Prime and Sky Sports, often simultaneously which is unique in its genre. Each series consists of 13 episodes. Two series are usually screened per year.
First airing in 2004 the series has evolved to match the changing tastes of the import car scene. Series 8 had a large focus on drifting.
NZ Drift Series
The NZ Drift SeriesNZ Drift Series
The NZ Drift Series is a five-round motorsport series organised by Parkside Media, publisher of NZ Performance Car magazine. Competing against D1NZ it has achieved greater success because of NZ Performance Car and NZ Performance Car TV's marketing power....
is a drifting motorsport series run on New Zealand tracks. It made its debut in 2007 with a professionally run, five-round championship series.
Super Lap
Parkside Media organised the first Super LapSuper Lap
Super Lap is a time attack motorsport event. Super Lap events are being held in Australia and New Zealand.The inaugural Superlap Australia Superlap Australia event was held at the Oran Park Raceway in July 2008...
event at Taupo Motorsport Park
Taupo Motorsport Park
Taupo Motorsport Park is a motorsports circuit located in Broadlands Road, Taupo, New Zealand. It is owned and operated by MIT Development Ltd....
in April 2007. Scott Kreyl in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII took the overall win. At the second event at Pukekohe in March 2008 Kreyl successfully defended his title.
The third Super Lap returned to Taupo Motorsport Park in 2008 where Kreyl suffered mechanical problems and failed to place.
New Zealand Bikini Model Search
Toured throughout in New Zealand in 2007, the NZ Bikini Model Search culminated in a grand final in Auckland.Import All-Stars
Every summer, NZ Performance Car organises the biggest import drag racing event of the year at Fram Autolite Dragway, MeremereMeremere
Meremere is a small town in the northern Waikato region in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on the east bank of the Waikato River, 50 kilometres north of Hamilton....
, Import All-Stars
Import All-Stars
Import All-Stars is an import drag racing event organised by Parkside Media and NZ Performance Car magazine. First held in 2007, it was rerun on 29 March 2008. Both events have been held at Fram Autolite Dragway, Meremere....
. Guest competitors are invited from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
to race against New Zealand’s quickest imports.
Drag Masters
Drag Masters, run in 2005, was a V8 vs. import drag racing event held at Fram Autolite Dragway, Meremere.Performance Car of the Year
Performance Car of the Year is a competition with 12 performance cars where users text their vote.Awards
Cam Leggett, designer since issue 68 has won two awards for Designer of the Year at the MPA Awards in the Special Interest Category in 2007 and 2008.Controversy
NZ Performance Car magazine has typically been criticised by groups not in favour of import car culture, or those concerned about ‘boy racer’ activity..In June 2008, editorial assistant Peter Kelly organised a meeting in Hamilton
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
to scout for feature cars. News quickly spread via text and over 1000 people descended on The Base. Despite attempts by NZ Performance Car to warn the police, messages went unanswered..