Queenstown waterfront became a petrol-head paradise on Saturday as some of the world’s best classic cars drove into town.
Forty-two envy-inducing motors parked up outside Eichardt’s Private Hotel on Marine Parade for the afternoon, beneath its $10,000-a-night penthouse.
That is pocket change compared with the values of many of the cars — several are worth more than $1 million and a conservative estimate of the combined value is $19million.
The owners were driving The Classic Alpine Tour, a weekend trip through the region designed to showcase European cars from post-World War 2 to the 1980s that "epitomise the best of elegance, style and engineering", organiser Jeff Williams said.
Hundreds of people gathered to admire the cars, built by manufacturers including Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Maserati, Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, Bugatti and Lancia.
Auckland native Paul Halford, who lives in Arrowtown and is co-owner of Rockburn Wines, had possibly the pick of the bunch.
He has owned his 1967 black Ferrari 275 GTB for about 16 years, importing it from Europe. It is one of just 330 of that model manufactured by the Italian giant.
"It’s a V12 and has just the most magnificent driving position, passenger position, and the engine sounds pretty spectacular.
"I’ve got a number of cars but this is probably my No1 baby. It took me 10 years to pluck up the courage and the bank balance to actually afford it."
The Ferrari has probably been round the clock, having been based in Italy, the United States, Lebanon and now New Zealand. It was restored in Switzerland in the ’90s, before Mr Halford bought it in 2002.
It is worth an estimated $NZ4million.
"I paid a lot less than that, though. You might say 10%."
But he does not plan to ever sell it.
"I don’t think so. I don’t want to be buried in it, though, it’s too valuable for that. Iconic cars like this, they’re always sought-after and people understand they’re an investment as well as something that gives you a lot of pleasure."
The tour had driven to the Dart River bridge past Glenorchy that morning, on a road on which Australian businessman Barry Leigh Fitzgerald famously spun his $20million 1994 McLaren F1 into a ditch in December 2016.
Mr Halford praised the region’s roads.
"They’re fantastic and these Gran Turismos love it when you open them up. They don’t like pottering around town so much; they get a bit angry and upset. They want to clear their throats and get on with it."
For those in the know, also on the tour were a 1967 Lamborghini Miura, a 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL roadster, a 1966 Ferrari 300 GTC and a Singer Porsche.
Kerry and Rita Mason, of Christchurch, were on the tour with their daughter.
Mr Mason was driving a white 1966 Jaguar E-Type roadster, while Mrs Mason was behind the wheel of the 1966 short-wheel base Porsche 911S.
"It’s quite a rare little car. They’re the same year but couldn’t be more different. The Porsche is small, high-powered, rear-engined, whereas this is a lazy six-cylinder out the front.
"I’ve had the Jaguar maybe 12 years, rebuilt it completely — every nut, bolt and component.
"It gets used a lot — I drive maybe 5000 miles [8000km] a year in it. I don’t have any interest in what they call a ‘trailer queen’.
"It’s a great car to drive and the tour has been fantastic."
