KEY POINTS:
As the credit crunch continues to hit, the first luxury to go is the big car, especially if it's financed. With petrol, food, mortgages and many other household costs rising, people are struggling to pay for the big, fat car.
Auckland car auction firm Turners is holding one of its largest auctions of luxury cars with more than $1 million worth of top-range cars going under the hammer on Saturday from midday.
Many of the cars are on sale after their original owners defaulted on repayments. A number of the cars have been repossessed from finance companies - it would appear that not all of the people driving cars at the luxury end of the market could afford them.
Top makes at auction include Bentley, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Mercedes Benz, Porsche, Land Rover, Audi, BMW and Chrysler.
One of the examples up for grabs on Saturday is a 2005 Bentley Continental GT. For the first time at a Turners prestige auction, bidders will have the choice of two of these grand touring machines. True luxury coupled with exhilarating performance makes the Bentley brand what it is today and there is a choice of a black or grey model.
An Aston Martin DB9 and a V12 Vanquish are also on offer. The sound of these cars is reason alone to own one. They are a great example of automotive excellence.
Another top-end model is the Audi's flagship Q7 Quattro TDI. This 2007 model has only done 26,000 kilometres and won't depreciate as much as a new model. The car is black on black with anthracite leather upholstery. The engine is Audi's excellent 3.0 turbo diesel running the Quattro four-wheel drive system.
There's even a 2007 Ranger Rover Sport. This example is supercharged and finished in black. It sits on 24-inch five-spoke chrome alloy wheels that have to be seen to be believed. The car comes with full leather upholstery and has only travelled 10,500 kilometres. It has the luxury of a Range Rover, the power of a sports car and too many options to mention.
While modern cars are caught up in the issues around finance and rising fuel costs, there is little sign of these factors impacting on classic cars. These vehicles do relatively low kilometres, so the fuel issue is less of a concern. And the whole point of a classic is to enjoy luxury, high performance or both.
Classic cars are from an earlier era and are hardly an inexpensive pastime. Consider a 1934 Rolls Royce. From the time when you bought a chassis from the manufacturer and then sent it to your preferred body builder who created coachwork in the style and manner of your dreams, it was a never-ending rollercoaster of expense.
The Rolls Royce is a far cry from a 1960 Vauxhall Victor produced in England and styled to look as if it came from the United States. Most have long since gone to the great wrecking yard in the sky but now and then one turns up and provides an evocative touchstone to the early 60s when the Beatles were starting out and the Western world was changing rapidly.
A little later, the US was still enjoying cheap petrol and its idea of a sports car was a 1981 Chevrolet Corvette with a glass T-top for open-air motoring when the weather allowed.
The 21st century has produced cars with a twist - they look old but employ the latest motoring technology. The TD2000 is this type of car. Outwardly it looks like a well-restored 1950s MG. But don't be fooled. These cars are built using a 135bhp 2-litre Toyota engine with an automatic gearbox. The hand-crafted leather interior even has the benefit of air conditioning.
* To check out more go to the Turners Auction website, or turn up on the day at the corner of Leonard and Penrose Rds, Penrose, Auckland. Phone: 09 525 1920.
