Proud Vauxhall owners roll into Masterton

It was all straight lines and questionable paint jobs at Queen Elizabeth Park on Saturday as Masterton played host to the national Vauxhall/Bedford car rally.

About 30 Vauxhalls and one Bedford trundled into the park as part of this year's national rally, with punters and enthusiasts on hand to view seven decades' worth of design.

Wellington Vauxhall/Bedford club president Trevor Stone admitted some of the colours were horrible, but said the recognisable Vauxhall shape was a consistent winner over the decades.

"There's something really unique about the shape of the cars," he said. "Essentially it's an English car with a heavy American influence."

He said he had grown up with the cars and now owned two models, including a 1966 Viva.

"My dad had an old Vauxhall and we were probably embarrassed of it because it was an old car," Mr Stone said. "But now I love them."

The oldest car on show on Saturday was a 1937 Vauxhall DX, with the newest a 1993 Vauxhall Calibra.

Both the Vauxhall and Bedford brands are owned by American car giant General Motors.

Mr Stone said some of the older models could be a bit of a handful to handle on the roads, as "they all have their own characteristics about how they drive".

It was the first time the rally had been held in Masterton, with the venues alternating between the North and South Islands.