Vintage Riley car enthusiasts to host national rally in Whanganui on March 12-17

Rod Davies, a keen Riley enthusiast, is organising this year's Riley Car Club Rally in Whanganui. Photo / Ethan Griffiths

A group of New Zealand's most passionate vintage car enthusiasts are en route to Whanganui ahead of the Riley Car Club Annual Rally, with the organiser hopeful the public will get behind the event.

Held annually since 1960, the rally sees Riley enthusiasts from across the nation converge in a city somewhere in New Zealand, alternated between the North and South Islands.

This year Whanganui was chosen for the March 12-17 event - the first time the city has hosted the group since the 1981 rally.

Riley motorcars were first manufactured in the United Kingdom in the early 1900s, growing rapidly in popularity between the 1920s and 1930s. During this time the company manufactured a variety of sports saloons and coupes, many of which made it to New Zealand.

"They had quite a distinct sporting characteristic," Whanganui member and rally organiser Rod Davies said.

The club has about 180 members across New Zealand, many of whom own their own Riley car.

"Clubs exist across the world. There is quite a strong Riley car club in the UK as well.

"For our rallies in New Zealand, it usually attracts three or four members from Australia and occasionally some from the UK. There won't be any this year unfortunately."

Davies said 27 members from around New Zealand will travel to the event, some coming from as far as Christchurch.

"It's a real highlight for club members this time of year."

While the event is mainly for club members who have registered for the activities, the public are invited to view the vehicles during the concourse event at the War Memorial Centre at 9am on Saturday.

"It will give the general public the opportunity to mark the cars. We'll give them a sheet of paper and they can mark the cars in the various categories."