Greg Murphy takes on NZs greenest Rally challenge
Posted: 17 November 2008
V8 driver Greg Murphy will take on a totally different challenge in next week's AA ENERGYWISETM Rally it's not fastest time, but the vehicle that costs the least to run, that takes out this Rally's Supreme Award title.
The AA ENERGYWISETM Rally shows how Kiwis can slash their fuel bills by choosing a fuel-efficient car and driving it well. It follows a 1,626 km route throughout the North Island from 24 to 27 November.
Murphy, who flies in straight from round 13 of the V8 Super car championship series in Tasmania, will join the Rally on 25 November in a Holden Astra CDTi.
He has some serious competition in Hyundai i30 driver Hans Tholstrup who holds records for fuel economy runs around the world. He'll also face Glenn and Helen Johnston who want to drive the Honda Civic hybrid into the top spot for the second Rally in a row.
AA Technical Services Manager Stella Stocks says there is a great range of cars in this year's Rally.
Route revealed for New Zealand's greenest car rally
Posted: 27 October 2008
The route for the 2008 AA ENERGYWISETM Rally has been announced today.
The Rally will start on Monday 24 November in Auckland and heads to Palmerston North via Hamilton, Taumaranui and Wanganui.
On Day 2 it leaves Palmerston North for the Horowhenua, Kapiti Coast and Wellington, before returning to Palmerston North via the Wairarapa.
On Day 3 it travels from Palmerston North to Wanganui, Taranaki, Whangamomona, and Rotorua.
On Day 4 the Rally leaves Rotorua for Cambridge, Hamilton and finishes in Auckland.
The Rally will cover approximately 1626 kilometres.
Stella Stocks, AA General Manager of Technical Services, says both vehicles and drivers will be put to the test with a combination of driving on motorways, unsealed roads, rural state highways and in peak hour city congestion.
Challenge on to find New Zealands most fuel efficient cars
Posted: 24 September 2008
The gauntlet has been thrown down to find New Zealands most fuel efficient and environmentally friendly cars in the 2008 AA Energywise Rally and vehicle manufacturers have responded in record numbers.
64 cars have been entered in the four day rally to be held in November, up from 52 in 2006 when it was last held. Entries have come from all but two of New Zealands major car manufacturers and distributors. This years participants include BMW, Chrysler, Ford, Holden, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Subaru, Suzuki and Volkswagen.
The AA Energywise Rally is held every two years and is jointly organised by the AA, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA), and Gull Petroleum New Zealand.
Vehicles are pitted against each other in six different categories for the title of the most fuel efficient in each class. The supreme winner is the vehicle that costs the least to run over the whole rally.