Mitsubishi Galant VR4
Number Plates:
AZULS > RQ3879 > JB001 > GKE118 > FINSTR > JLQ17
Driver/Ownership:
1992: Karuo Souma
1993: Bruce Herbert
1994 - 1995: Ross Thurston
1997 - 2009: Richard Billington
2012-2017: Chuck Newton
2018: Paul Fraser
2018: Carl Adnitt
2018 - 2020: Mike Robson
2020 - Current: Shane McKenzie
History:
There are several VR4’s floating around with unique history, none more so than this car, with a number of them coming from Japan and staying in the country after Rally NZ. We understand this car was AZULS and competed at Rally New Zealand in 1992 with Kazuo Soma. Soma would finish in 18th position, nearly 47min behind the winner Carlos Sainz in his Grp A Toyota Celica.
Subsequently, the car was purchased by Bruce Herbert, competing in 1993 in an iconic BP livery. It was then sold onto Ross Thurston who we understand used the car for a couple of seasons before then behind on sold to Richard Billington. Richard would own the car from circa 1997 to 2009 but we do not have any photos of the car during this time. It stayed somewhat local and was then purchased by Chuck Newton and ran as FINSTR in events in the bottom half of the North Island. This included events such as the Wairarapa, Daybreaker and Hawkes Bay. It then headed up North of Auckland, owned by Paul Fraser, Doug Adnit and then Mike Robson where it ran in lime green.
It was then purchased by Christchurch based Shane McKenzie in 2021 and taken back to its original 1992 Rally New Zealand livery. Shane has competed in local events as well as the two-day Silver Fern event at the end of 2022, so it’s very cool to see this car out regularly competing.
AZULS > RQ3879 > JB001 > GKE118 > FINSTR > JLQ17
Driver/Ownership:
1992: Karuo Souma
1993: Bruce Herbert
1994 - 1995: Ross Thurston
1997 - 2009: Richard Billington
2012-2017: Chuck Newton
2018: Paul Fraser
2018: Carl Adnitt
2018 - 2020: Mike Robson
2020 - Current: Shane McKenzie
History:
There are several VR4’s floating around with unique history, none more so than this car, with a number of them coming from Japan and staying in the country after Rally NZ. We understand this car was AZULS and competed at Rally New Zealand in 1992 with Kazuo Soma. Soma would finish in 18th position, nearly 47min behind the winner Carlos Sainz in his Grp A Toyota Celica.
Subsequently, the car was purchased by Bruce Herbert, competing in 1993 in an iconic BP livery. It was then sold onto Ross Thurston who we understand used the car for a couple of seasons before then behind on sold to Richard Billington. Richard would own the car from circa 1997 to 2009 but we do not have any photos of the car during this time. It stayed somewhat local and was then purchased by Chuck Newton and ran as FINSTR in events in the bottom half of the North Island. This included events such as the Wairarapa, Daybreaker and Hawkes Bay. It then headed up North of Auckland, owned by Paul Fraser, Doug Adnit and then Mike Robson where it ran in lime green.
It was then purchased by Christchurch based Shane McKenzie in 2021 and taken back to its original 1992 Rally New Zealand livery. Shane has competed in local events as well as the two-day Silver Fern event at the end of 2022, so it’s very cool to see this car out regularly competing.
