User:NealeWellington/Auto Research (New Zealand) Limited

Auto Research New Zealand Limited was the first New Zealand racing car manufacturer to make cars on a production basis. Started in the mid to late 1960's and operating out of premices in Huntly and later Lake Road, Hamilton the company developed three types of racing cars, a Formula Junior, Formula V's, and Formula Ford's. It also ran a driving school at Baypark Raceway in Tauranga and provided a scholorship for Formula Ford drivers.

Trevor Larsen and John Hyde
Larsen and Hyde were the company owners and designers of the three cars.

Formula Junior
The Formula Junior was the first car produced by the company at its Huntly workshop. Only one of these was made. It was powered by a Cosworth Ford 1100cc engine completed to a Hewland, either Mark 4 or 5, gearbox.

Formula V 694
First designed and constructed in 1969, at least 16 of the Formula V's were made firtly in Huntly and then in Hamilton. Two were used by Auto Research's driving school.

Valour Formula Ford 723
The car debuted at the 1971 Hamilton Motor Show. Its chassis and suspension were based on a Titan Formula Ford and the engine was a Ford GT. The first production models were made 1972. In total ten Formula Ford's were made in Hamilton and two incomplete cars remained when the company closed down in the mid 1970's. Larsen and Hyde planned to use three of the cars to form a works team and to use some as part of their driving school.

New Zealand Racing Drivers School
A driving school using the Formula V's and Formula Fords was based at Bay Park Raceway in Tauranga.

Scholorship
The company provided a scholorship for Formula Ford drivers.

Also see
New Zealand Formula Ford Championship