Tony Bowater (centre) on stage to collect the Dealer of the Year trophy for 2015. Click to enlarge.  
It has been a huge year for Bowater Toyota.

Imagine the surprise felt by all at the Bowater Toyota table when Tony Bowater got the call to stage as winner of the 2015 Toyota Dealer of the Year at the annual awards held on Friday 19th February in Nelson at the Rutherford Hotel.

The surprise was justified. As reigning Dealer of the Year and current holders of the much coveted Yokoi Cup there was no expectation that the Bowater Toyota team COULD win it again, but there it was, on the big screen! Bowater Motor Group chairman Rodney Bowater and his wife Helen were lucky enough to be at the table as well, and could not help but be filled with pride. Imagine that. Toyota Dealer of the Year two years running, and awarded the prestigious title in our home town!

Being the reigning trophy holders as last years Toyota Dealer Of the Year there came with it a hefty responsibility and an obligation to perform as champions. At our celebration dinner last year we heard from 3 time Adventure Racing World Champion Nathan Fa'avae on what it takes to carry the mantle of World Champion and convert that pride and excitement into a motivation to built on the successful practises that got you there in the first place, so that you could better your performance and remain at the top of your game. This attitude to success has certainly paid off in a big way. 

Lexus is continuing to widen its high performance portfolio with the launch of the V8 powered GS F, the first GS mid-sized sedan to wear the F badging.

It joins the RC F coupe which is powered by the same, 351 kW 5.0-litre V8 engine under the bonnet.

The GS F’s elegant and aggressive styling characterises the personality of Lexus performance orientated F brand. This is exemplified by the bold spindle grille and low slung wide stance, race-inspired functional front air inlets in the front spoiler to cool the brakes and engine oil with outlets behind the front wheel arches, Brembo large front and rear brakes, subtle carbon fibre rear spoiler and the rear diffuser with quad exhaust outlets.

The GS F is based on the GS sports sedan, which is also available as the hybrid GS 300h, GS 450h and the V6 powered GS 350.

The GS F will seat five in a luxuriously appointed and crafted cabin filled with advanced technology features.

The GS F, as with other F branded models, offers a unique driving experience in its segment of the market, and adds further breadth to the Lexus performance brand positioning haloed by the LFA.

“It takes the GS model range to a whole new level of performance,” said Spencer Morris, General Manager of Product for Lexus New Zealand.

“It’s an ideal addition to Lexus’ range of high performance F models – our second in little more than 12 months.”

Top Kiwi rally driver Hayden Paddon has made history with his co-driver John Kennard by finishing in second place in Rally Sweden on Sunday (European time).

Paddon is the first non-European driver to finish on the podium on the snow rally which is traditionally dominated by Scandinavian drivers and is now one of only seven non-Scandinavian drivers to have secured a second place finish at this World Rally Championship event.

After a steady Friday morning in their debut event in the New Generation Hyundai i20 WRC car, the New Zealanders leapt into podium contention with two more outright WRC stage wins during Friday afternoon’s stages (bringing their WRC stage win tally to ten). The Kiwis were second behind rally leader and three-time world rally champion Sébastien Ogier, but just 15 seconds separated Paddon in second and Andreas Mikkelsen in sixth, setting up a closely-fought five-way battle as snow fell and roads froze overnight to create the more familiar icy conditions of the Swedish rally.