It was more than appropriate that three top-of-their-class road-sports cars – majestic McLarens at that – were lined up in pit-lane at Bruce McLaren Village as residents and staff celebrated its 10th anniversary.
It was an extra special occasion last week as there too was Amanda McLaren, daughter of Bruce McLaren, New Zealand’s greatest motor-sports champion and export to the world.
It’s a time when McLaren Mercedes is leading the Formula One Constructors Championship at the end of season 2024. First crown since 1998. Feeling national Kiwi pride.
Amanda is with her husband, former New Zealand policeman Stephen Donnell, who she met in the United Kingdom on a road-trip rally.
She said they initially came to New Zealand for a six-week holiday, which turned into six months, and inevitably decades.
But she is British as well, and when we come to talk with Amanda McLaren, a friendly English accent is heard. She was born and grew up there, schooled too.
And what Amanda and Stephen were invited to do in 2014 was to be brand ambassadors for McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive, roles they enjoyed and embraced until 2021.
They were able to relay the stories of her late-great father Bruce, of McLaren the genius racing-car manufacturer, to listen to the many people who had McLaren stories of their own, and representing the present-day enterprises.
To be back in the family business, it gave her “a great sense of pride”.
“It was an amazing job travelling the world telling the stories of my father,” Amanda says.
In the large lounge meeting room of the Dannemora village, the colours are McLaren Racing orange and black (and gold) – the famous McLaren Kiwi logo stands out, and with all the Bruce McLaren and McLaren Racing pictures, memorabilia and bunting, it does create the greatest fan clubhouse venue.
“It’s lovely to see him recognised like this,” says Amanda, as she views the shiny elegant McLaren 720S, 750S, and GT4 vehicles.
The sports car display is delivered by McLaren Auckland, and Peter Mears, whose own motor “was the first custom-specked 720S in the country”.
Inside, the lounge is packed as happy residents gather to celebrate the Ryman Bruce McLaren Village’s 10th birthday, with happy hour (nibbles included), and an appropriately decorated cake that Amanda has the honour to cut.
There’s a nice surprise for Amanda and Stephen before she makes her speech, meeting with 88-year-old Julian Williams, who in 1955 “sat at the same desk” with Bruce at Auckland University Engineering School.
“We liked racing cars. I got to know him well. He was such a humble guy. What a legacy he has left,” Julian said.
After studies, Bruce’s and Julian’s lives steered on different courses – Bruce overseas racing and building cars; Julian to a long and fulfilling career at Fisher and Paykel.
Amanda’s speech to the large Ryman residents’ audience talked of her admiration for her Dad and his and McLaren’s amazing global achievements in the motor vehicle industry; that she was only four-and-a-half when he died, and that she learned of him and what he was like from her Mum.
“He was a kid from New Zealand. He’s got a dream. He’s going to grab it with both hands and go for it. Dad could do it.”
Amanda and Stephen are also representatives of The Bruce McLaren Trust, and she talked of the enthusiastic work it does with Bruce McLaren School in Henderson, and its programmes for encouraging young people in “achieving their dreams” and “inspiring the next generations”.
“There are wonderful places like this that recognise my father and are keeping his name out there. I enjoy making the connections.”
Before Amanda’s talk, Ryman Bruce McLaren Village manager Chantelle Hand gave a speech about the 10th birthday and the journey to it, and of her own recent seventh anniversary working in the role, for which she enjoys immensely, and the residents approve wholeheartedly.
On the way out, we take in one last viewing of the three McLarens out front, and recall what Peter Mears said earlier.
A big part of the celebration was about world-class motor vehicle manufacturing that was created and established on the world stage by a Kiwi – Bruce McLaren – and people’s great affection for the finest of road and track auto technology.
Mears, of Whitford, says his enjoyment of cars is “something left over from childhood”, the days of the classic “Holdens and Ford Falcons”, which lead to: “I’ve had a lot of cars”, including a McLaren 570S before the 720S, which miraculously can be driven in auto and manual modes.
“I honestly don’t know what I’d get to replace it.”
If I had a McLaren 720S, Peter, I’d probably feel the same way. Then I jumped into the Peugeot 703 and toodled off. Happy motoring!
