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Story: Motor sport

Auckland to Wellington reliability run, 1906

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Auckland to Wellington reliability run, 1906

The Auckland Automobile Association organised the 1906 six-day 'reliability run' between Auckland and Wellington to test the strength and reliability of cars under the very poor road conditions of the time. Competing vehicles were graded into three classes and required to run at top speeds of 12, 14 and 16 miles per hour (19.3, 22.5 and 25.7 kilometres per hour) . The only woman driver, a Mrs Crozier, drove a 10-horsepower Cadillac. The winner was W. B. Leyland in this 15-horsepower Darracq.

Using this item

Auckland Council Libraries − Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero o Tāmaki Makaurau, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Reference: AWNS-19070207-13-2

Permission of Auckland City Libraries Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Jim Webber, Motor sport – Earliest motor sports, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/39904/auckland-to-wellington-reliability-run-1906 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Jim Webber, published 29 November 2012, updated 1 April 2016.