Vehicle exhibits

This gravity-powered, one-of-a-kind racer was built by the Transformers Team from Wanganui Motors for the 2005 Red Bull Trolley Grand Prix, a novelty downhill event held in Auckland Domain. The event, sponsored by Red Bull and held in odd-numbered years, challenges teams to create human-powered, non-motorised vehicles that race down a 700-metre hill, while also entertaining the crowd with a themed skit, dance, or performance before their run.

All entries must follow strict build criteria: trolleys must weigh under 80 kg and stay within size limits of 3 metres long, 1.5 metres wide, and 2 metres high. Within those limits, teams are free to get creative with both design and presentation.

The Wanganui-built racer was designed to resemble a Ford V8 Supercar and became the overall winner of the 2005 event. But it wasn’t just showy, it featured an impressively engineered setup. The trolley included fully independent suspension, four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes, a custom rack and pinion steering system, and CNC-machined wheels made from aircraft-grade aluminium.

Adding to its theme, the racer was also fitted with a CD player that played simulated Ford V8 engine sounds, covering idle, pit lane, and full-throttle racing. A pneumatically adjustable seat and working digital speedometer rounded out the extraordinary level of detail.

Built as a tongue-in-cheek tribute to high-performance racing, this trolley perfectly represents Kiwi ingenuity, humour, and engineering talent and remains one of the most memorable entries in the Red Bull Trolley Grand Prix’s history.