The Leadfoot Festival pays homage to the most significant and outstanding drivers, whom property owner and motorsport legend Rod Millen personally hand selects from around the world, along with their distinguished racing machines, to participate in the event. More than 100 cars, motorbikes, drift cars and even trucks, race the clock up the immaculately-prepared 1.6km driveway that Rod had built with this purpose in mind. A successful rally driver and hill climb racer, he has incorporated some of his favourite corners and cambres from iconic events around the globe into his `Millen's Mountain'.
Scottish rally legend Alister McRae has now won the event an impressive three consecutive times (2017, 2018 and 2019) driving the ex-Possum Bourne Subaru WRX STI. Now owned and run by Vantage Motorsport, the former WRC Subaru, and its three-time champion driver are firm crowd favourites at the Leadfoot Festival.
In addition to displaying its latest car models at the event, Subaru provides the official pace and safety vehicles - the iconic Subaru WRX, and the performance "WRX wagon", the Subaru Levorg.
Each year Subaru enjoys engaging with the Leadfoot Festival attendees in new and innovative ways. In 2019, the Kiwi adventure brand introduced a new on-site, SUV track, where the All-Wheel Drive capabilities of its XV, Forester and Outback could be experienced off-road first-hand.
In 2017, the Subaru WRX celebrated a quarter-century milestone with 25 of the best WRXs in New Zealand (as voted by the public and our panel of judges) on display at the 2017 Leadfoot Festival. There was a fantastic variety of the different generations through the years and five lucky drivers per day were able to experience Rod's impeccable driveway in a parade honouring the anniversary model.
Subaru of New Zealand's Managing Director Wallis Dumper says the Leadfoot Festival is a great platform to display the brand and the long-term partnership that started at the event's inception, is a valued one.
"We see it as a perfect dual fit having our performance cars doing what they do best out on track, while also allowing people to peruse our latest model cars at their leisure at the Subaru tent, in the ambience of the Coromandel summer.''
For more information about the festival and to purchase tickets for next year visit: http://www.leadfootfestival.com
Subaru WRX 25th Anniversary at Leadfoot:
Check out all the action from Subaru at Leadfoot Festival below.
