Passion
THE ART OF COLLECTING
Wayne Leach has always been passionate about cars. Having sold 16 of them by the age of 18 he decided to turn that passion into a career and is now one of New Zealand’s most well respected car dealers, having owned and operated Winger Motors – one of the country’s largest dealer networks – for the past 30 years.
However, it wasn’t until December 2015 that Leach finally acquired his very first Ferrari. It was a 308 GTB, red with cream trim, and the first of a sizeable collection that grew so quickly it soon needed a special place to call home. So, in 2019 Leach purchased a building to house his fleet of Ferraris, as well as his burgeoning art collection.
Leach began building his Ferrari collection just nine years ago. It has grown rapidly since
‘347’ (aptly named after its street number), was originally built in 1963 and operated as a petrol station for 20 years before being converted into a classic car museum and café in the 1990s. It then housed another private collection before Leach bought the property in 2019.
Bringing to life his vision of showcasing Italian design with his Ferraris being at the forefront, Leach has also incorporated his extensive collection of New Zealand and Australian art into 347's vast interior space. Works by the likes of Max Gimblett and Dale Frank sit harmoniously alongside the cars, complementing each other perfectly. One large piece of wall-mounted art contains another car collection – all beautifully intricate Ferrari models – while a Moooi life-sized horse sculpture stands proudly at the bar. Meanwhile, artist Michael Parekowhai’s Kapa Haka ‘security guard’ sculpture, affectionately named ‘Nigel’, is one of only two made and stands proudly guarding over a LaFerrari Aperta.
From left; you'll find classic Ferrari cars from the 1950s through to the present day on 347's upper level. The building also houses Leach's impressive collection of Australian and New Zealand art, as well as an array of intricately built Ferrari model cars
The rest of Leach’s Ferrari collection is as impressive as the art which surrounds it. There’s an F40, a 550 Barchetta, a 599 GTO, a 458 Speciale and a 575 Superamerica to name but a few, all configured in a unique array of colours and combos.
Despite his impressive collection of pristine Prancing Horses, Leach doesn’t have any favourites, claiming each to be equally special in their own unique way. And thanks to his involvement in motorsport over the past 30 years, this philosophy also applies to his 458 Challenge and 488 Challenge cars, which he used to compete in the NZ GT series last year.
Leach stands next to his Ferrari 488 Challenge race car (right) in which he competed in last year's NZ GT series
Undoubtedly the 812 Competizione Aperta and Purosangue, which are due to arrive shortly, will be happy in their new home. But not as happy as Leach will be when his carbon fibre Daytona SP3 arrives next year. A crowning Ferrari model, but probably not the last car that’ll be added to this extraordinary collection…