News
Our Story in
Their Words
From NZ Herald to Scoop Media — read how New Zealand’s media has covered Hyper Drive’s journey from a single Penrose store to the country’s leading online tyre retailer.
Meet Leigh Hart
Comedian. Broadcaster. Radio Hauraki legend. And the unmistakable voice behind every Hyper Drive radio ad.
Who Is Leigh Hart?
Leigh Hart is one of New Zealand’s best-known comedians and broadcasters — the man behind Moon TV, Leigh Hart’s Mysterious Cities of Gold, and a long-running home on Radio Hauraki. His dry wit, deadpan delivery, and unmistakably Kiwi sensibility made him the perfect voice for Hyper Drive.
As Hyper Drive’s official Tyre Pressure Manager and brand ambassador, Leigh brings the same irreverent honesty to tyres that he brings to everything else — and Kiwis love him for it.
Toyo Proxes Sport
“Great grip, solid performance in the wet, and quieter than a possum trying to break into your kitchen at 3 AM. If you need tyres that make you feel like a better driver than you actually are, these are the ones.”
Hear Leigh on the Radio
Leigh’s voice is on Radio Hauraki, The Hits, ZM and Newstalk ZB — 30 seconds of pure Kiwi gold every time.
Bex & The Mobile Van
“Hi deep voice guy on the radio … I think we can do better than that.”
Steve the Tradie
“Yep. Pretty bloody good, actually. I knew you could do better than that, Steve.”
Greg & the V8
“You sure you’re doing that right? I reckon I can do better than that. Ha, turns out he couldn’t.”
Adventure Seekers
“Top brands, unbeatable prices — for the ones who go further.”
Jack’s First Car
“Dad says safety first, but mum says stay on budget. Luckily, Hyperdrive has tyres that do both.”
Emma’s EV
“Sounds like you can’t do better than that. Actually Emma, we already have.”
Hyper Drive in the New Zealand Herald
NZ Herald
A Simplified Way to Buy Tyres — The Tyre Disruptor
One of the most pressing barriers to the growth of Simon Furness’ Penrose-based business is that most people don’t believe it’s possible to buy what he’s selling online. In fact, you can, and people do. Furness’ company, Hyper Drive, sells about $20 million of car accessories each year — most are tyres and most are sold over the internet.
“Until we came along, you could never easily get a price for a tyre. It’s very secretive and even today when you look at some of the websites of the large players you’ll notice they don’t put a price on there. I wanted to turn that upside down in terms of making it transparent.” — Simon Furness
READ FULL ARTICLEMore Stories About Hyper Drive
A selection of media coverage tracking Hyper Drive's growth from a Penrose tyre store to New Zealand's largest online automotive retailer.
NZ Entrepreneur
Hyper Drive Zooms Ahead with Growth in Mobile Shopping
Online retailer Hyper Group reports a surge in new business as consumers shop for tyres online. Four out of five new customers had never bought tyres online before — and almost half visit via mobile devices.
READ MORE
Scoop Media
Hyper Drive Booming Ahead in Mobile Business
Hyper Group records a steep increase in sales from new customers as online tyre retailing gains rapid acceptance — transforming a traditionally offline industry into a seamless digital experience.
READ MORE
Scoop Media
Online Tyre Sales Go from Impossible to Possible
Simon Furness has taken a product traditionally not suited to the internet and turned it into one — with online tyre sales surging over 300% year on year as consumers embrace the convenience of buying tyres from their keyboard.
READ MORE
Auckland Today
A Simplified Way to Buy Tyres
Auckland Today magazine profiles Hyper Drive's unique AirBnB-style model — a network of 250 installers nationwide, live stock visibility across 100,000+ tyres, and a buying process that takes minutes instead of hours.
READ MORE
Scoop Media
Hyper Drive Zooms Ahead with Growth in Mobile Shopping
“Customers are now buying tyres while watching their favourite show on Netflix. There is no reason to spend an hour ringing around getting prices.” — Simon Furness, Managing Director, Hyper Drive.
READ MORE
BNZ Connect
BNZ Connect SME Podcast — Managing Rapid Growth
Episode 8 of the BNZ Connect SME Podcast features Hyper Drive's story of managing rapid growth during COVID-19 — navigating surging demand, supply chain challenges, and the lessons learned for long-term sustainable growth.
LISTEN NOWAs Featured In
Lone Wolf: Shane van Gisbergen
Greg Bruce meets Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen — the first New Zealander since “Gentleman” Jim Richards in 1991 to win Australasia’s most prestigious motorsport competition. A rare portrait of the man behind the wheel: his upbringing on a Manukau gravel road, his father Cheese’s influence, and the risk analysis that won him the 2016 championship from 22nd place on the last lap.
“I think that is just how we drive here in New Zealand. We just go for it. That is how I grew up racing. There is no point sitting behind someone. If you are faster than them, well, you have to get past them.”
— Shane van Gisbergen, 2016 Supercars ChampionVan Gisbergen’s story resonates with Hyper Drive’s own philosophy — a relentless drive to move faster, be more transparent, and challenge the established order in a traditional industry.
READ FULL STORYOnline Shopping: Are NZ Retailers Adapting?
Andrew Laxon’s in-depth Herald feature on the rise of online retail in New Zealand profiles Hyper Drive as a standout example of a traditional industry successfully embracing e-commerce — while competitors clung to bricks and mortar.
Simon Furness and his team converted a large chunk of their Penrose store into a warehouse and dispatch centre, while maintaining a showroom for customers to inspect tyres and wheels in person. Half their business was already online — and virtually all customers had decided what they wanted from the website before visiting the store.
“The consumer expectation in NZ is way ahead of what the retailers actually offer. The consumer expects to be able to go on their website, see every single item they’ve got in stock, photographed professionally, with a description, then hop in their car and drive down to that store and pick it up.”
— Simon Furness, Founder & Managing Director, Hyper Drive
Watch Hyper Drive in Action
From TV interviews to behind-the-scenes footage — see the team, the store, and the story that’s been making waves in New Zealand’s automotive industry.
Leigh Hart: Mobile Tyre Fitting Service
Leigh Hart — Hyper Drive’s Tyre Pressure Manager — is out on the road with the mobile fitting team, covering all of Auckland six days a week. 49K views.
Hyper Drive: Tyre Buying Made Easy
See how Hyper Drive is changing the way New Zealanders buy tyres — online, delivered, and fitted at your door. The original brand video that started it all. 46K views.
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