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A Kiwi entrepreneur is putting pedal – and cash – to the metal in an attempt to smash the country's land speed record.

For 15 years the record has been held by Owen Evans, who nearly died trying to improve on the 348kmh mark he set in his Porsche 911 turbo.

By early next year, businessman Eddie Freeman thinks he'll have the machine to claim the trophy – a 530bhp Lamborghini Superleggera that can reach 315km/h in stock condition.

The car is undergoing an extreme makeover in a US garage.

Freeman said the exact details were secret but the mean machine's engine should be able to produce around 1300 rear-wheel horsepower once it was rebuilt.

"This record has remained untouched for 15 years and it's something I've always wanted to have a crack at," he said.

While he's at it, Freeman is also going to have a punt at national one-kilometre and half-mile sprint records.

Preparation for the record-breaking attempt is an "in-depth" process that will see him and his team working closely with Motorsport NZ to get official sign-off.

They also need to finalise the most suitable staging ground for the attempt.

"While I hope to walk away with the trophy and the experience of a lifetime, we also aim to raise money for charity," Freeman said. The attempt also ties in with the "get the most out of life" ethos of his Australasian company FreemanX.

Evans' Porsche 911 GT Le Mans Turbo flipped 30 times and crashed through two paddocks when it blew a tyre at 320kmh when he attempted to improve his national land speed record of 348kmh on a Bay of Plenty forestry road in 1996. He is believed to be the only person to survive a crash at such speed.

By IMOGEN NEALE

Congratualations to Ben Single from New Plymouth !
To see his winning entry and some of the great shots, click the View Photos tab to the right
Win Dad the Ultimate Father's Day gift, thanks to FreemanX Supercars and Canon.
A chance to drive some of the world's fastest and most exciting supercars will always beat the same tired pair of socks many Dads get for Father's Day. Breakfast in conjunction with FreemanX wants to make sure one car-loving Kiwi Dad gets only the very best present this Father's Day with a driving experience like no other.
And while it will be a fantastic day out for Dad, the rest of the family won't miss out on any of the action as they sit just 25 metres from the track in a luxury apartment capturing Dad's screeching tyres and high octane engine noise on the Canon LEGRIA digital video camera.
So here's what's in the prize package valued at over $3500:

The ultimate supercar driving experience:
Pure driving heaven! Take to the track at Hampton Downs Raceway behind the wheel of six of the world's greatest supercars.
They are the Mini Challenge, Lotus Exige, Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari 360 Modena, Lamborghini Superleggera & Lamborghini Murcielago.
This breathtaking line-up will be waiting for you on arrival. Drive them all with a total value of $1844.
A night's accommodation in the trackside apartment
The family will stay in a luxury, purpose built apartment positioned only 25 metres from the front straight at Hampton Downs.
Enjoy the panoramic views of the track and Dad in race action from your own personal balcony and living area. Valued at $250.
A Canon LEGRIA HFM 31 Digital Video Camera with built in Flash Drive
New technology from Canon, a digital video camera with an internal hard drive to record full HD video in an ultra-sleek, compact and lightweight body.
The kids can film all the action of Dad's race day from trackside. Valued at $1599.95

How to win Dad the gift of a lifetime
Simply send us your best photograph of your Dad in race action, whatever that may be. It could be Dad in his "fast" car, Dad in the home-made go cart, Dad on his lawn mower, Dad in a golf cart, Dad at the V8s or even Dad playing a few rounds of Gran Turismo.
Email your entry to breakfastcompetition@tvnz.co.nz (see competition notice and terms and conditions below)
The best photograph as judged by Pippa, Paul and Breakfast team will win one lucky Dad the Ultimate Father's Day gift.
The winner will be announced on the Breakfast show on Friday September 3.

The competition closeD at 8.00am on Friday, September 3.

COMPETITION NOTICE:
Each entry should include only one photo.
FreemanX will communicate with the winner to arrange the winning Dad's day at the track: Subject to availability and weather conditions.
Accommodation is a 2 bedroom Unit with a double bed in each. Beds can be separated to singles if preferred, supplied and arranged by FreemanX.
The Canon LEGRIA Camera will be awaiting the family in the room.
Click here for the competition terms and conditions .
Say NO to underwear and ties this Father's Day thanks to FreemanX Supercars and Canon
To make your Dad smile this Father's Day put him behind the wheel of a supercar at Hampton Downs race track. Book online at freemanXsupercars.co.nz
Each car is available individually starting from $199 for the Lotus Exige to $399 for the keys to the Lamborghini Murcielago (Fathers Day Special save $200, normally $599)

A chance to drive some of the world’s most exotic supercars will always beat a pair of socks for Father’s day (5 Sept), and FreemanX is offering just that – a driving experience like no other.

FreemanX, an online experience company, allows drivers to get behind the wheel of five different supercars including the V12 Lamborghini Murcielago — a first in the Southern Hemisphere.
Eddie Freeman of FreemanX says the 'Supercar Driving Experience’ gives everyone the chance to drive cars most of us can only dream of and makes for a good gift.
“You would be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn’t want to drive one of these cars. It’s a mind-blowing adrenaline rush,” says Eddie. “Our mission is to offer these experiences at an affordable price so it’s within reach of the vast majority of New Zealanders.”
A comparable experience in Australia would be driving the Lamborghini Gallardo which costs over NZD$1000, while FreemanX offers the Gallardo drive experience at NZD$299. Completing the line up is the Ferrari 360, a Lotus Exige and the most powerful production Bentley ever, the Continental GT Speed.
“What we are offering is more than a spin around the track in the passenger’s seat,” says Eddie. “This is a driving experience — the chance to actually sit behind the wheel, smell the leather and feel close to 600 horsepower at your feet.”
The FreemanX — 'Supercar Driving Experience’ can be purchased online as an open dated voucher so the recipient can book an appropriate date and time.
Visit www.freemanXsupercars.co.nz to find out more.

An opportunity to drive some of the world’s top exotic supercars should always beat a pair of socks for Father’s day, and FreemanX is offering just that – a unique driving experience.

FreemanX, an online experience company, allows drivers to get behind the wheel of five different supercars including the V12 Lamborghini Murcielago — a first in the Southern Hemisphere.
Eddie Freeman of FreemanX says the ‘Supercar Driving Experience’ gives everyone the chance to drive cars most of us can only dream of and makes for a good gift.
“You would be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn’t want to drive one of these cars. It’s a mind-blowing adrenaline rush,” says Eddie. “Our mission is to offer these experiences at an affordable price so it’s within reach of the vast majority of New Zealanders.”
A comparable experience in Australia would be driving the Lamborghini Gallardo which costs over NZD$1000, while FreemanX offers the Gallardo drive experience at NZD$299. Completing the line up is the Ferrari 360, a Lotus Exige and the most powerful production Bentley ever, the Continental GT Speed.
“What we are offering is more than a spin around the track in the passenger’s seat,” says Eddie. “This is a driving experience — the chance to actually sit behind the wheel, smell the leather and feel close to 600 horsepower at your feet.”
The FreemanX — ‘Supercar Driving Experience’ can be purchased online as an open dated voucher so the recipient can book an appropriate date and time.
Visit www.freemanXsupercars.co.nz to find out more.

Here's a question I never thought I'd have to answer: "Would you like to drive the Ferrari or the Lamborghini today?"

I guess punters who fork out for a supercar worth as much as their house would have given this some thought. But I was a little overwhelmed by the choice at the Freeman X driving experience - Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lotus, racing Mini - any one of them is a far cry from my Honda Civic.
So Eddie Freeman, the man behind the Hampton Downs driving experience, set me up with the Ferrari 360 Modena. It was a good choice: a 3.6 litre V8 engine producing 400 horsepower and a top speed of close to 300km/h. Plus, it's red.
First though, my morning started with a "siting lap" in a Mitsubishi Evolution X to look around the track.
I'd never been on any racetrack before, let alone in a Ferrari, so this was my chance to see how it was laid out, get some tips, and get a look at the signs and marker cones showing where to brake, where to corner and what line to take through the turns.
And then it was my turn.
To be honest, I wasn't that confident about driving the Ferrari. I like cars, but I'm no girl-racer. I thought I'd probably inch it around the track at about 10km/h, and be thrilled to just not crash it.
But that was where Sean came in.
Every driver is paired with an instructor who sits in the passenger seat and coaches you through the laps.
My instructor, Sean Carey, had just the right mix of infectious enthusiasm for the car and calm reassurance I wouldn't send it spinning into a wall.
And while Sean may have seemed a man's man, he came over all poetic when talking about the Ferrari. It needs to be treated, he says, "like a diva".
"It's a Ferrari, and at the end of the day, there's nothing more passionate than a Ferrari."
Sean got me settled in the driver's seat, advised me to choose automatic over the paddle shift, and had me ease out of the pit lane on to the track.
And then - well, everything after that was fantastic.

I loved the sound the best, that full, open-throated roar swelling up and rolling in the open windows.
For the first lap I was a bit scared to put my foot down, but with Sean's encouragement, by the second and third I was starting to use some throttle.
Freeman X is pitched as a driving experience, rather than a racing experience, so the team try not to raise any expectations about how fast you'll go.
But most people end up driving faster than they expect, Freeman says.
That top speed? I didn't get anywhere near it. But I did hit speeds that on a public road would see my licence fairly swiftly taken off me.
I never felt out of control either - in 1500 laps they have never had an incident at Hampton Downs, and "most people actually under-drive the cars, because it's their first time on the track and their first time in the car", Freeman says.
My only complaint is the track layout means on a three-lap package, which starts and ends at the pits, you only go down the main straight twice. And I was just getting warmed up on my second one.
FreemanX could be a heaven for hoons and petrol heads only. But it's not. Most punters are, predictably, men, but they get all sorts turning up, including women, who drive particularly well, Freeman says: "Because they're actually quite responsive to instruction."
There's entertainment for partners and kids who come along to watch, from seeing the cars put through their paces (and when the professionals drive, they really move) to just having their picture taken with a supercar.

The final part of the experience is a "hot lap" with one of the drivers to find out what the cars can really do, and for that, I was treated to a lap in the Lamborghini Murcielago.
I don't think it matters if you like cars or not, being in this car when it really opens up is just ridiculously fun.
And it's not just the speed - although that's pretty great - the best thing is the sound, the way the car lets out that growling, 600-horsepower roar.
You can't not be happy about making a sound like that, you can't not enjoy the sheer silliness of that much power, and the thrill of putting your foot down and letting it out.
It's fun whether you're driving or not, and the nice thing about the hot lap is being able to sit back and enjoy it without worrying you'll to lose it on the chicane.
And the worst thing? I can never look at my Civic the same way again.

FACT FILE
What: FreemanX Supercars
Where: Hampton Downs Raceway, one hour's drive south of Auckland
Cars: Lamborghini Superleggera and Murcielago, Ferrari Modena, Lotus Exige, Mitsubishi Evolution X, Mini Challenge Race Car
Cost: $199 to $949
Contact: (09) 478 6602 or visit www.freemanxsupercars.co.nz

By Heather McCracken

If you don’t mind a drive to Auckland you could get your hands on the steering wheel of some of the world’s top exotic supercars.
The opportunity to have a driving experience like no other has been launched in New Zealand, giving car enthusiasts access to drive some of the world’s top supercars at Hampton Downs race track.
FreemanX, an online experience company has announced a new concept which will allow drivers to get behind the wheel of five different supercars including the V12 Lamborghini Murcielago.
Eddie Freeman of FreemanX says the supercar driving experience gives everyone the chance to drive cars most of us can only dream of.

"You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t want to drive one of these cars. It’s a mind-blowing adrenaline rush," says Eddie.
"Our mission is to offer these experiences at an affordable price so it’s within reach of the vast majority of New Zealanders."
"What we are offering is more than a spin around the track in the passenger’s seat," says Eddie.
"This is a driving experience – the chance to sit behind the wheel, smell the leather and feel close to 600 horsepower at your feet. Few people can say they have felt the sheer excitement of driving one of the world’s best supercars and we are in the business of turning these dreams into reality."
The supercar driving experience will involve three laps of the new Hampton Downs race track with a skilled in-car driving coach who will guide the driver through technique, control and cornering lines.
The package finishes with a hot lap in a Mini challenge race car to top off the experience and peak the adrenaline levels.

The FreemanX supercar driving experience can be purchased online as an open dated voucher so the recipient can book an appropriate date and time.
The prices range from the introductory special offer of $199 to drive the Lotus, to $499 for keys to the Lamborghini Murcielago.

Visit www.freemanXsupercars.co.nz.

Car enthusiasts have the chance to get behind the wheel of the world's top exotic supercars at Hampton Downs race track, thanks to an online experience company
FreemanX has just announced the new concept which will allow drivers to get behind the wheel of five different supercars, including the V12 Lamborghini Murcielago – a first in the Southern Hemisphere.
Eddie Freeman of FreemanX says the ‘Supercar Driving Experience’ gives everyone the chance to drive cars most of us can only dream of and makes a perfect gift.
“You would be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn’t want to drive one of these cars. It’s a mind-blowing adrenaline rush,” says Freeman. “Our mission is to offer these experiences at an affordable price so it’s within reach of the vast majority of New Zealanders.”
A comparable experience in Australia to drive the Lamborghini Gallardo costs over NZD$1000, the Gallardo is one option in the FreemanX supercar experience and will be offered at NZD$299 until 2010. Completing the line up is the Ferrari 360, a Lotus Exige and the Bentley Continental GT Speed.

“What we are offering is more than a spin around the track in the passenger’s seat,” says Freeman. “This is a driving experience – the chance to actually sit behind the wheel, smell the leather and feel close to 600 horsepower at your feet. Few people can say they have felt the sheer excitement of driving one of the world’s best supercars and we are in the business of turning these dreams into reality.”
The supercar driving experience will involve three laps of the new Hampton Downs race track with a skilled in-car driving coach who will guide the driver through technique, control and cornering lines. The package is finished with a hot lap in a Mini challenge race car to top off the experience and peak the adrenaline levels.

For more info visit www.freemanXsupercars.co.nz

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 7:08p.m.
By Emma Keeling

Anybody over the age of 30 remembers the television show Magnum P.I. Tom Selleck played Magnum and drove around Hawai’i in a Ferrari.
A Ferrari: a car we could only dream of driving. Well, not anymore.
The company FreemanX is offering the ultimate driving experience - the chance to drive a supercar around the Hampton Downs racetrack.
There are five to choose from, some can go from zero to 100km/h in four seconds.
Are you sick of driving your old car?
“New Zealand needed something a little more special, something that was just above everything else,” says Eddie Freeman, the brains and the wallet behind FreemanX.

How about $1.7 million of supercars?
“We're trying to make it affordable for the average Kiwi to come along and get behind the wheel of a car that most of us only dream of.”
For a few hundred bucks you could drive three laps around Hampton Downs racetrack in a Ferrari 360, Lamborghini Gallardo, Lotus Exige, a Lamborghini Murcielago or a Bentley GT Speed.
“We've been working hard in FreemanX for seven years and with this new experience we've gone out on a limb and made a massive financial commitment, but we feel the people in New Zealand will get behind us. They'll think it's a great experience and want to come along,” says Mr Freeman.
“People love just seeing them. When people get around these cars they're excited.
“If we were to do a racing experience, it would be far more limited whereas we want to make it open to vast majority of New Zealanders. So the way we're working it is we've got in car coaches, so they help people and how best to drive on the track to get the most out of the experience.”

Mr Freeman says in any great team there is a headliner, and the Murcielago is the crown of the fleet.
This experience is not for a hoon, there are a few restrictions - Mr Freeman is not that stupid.
It cannot be easy handing your baby to a complete stranger who is used to driving an automatic.
“I think sometimes the water in your eyes does well up a little, you go a bit pale. But, at end of the day, people are pretty good and it's all part of the experience.”
FreemanX has a Christmas special running, so ring Santa now while you have the chance.