New Zealand’s motoring show crosses the Tasman with broadcast deals on Channel 31 and Channel 44
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
Auckland, New Zealand — September 2026 — The road is getting a whole lot wider for Tarmac Life TV Show, with New Zealand’s home-grown motoring television show officially crossing the Tasman after being picked up for broadcast by Melbourne-based Channel 31 and Adelaide-Based Channel 44 in Australia.
The move marks an exciting new chapter for the Tarmac Life brand, taking its distinctive mix of cars, technology, adventure, travel and automotive culture to an entirely new audience across Australia.
Already established as New Zealand’s only car show on television, Tarmac Life TV has built a reputation for doing things a little differently. Rather than simply parking a new car in front of a camera and reading out its specification sheet, the Top Gear/Grand Tour Style show gets behind the wheel, and then looks for somewhere interesting to go.
From new-car launches and challenging off-road adventures to performance cars, electric vehicles, road trips, motorsport and the people shaping the automotive industry, Tarmac Life TV is about experiencing cars where they belong: out in the real world.
Now, Australian viewers will get to join the ride.
From New Zealand to Australia
The expansion with Channel 31 and Channel 44 represents a significant step for Tarmac Life TV as the show expands its international audience. The Australian broadcast will introduce viewers to the show’s unique New Zealand perspective while showcasing some of the most interesting vehicles, destinations and automotive stories from both sides of the Tasman.
And given the shared love of cars between New Zealand and Australia, it feels like a pretty natural fit.
“Cars don’t really care which side of the Tasman you’re on,” says Tarmac Life TV presenter and founder Dave McLeod. “Australia and New Zealand share an enormous passion for motoring, but we also have very different landscapes, cultures and automotive stories. Being able to take Tarmac Life TV into Australia is hugely exciting for us. We’re looking forward to bringing our style of storytelling to a whole new audience.”
More than just a car show
At the heart of Tarmac Life TV is a simple idea: cars are meant to be experienced. That philosophy has taken the Tarmac Life team well beyond the traditional test-drive format.
The show has tackled everything from off-road courses and racetracks to international automotive events, while also exploring the technology, people and destinations behind the vehicles. Recent adventures have included getting behind the wheel of new-generation SUVs and electric vehicles, taking performance cars onto the racetrack, exploring the latest developments in electrification and heading deep into the world of off-road driving.
The result is a show that aims to entertain first, inform second and hopefully make viewers want to jump in their own car and go somewhere.
A Kiwi perspective with plenty of Australian relevance
While Tarmac Life TV proudly wears its New Zealand credentials, the Australian expansion is expected to create plenty of crossover appeal.
Both countries are experiencing rapid changes in the automotive landscape, from the arrival of Chinese automotive brands and increasingly sophisticated hybrids and plug-in hybrids to the growing popularity of electric vehicles, new-generation utes and adventure-focused SUVs.
For viewers, that means plenty of familiar territory, with a distinctly Tarmac Life twist.
“We’re not interested in making cars complicated,” says McLeod. “There’s a lot happening in the automotive world right now and sometimes the industry can get buried in technology, acronyms and numbers.
“We want to explain what’s happening, show people what these vehicles are actually like to live with and, most importantly, have a bit of fun along the way.”
The next stop: Australia
The Australian broadcast deal comes as Tarmac Life TV continues to build momentum in New Zealand.
The show is currently broadcasting in New Zealand on SKY Channel 83, with new episodes combining vehicle reviews, road trips, adventure, technology, interviews and automotive features.
The addition of Channel 31 and Channel 44 gives Tarmac Life TV an important new platform and opens the door to even more cross-Tasman automotive storytelling.
And if the past few seasons are anything to go by, the journey isn’t about to slow down.
“Getting onto Australian television is a huge moment for us,” says McLeod. “Tarmac Life started with a very simple idea: create a car show that we’d actually want to watch ourselves.”
“To now have people watching it in Australia is pretty bloody cool. But we’re only just getting started.”
Tarmac Life TV — New Zealand’s automotive adventure, now crossing the Tasman.
About Tarmac Life TV
Tarmac Life TV Show is a New Zealand automotive television programme covering new cars, electric vehicles, performance cars, SUVs, utes, off-road adventures, motorsport, automotive technology, travel and the people behind the industry.
The show combines television, digital video and social media content to deliver entertaining and accessible automotive storytelling.
New Zealand: SKY Channel 83
Australia: Channel 31 and Channel 44
Online: Tarmac Life — tarmaclife.co.nz
YouTube: youtube.com/@TarmacLife
