Lawson’s car fetches $35k

Liam Lawson has helped generate enough cash to fund hundreds of counselling sessions for teenagers after the auction of the first car he officially owned in New Zealand.

The Formula 1 star put a customised Subaru Forester under the hammer this month to raise money for the I Am Hope Foundation, a chairy dedicated to supporting youth mental health.

The auction on Trade Me closed this month and attracted more than 100,000 views before closing at $35,300.

Murray Wells, from Waikato, placed the winning bid and says he has previously owned more than a dozen different Subaru models over the years.

“This will just be a pet car,” says Wells. “I’ve got more money than sense and I saw this and thought, stuff it, I’ll buy it!” 

Lawson was delighted at how much his customised car project raised and was grateful to all the bidders who pushed the final price higher than he expected. 

“I’m happy it’s gone to a genuine Subaru fan and I appreciate his support is going to help so many young people,” adds Lawson.

The racing driver and friend Matt Stevens spent over a year transforming the 2000 Subaru Forester into the charity auction vehicle.

I Am Hope founder Mike King says the money raised will go towards about 230-plus counselling sessions, which means “roughly a hundred young Kiwis getting proper support”.