New showroom for brand

More than 60 guests attended the official opening of the new Ebbett Zeekr showroom in Hamilton and got a peek at three new models coming to New Zealand.

The event celebrated the brand having a dedicated space at 27 Te Kowhai East Road as part of the Ebbett Audi, Cupra & Zeekr dealership.

Zeekr was previously based at Ebbett The Base, at The Base shopping centre on Formation Drive, Hamilton, and relocated to the purpose-built showroom this month.

Andrew Unternährer, dealer principal of Ebbett Audi, Cupra & Zeekr, says: “The move reflects the strength of Zeekr’s reception in the New Zealand market, and Zeekr will now have its own dedicated area.

“We’re proud of how far Zeekr has come in a short time and it’s earned a space of its own. Our team has looked after Audi and Cupra customers for years and we’re looking forward to doing the same for Zeekr.”

Special guests at the opening included Dane Fisher, group general manager of NordEast, which is the importer and distributor for Zeekr in New Zealand, and Zeekr NZ’s brand manager Michael Jones and senior brand specialist Jesse Leet.

Ebbett Automotive’s managing director Walter van den Engel and executive director Richard van den Engel also attended, as did Jackson Caffyn, Ebbett Zeekr brand manager.

Unternährer hosted the evening on October 14. The highlight was the Waikato reveal of the Zeekr 7GT, 8X and 9X, with the left-hand-drive models on display giving guests a chance to see the vehicles before they launch in New Zealand next year.

The 7GT is an all-electric grand tourer, the 8X is a Super Hybrid SUV available in five and six-seat configurations, while the 9X – a luxury Super Hybrid SUV – sits at the top of the range and has three rows of seating.

New Zealand specifications and pricing are still to be confirmed, but the 7GT and 9X are expected to arrive in early 2027, with the 8X to follow later in the year.

Hollywood appeal

The new showroom is also hosting Spotlight, a photography exhibition created by Hollywood director Taika Waititi in collaboration with Zeekr NZ. 

Ebbett Zeekr is the only venue outside Auckland, where it appeared for four days in September, hosting the display.

The exhibition features seven scenes, including an alien visitation, a warehouse rave and a paparazzi swarm. Each one was lit only by the headlights of a Zeekr 7X.

Spotlight runs at the Hamilton site until October 21. Entry is free.