By: STEVE SPINKS on November 3, 2008
Original Article: GOLD COAST BULLETIN, THE

A touch of Hollywood will help ‘transform’ Parklands Showgrounds at the weekend for the 14th Street Torque spectacular.

A replica police patrol car from the 2007 box office smash movie Transformers will be on show as the official Nikon Indy 300 off-track event kickstarts a month of motoring.

The car is owned by Victorian Craig Dean, the Australian importer of Ford Mustangs.

He transformed a Mustang Saleen S281 Extreme into a replica of the bad Decepticon robot Barricade from the hit movie.

After racing the Saleen at the Targa Tasmania, Mr Dean lent the car to Street Torque event director Ian Badock.

“It’s a fuel-injected V8 with 411kw of power,” said Mr Badock. “It will be on display at Street Torque and will be at Indy as well.”

The replica will be one of hundreds of cars on show at the event, expected to draw 8000 people.

The event includes motocross, kart and Harley chopper displays and the toughest burnout cars ever to enter Street Torque.

The Stadium Drift Pro Show is expected to be the highlight event.

“The drift series gets the most unbelievable response and is very popular, especially with 15 to 18-year-olds,” said Mr Badock.

Another highlight will be a run by the Northern Territory’s Mad Ron in his jet truck.