Dorothy Becomes the Spice Bus: Vintage Views Hosts More FM Drive for the High School Hit Countdown
Auckland, it is time to spice up your life.
For two huge afternoons, Vintage Views’ much-loved 1964 London double-decker bus, Dorothy, is becoming the Spice Bus as part of one of the most fun, nostalgic and high-energy radio campaigns Auckland has seen in years.
On Wednesday 27 May and Thursday 28 May 2026, Dorothy will host the More FM Drive Home Show from 2pm to 7pm as part of the More FM High School Hit Countdown — and this year, the mission could not be clearer.
Get the Spice Girls to number one.
More specifically: get “Wannabe” to the top of the countdown for its 30-year anniversary.
The official rova campaign page for Sarah & Adams Spice Bus calls on listeners to help make the Spice Girls number one in the High School Hit Countdown, and confirms that Sarah & Adam will be broadcasting live from the Spice Bus on Wednesday 27 May as they give it everything they’ve got after narrowly missing the top spot in 2025.
And honestly, could there be a better bus for the job?
Dorothy is already one of Auckland’s most recognisable tourism vehicles: a beautifully restored red London Routemaster double-decker, loved by locals, visitors, cruise passengers, photographers, families and anyone who enjoys a bit of proper British character on the streets of Tāmaki Makaurau. Vintage Views’ own site describes the Double Decker Discovery as an Auckland sightseeing experience aboard Dorothy, a restored 1960s London double-decker bus, travelling through highlights such as Mission Bay, Parnell, K Road, Ponsonby and the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
Now, for one unforgettable week in May, Dorothy is taking on a new identity.
She is not just Dorothy.
She is the Spice Bus.
And she has one job:
Help Sarah & Adam, More FM listeners, Spice Girls fans, Auckland locals and 90s kids everywhere push “Wannabe” to number one.
The Mission: Spice Girls for Number One
Every year, More FM’s High School Hit Countdown brings New Zealanders together around the songs that defined their teenage years.
These are the songs from school socials, bus rides, first cars, first jobs, burned CDs, iPods, bedroom stereos, house parties, school balls, sports trips and Friday afternoons when the whole weekend was still ahead of you.
For 2026, More FM has confirmed the countdown is back, asking listeners to help line up the best High School Hits from the 80s, 90s and 2000s.
That makes this year especially important.
Because in 2026, “Wannabe” turns 30.
The Spice Girls’ debut single “Wannabe” first entered the Official Charts in July 1996 and went on to reach number one, becoming one of the defining pop songs of the decade. Official Charts describes “Wannabe” as the Spice Girls’ first single and the song that established the group as a global phenomenon.
Thirty years later, the song is still instantly recognisable.
That opening laugh.
That piano hit.
That rush of energy.
That line everyone still knows.
That chorus that turns normal adults into 14-year-olds within three seconds.
“Wannabe” is not just a song. It is a cultural time machine.
It is platform shoes.
It is butterfly clips.
It is Union Jack dresses.
It is school discos.
It is sleepovers.
It is cassette singles, CD towers and taping songs off the radio.
It is five friends with five huge personalities changing pop music forever.
And now, three decades later, Auckland has a Spice Bus.
Why Dorothy Is the Perfect Spice Bus
There are plenty of vehicles that could carry a radio team.
But only Dorothy could become the Spice Bus properly.
She is bright red.
She is British.
She is full of personality.
She turns heads everywhere she goes.
She makes people wave, smile, point, film, photograph and remember the moment.
Dorothy is not a plain vehicle with a sticker slapped on the side. She is a rolling piece of British transport heritage with a natural connection to the whole Spice Girls era: London, colour, pop culture, nostalgia, energy and that slightly cheeky sense of fun that defined the 1990s.
That is why this campaign works so well.
The Spice Girls were never quiet.
They were bold, colourful, loud, confident and instantly recognisable. Dorothy is the transport version of that same energy. She does not blend into traffic. She announces herself.
When Dorothy moves through Auckland, people notice.
When Dorothy becomes the Spice Bus, people really notice.
And when More FM Drive broadcasts live from onboard, it becomes more than a bus promotion. It becomes a city moment.
A Huge Moment for Vintage Views
For Vintage Views, this is a major milestone.
Dorothy has already become known through the Double Decker Discovery, Vintage Views’ signature Auckland sightseeing tour. The tour is a 90-minute Auckland city experience aboard an authentic 1960s London Routemaster, travelling through waterfront streets, vibrant neighbourhoods and across the Auckland Harbour Bridge for skyline views.
She is also increasingly recognised as one of Auckland’s most photogenic event vehicles — ideal for tourism, cruise visitors, private hire, brand activations, corporate events, school balls, weddings, pub crawls and themed experiences.
But hosting More FM Drive as the Spice Bus takes Dorothy into a new space.
This is not simply tourism.
This is radio.
This is pop culture.
This is Auckland nostalgia.
This is live entertainment.
This is brand activation.
This is a campaign people can actually get excited about.
Vintage Views has always been built around a simple idea: sightseeing and transport do not have to be boring.
A bus can be part of the story.
A vehicle can become the attraction.
A city tour can feel like an event.
And in this case, Dorothy is not just moving through Auckland.
She is helping lead a national countdown campaign.
Sarah & Adam, More FM Drive and the Spice Bus Takeover
The official Sarah & Adams Spice Bus campaign page on rova says Sarah & Adam were unsuccessful in making the Spice Girls number one in 2025, so this year they are giving it everything they’ve got.
That is where Dorothy comes in.
The Spice Bus is the campaign vehicle — literally and emotionally.
From 2pm to 7pm, More FM Drive will bring the energy, the music, the memories and the mission. Dorothy brings the stage, the style and the visual moment.
This is exactly the kind of activation that cuts through.
In a world where so much advertising disappears into feeds, algorithms and background noise, a red London double-decker bus transformed into the Spice Bus is impossible to ignore.
People will see it.
People will photograph it.
People will talk about it.
People will share it.
People will remember it.
And most importantly, people will vote.
Because this is not just about nostalgia for the sake of nostalgia.
It is about giving “Wannabe” the anniversary moment it deserves.
Why “Wannabe” Still Matters 30 Years Later
There are plenty of 90s songs people remember.
But “Wannabe” is different.
It did not just chart. It exploded.
It introduced the Spice Girls to the world and gave pop music one of its most recognisable openings. It helped define the “Girl Power” era, changed the way pop groups were marketed, and gave a generation a song that was silly, empowering, catchy and completely impossible to ignore.
Official Charts records “Wannabe” as peaking at number one and spending multiple weeks at the top of the chart. The wider Spice Girls artist profile also notes that the group’s first single became the track that established them globally.
But chart history only tells part of the story.
The real power of “Wannabe” is emotional.
People remember where they were when they first heard it.
They remember singing it with friends.
They remember learning the dance moves.
They remember choosing which Spice Girl they were.
They remember the posters, the magazines, the music videos and the sheer fun of it all.
That is why the More FM High School Hit Countdown matters.
It is not just a list of songs.
It is a national memory bank.
Every vote is someone saying: this song was part of my life.
And for thousands of New Zealanders who went through school in the 90s and early 2000s, “Wannabe” was not just part of life.
It was everywhere.
Auckland’s Own Spice World Moment
There is something especially perfect about seeing Dorothy become the Spice Bus in Auckland.
Vintage Views already brings a piece of London to New Zealand through its classic Routemaster experience. The Routemaster is one of the most iconic bus designs in the world, and Dorothy has brought that heritage into the heart of Auckland.
The Double Decker Discovery gives locals and visitors a way to see the city from an elevated, nostalgic and character-filled perspective. Importantly, Dorothy is not open top — she is an enclosed classic double-decker, making the experience more comfortable in Auckland’s changing weather while still giving guests the height, views and atmosphere of a true double-decker ride. Vintage Views’ own blog clearly notes that the bus is not open top and that the enclosed format is better suited to Auckland conditions.
That makes Dorothy perfect for a live radio activation.
She has the look.
She has the history.
She has the British pop culture connection.
She has the Auckland presence.
And she has the shelter, structure and character needed to host something properly.
For two afternoons, Auckland gets its own Spice World moment — not on a movie screen, not in London, but right here in the city, with Dorothy at the centre.
Why This Is Bigger Than a Radio Broadcast
At first glance, this might sound like a fun radio stunt.
And yes, it is fun.
But it is also something bigger.
The Spice Bus campaign brings together several powerful things at once:
Music nostalgia — the songs people grew up with and still love.
Radio energy — live broadcasting, personalities, listener engagement and countdown momentum.
Auckland visibility — a highly photogenic vehicle moving through the city.
British heritage — a classic London bus supporting one of Britain’s most famous pop groups.
Tourism storytelling — Vintage Views showing how Auckland experiences can be fun, memorable and shareable.
Community participation — listeners voting, sharing and rallying behind a song.
That combination is rare.
It is the kind of campaign that feels local and national at the same time.
It belongs to Auckland because Dorothy is here.
It belongs to More FM because the countdown is theirs.
It belongs to rova because the vote is live there.
It belongs to Spice Girls fans because the mission is theirs.
And it belongs to everyone who still knows exactly what comes after “Yo, I’ll tell you what I want…”
Vintage Views: More Than a City Tour
For anyone discovering Vintage Views through the Spice Bus, welcome aboard.
Vintage Views is Auckland’s home of classic double-decker experiences, led by Dorothy, a lovingly restored 1960s London Routemaster.
The flagship experience is the Double Decker Discovery, a 90-minute Auckland sightseeing tour that gives guests a compact, memorable and highly photogenic way to see the city. Vintage Views promotes the tour as “Hop On, Hop Off… Without the Off,” offering a simple guided loop through key Auckland highlights without the waiting, confusion or stop-start nature of traditional hop-on hop-off touring.
It is especially popular with:
Cruise passengers looking for an easy Auckland city tour close to the waterfront.
Visitors wanting a fun first-day overview of the city.
Families wanting something memorable and simple.
Locals rediscovering Auckland from a new perspective.
Corporate groups wanting a distinctive event experience.
Schools, clubs and private groups wanting transport with personality.
Anyone who wants a photo on a beautiful red double-decker bus.
The tour typically includes Auckland waterfront views, Mission Bay, Parnell, Karangahape Road, Ponsonby and the Auckland Harbour Bridge, depending on traffic and operating conditions.
But the Spice Bus shows another side of Vintage Views.
Dorothy is not just a sightseeing bus.
She is a mobile event platform.
She can be a tour bus, a party bus, a brand activation, a media moment, a wedding arrival, a corporate shuttle, a pub crawl host, a cruise excursion, a school ball showstopper or, in this case, a national pop music campaign vehicle.
That is the magic of a bus with personality.
How to Support the Spice Bus Campaign
The mission is simple.
Vote for the Spice Girls.
The official Sarah & Adams Spice Bus campaign page on rova includes the call to vote and help make the Spice Girls number one in the High School Hit Countdown.
So here is what to do:
Head to the official rova campaign page.
Vote for the Spice Girls.
Share the campaign with your friends.
Tag the people who still know all the words.
Send it to the old school group chat.
Tell the friend who used to be Sporty Spice.
Tell the friend who insisted they were Posh.
Tell the friend who still says “zig-a-zig-ah” with full commitment.
Then keep an eye out for Dorothy, Auckland’s Spice Bus, as she helps More FM Drive bring the campaign to life.
Because if there was ever a year for “Wannabe” to take number one, it is 2026.
Thirty years.
One iconic song.
One red double-decker bus.
One mission.
Why Auckland Will Love the Spice Bus
Auckland loves things that feel real.
Not overproduced.
Not generic.
Not another flat digital ad.
Something people can actually see, touch, photograph and talk about.
That is why Dorothy works.
She is real.
She is physical.
She is nostalgic.
She is joyful.
She has presence.
When she rolls through Auckland, she changes the street around her.
People look up from phones.
Kids point.
Tourists take photos.
Locals smile.
Drivers wave.
Pedestrians stop.
Someone always says, “Look at that bus.”
Now imagine that same reaction, but with More FM, Sarah & Adam, the High School Hit Countdown and the Spice Girls all wrapped into the story.
That is why this campaign has such huge potential.
It is not just a radio moment.
It is a citywide visual memory.
And for Vintage Views, it proves exactly what Dorothy can do.
She can host a tour.
She can carry a private group.
She can launch a product.
She can promote a brand.
She can become a moving billboard.
She can become part of pop culture.
She can become the Spice Bus.
A Perfect Match: British Bus, British Pop, Auckland Energy
The Spice Girls were never just a band.
They were a look.
A sound.
A mood.
A brand.
A friendship group.
A cultural wave.
Dorothy is more than a bus in the same way.
She is not simply transport from A to B.
She is the thing people remember.
That is why the combination feels so natural. The Spice Girls brought London pop attitude to the world. Dorothy brings London bus heritage to Auckland. More FM brings the soundtrack. Sarah & Adam bring the drive-time energy. rova brings the voting platform. Auckland brings the audience.
Together, it works.
A British bus backing a British pop anthem in the middle of New Zealand’s biggest city.
That is exactly the kind of joyful, slightly ridiculous, completely brilliant moment that “Wannabe” deserves.
Vote Now: Help Make “Wannabe” Number One
So here is the official call:
Vote for the Spice Girls.
Help Sarah & Adam make “Wannabe” number one in the More FM High School Hit Countdown.
Do it for the 90s kids.
Do it for the school disco memories.
Do it for the platform shoes.
Do it for Girl Power.
Do it for the 30-year anniversary.
Do it for Dorothy.
Do it for Auckland’s Spice Bus.
Because some songs fade.
“Wannabe” never did.
And now, 30 years later, Auckland has the perfect bus to help carry it back to number one.
Dorothy is ready.
More FM is ready.
Sarah & Adam are ready.
Vintage Views is ready.
Now it is over to you.
Tell us what you want, what you really, really want.
We want the Spice Girls at number one.
FAQ
What is the Spice Bus in Auckland?
The Spice Bus is Vintage Views’ 1964 London double-decker bus, Dorothy, transformed for More FM’s Sarah & Adams Spice Bus campaign. The campaign is part of the More FM High School Hit Countdown and is focused on helping the Spice Girls reach number one.
When is Dorothy becoming the Spice Bus?
Dorothy is hosting the More FM Drive Home Show from 2pm to 7pm on Wednesday 27 May and Thursday 28 May 2026 as part of the High School Hit Countdown activity.
What is the More FM High School Hit Countdown?
The More FM High School Hit Countdown is an annual countdown celebrating the biggest high school hits from the 80s, 90s and 2000s, voted by listeners. More FM has confirmed the countdown is back for 2026.
Why are the Spice Girls part of the countdown campaign?
Sarah & Adam are campaigning to make the Spice Girls number one in the More FM High School Hit Countdown. The official rova campaign page says they narrowly missed out in 2025 and are giving it everything they’ve got in 2026.
Why is “Wannabe” important in 2026?
“Wannabe” is the Spice Girls’ debut single from 1996, making 2026 its 30-year anniversary year. Official Charts records “Wannabe” as reaching number one and describes it as the group’s breakout global hit.
Is Dorothy the Vintage Views bus open top?
No. Dorothy is not open top. She is an enclosed classic London double-decker, which makes the experience more comfortable in Auckland’s changeable weather while still offering the height and character of a double-decker bus.
What is Vintage Views?
Vintage Views is an Auckland sightseeing and events experience built around Dorothy, a restored 1960s London Routemaster double-decker bus. Its flagship tour is the Double Decker Discovery, a 90-minute Auckland city tour.
Can Dorothy be hired for private events?
Yes. Dorothy is ideal for private hire, brand activations, corporate events, weddings, school balls, cruise groups, tourism experiences and themed Auckland events.