Australia has held a special place in Porsche’s history since Melbourne entrepreneur Norman Hamilton imported two early 356 models in 1951, making Australia Porsche’s very first right hand drive market and one of its first export territories.
Since those early days, when prevailing import quotas allowed fewer than two Porsches to be sold a year prior to 1954, Australia’s passion for Porsches has grown, with thousands of Porsche vehicles finding new Australian homes each year.
Porsche Cars Australia is a wholly owned subsidiary of Porsche AG and is represented by 14 Official Porsche Centres throughout Australia.
Motorsport has also been a strong focus for Porsche in Australia from the earliest days of the marquee ‘Down Under’.
Within months of its arrival, the first Porsche 356s were participating in hillclimb and speed events, while in 1953, the first Coupe was classified as a finisher in the historic first 10,600km REDeX Reliability Trial held in remote regions of Outback Australia.
Other 356 models took part in circuit racing and further ‘Around Australia’ Trials in the 1950s, but it was the arrival of the new Porsche 911 in Australia in 1965 that really accelerated the hearts of Porsche enthusiasts.
Alan Hamilton, the son of then Porsche importer Norman Hamilton, surprised everyone when he finished third in the 1968 Australian Touring Car Championship and then came within a point of winning the 1969 title in his 2.0-litre 911 S/T coupe. Porsches continued to challenge the traditional American V8s at the leading edge of Australian Touring Car racing until a change of regulations effectively outlawed them at the end of 1972.
Undeterred, Porsche enthusiasts then turned to Sports and GT Racing, with Porsche 911 coupes winning six successive Australian Sports Car Championships from 1976-1981 and seven Australian GT Championships from 1982 to 2013.
Porsche has also dominated Tarmac Rallying in Australia, with Jim Richards winning eight Targa Tasmania rallies in Porsches from 1996 to 2006 – a record unmatched by any other driver or vehicle make.
Porsche’s racing heritage continues today in the Carrera Cup Australia series. Inaugurated in 2003, the National series for identical factory-built GT3 Cup cars traditionally supports the V8 Supercar Championship and this is held over eight rounds, including marquee events such as the Formula 1® Australian Grand Prix, Bathurst 1000 and at the popular street racing events in Adelaide, Townsville, the Gold Coast and Sydney.
Porsche owners and enthusiasts in Australia also enjoy bespoke events and experiences such as the Porsche Pavilion at the Formula 1® Australian Grand Prix and Porsche Track Experience. Conducted in Queensland, Porsche Track Experience allows enthusiasts to experience the thrill of a Porsche in its natural habitat – the track. Driving potential is unlocked with the expert guidance of certified Porsche instructions through five dynamic levels of increasingly race-focused challenges.