Porsche Celebrates 70 Years of Success in Australia
The first two Porsches to ever be sold in Australia are joined by the Taycan on a very special road trip.
Epic Journey
The year 2021 marks 70 years for Porsche in Australia, so the automaker decided to do something extra special to celebrate the occasion. And what better way to do that than by assembling the first two Porsches - both 356 models - to ever hit Australian shores with the latest - the all-electric Taycan? Thus, the automaker assembled these special machines for a very special road trip that it documented via some pretty epic photos.
Photos: Porsche
Kick Things Off
The trip down memory lane kicks off in Port Melbourne, where the 356 models first drove onto Australian soil after being imported by Norman Hamilton seven decades ago. The next stop was the South Melbourne Town Hall, the historical site of the cocktail event that officially introduced Porsche to the country on November 1, 1951.
Photos: Porsche
Gathering of the Minds
To complete the journey, the vintage rides arrived at Albert Park, the home of Australia's iconic Grand Prix. There, journalist Andrea Matthews joined Alan Hamilton, son of Norman Hamilton, and Greg O'Keefe, a long-time Porsche enthusiast and owner of the country's first 365 Cabriolet, to discuss Porsche's rich past and electrifying future.
Photos: Porsche
Ongoing Passion
Hamilton explained how his father first came across Porsche while on a trip to Switzerland in 1951 and spoke of his family's passion for the brand - something that continues to this day.
Photos: Porsche
Staying Power
"Porsche [has] stayed at the top of the game because of its dedication to quality, innovation, and the fact that it engenders exciting driving," he says. O’Keefe, who has spent a lifetime collecting Porsche vehicles, explains that his love and passion for the marque comes from the "simplicity, the beautiful shape, [and] the history."
Photos: Porsche
The Future
After a drive in the Taycan, both agreed it is the future of the Porsche sportscar. "It's like a Porsche but better," says O’Keefe, after admitting he feared the sports saloon "wouldn’t feel like a Porsche." The Taycan began arriving at Porsche Centers around Australia at the end of February.
Photos: Porsche
Perfect Mix
Clearly, Porsche has real staying power with the folks in Australia, just as it does in every other part of the globe. And with an exciting mix of new products, that appeal looks destined to last for another seven decades as well.
Photos: Porsche
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