Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG and Porsche Cars Australia are mourning the loss of Alan Hamilton, the former Australian importer and distributor of Porsche Cars in Australia, who has passed away at the age of 82.
Alan Hamilton was only nine years of age when his father, Norman, introduced Porsche to his life – and Australia.
In 1951, his father’s chance encounter with noted German racing driver and Porsche tester, Richard von Frankenberg, during a drive from Austria to Switzerland to investigate the latest in pump technology for Australia’s nation-building Snowy Hydro project led to his father being introduced to Ferry Porsche. The meeting saw Australia become only the second Porsche agent outside Europe, following Max Hoffman in the USA.
Alan began his working career with Porsche in Australia when he entered the Hamilton family business in 1962. He began by establishing the marque’s service division in Melbourne and later moved to retail sales.
He started his successful racing career in a 1954 VW Beetle and went on the achieve successes in various Porsche sports cars, including a 904/8 Bergspyder, 906 and various 911s, including a special 911 T/R in which he almost secured the 1969 Australian Touring Car Championship.
Alan led the growth and expansion of Porsche in Australia for many years, during which time he created his landmark Melbourne dealership in Church Street, Richmond.
Norman and Alan Hamilton laid the foundations for Porsche in Australia for 41 years, paving the road for the Porche sports car brand, a marque that has become one of the longest continuously represented makes in the Australian motor industry.
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG and Porsche Cars Australia extend their condolences to Alan’s family and friends.
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