Landmarks abound in Melbourne. Many locals say the city’s swarm of stadiums, Gold Rush-era architecture and vibrant Arts Centre make it Australia’s home of sport, history and culture.
But one long-standing marker matters to local sports car fans: the giant red PORSCHE wordmark that illuminates the busy Victoria Parade.
“This important site has been home to Porsche Cars Australia since 1998,” says Porsche Cars Australia managing director Daniel Schmollinger.
“Because Australia became one of the earliest official Porsche markets outside Europe, its story here is long. It’s also fascinating; many of these chapters have been written here,” Schmollinger says
This chapter book has a new cover thanks to a 6-month reconstruction project.
The Porsche Cars Australia headquarters has been wholly refurbished. New offices are designed in an open-plan layout supported by state-of-the-art facilities and various multi-purpose meeting rooms, each named after famous Australian racing circuits.
Team members now enjoy sit-stand desks with twin computer screens. The new digital working environment also enjoys abundant natural light, many indoor plants, and a living green wall.
Porsche commemorated the opening of its newly transformed Australian HQ with several activities, including an official ribbon-cutting ceremony. Several Porsche AG executives were joining the festivities, including Matthias Becker, Vice President of Region Overseas and Emerging Markets, and Dr Thomas Friemuth, Vice President of the Product Line Panamera.
“Porsche has grown substantially in Australia, especially over the last few decades,” said Matthias Becker. “Local sales grew almost 8% last year, and with a record number of new products scheduled for 2024, this special event shows we are setting up for the future.”
A growing family needs space.
Porsche was officially introduced to Australia in 1951 when Norman Hamilton became the brand’s first local distributor. His son Allan took the reins in 1972, and 20 years later, Porsche Cars Australia officially commenced. The following years saw the product range, official dealer network and community of passionate owners all grow.
Today, the Porsche Cars Australia team has doubled in size over the previous decade.
“Our team’s expansion has not always been driven by sales growth,” said Schmollinger. “It’s also been driven by the notion of ‘better’: better support for our customers and our official Porsche Centres; better support for our team members; and better support for the growing number of Porsche sportscars driving on Australia’s roads.”
Amongst this special fleet are the first two Porsche sports cars Norman Hamilton imported into Australia in October 1951: a fish silver grey 356 cabriolet and a maroon 356 coupe. These two cars made Australia the first right-hand drive market for Porsche.
A performance-driven philosophy
“Our new headquarters reflects long-term commitment and success. It also signals the invisible forces that power Porsche in Australia: our company’s performance-driven culture,” said Schmollinger.
“You will find the performance-driven mindset everywhere at Porsche. It’s in every design studio, prototype workshop, and testing facility. You will also see it in every product planning office, marketing department and communications team. The high performance runs through the culture at Porsche.”
It was a point echoed by special guest Ant Middleton. The UK soldier, adventurer, TV host and best-selling author appeared at the new Porsche Cars Australia headquarters opening, leading a fascinating conversation and Q&A session.
“The Porsche success story glows in the range of sports cars it creates and the motorsport successes it has achieved,” said Middleton, referring to models such as the new 911 S/T and the company’s record-setting 19 wins at the annual 24 Hours of Le Mans.
“The focussed zero-excuses approach the company has taken over the last 75 years has made these successes possible.
“Porsche shows what a remarkable high-performance culture can achieve,” he says.
The power of competition
Expanding on Middleton’s observations, Schmollinger delved into the competitive spirit woven through the brand’s performance-driven mindset. As a former athlete, he knows the topic intimately.
“Competition isn’t necessarily about winning trophies,” said Schmollinger. “Competition is about change, explicitly changing who you are for the better. This is because every race, every battle and every encounter forges you into a more competitive shape.
“Since the 1950s, Porsche has sought out the most demanding motorsport challenges to push its ongoing success. For example, the gruelling Paris-Dakar rally was chosen while developing our all-wheel-drive technology. The annual 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race has spawned and validated many forward-looking road car technologies, such as our hybrid powertrains.
“Seeking the better way, which is not always easy, identifies the best competitors. And this summarises the Porsche Cars Australia approach.”
Why change means opportunity
The change topic was central to the event’s discussions about high performance. The extensive Porsche Cars Australia headquarters updates have created a new environment that inspires team members to produce their best work. These new surroundings are also a symbol of progress.
“This change is very similar to vehicle electrification,” said Schmollinger. “The advent of electrification is simply another opportunity for the world to experience the best of Porsche at work.
“The widespread change to how vehicles are powered has sparked new investments in people, technologies, and products. 2024 will be the biggest year of product launches in the history of Porsche.”
