THE BEGINNING

The Sutton Group purchased SVM and kept on all their staff with Bob Atkin staying on as CEO. History shows the industry went through tough times in the eighties, culminating with a severe recession for Australia in 1987, which lasted until the early nineties.

Amazingly, in a time of recession, Suttons purchased a site in Willoughby where they built the current showroom and opened as a Porsche Ferrari centre under the now famous name of Scuderia Veloce Motors in November 1991. An enormous glass show-case to highlight the beauty of all the German and Italian thoroughbred vehicles sitting on the highly polished white floor. Only 4 minutes from the Harbour Bridge on a main arterial road, it would be a full 10 years until that all familiar glass showcase would alter. In those days one could gaze at a Ferrari F40, a 512 BB, or a 328GTB through our windows. We showcased our Porsche 944’s, 928’s and of course the 911. Remember, a new 911 was $200,000 on the road whilst an apartment or small house was a similar amount! Naturally, the number of cars we were delivering then was only a handful a month. Consequently, the carpark we designed, with 4 spaces in 1991 was ample for the odd Ferrari 328 or Porsche 911 as all cars were much smaller then. These days, we are so busy, I find myself out at the front directing traffic and attempting to help our clients drop off their cars.

Having migrated to Australia in 1984 I was lucky enough to hear that SVM were looking for leadership for Willoughby. Laurie Sutton interviewed me and Bob Atkin confirmed my appointment as GM for Scuderia Veloce in May 1992. Here I sit, some 30 years later, with the same appreciation of Porsche as I had in the early years.