TWO AUTOMOTIVE LEGENDS REUNITE AS GULSON TAKE OVER ALFA ROMEO FOR CANBERRA
With Gulson Canberra taking on the distribution of Alfa Romeo in the ACT, two automotive legends, one local and one global, are reuniting to offer a new level of performance motoring.
Ray Gulson founded the Canberra Speed Shop in 1963 and quickly build a reputation as a tuning an performance specialist, a position that was cemented when he joined forces with Alec Mildren in 1966 to distribute Alfa Romeo cars in the ACT. But Ray did much more than sell and service cars, he took them racing. With 22 starts and 22 finishes in his Bathurstmotorsport account,Ray Gulson showed remarkable consistency and a pole position, 1st in class and seventh overall in 1974, also demonstrated a real talent behind the wheel.
By the time Ray retired in 1997 and transferred the business to Graham, his son, Gulson Canberra had built an enviable reputation for the sale and servicing of a host of performance and technologically advanced brands. Graham has also followed in his father’s motorsport footsteps – his first race was in an Alfa Romeo GTV6 at OranPark and, before he retired from motorsport to concentrate on the family business, he had contested the local rounds of the World Touring Car Championship.
“This really feels like a case of coming home,” says Graham Gulson. “I grew up with Alfa Romeo when my father was running the business and my first car was an Alfa Romeo Alfasud, which I still own.”
“But its also a tremendous responsibility. Alfa Romeo has, with the launch of the Alfa 159, entered a new growth phase and we not only have to look after existing Alfa Romeo customers, we also have to bring many new people to Alfa Romeo. And its not just Alfa Romeo that’s coming home. My father also looked after Fiat cars in the 1980s and we will also be taking on Fiat for the ACT, just months after it has returned to Australia. It’s a business challenge to truly relish!”
Alfa Romeo truly flows through the blood of the Gulson family. As well as the Alfa Romeo Alfasud, a very rare wagon version, that was Graham Gulson’s first car and which is still in his procession, Elizabeth, his wife, counts an Alfa Romeo Alfetta, as her first car.
“It would be a fair bet,” says Mr Gulson, “that when our two children are old enough they will be learning to drive behind the wheel of an Alfa Romeo!”
Graham Gulson has more than a passion for motorsport and performance cars. As President of the ACT Motor Traders Association and a director of the national body, is also one of the industry leaders in the ACT, working to ensure a strong and vital industry that looks after customers and employees alike.
Gulson Canberra has been based in Fyshwick since the company was found and at its present site in Newcastle Streetsince 1970. Although Alfa Romeo and Fiat will initially existing site, Graham Gulson is looking for a new site so that a purpose built Alfa Romeo and Fiat show room can be constructed.
“We would like to stay in Fyshwick,” says Mr Gulson. “But we have to meet a site that can fully meet the expectations and requirements of our customers. That has to be our primary concern.”
Gulson Canberra presently employs 14 people with a 600 square metre showroom and a five bay workshop. With Alfa Romeo and Fiat this will expand to 17 people – all the new positions are being filled by local people – there will be an extra 400 square metres of showroom space and another four work shop bays will be added to the Gulson Canberra service centre. Technical training for service staff has already started and this will be backed by the installation of new technology and servicing equipment.
Filling the new showroom will be a host of new Alfa Romeos, many of which have been launched in the last few months. These started with the all-new Alfa Romeo 159, followed by the Brera Coupe and then the 159 Sportwagon. The new Alfa Romeo Spider will join the range at the Australian International Motor Show at the end of October.
This year has also seen Alfa Romeo join the rapidly growing diesel sector with the 147 JTD followed by diesel versions of the 159 and 159 Sportwagon. Fiat returned to the Australian market in June with the Fiat Punto and this award-winning small car will be joined by a further new Fiat models in 2007.
“Alfa Romeo is delighted to welcome the Gulson family back to Alfa Romeo,” says David Stone, General Manager for Alfa Romeo and Fiat cars in Australia. “But it is not a decision built on sentiment and past glories.”
“Ray and Graham have built a business that has been acclaimed for its customer care, with a unique reputation for maintaining performance and high technology cars. Graham has put together a compelling business plan for Alfa Romeo and Fiat in the ACT that meant that they were the only choice when it came to appoint a new dealer for the Territory. Ray has built one of the best automotive companies in the ACT and we now plan to work with Graham to take his company to a whole new level.”
(ENDS)
For further information, please contact
David StoneGeneral Manager / Tel: (02) 9701 8000
Alfa Romeo Australia / Fax: (02) 9701 3555
E:
Graham Gulson
General Manager / Tel: (02) 6280 6755
Gulson Canberra / Fax: (02) 6280 6348
E:
Edward Rowe
Public Relations Manager / Tel: (02) 9701 8000
Alfa Romeo Australia / Fax: (02) 9701 3555
Mob: 0407 913 244
E:
ATECO AUTOMOTIVE PTY LTD
Street Address: Heritage Building, Campus Business Park, 350 Parramatta Road, Homebush NSW 2140 Australia. Postal Address: Ateco Automotive Pty Ltd,Locked Bag 260, Silverwater, NSW 1811, AustraliaA.B.N. 34 000 486 706
Alfa Romeo Media web site:
Release Number: 553-alfa-AU
Date of Issue: 20 October 2018. Time of Issue: 12:53:15