Happy birthday Dutton Sporting Cars

Melbourne luxury and specialist car dealer Dutton Sporting Cars turns 100 this week.

Starting modestly in 1911 from a small service station and workshop in the back streets of the Melbourne inner suburb of Richmond and expanding into a building constructed by founder Albert Dutton, the business today operates out of spectacular premises in Claremont Street South Yarra that were designed by Melbourne firm Plus Architecture, a joint venture by Fender Katsilidis and SJB Architects.

Long recognised for its penchant for classic cars, Dutton Sporting Cars will celebrate its first 100 years at a special lunch to be held at the South Yarra showrooms where the in-house Tapas-style restaurant Cafe Veloce specialises in Mediterranean fare. The company opened the first Cafe Veloce restaurant in 1990 at the previous showrooms in Church Street Richmond, where it became a defining aspect of the family business.

The purpose-built showrooms replaced the Church Street building (a renovation of an old chocolate factory) occupied by the Dutton business since 1989, but long since outgrown.

The new premises avoid the traffic build-ups experienced at the previous location where, according to James Dutton, the company was a victim of its own success. "The congestion was so bad we could no longer easily conduct test drives," he says.

The business moved into the Claremont Street Dutton building four years ago and is now able to breathe easier - although James Dutton says work is going on to bring back more of what the family company has always been best-known for – rare and exotic, modern or historic cars.

The showroom is home to "one of the best selections of rare and exotic luxury cars in the Southern Hemisphere", as well as automobile memorabilia and artwork.

The family aspect of the Dutton business is possibly nowhere better expressed than in the long lunches held for clients and associates at the Veloce restaurant. The special 100th birthday "old school Italian Feast" for 100 clients is being held on Friday March 25 and will be followed by similar events to be held on the last Friday of every month.

The group today also operates Dutton Insurance, offering premium motor, home, marine and aviation insurance and has recently been confirmed as event partner of Porsche Carrera Cup Australia at the 2011 F1 Qantas Australian Grand Prix.

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