The Giltrap Group has had more than a year to mourn the loss of their leader and businessman Sir Colin Giltrap and forge a new road with existing loyal staff.  

It was the end of an era with the passing of Sir Colin in April last year. He had been suffering bad health since a fall in London in 2023 and died peacefully at home with his family, aged 84.  

During the tributes, motoring executive Dean Sheed said Sir Colin’s legacy would live on through the vehicle and motorsport sectors, while others said his legacy would “last with us all”.  

Brandt Group territory manager Charlie Shephard said: “One thing I remember Colin saying to me at a VW Passat launch is: ‘The art of success is to never give up on your dreams and aspirations’.”  

Sir Colin Giltrap.

A former employee, Chris Anderson, said Sir Colin was the “best boss” over a decade. “I remember you saying to me in a tone only you could have: ‘Never be afraid to make money, mate’,” Anderson said last April.  

Earlier this year, Giltrap Group made some changes at the very top. Michael and Richard Giltrap remain executive directors, while long-time Giltrap employee Steve Kenchington was appointed as group chief executive from February.  

In a nod to promoting and developing internal talent, Kenchington was previously in charge of Giltrap’s Motorcorp Distributors Ltd for more than nine years, as well as having five years with Scandinavian Vehicle Distributors.  

Early start  

Sir Colin co-founded his first car dealership, Hamilton-based Monaco Motors, in 1966. In the early 1970s, he expanded his interests by buying Matamata Motors and then Coutts of Great North Road in Auckland, before acquiring the distributor rights to Porsche in New Zealand.    

At one point, his motor vehicle empire spanned three countries: he entered the UK market in 1989 by buying a stake in the Malaya Group automotive business, which later became HR Owen, one of Britain’s leading luxury motor dealers.  

Despite selling out of that company in 2008, he continued to feature on the UK’s Sunday Times Rich List. The version published in May 2020 placed him 589th and valued his wealth at £206m.  

Giltrap’s passion was car racing; he was a competitive racer himself in his heyday and is a patron of the Bruce McLaren Trust.  

He helped the careers of many promising New Zealand drivers including Scott Dixon, Denny Hulme, and Danny Sullivan.  

Aussie driver Larry Perkins won for Giltrap at Bathurst in 1986.

Giltrap Group founded the New Zealand team competing in the well-known A1GP series, racing its Black Beauty car all around the world.  

Between 2005 and 2008, Team New Zealand notched up numerous race wins and even more podium places, and gained a reputation as being a dark horse in the star-studded international field. Matt Halliday, Chris van der Drift, Earl Bamber, and Johnny Reid all represented their country on the international stage via the A1GP team.  

In 2023, Companies Office filings showed Sir Colin relinquished much of his controlling stake in Giltrap Group Holdings to become equal partners with his sons Richard and Michael. All three had a 33.3% stake.  

Today, Richard and Michael each have a 44.4% stake, while Lady Jennifer has a 11.1% stake.  

Recognition  

Sir Colin was knighted in 2012 for services to motorsport and philanthropy.  

He said in a media interview that he “probably would’ve sold up at my age” if it weren’t for having his sons in the business.  

“That’s what keeps driving me … The boys are doing a good job and we’ve got some wonderful franchises,” he said.  

Giltrap Group Christchurch.

Sir Colin and his wife Lady Jennifer sponsored worthy causes including the Starship Foundation, New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation, SPCA, Coastguard Northern Region, and many other charities and schools via the Giltrap Trust.  

Other causes the Giltrap Group supports include Te Korowai o Waiheke charitable trust, with its goal to make Waiheke Island predator-free, and the Young Ocean Explorers, which teaches children about the importance of protecting oceans.    

2024: $280m