Obituary: Colin Giltrap, businessman

Colin Giltrap looks on in the pits during the rookie drivers practice session for the New Zealand A1 Grand Prix at the Taupo Race Track January 23, 2009 in Taupo. Photo: Getty Images

Luxury car salesman Colin Giltrap used the money he made selling Daimler, Audi, Triumph, Porsche and Rover cars to fund generations of hopeful motorsport enthusiasts. A former competitive driver himself, Sir Colin backed drivers such as Brendon Hartley, Earl Bamber, Shane van Gisbergen, Mitch Evans, Hayden Paddon, Scott Dixon and Liam Lawson, as well as giving hundreds of thousands to a range of charitable causes, notably Starship Hospital. Sir Colin sold his first vehicle as a teenager before going into the trade fulltime in the 1960s buying Matamata Motors and then steadily expanding into Auckland.

The many car lots he purchased became the Giltrap Group and Sir Colin also became a significant dealer in mid-range cars.

Recently, he had stepped back from managing the group to leave sons Michael and Richard in charge.

Sir Colin died on April 17 aged 84. — Agencies