Winston Leong, Australia
A Porsche 968 enthusiast, Club Magazine Editor, and Porsche Design collector
Winston Leong is a long-time Member of the Porsche Club of New South Wales (Australia).
For many years, he has been an enthusiast for the Porsche 968. His involvement with the Porsche Club developed immensely when he took on the role of Magazine Editor. He also collects Porsche Design products.
Winston Leong first came into contact with Porsche through his High School Economics teacher. His teacher owned a Volkswagen, but aspired to Porsche ownership, which was an inspiration to Winston. This was also around the time of the film Risky Business, with Tom Cruise driving a Platinum Metallic 928, which made a big impression on the high school student. Eager to learn more, he joined the Porsche Club of New South Wales in the mid-1980s. At that time, his main contact with the Club was through its magazine, and his favourite articles were those written by Members about their stories.
It was in 1996 that Winston bought his first Porsche, a 1984 Type 944. He enjoyed the performance, handling, and practicality, especially on road trips throughout the state. A change in circumstances led to him selling the 944 only two years later. In 2008, the time was right to become a Porsche owner again and he bought a 1992 Type 968, which he has to this day. Once again, he delighted in the handling and practicality of this transaxle model, and especially the 50 per cent increase in power and torque over the 944.
In 2011, Winston volunteered to help with editing of the Club magazine and became Magazine Editor in 2012. This marked the beginning of a deeper involvement with the Club, and he dedicates many hours to producing the best magazine he can. In 2017, he joined the Committee to assist with running the Club and has led to a greater appreciation of the dedication of all volunteers in the Club. The highlight of his Club life so far was being awarded the Clubman of the Year Trophy on two occasions. This is awarded for effort above and beyond the call of duty. Another highlight was the opportunity to represent his Club at the International Presidents’ Meeting (IPM) in Portugal in 2019.
In addition to editing the magazine, Winston occasionally writes articles in the hope of inspiring others to do the same. An example was a history of his 968 which turned 30 last year. Some articles have a whimsical nature, such as a Concours review with song parodies from The Sound of Music. He has also tried his hand at creating cover artwork. One cover was inspired by the colours of the rainbow, featuring Porsches from a Concours d’Elegance. Another was inspired by Portuguese tiles, a reminder of the IPM.
Winston’s collection of memorabilia mainly consists of books and magazines. He has been a continuous subscriber to the Porsche Magazine Christophorus since 1984. He has also collected more than 200 model brochures starting from the 1980s through to the present day.
Winston’s enthusiasm for his 968 extends beyond driving. He has a collection of 968 models in 1/43 scale and 968-related books. In 2013, he commissioned a model builder to create a 1/24 scale replica from a Hasegawa kit. This was a voyage of discovery, identifying car details that were different to the kit. It was also a photographic challenge in capturing the subtle tones of the Pearl Amazon Green paintwork. Another example of his enthusiasm is that his mobile phone number ends in ‘968’.
Through his contact with Porsche, Winston became aware of Porsche Design (PD), and was instantly attracted by the combination of high-tech materials, innovative functional design, and minimalist aesthetics. There are some items which he uses in daily life such as eyewear, leather goods, a Titanium Chronograph, and a PD Huawei Mate 10 mobile phone. Mostly though, he collects items as an homage to Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. His collection includes cameras, telephones, homewares, and accessories. Some rare items he has been able to acquire include a telephone designed for Deutsche Telekom and a Metabo P’7911 Multihammer.
For Winston, volunteering with the Club is very rewarding. Working on the magazine brings him into contact with so many Club members and their stories. He hopes to be able to continue contributing to the Club for many more years.
