Porsche Opens $100 Million Experience Center In Atlanta

Providing a superior customer experience is an essential aspect of the auto industry, and DrivingSales has conducted thorough research that indicates there is a great deal that can be done to improve consumer relationships with dealerships.

Porsche is one company that’s making moves to exceed customer expectations with the opening of its $100 million Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta. The massive 27-acre campus is the largest investment the company has made outside of its home country of Germany.

“Today we celebrate a significant milestone in the history of Porsche as we expand our footprint in the United States and reaffirm our commitment to the state of Georgia and the city of Atlanta,” said Matthias Muller, chairman of the executive board of Porsche. “We are investing more than ever before, heightening visibility for the Porsche brand in the U.S. and worldwide.”

The company predicts its Experience Center is going to have an average of over 30,000 visitors per year. One of the primary intentions is to offer a hands-on experience to those who want to immerse themselves in the luxury brand. “It’s all about the experience,” said Porsche Cars North America CEO, Detlev von Platen. “The visitors who come here will experience a brand and our products in a way they have never done before.”

In its press release, Porsche explains that over 70 locations in several different states were considered, and Atlanta was chosen due to its transportation infrastructure, skilled workforce and strong support from the city and the state.

Initial reports indicate the entire complex exudes refinement, and there are 450 employees who will be working out of the headquarters. For consumers, the facility will offer what some are describing as a kind of amusement park for Porsche fanatics. Beginning in June, interested people will be able to test drive a Porsche of their choosing on a 1.6 mile track, as well as having access to six different driving courses, including a race circuit, an off-road course, a low-friction circle, and a kick plate that is designed to mimic sliding.

The company indicates the pricing for a “Porsche Driving Experience” starts at approximately $300 and runs up to $750. Dealerships will be provided with access to custom packages that they can offer to their customers. Additionally, Porsche is making it clear that the facility is not only for potential customers, but also for existing owners, who can bring their own vehicle to the track to see how it measures up.

And that’s not all. The impressive center also includes Restaurant 356, a fine-dining restaurant named after the company’s first production model, a luxurious cafe, a museum displaying classic Porsches, and a vehicle restoration center for those who are classic Porsche owners. The Experience Center also features a variety of driving simulators, a custom vehicle design studio, and a “human performance center,” which utilizes equipment to evaluate the fitness levels of visitors, while providing trainers to offer customized nutrition and fitness programs.

Overall, Porsche’s Experience Center aims to provide customers with the ability to get up close and personal with its products, while offering many exhilarating ways to test drive its automobiles. It certainly has been designed to be a “one-stop shop,” and additionally contains conference and events centers, which are already being booked for meetings by a variety of businesses and nonprofit organizations.

“We want to have an open space for the public,” said Detlev von Platen. “We really believe in the growth of this market.”

According to reports, if the Experience Center proves to be successful, the company will open a second U.S. center outside of Los Angeles in mid-2016. Porsche is said to be confident that its $100 million investment will work in its favor, with increased sales due to purchases by consumers who have the experience of driving on the track, as well as retaining the loyalty of its existing customers. It’s an exciting move by the company, and may pave the way for other facilities of its type to be built in the future.

“Our vision for our new home was to create a bold and energizing environment here in Atlanta and demonstrate the unique capabilities of our sports cars,” said von Platen. “The experience center coupled with our headquarters is truly the first of its kind in the automotive industry where we welcome employees, partners, customers and enthusiasts alike.”