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Porsche’s 60-million-dollar investment pays off

Porsche Experience Center LA continues to attract thousands

The test track at PECLA includes a "Karussell" corner in tribute to the original Nürburgring's most famous corner.

Having just visited Porsche Experience Center LA for probably the twelfth time, I can’t think of another company’s permanent marketing exercise that has been this successful in the automotive car space. While something like the Mercedes Benz installation at Pebble Beach Lodge every year is something to behold during car week (especially since it’s built from scratch every August), it can’t match the marketing power of a permanently built facility with various uses.

The Porsche Experience Center LA is a unique combination of driving school, restaurant, museum, motorsports garage, and retail store all wrapped together under the Porsche name.

Location, location, location

Located in the city of Carson just off the 405 freeway, this unique facility showcases a commitment to design and functionality. Porsche chose this location smartly because it’s close to three airports: LAX, Long Beach and Orange County. With plenty of hotels and restaurants nearby, visiting guests can easily Uber around and make this a fly-in “Porsche weekend.”

The test track at PECLA includes a “Karussell” corner in tribute to the original Nürburgring’s most famous corner.

Something for everyone

Beyond its modern architecture, the Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles (PECLA) invites customers, business partners and brand enthusiasts to celebrate every aspect of Porsche. PECLA is home to Porsche Motorsport North America, a 53-acre driver development track, a variety of meeting and special event spaces, Porsche Exclusive – Personal Design Studio including New Vehicle Delivery, a Simulator Lab equipped with virtual reality, the Porsche Retail Store offering all three Porsche brands (Porsche Design, Porsche Lifestyle, and Porsche Museum), Speedster Café, and Restaurant 917 for the ultimate fine-dining experience. Did I miss anything? Well yes…I did!

The center lobby always has Porsches on display, and can be like entering a world-class museum depending on what happens to be on display that week.
The Simulator Lab at PECLA is a big hit with Millenials who can experience driving various Porsche models without needing to buy one.

Morning Shift

Every third Sunday of the month, PECLA holds its own brand of Cars and coffee called “Morning Shift.” Each occurrence has a model theme so if it’s 356, then all participants arriving in a 356 get “priority parking” on the center aisle facing the front of the facility. This allows everyone to be the center of attention and keeps the cars and faces fresh and new each time.

“Morning Shift” gatherings usually happen on the 3rd Sunday of every month and are themed so that various models are highlighted throughout the year.
An overhead view of just one of the many “Morning Shift” gatherings that yielded quite an array of colors.

PECLA highlights

  • Initial investment: Approximately $60 million dollars
  • Grand Opening: November 15, 2016
  • Facility size: 53-acre complex includes a 50,000 square foot building and 6000 square foot gallery space of rotating vehicles from the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, Germany
  • Porsche Motorsports North America
Corporate and private events (including weddings) are commonplace at PECLA due to its unique atmosphere and central location in Los Angeles.
The Retail Store at the Porsche Experience Center is the only location to offer all three Porsche brands under one roof: Porsche Lifestyle, Porsche Museum and Porsche Design.

Available services

  • Driver Development Track: eight modules, seven on-road and one off-road course
  • Private and Corporate event space rental
  • Exclusive Manufaktur Studio for private design consultations
  • New Vehicle Delivery (clients spend a half day learning about the vehicle features and taking delivery of their new Porsche sports car).
  • Simulator Lab with five simulator pods, three of which are equipped with virtual reality
  • Fine-dining Restaurant 917 and Le Mans Private Dining Room, both with uninterrupted views of the track
  • Speedster Café & Patio for freshly made grab-and-go snacks and Starbucks barista beverages
Restaurant 917 is so popular, reservations are normally required.

For more information, go HERE

See also

All photos © 2023 Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG / © 2023 Porsche Cars North America

The latest models are available for testing on a real road course, a far superior experience to driving a dealer’s demo unit on the street.

 

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One Comment

  1. If I visit LA for a few days, what can I (a Porsche Panamara 4 owner) do at the Porsche Center LA? What does it cost? How much time should I plan for?
    Thanks,
    Chris Erickson

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