Just in time for the holidays – well, also for the Los Angeles International Auto Show (renamed AutoMobility for 2016) – Porsche has opened its second Experience Center in the U.S. It’s located in Carson, CA, about 20 minutes south of downtown LA (in ideal conditions) and roughly the same time and distance from Los Angeles International Airport (under the same seldom-seen conditions).
PCNA broke ground on the 53-acre facility in May 2014 and spent nearly $60 million to clean up the ground, move earth (337,000 cubic yards), bury underground cable (22 miles) and water drainage (four miles), lay 23,000 tons of asphalt, and incorporate an 88,000-gallon recycled water tank to wet down several separate track modules and irrigate the simple landscaping.
Porsche offers the entire range of its vehicles for testing on its nearly four-mile track complex – a clever set of straights and squiggles that looks like the floor plan of a plate of pasta from the air. From base 718 Boxster up to 911 Turbo S and GT3, drivers can purchase track time and training possibilities. For a break, there is a main floor Speedster Café and a fine dining 917 Restaurant on the second floor, both overlooking the track. In addition there’s a Driver Selection Store to stock up on the essentials to remember the experiences.
The facility also is the new home of Porsche Motorsports North America. From this location, PMNA dispatches its three transporters filled with spare parts to racing venues all over North America. Each transporter carries 1,500 parts, dealing with 400 teams in North America – 100 of them on a daily basis. The Carson facility holds a $5 million part inventory, taking care of vintage racers and buyers of the just-introduced 911 RSR. Six technicians on staff interchangeably take care of responsibilities including engine rebuilds and the three-hour engine test and run-in on the facilities dynomometer. As Jens Walther, President and CEO of PMNA explained, “In the past Motorsport only had a presence at race tracks. Now this shop is visible to Experience Center visitors so we showcase what Porsche is known for.”
PMNA sold 146 racecars during 2016, helping Porsche achieve the distinction of being the world’s largest manufacturer of racecars.
As with the facility in Atlanta, enthusiasts can arrange to test drive current production models. It is located at 19800 South Main Street, Carson, CA 90745. For detailed information, go to their website at www.PorscheDriving.com/Porsche-Experience-Center-Los-Angeles, or phone 888-204-7474.
