LA Speed: 5 Reasons to Visit the Porsche Experience Center
Last Fall, Porsche opened up a very special facility right near the junction of the 405 and 110 freeways in the city of Carson, California. Costing some $60M to build and spanning approximately 50 acres, the state of the art Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles is part showroom, part museum, part driving course, workshop and more.
Joining the existing Porsche Experience Centers in Atlanta and in Europe, it's a place unlike any other in the region. We recently stopped by to have a look at the new place and came away convinced this was one of SoCal's best new automotive destinations. Here are five reasons why.
1. Location, Location, Location
With the high cost of land, urban sprawl and strict zoning laws, it's no surprise that most of Southern California's race tracks and test facilities are located out in the desert or in other outlying areas—but Porsche's Experience Center is right in the heart of the LA metro area, making it great for both locals and visitors alike.
With a location that's easily accessible from LAX, downtown Los Angeles and Orange County, one doesn't need to drive two hours into the desert to enjoy a day ton the track.
Not only does it's location, directly beside the 405 freeway, make it easy to access, it also makes for an interesting contrast as high-powered 911s speed down the straight-away directly parallel to the often-jammed freeway.
2. The Workshop
In addition to being the home of the massive driving facility, the LA PEC is also the new home of Porsche Motorsport North America—the outfit responsible for the sale, maintenance and repair of factory Porsche race cars and parts.
Rather than being hidden away in the back, the spotless workshop is viewable to every visitor through massive windows that line the lobby, making it a great part of the overall experience.
In addition to brand new race cars, the shop also handles restoration and maintenance on vintage Porsche race cars—so you never know what kind of historic machinery will be sitting in the garage. Which brings me to my next point...
3. The Classics
Porsche is a brand that has a history equaled by few automakers, and this heritage is a big part of the LA Experience Center. At any given time you are likely to find some genuine racing legends from the Porsche Museum collection available for an up-close look.
During our visit, we were able to see an example of the iconic 911 GT1. A car which left a huge mark on sports car racing during the mid- to late-90s.
Sitting directly behind the welcome desk was a "Baby" Porsche 935 colored in the iconic Martini Racing livery. The opportunity to see this sort of a car alone makes the place well worth the visit.
4. Eat and Shop
If the vintage cars, racing simulators and sprawling track weren't enough, the PEC also includes places to both eat and shop. On the first floor is a cafe to grab a pastry or cup of coffee while taking a break from the driving experience.
And directly beside the cafe is the store which features all manner of officially licensed Porsche products, from diecast collectables and apparel to the 2,704 piece LEGO 911 GT3 RS.
Finally, if you head upstairs to the second floor you'll find Restaurant 917, which not only offers food and drinks, but an expansive view of the driving course itself.
5. The Ultimate Test Drive
Of course, the crown jewel of the facility is the massive driving course—spanning four-miles of track with varying surfaces and elevation changes. There's also areas featuring wet surfaces and off-road challenges for Porsche's SUV lineup.
It's at this playground where visitors can hop behind the wheel of the entire Porsche lineup through a variety of programs with seasoned instructors and driving coaches. For some it could be the kind of test drive you could never get from a normal dealer, for others it's a way to hone driving skills, and for most of us it's simply a 90-minute adrenaline rush.
The sessions typically last 1.5-hours and range in price from $240 to over $1,000, depending on which particular model you'd like to drive and what kind of driving you'd like to do. Based on your budget and time, you could spend days here experiencing the Porsche lineup from top to bottom.
There you have it! Just five of the many reasons you should definitely stop by the Porsche Experience Center the next time you find yourself in or around Los Angeles. There is no charge for visitors–and even if you don't partake in driving courses, most gearheads should find a lot to enjoy here. Do yourself a favor and check it out.
