The U.S. represents one third of Porsche’s worldwide vehicle sales, a number that the company says has steadily increased over the last few years. But Porsche is hoping to up the ante even more, with a new $100 million, over-the-top headquarters in Atlanta. Fortune got an exclusive, early look at the Porsche Experience Center. “We built all of this to allow consumers to really experience the love affair we have with cars,” said Detlev von Platen, president and CEO of Porsche North America.
Clearly, Porsche Experience Center also is designed to be a revenue generator for the company. It has a racetrack on the property, a 1.6-mile road course that actually loops through the heart of the main building. Consumers can reserve time to test-drive any of Porsche’s six models. And for a fee ($300 to $750 a day, depending on the car), you can get professional driving instruction from one of the 40 instructors, and even test Cayenne and Macan SUVs on the steep, technical and muddy off-road course.
Inside, customers can custom-spec their new car, have a vintage car restored, enjoy some of the most important race cars on the planet in the Classic Car Center, and book a meal in the high-end Restaurant 356. There’s a bank of latest-technology racing simulators to play with, and a store where you can buy everything from fan gear all the way up to a $15,000 Porsche Design purse. The center’s size will also allow Porsche to rent out space for private events and business conferences—yet another new revenue stream for the company.
My favorite stop: The Human Performance Center, where fitness experts can evaluate your physical strength, stamina, nutritional status, even your hydration levels. The Performance Center offers a menu of options, from a 90-minute assessment all the way up to a 12-month executive plan. The staff is from Exos, an extreme fitness company that trains NFL athletes, the German football team, and Navy Seals. Porsche opened its doors officially to media and guests today, but already there’s a four-month waiting list for driver instruction and a three-month wait for fitness analysis.
