New $90m ‘Disneyland' is ‘wildest ride ever': Porsche's playground for car lovers

News.com.au

7 hours ago

Have you ever wondered what it's like going light speed in the Millenium Falcon? I used to, but then I went to Los Angeles, to a magical land and got to live my childhood dream of flying through space as everything blurred.
But I didn't go to Disneyland.
Instead, I went to a different Los Angeles attraction, where adults can live out their non-fairytale dreams. It's called the Porsche Experience Centre, and it's certainly a contender for the happiest place on earth.
When Porsche lets you loose (within certain, sensible preset parameters) in its most potent cars, you do start to feel a bit like Han Solo.
Especially when they line you up on the start line of a straight stretch of tarmac, tell you to engage the launch control and then rocket you through time and space like the Millenium Falcon outrunning the Empire.
Thankfully, the scenery doesn't stay blurred for long, because at the end of this straight road is a full-size recreation of the most iconic corner in motor racing - the Nurburgring's Karussell. The Porsche Experience Centre really does feel like Disneyland for petrolheads.
Located less than an hour (depending on the city's infamous traffic) from downtown LA and close to the affluent Orange County it's in the perfect spot to attract both curious car lovers and Porsche aficionados.
The LA Porsche Experience Centre is one of nine such facilities located around the world, including Germany, Great Britain, France, Italy, Japan and China. It spreads out across 53-acres of land and cost US$60m to construct back in 2016, no doubt in part because Porsche hired famed Formula One circuit designer Hermann Tilke to create the multifaceted facility.
It includes a dizzying (in some cases, literally) array of areas to test out Porsche's fleet of cars. These include the previously mentioned Acceleration Straight and Karussell recreation, a 2km Handling Circuit, the Ice Hill, Kick Plate, Dynamic Area, Off-Road course and the Low Friction Circle - which all makes it sound like a version of Disneyland with its various attractions.
But beneath the fun and games, the Experience Centre is an important tool for Porsche to sell cars. The vast majority of the 50,000 people that visit each year aren't existing Porsche owners, 83 per cent according to the company.
That's because this is largely a way to sell cars, because when you're trying to push a very expensive sports car in the highly competitive Los Angeles market - with all its celebrities and cashed up executives - you can't just let them take a spin around the block.
The entire Experience Centre has been designed to showcase the performance and handling potential of not just the 911 but the entire Porsche range. It's why each aspect has been designed to showcase a different element of the car's bandwidth.
And the Los Angeles facility actually takes it a step further, as it also houses a facility for Porsche Motorsport North America as well as a Simulator Lab with five pods for virtual driving.
This is used as a way to introduce customers, or potential customers, to the world of Porsche motor racing.
Other facilities include Restaurant 917 and the Le Mans Private Dining Room for events and a special delivery area to introduce customers who do choose to buy to their new car in style.
Having experienced the facility, in particular its Handling Circuit and Low Friction Circle, where you can hot lap and learn to drift, respectively, it's hard to understand how anyone could come away not wanting to buy a Porsche.
So, next time you're in Los Angeles and looking for something fun to do that doesn't involve Mickey Mouse, head to Porsche's amusement park for a thrill ride.