Porsche Playground

Lots of famous people have driven Porsches, from world champion racers to Hollywood icons. Five minutes north of Hatfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Porsche’s new American headquarters offers mere mortals the ability to join that list. No passport, long-term commitment or garage space necessary.

Previously, Porsche’s North American headquarters occupied a few floors of a nondescript office building on the north side of metro Atlanta. The cool things usually associated with the brand–like their iconic sports cars– were nowhere to be found.

Four years ago, Detlev von Platen, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, approached the board with an idea: Give this country a real destination for fans of the marque.

The end result is the 26.4-acre bespoke facility known as One Porsche Drive. It’s the brand’s North American corporate offices as well as home to the Porsche Experience Center, an automotive playground that isn’t limited to VIPs, current owners or people who know the secret handshake. Instead, anyone with $300 and 2 hours of free time can book a Porsche for a coached driving session that’s likely to include some slides, spins and, as we found, plenty of smiles.

Here’s how the procedure works: First, head to porschedriving.com and book a car. Each Porsche is offered for a 90-minute session, and prices depend on the model and program. Programs start at $300 for use of a Boxster, Panamera GTS, Cayenne Diesel or Macan S. Add another $50 or $100 to reserve something a bit faster, like the Cayman S, 911 Carrera S or Boxster GTS.

Two-car programs are offered, too. Wondering how the two-wheel-drive 911 compares to the all-wheel-drive variant? The most expensive package costs $750 and attempts to answer an age-old question: 911 Turbo or 911 GT3?

No matter what your Porsche dreams and desires, attaining them is simple: Select a date and time, add extras like an EXOS personal training session, and enter your payment info. The entire process can be done online. Now you get to wait–and make plans for getting yourself to Atlanta.

Once at the center, each student is paired with a coach–not an instructor, they emphasize, but a coach. Now, what skills would you like to hone? The center offers five paved modules, and together you and the coach can decide: Spend the entire session on one module or work on several?

Want to see more? Watch the video.

The Courses

Kick Plate
Ever have a rug ripped out from under you? The Kick Plate mimics that swift kick in the behind. This course features a wet epoxy surface, and as a car approaches it, an in-ground pad kicks the car’s rear end to the left or the right–and the intensity of that kick varies, too. Your mission: Recover from this quickly induced skid.

If you’re like most people, your instinctive reaction to this blow is to let off the gas. Obviously, that only makes things worse and sends the car spinning like a top. The trick is to maintain throttle and drive out of the skid. When we heard that even Hurley Haywood needed three or four passes to get a handle on this one, we didn’t feel so bad.

Handling Circuit
Picture a fast, flowing country road, but one that’s devoid of crossing traffic, stop lights and, of course, police patrols. The circuit measures about 1 mile in length, and despite its relatively small footprint it features several elevation changes.

Don’t be lulled into complacency by the secondand third-gear speeds. The road is narrow, the guard rails are close, and some of the turns are blind. A few turns are trickier than they initially appear, too. And, as when you’re driving any piece of asphalt, look ahead and be patient; it will lead to smooth, fast laps.

Off-Road Course
Some people mocked Porsche for joining the SUV world, but their Cayenne is a proven off-road performer. One Porsche Drive offers a dedicated off-road course to show off the vehicle’s abilities.

Here’s what we found: super-steep inclines and declines, water hazards and obstacles that attempted to twist the Cayenne’s chassis into a pretzel. If you’re not a fan of heights, this one may not be for you.

Dynamic Area
Looking for a place to explore launch control, ABS or a car’s lane-changing capabilities? That’s the purpose of the Dynamic Area, a black lake of perfectly smooth asphalt.

Low-Friction Circle
Polished concrete plus water equals little traction, making this the perfect venue for exploring car control in a safe environment. Oversteer and understeer are just a whisker away.

Even at low double-digit speeds–yes, we’re talking barely into the teens–we lost our car’s balance enough to send it into a full 180-degree spin. No matter your speed, the trick remains the same: Keep the chassis happy. This is also a great place to see how the rearengined 911 compares to the mid-engined Cayman and Boxster models. (Spoiler: The mid-engined cars are a bit easier to control at the limit.)

Low-Friction Handling Circuit
This winding, low-speed circuit features a low-group surface along with tight turns of all types, including both on-camber and off-camber.

Again, even though the speeds are slow, the lessons are huge: How does a chassis react to different inputs? The runoff area is minimal, though, keeping concentration up.

Other Reasons to Visit One Porsche Drive

Restoration Center and Classic Car Gallery: Porschetrained technicians will offer restoration services on site. The facility will also show and display cars from Porsche’s own collection as well as ones from private hands. The lobby features several important race cars; during our visit, a Gulf 917 could be found on the main level.

Personal Design Studio: Don’t want an off-the-rack Porsche? You can order a personalized one right there at the facility. Eventually, we’re told, the facility will also handle new car delivery.

Fitness Training: Today’s top professional drivers follow personal training regimens that are right up there with the routines of professional and Olympic athletes. Porsche is offering those programs to the rest of us.

Food: The center houses fine dining courtesy of Restaurant 356. The Carrera Café offers lighter fare plus an amazing view of the facility.

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