FOUNDATION OF INNOVATIVE PORSCHE DRIVING FACILITY MARKS A MAJOR MILESTONE FOR MARQUE IN CHINA
13/11/2012, Stuttgart/Shanghai.- Porsche China and Shanghai International Circuit Co., Ltd. held a foundation ceremony to celebrate start for the development of the Porsche Experience Centre in Shanghai. To be established adjacent to the current Formula One track at the Shanghai International Circuit (SIC), it will become the first Experience Centre in China and in all of Asia, joining an exclusive group of other Experience Centres in Leipzig, Germany; Silverstone, England. The innovative facility will offer Porsche customers and enthusiasts from across the country the opportunity to discover the pleasure of driving and to hone their skills on the track by experiencing the full range of premium Porsche cars.
With construction scheduled to be completed by late next year, Porsche targets to open the Experience Centre by early 2014. The facility will be directly managed and operated by Porsche China, and it will represent a total investment by the marque of more than 135 million RMB.
Created to make it easier than ever before for enthusiasts to immerse themselves in the world of Porsche, the completed Experience Centre will be a 100,000 square-metre driving facility including a handling circuit, slalom module and low-friction circle – and a three-storey Training Centre. Through both, guests will optimise their driving knowledge and technique. Each and every one of them will have the chance to experience the superior performance and capabilities of all Porsche cars as they learn to achieve the full force of the marque. Making it a reality that all the Porsche customers and enthusiasts of China could enjoy such regular and convenient opportunities to steer the full range of Porsche cars has long been a goal of Porsche. Therefore, after initially beginning preparatory work towards that end more than one year ago, Porsche has since been steadily moving forward with plans to found this new destination for Porsche customers and enthusiasts. This February, the marque signed an agreement with Shanghai International Circuit Co, Ltd to locate the Porsche Experience Centre beside the SIC, putting it in the company of one of the most renowned destinations for motorsport in China where the F1 Chinese Grand Prix is held every year.
At the ceremony, the Shanghai International Circuit Co., Ltd. expressed its excitement for the foundation of the new Experience Centre and its continued collaboration with Porsche. The company also remarked that the facility is sure to provide an unforgettable driving destination for China’s Porsche enthusiasts as the SIC has long hosted a regular stop on the Porsche World Roadshow’s four-city tour through Mainland China.”
Mr. Matthias Mueller, President and Chief Executive Officer of Porsche AG, said, “This new facility will join a selective group of other Experience Centres worldwide, built to reward our most loyal customers, and China was the next natural choice. Having been here for over a decade, our continual success has shown that our valued Chinese customers have an unrivalled passion for Porsche. As a result, we are now moving into the next stage of Porsche’s growth strategy, by giving something back to our customers and offering them more unique Porsche driving experiences. We could think of no better way to embark on this journey than by creating this Porsche Experience Centre right here in Shanghai, the city that we call our home in China.”
“This is a tremendous milestone for Porsche in China,” said Mr. Helmut Broeker, Chief Executive Officer of Porsche China. “The establishment of this facility truly is a testament to the dedication shown by our countless loyal customers across the country. So to demonstrate our commitment to the loyalty of these customers, and in recognition of the outstanding growth we continue to enjoy in this rapidly expanding market, we are building this centre. We hope that the Porsche Experience Centre will prove to be a great addition to the history of motorsport in China and, most importantly, a destination for all who share our love for Porsche sports cars.”
More information:
Text and photograph by: Porsche.
