The Porsche Experience Center is Finally Here!

Yesterday, December 19, Porsche Japan held a launch event for the facelifted Macan, during which they officially announced the establishment of the Porsche Experience Center Japan.

The Porsche Experience Center is “a comprehensive sports driving facility where you can directly experience the Porsche brand, test and feel the car’s power, sportiness, and safety for yourself.”

Currently, there are six locations worldwide: Atlanta, Los Angeles, Le Mans, Leipzig, Silverstone, and Shanghai, so Japan will likely become the seventh.

At yesterday’s press conference, Porsche Japan’s President Shigemitsu announced that the plan to build the Porsche Experience Center in Kisarazu City, Chiba Prefecture, has been officially decided. The facility will feature multiple courses, including a circuit and off-road tracks designed by Porsche, where visitors can drive under instructor guidance. The investment is expected to be in the tens of billions of yen, with completion planned for 2021.

About PECLA

Actually, earlier this year when we visited the Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles (PECLA) as a family, my husband and I talked about how “it would be great if a facility like this existed in Japan too.”

While we don’t yet know what kind of content will be offered at the Porsche Experience Center Japan, PECLA’s admission was free. (Course driving is charged separately)

There was also a souvenir corner stocked with many Porsche Design goods not available in Japan.

Additionally, a café and restaurant were on site, offering everything from takeout snacks to full meals and wine to enjoy.

All this while watching Porsches run around the course.

It was truly a luxurious space. My husband said, “Maybe I’ll try driving on the PECLA course,” but he didn’t because “I don’t think I can understand the instructor’s English (-_-)”. However, since then he’s seriously started studying English and recently gotten enthusiastic about it, confidently saying “Now I can do it!” just the other day.

When I spoke with someone who had actually driven on this course, they said “Driving the regular course in a 911 and the off-road course in a Cayenne were both incredibly fun.” The facility also has a simulator room.

By the way, my husband plays a lot of car racing games at home and was apparently quite skilled, as the staff kept watching him closely, saying “How is he so good?!” (laughs)

Also, about 10 rare Porsches were displayed at the entrance (rotated regularly). When we visited, iconic models like the 918 Spyder, 911 GT2 RS, and 356 Speedster were all shining brightly on display.

I Can’t Wait to Visit

I wonder what kind of atmosphere the Porsche Experience Center in Japan will have. Once it opens in 2021, I definitely want to visit. My husband grumbled, “Of course the Porsche Experience Center is in Kanto… I wish they’d build one of these facilities out west too.” (lol)

■Read about our visit to PECLA here:
→Visiting the Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles (Part 1)
→Visiting the Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles (Part 2)

*Article sources: Porsche unveils facelifted new Macan with design, performance, and safety upgrades, Porsche to open Japan’s first driving experience facility in Kisarazu, Chiba in 2021