Heading to Porsche Experience Center (PEC) Tokyo

Last week, my family and I visited the Porsche Experience Center Tokyo (PEC Tokyo) in Chiba Prefecture. This was our second visit, the first being back in November two years ago.

There were two reasons for going to PEC Tokyo this time.

First, I received an invitation to PEC Tokyo when I purchased my new Carrera T. The second reason was that my husband obtained a driving lesson ticket for PEC Tokyo through hometown tax donation, which was set to expire in July.

Last time, we drove all the way from home to Chiba, but traveling long distances with our three kids was much more challenging than expected. (On top of that, my husband went on a tour right after, leaving me to take all three kids home alone, and we got caught in heavy traffic on the Kanagawa expressway, which was tough.)

Learning from that experience (laughs), this time we flew, which greatly reduced the fatigue from traveling back and forth.

Now, I’d like to share my impressions of PEC Tokyo after a year and a half.

Impressions of PEC Tokyo

The GT4RS was incredible…!

For this driving lesson, I chose the GT4RS. My husband had previously ridden in a friend’s GT4RS and was absolutely blown away, saying it was “incredibly amazing!”

Since I had purchased a new Carrera T (base model), the standard invitation only allowed me to select the base Carrera, but I paid an extra fee to drive the GT4RS.

The GT4RS’s performance was truly astonishing. It was a driving experience unlike anything I’d ever had before—just like a race car. At the same time, I was surprised at how manageable it was.

The powerful engine sound resonated directly inside the cabin, and as speed and RPMs rose, the instructor’s voice became almost inaudible. While I had thought the Carrera T was sporty, the GT4RS was in a completely different league.

It was my first time driving with bucket seats, and at first, I wondered, “What’s it like that the backrest doesn’t recline…?” but the firm support was great and posed no issues. Especially when cornering, the connection from my back and arms to the steering wheel was easier, making driving smoother.

During the lesson, we drove various courses, but the full acceleration and full braking experience was intense. When I floored the accelerator, I felt a fear like, “If I accelerate any more, I might die…”

I had previously experienced full acceleration and braking in a Panamera Turbo driving school, feeling the force pressing me into the seat, but the GT4RS’s instant power and acceleration were far more intense.

The instructor also said,

“Even people who regularly drive the GT4RS often get scared and ease off the accelerator halfway through, but you kept it floored until the end—that takes a lot of courage! Wonderful!”

That compliment made me really happy (laughs).

Only by driving smoothly and safely can you drive fast

In the driving lesson, the instructor always does a demo run first, then you try it yourself. The instructor’s driving was smooth and fluid throughout.

I had felt this last time too, but no matter how fast they went, their driving was seamless, and I was once again amazed by their flowing technique.

My instructor had actual professional racing experience and said, “With everyday cars, the tire tread and brake pads barely wear down at all.” That made perfect sense.

When I switched driving, I was told, “Your steering is a bit late, so try turning earlier.” I thought, “If I turn that early, won’t I oversteer?” but that worry was completely unnecessary.

With just a slight turn of the wheel, the car smoothly cornered without losing speed. I was reminded how important handling really is.

The instructor explained,

“A car is like a living thing. Forcing it won’t work well. You need to truly feel the car’s behavior and drive accordingly. It’s like when a dog on a walk wants to go a different way—you can’t just pull it forcibly. If you can learn this not just intellectually but physically, you’ll be able to drive more smoothly and faster.”

Driving a car is deep and complex. I want to get better at it.

The restaurant food was tastier and the service improved

We had lunch at the restaurant, and I felt the food was better than before, and the service had improved. Previously, I thought the food was “a bit bland” and noticed that “even though many window-side seats were open, we couldn’t sit there…” but this time, the food was delicious, and everyone there was seated by the windows, which was very satisfying.

The kids also ate heartily.

Also, the staff were friendly and approachable, making it a very comfortable environment.

It might be a bit tough with small children

That said, the kids did get bored, which is understandable.

Each driving lesson lasts 90 minutes, and since my husband and I took turns (with lunch in between), even with a kids’ space, it seemed like a boring time for the children.

If we come again, I think it would be better for the kids to stay with one parent while the other couple enjoys the experience alone.

I want to go to the driving school again

I’m really glad I got to visit PEC Tokyo again after a while.

Even if you usually drive a Porsche, you never do full acceleration and full braking, nor experience how the car behaves on slippery surfaces. I felt that experiencing driving at facilities like this is very important to safely enjoy Porsche every day.

I haven’t been to the Porsche Driving School (Porsche Track Experience) recently, but this visit made me want to go again. I want to learn the basics again and improve my driving skills.

The instructor told me,

“Your handling is smooth, your body reacts well to the car’s behavior, and your full acceleration and braking are great—you’re really suited for the circuit! Give the circuit a try!”

That made me feel really good… (laughs) so maybe next year I’ll aim to debut on the circuit with my Carrera T.

But first, I need to finish the break-in period! (It’s been a month since delivery and I’ve only done about 1100 km, with 1900 km to go, haha.)