USA - Porsche opens new $100m HQ and experience centre in Atlanta Georgia.

Largest investment for Porsche outside Germany features industry-first facility in North America complete with dynamic track, classic car gallery, restoration center, event space, and fine dining restaurant

Porsche Cars North America today officially opened its new $100 million Porsche Experience Center (PEC) and headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. The 27-acre complex located at the Northeast corner of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the largest investment outside Germany for the sports car manufacturer. 

The industry-first facility is complete with a driver development track, classic car gallery, restoration center, human performance center, driving simulator lab and a fine dining restaurant. A state-of-the-art business center features 13,000 square feet of conference and event space. The experience center has been specifically designed as a destination for the public, including automotive enthusiasts and Porsche customers.

“Today we celebrate a significant milestone in the history of Porsche as we expand our footprint in the United States and reaffirm our commitment to the state of Georgia and the city of Atlanta,” said Matthias Mueller, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche. “We are investing more than ever before, heightening visibility for the Porsche brand in the U.S. and worldwide.”

An estimated 30,000 guests are expected to visit the uniquely designed Porsche Experience Center each year. Visitors and corporate groups can hone their driving skills, reserve meeting space in the fully-equipped business center, view classic Porsche automobiles or dine at Restaurant 356, aptly named after the first production Porsche model.

“Our vision for our new home was to create a bold, energizing environment here in Atlanta to demonstrate the unique capabilities of our sports cars,” said Detlev von Platen, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America. “The experience center coupled with our headquarters is truly the first of its kind in the automotive industry where we welcome employees, partners, customers and enthusiasts alike.”

The 1.6-mile Driver Development Track runs through the courtyard of the facility and includes six instructor-led driving modules. The Handling Circuit, Off-Road Course, Dynamics Area, Low Friction Handling Circuit, Low Friction Circle and the only Kick Plate in North America are designed to demonstrate the engineering and technological capabilities of all Porsche models.

“Porsche’s investment in its new headquarters represents the confidence it has in the future success of our state, our economy and our workforce,” said Georgia Governor Nathan Deal. 

“The facility at One Porsche Drive is as innovative, forward-thinking and performance-driven as the company itself. From their windows on I-75, travelers have borne witness to the progress being made here, and now, the day has come when these same visitors can truly experience all that Porsche and Georgia, have to offer.”

More than 70 alternative locations in a number of states were considered during site selection. In the end, Atlanta’s transportation infrastructure, skilled workforce and strong support from the city and the state were key reasons for the decision to expand in Atlanta. 

The proximity to the world’s busiest airport allows approximately 80 percent of the U.S. population to reach the Porsche Experience Center within two and a half hours of flying time.

“I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to Porsche Cars North America and congratulate them on their grand opening,” said Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed. “Porsche discovered why Atlanta has the third-highest concentration of Fortune 500 companies: a low cost of doing business, a high quality of life, access to the world’s busiest and most efficient passenger airport and the fastest-growing container port in the country. 

Businesses are voting with their feet and choosing Atlanta as the place to build and grow.  We are proud to have Porsche, an iconic, best-in-class company, make their new home here.”

Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) has called the Atlanta area home since 1998. PCNA is now joined by Porsche Financial Services, Porsche Business Services, Porsche Consulting and Mieschke Hofmann & Partners, with all five entities housed under the same roof. Ultimately, 450 employees will be based at the new headquarters, over 100 of whom fill positions that are new to Georgia.

JLR to unveil new models and new tech at the Los Angeles Motor Show.

• Land Rover Discovery Sport to make its U.S. debut
• Land Rover Experience L.A. to feature an urban all-terrain vehicle demonstration course in the center of West Hollywood, November 18-23
• Global debut of the Jaguar 2016 model year F-TYPE with new technologies including Instinctive All Wheel Drive^®
• Jaguar Land Rover to announce breakthrough new in-car technology at the Connected Car Expo, November 18

Amidst a global wave of product transformation and growth, Jaguar Land Rover will debut multiple new models and technology advancements at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Making its global debut will be an exciting new variant for the F-TYPE lineup, the 2016 Jaguar F-TYPE All Wheel Drive^®*, as well as the long awaited North American debut of Land Rover’s premium compact SUV, the Discovery Sport. In addition, Jaguar Land Rover will announce an exciting new in-car technology at the Connected Car Expo.

To celebrate the U.S. debut of the Discovery Sport, West Hollywood will get its first Land Rover Experience center, complete with urban off-roading, from November 18-23. An opening night consumer and media reception will be held on the evening of November 18. The all new versatile premium compact SUV incorporates a dynamic design with a compact footprint and provides optional seven-passenger seating in a “5+2” configuration.

The 2015 Discovery Sport, making its North American debut at the show, will deliver a highly refined combination of performance, safety and efficiency, thanks to a body shell of high-strength steel and lightweight aluminum, a 240hp turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, nine-speed automatic transmission and standard all wheel drive.

The introduction of F-TYPE All Wheel Drive^® will improve traction and confidence and will include Intelligent Driveline Dynamics*. This high performance variant increases engagement for the driving enthusiast and expands the award winning F-TYPE sports car to a full lineup.

At this year’s show, Jaguar Land Rover will announce an exciting new technology announcement for their in car infotainment system at the official technology focused press conference held at the Connected Car Expo.

The Connected Car Expo press conference will take place on Tuesday, November 18, at 11:20am PST at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

The Los Angeles Auto Show press days will take place on Wednesday, November 19 and Thursday, November 20.

*These features are not a substitute for driving safely with due care and attention and will not function under all circumstances, speeds, weather and road conditions, etc.  Driver should not assume that these features will correct errors of judgment in driving.  Please consult the owner's manual or your local authorized Jaguar Retailer for more details.

Porsche announces new entry level GTS model, the same Cayenne, but cheaper.

Especially dynamic version and new entry-level model added to Cayenne portfolio

Today Porsche reveals the new Cayenne GTS, a model that announces its outstanding sporting character in its very name. 

The letters GTS go back to the famous 904 Carrera GTS of 1963. In 2007, the Cayenne GTS became the first Porsche of the modern era to revive the acronym. Since then, at Porsche ‘GTS’ has stood for notably enhanced levels of dynamics, performance and driver involvement. 

At the same time as the launch of the GTS, a new entry-level model with the familiar 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine rounds off the Cayenne portfolio at the start of the range.

Porsche drivers like their car to be sporty – regardless of whether it has two doors or four. 

At 11 per cent, the GTS makes up a high proportion of the Cayenne model mix of what is currently the most successful range in the Porsche line-up, with the four-door sports cars for many years making a major contribution to the company's profitable growth. At the same time they ensure future investment in the broad spectrum of highly dynamic models offered across the entire portfolio.

It is not only the name of the Cayenne GTS that is resonant. The 3.6-litre V6 bi-turbo engine is the performance-oriented enhancement of the new power unit presented in the Cayenne S.

Its consumption is lower and it delivers improved levels of performance. Compared with the previous model with a V8 naturally aspirated engine, power output increases by 20 hp to 440 hp and torque by 85 Nm to 600 Nm, while fuel consumption goes down by up to 0.9 l/100 km. 

The Cayenne GTS accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in 5.2 seconds, or just 5.1 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono package. That's 0.5 and 0.6 seconds respectively less than the previous model. Top speed is 162 mph. As standard it has a sports exhaust system, which provides the familiarly deep GTS soundtrack.

Thanks to its chassis the Cayenne GTS captivates drivers with its unmistakable lateral dynamics. The Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) damping system has a sporty set-up. 

With the standard steel-spring suspension the vehicle sits 24 mm lower, while with the optional air suspension the figure is 20 mm. Further standard features include the brakes from the Cayenne Turbo with 390 mm discs on the front axle (358 mm at the back), inclusive of brake callipers painted red in typical Turbo fashion.

Other design attributes also turn the Cayenne GTS externally into a particularly sporty vehicle. As standard it has the Turbo nose section with large air intakes and the Sport Design package, including more contoured side sills and wheel arch extensions. The latter, like the roof spoiler and lower rear of the vehicle, are painted body colour. 

Black provides some striking contrasts: all lettering is in this colour, as are the 20-inch wheels in the RS Spyder design, the exhaust tailpipes, the bi-xenon headlights' inner apertures and the fitment of darkened LED rear lights. There's a new feature on the front doors: striking GTS lettering.

The sporting character continues on the inside. Eight-way electrically adjustable GTS sports seats in leather/Alcantara upholstery, including ‘GTS’ lettering on the head restraints, are fitted as standard. Alcantara is the most apparent material used inside the car. The interior GTS package is optionally available in carmine red or rhodium silver with rev counter face, decorative stitching, head-restraint lettering and safety belts in contrasting colour.

The engine used in the Cayenne, the new base model, is the familiar 3.6-litre V6 naturally aspirated engine, delivering 300 hp. It accelerates the Cayenne from 0 to 62 mph in 7.7 seconds – 7.6 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono package. That is 0.2 seconds faster than before. At 143 mph, top speed matches the level of the previous model. 

Like all new Cayenne models it benefits from general efficiency measures, such as coasting, Auto Stop/Start function and thermal management, as a result of which fuel consumption drops in comparison with the previous model by 0.7 l/100 km to 9.2 l/100 km. That equates to CO₂ emissions of 215 g/km, thus 21 g/km lower than before.

Compared with the previous model the new Cayenne also offers more comprehensive standard features. In addition to the new eight-speed Tiptronic S with Auto Stop/Start and coasting functions these also include, for instance, the bi-xenon main headlights with four-point LED daytime driving lights, the multi-function sports steering wheel with paddle switches and an automatic tailgate.

The Cayenne and Cayenne GTS are celebrating their world premieres on 19 November at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show. Sales of both models commence immediately, with the Cayenne priced at £49,576 RRP and the Cayenne GTS at £72,523 RRP.

Customers will be able to explore the potential of their new Cayenne, and further develop their own skills behind the wheel, by participating in a complimentary course at the Porsche Experience Centre, Silverstone.