Porsche details plan for new headquarters, test track next to Atlanta airport

Porsche Cars North America will spend between $80 million and $100 million to build a new headquarters and test-track complex next to Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport, the automaker said on Thursday.

The site in Hapevlle, Ga., is where the Ford Motor Co. assembly plant that built the Ford Taurus and the Mercury Sable used to stand.

Porsche plans to break ground on the project this fall, with completion scheduled for late 2013.

The project will move Porsche's North American headquarters from Sandy Springs, Ga., a northern suburb of Atlanta. Porsche says its has about 300 employees and that the project will enable it to add about 100 workers.

A key feature of the project will be a 1.6-mile test track and off-road area for the Porsche Customer and Driving Experience Center. It will let Porsche offer driver training programs to customers. Porsche has Driving Experience Centers in Leipzig, Germany; Silverstone, England, and Shanghai, China.

The new headquarters also will house a technical training center for dealership repair specialists. Porsche also plans to bring the operations of its finance and business services units to Atlanta from the Chicago area.

"Our new American headquarters will allow us to finally bring together all our major sales, after-sales and financial-services capacities, thus making us an even stronger organization," said Detlev von Platen, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America.

Porsche has had its North American headquarters in the Atlanta area since 1998.

Full Porsche press release below:

Porsche to Build New U.S. Headquarters in Atlanta

New headquarters will house nearly all U.S. Porsche colleagues under one roof, including a dramatic customer experience center and test track

ATLANTA - May 12, 2011 - Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) today announced it will build a new headquarters in Atlanta, the city it has called home for thirteen years.

The new complex will be located in the “Aerotropolis Atlanta” development site, near the brand new International Terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. It will be comprised of modern office facilities for a workforce that will eventually number 400 employees, including a Technical Service and Training Center, as well as a leading-edge Customer Experience Center that will feature a handling road course to show-off the capabilities of Porsche’s industry-leading vehicles. Groundbreaking is planned for this fall with the move-in date scheduled for the second half of 2013.

“The unparalleled nature of the Porsche ownership experience absolutely deserves an equally unique home. That is what we’ll create with our new headquarters - a concept completely new to the U.S. automotive industry, and one that delivers our brand and product experience to our employees, dealers and customers alike,” said Detlev von Platen, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America.

“Our new American headquarters will allow us to finally bring together all our major sales, after sales and financial services capacities, thus making us an even stronger organization. It also sends a strong message to our dealers and our customers that we believe in the strength of the U.S. market and its future growth,” von Platen explained. “At the same time, this decision demonstrates our commitment to the State of Georgia and the City of Atlanta to remain a vital part of this vibrant region.”

The decision to stay in Atlanta was the result of a thorough, more than one-year long search and evaluation process that spanned metropolitan Atlanta and several out-of-state sites. The new headquarters will not only be home to PCNA, but also to Porsche Financial Services, Inc., and Porsche Business Services, Inc. which are both currently located in Lisle, Illinois. Other Porsche businesses will also be included, building a solid foundation for further expansion of Porsche’s largest market worldwide.

“We welcome the entire Porsche team to Atlanta’s newest corporate center, the innovative Aerotropolis complex,” said Kasim Reed, the mayor of Atlanta. “Porsche’s decision to reinforce its roots and grow its next-generation U.S. headquarters here is a testament to the vitality and vibrancy of our city and an exciting addition to the many iconic brands that also call Atlanta home. The Porsche crest will be a perfect welcome sign to greet the hundreds of thousands of visitors and guests that land each day at the world’s busiest airport in Atlanta.”

“There’s no better place to live, work and play than Georgia,” stated Nathan Deal, Governor of Georgia. “As a 13-year corporate citizen of our great state, Georgia-based Porsche employees already know that once you have ‘Georgia on Your Mind’ it is impossible to let go. Now we look forward to extending our famous Southern hospitality to the entire Porsche team - and to adding an incredible new destination to Georgia’s list of ‘must-see’ places.”

With over 25,000 cars sold in 2010, PCNA finished last year up 33 percent over the previous year. With its new headquarters, a dedicated, passionate employee and dealer body, and a strong line-up of iconic sports cars, a brand new generation of Cayenne SUVs and the latest addition to the brand, the Panamera Gran Turismo, Porsche is poised for continued success in the United States.

By Dale Jewett