Porsche Experience Center Atlanta Review: Everything You Need to Know

This past October, I had the exhilarating opportunity to drive the new 992 Porsche 911 GT3 at the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta, Georgia. While the booking website might have been a tad light on details, I'm here to fill in the gaps and share what you can expect during your day there.

Getting Started: Check-In and Meeting Your Coach

Upon arrival, you'll check in at the gate and sign in at the front desk. This is where your adventure truly begins. You'll meet your driving coach, who will tailor your experience based on your driving level. Whether you're a seasoned driver or a complete novice, they ensure your experience is personalized.

My coach, Ross Moncton, an IMSA and motocross driver, was incredibly knowledgeable and accommodating. I highly recommend him if you're looking for someone who can adapt the session to your needs.

The Handling Track: Easing Into the Experience

The handling track is your first stop—a main track for lapping, located in the outermost lane with a pit lane at the bottom. Here, you'll get a few laps to ease into the car, with your coach guiding you on the breaking points. It's crucial to understand your car's grip limits and how hard you can push on corners.

Building Confidence: Low Friction Handling Circuit

Next up is the low friction handling circuit, designed to boost your confidence. This circuit features extremely tight corners, where you'll begin to feel the car's understeering, a sign you're nearing the car's maximum grip. Your tires are engineered to load up at maximum lateral G's, and your objective is to achieve the highest average lateral G's.

Feeling the Power: Dynamics Area

In the Dynamics area, you'll experience the raw acceleration and braking power of your Porsche. An 8-mile drag strip awaits, where you'll launch your car with launch control, brake hard, and feel the ABS kick in, giving you complete control over the vehicle.

After several acceleration and brake runs, you'll move to the skid pad—a circular low friction zone. Here, you'll learn what understeer and oversteer feel like in a controlled environment. It's one thing to hear car reviewers discuss these concepts, but experiencing them firsthand is a whole different ball game, especially in a car with rear weight balance.

Mastering the Elements: Kick Plate and More

The final challenge before returning to the main circuit is the kick plate. This track section will kick your rear wheels into a spin, and you'll need to react swiftly with your steering to keep the car straight—first with traction control and stability management on, and then with all assists off, making it a real test of your skills.

Once you've mastered all these elements, you return to the one-mile handling circuit, where you put everything you've learned to the test on this tight and technical track. Each experience is unique, but my instructor drove a lap to show how much more I could improve, highlighting better lines and where to brake and accelerate.

What I Loved and What Could Be Better

Overall, the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta offers a fantastic opportunity to drive a new Porsche around the track with expert instruction. However, it's not without its faults and may not be for everyone, including some very experienced drivers. While I thoroughly enjoyed my time, there were aspects that could be improved.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

Would I recommend the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta? Absolutely. The combination of driving a high-performance vehicle with professional guidance is unmatched. Whether you're a car enthusiast or just looking for a unique experience, it's worth checking out. For more insights and experiences, check out my other videos on Instagram and YouTube.