Four years after the first New Vehicle Delivery at the Porsche Experience Center Atlanta (PEC), a Panamera GTS became the 1,000th sports car handed-off through the VIP program.
First-time Porsche owner Dr. Edward Cathright Jr., DMD, of Texas, and wife, Tamekia, received the keys to a new Carmine Red Panamera GTS Friday. Cathright was one of the first customers to take part in the program since the PEC reopened in late May with new social distancing and health measures.
“The sales people at Jack Ingram Porsche really encouraged me to take delivery here. It’s my first Porsche purchase and I wanted it to be something special. And indeed it is," said Dr. Cathright. "To know I was no. 1,000 as far as customer delivery, it was crème de la crème. Down in the gallery where we got my vehicle delivered, pulling that cover off I'm thinking, 'That’s going to be mine?' It's awesome.”
The New Vehicle Delivery program is designed to immerse customers in the Porsche ownership experience. The program is comprised of a PEC tour, an in-depth vehicle orientation with a delivery specialist, a 90-minute driving experience on the driver development track in a similar Porsche model to the delivery vehicle, along with lunch at Restaurant 356, Porsche’s fine-dining destination. The 1.6-mile driver development track at PEC Atlanta features six different modules, including a hydraulic kick plate and low-friction handling circuit, to truly test the famed Porsche engineering.
Due to coronavirus health precautions at the PEC, track experiences are conducted in a lead-follow format, with participants driving solo behind a Porsche Driving Coach’s vehicle to maintain social distance. Participants receive instruction from their coach via radio. Lunch is a private dining experience in Restaurant 356, as the fine-dining restaurant is temporarily closed to the public. Additional PEC safety measures may be viewed here.
Cathright, a retired dentist who served 34 years in the United States Army Dental Corps, is excited to introduce his sons to the dynamic character of Porsche sports cars.
"That was an awesome experience. It gave me insight on what I need to do to control the vehicle in certain situations," said Dr. Cathright of his time with a driving coach. "It gave me an idea of what launch control is really like too. I’ve seen videos of it but experiencing it myself was a different thing."
Following the success of New Vehicle Delivery in Atlanta, a similar program was launched at the Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles in 2018. A Cayenne S E-Hybrid was the first vehicle picked-up at PEC Atlanta as part of the New Vehicle Delivery program.
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The New Vehicle Delivery program is limited to two per day, by appointment only, in Atlanta to ensure an individualized experience. It is available as an optional feature to all Porsche customers who place a factory order for a new Porsche vehicle with an authorized U.S. Porsche dealership of their choice.
