Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles Celebrates 3rd Anniversary
Engineered in Germany, loved in Los Angeles.
Historic Occasion
Porsche really struck gold when they started opening experience centers here in the U.S., and they've quickly expanded to three locations in just a few years. The brand's Los Angeles locale just celebrated its three-year anniversary, in fact. To celebrate that occasion, Porsche brought out an amazing array of vehicles, both street cars, and racers, and they invited owners to bring their own machines as well. And Automobile was on hand to capture all of it on film.
Photos: Automobile
Opportunity Knocks
While they were there soaking up all of this Porsche goodness, Automobile also spoke with Jennifer Nicole Malacarne, the manager of Porsche Experience Center L.A. And as it turns out, she had quite the story to tell. Malacarne grew up a car enthusiast, but sort of "fell into" what she calls her "dream job" at the PEC. Prior to this opportunity, she had worked for a number of automotive firms including Recaro, Brembo, and Pirelli.
Photos: Automobile
Fashion Background
Malacarne was in the process of looking for an OEM to work for when Porsche came calling. And for her, it seemed like the perfect fit. "Porsche is classy, innovative, and built on integrity," she said. "It is a brand with a strong heritage and traditional values. To that end, Porsche is a brand that says something about who I am as a person." Interestingly enough, she considered a career in the fashion world before landing in the world of cars. Which is a correlation we've seen before.
Photos: Automobile
Collaborative Process
That background also afforded Malacarne with the opportunity to provide insight as PEC Los Angeles was being built. "Everything from the art on the walls to the naming conventions of the conference rooms was a part of a presentation that I worked on with a small team of people," she said. "We worked on the branding together, and our goal was to design a place that felt like you were walking into your living room. We didn't want PEC L.A. to look like a dealership. To be able to use my design abilities to create the Speedster Café, Restaurant 917, and curate the cars featured in the gallery was not only cool, but a dream come true."
Photos: Automobile
Massive Market
SoCal is essentially the epicenter of automotive culture as well, so this was no easy task. "Ultimately, we wanted to make PEC L.A. feel like a second home for Porsche enthusiasts," Malacarne said. "Because if California were its own country, it would be the fifth-largest market for Porsche worldwide." She also set out to hire people with a real passion for the brand, which was no easy task with a staff of over 100 people to fill out.
Photos: Automobile
Next Best Thing
This amazing opportunity hasn't afforded Malacarne the means to purchase her dream car, a Porsche 918, just yet. But it has enabled her to snag a pretty sweet 356 built by Rod Emory himself. "After Rennsport Reunion VI, we flat bedded the car to Rod's garage for restoration, and both of our dads got involved, which was really special," Malacarne said. "And because I work for Porsche, I told Rod that I didn't want my 356 to be modified like John Oates's Emory Outlaw, I wanted a super classy look for my 356. Interestingly, the original seatbelts that were in Oates's 356 are actually in my car."
Photos: Automobile
Fruitful Relationship
Listening to Malacarne speak about her passion for Porsche makes it clear that she's the perfect fit for the brand's L.A. PEC location. And by the looks of the turnout, they enjoyed for their 3rd anniversary, this fruitful relationship promises to continue to bloom for many more years to come.
Photos: Automobile
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