PORSCHE CHARLOTTE NORTHLAKE - CHECKING OUT PORSCHE'S NEWEST DEALERSHIP IN THE CHARLOTTE METRO AREA.
North Charlotte and the lower Huntersville area has been booming for years. As for the automotive market, there are a handful of dealerships in the area like the Hendrick Northlake Auto Mall, comprising of 4 luxury dealerships - Lexus, Audi, BMW, and Mercedes Benz. A little further up highway 21 is a Honda, Toyota, Ford, Volkswagen and a highline dealer called 704 Exotics. Rumors of a Porsche dealership have been buzzing for a few years and now, the Northlake area has one....and it's unlike any dealership I have ever seen.
Construction of this building took a hot minute, but when you step through the front doors, it becomes immediately apparent as to why. Porsche Charlotte Northlake, a Mills Auto Group store, is located just off Northlake Centre Parkway and is visible from the inner loop of I-485 is a very impressive dealership. Its is part of a worldwide new "corporate architecture", generation 5 store design that was first implemented out in Palm Springs California in 2020. According to Porsche, "The Porsche Centres of tomorrow will consist of several content areas that can be flexibly designed, and in which digital media can help address customers individually. They will become places to experience and touch the brand."
Porsche Charlotte Northlake features a unique layout. Its weird, it looks like a mix between an art museum and a car dealership and maybe a very luxurious hotel lobby. The floor plan is open and like many other Porsche stores, has sections of the dealership that showcase historic race cars, vehicles on consignment, or special projects from companies or owners. On this particular day, the spot featured a 1967 Porsche 910 in all of its race car glory which also happens to be perfectly visible from outside the showroom. Next to the display is a cozy sitting area and a kitchen/customer bar complete with refreshments, coffee and snacks. On the other side of the bar sat a 718 Spyder RS within a hallway that led to a glass wall in which to view the technicians working on cars.
To the left of the showroom was another hallway that led to the Porsche boutique and eventually the service lane. In front of the parts displays sat a beautiful 911 Turbo S. I am a big fan of the parts Porsche offers in the boutique's, even if I cant afford them...but I'd like to. I also saw a Porsche branded road bike. I cannot fathom the price tag for a Porsche bike but it certainly would be a nice flex. Around the corner of this main hallway were a set of stairs that went up to a second floor which I honestly wasn't ready for. Most of these hallways were lined with glass business centers, sales and finance offices.
The second floor was just as incredible as the first. This is the first dealership I have seen with a whole car elevator. It feature much more seating for customers, multiple business rooms with privacy glass, a similar kitchen/bar area as the main lobby, but you were greeted by a red Porsche GT4RS, Cayman GTS, and towards the front of the building sat a brand new GT3RS. The walls were adorned with photos and prints showcasing Porsche over its long history.
