Recharge your car, and yourself, at Porsche's new super service center

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Recharge your car, and yourself, at Porsche's new super service center

Published: 13 Feb. 2025, 00:00

SARAH CHEA
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Porsche Korea CEO Mathias Busse speaks during a media event at a new service center in Seongsu-dong, eastern Seoul, on Feb. 12. [PORSCHE KOREA]

While your Porsche gets repaired, how about a round of indoor golf or an iced latte at a rooftop cafe?

Porsche Korea opened a 12-story service center in Seongsu-dong, eastern Seoul, on Wednesday, the automaker's second-largest in the world, packed with all possible facilities in the latest effort to subdue looming complaints of Korean car owners.

An indoor golf zone for customers at Porsche's new 12-story service center in Seongsu-dong, eastern Seoul [PORSCHE KOREA]

The 15,968-square-meter (171,878-square-foot) center has 40 service bays capable of handling at least 90 cars per day, with 25 more bays to be added.

“We plan to invest a record amount of investment in Korea this year, and it highlights our commitment to meeting the needs of our valued customers in the dynamic Korean market,” Porsche Korea CEO Mathias Busse said during a media event Wednesday, without disclosing the exact amount.

“Porsche Korea plans to double the service network in Korea by 2030.”

A Porsche staff repairs a car at its new service center in Seongsu-dong, eastern Seoul [PORSCHE KOREA]

The center is specially designed for EV owners, with nine professional high-voltage battery technicians present at the center.

A total of 31 chargers are placed in the center, with four 320-kilowatt ultrafast chargers that can fully charge an EV within 30 minutes.

Porsche has long been harshly criticized by Korean customers over the shortage of service centers despite rapid sales growth in the domestic market.

Korea was Porsche’s fifth-largest market around the globe, and second-largest in Asia, with 11,355 units sold in 2023. But it only has 15 service centers, fewer than half of Volvo’s 39 and Lexus’ 33.

Sales of the German marque plunged 27 percent to 8,284 last year.

“Last year was challenging for all, not only for Porsche, and I believe that with the right products and the right setting like individualization as we did last with 'K-edition,' we still have the big opportunity to be successful in this market environment," Busse said.

Porsche plans to launch five new models in the first half including the latest 911 and Taycan GTS, Busse added.