As part of the deal, Porsche will build offices where the plant was demolished and a test track similar to its Porsche Silverstone facility in England.

By 2013, passengers arriving at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will be greeted by a huge red sign for one of the world’s most iconic luxury brands: Porsche.


The German automaker announced details today of its plan to build its North American headquarters and a 1.6 mile test drive track right beneath the wings of landing aircraft at the Atlanta airport on the former Ford plant in south metro Atlanta.

“It will be absolutely unique,” said Detlev von Platen, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, at a press conference at the state Capitol Thursday morning. The company has been based in Sandy Springs for the last 13 years, but the available land of the Ford site for the test track was a major reason for wanting to put the $100 million headquarters and its 200 local jobs to the Southside. “It will be much more than a headquarters,” he said.

The track itself will be meant as a place for potential Porsche customers to test drive options. Porsche expects about 20,000 people a year to visit it.

Mayor Reed was excited for the message the Porsche building will send to passengers arriving at Hartsfield-Jackson. “They will see the Porsche sign and associate excellence with the city of Atlanta,” he said.

The state offered $1.75 million in job tax credits, as Porsche will be moving a division from Chicago and creating about 100 new jobs in Georgia. The headquarters in general is expected to employ up to about 400 people in about five years. The Georgia Department of Transportation is adding $800,000 in infrastructure improvements to the package. Other local incentives were not yet made public, but the former Ford plant site does qualify for several programs meant to encourage development on the former industrial site, officials said.

Von Platen said that 17 sites competed aggressively for the headquarters, including other states.

He said he would have to make some calls to some governors today to tell them that “Georgia won the race.”

That fact was not lost on Gov. Nathan Deal, who said, “Detroit is just a little bit jealous.” Georgia has about 300 auto-related companies that employ about 20,000 people, he said, and the new Porsche jobs will add to that.

Porsche cars are built in Germany. Company officials said they don’t have current plans to move any assembly operations to Georgia.