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Car Buying Goes High-Tech at Porsche of Monterey T he newly remodeled Porsche of Monterey facility on Del Monte Boulevard in Seaside is a sleek, sophisticated symbol of 21st centu- ry design. That esthetic perfectly reflects the high-tech vehicles sold there. The spare, voluminous showroom interior puts the emphasis where it belongs: on the finely crafted Porsches. And while many car dealerships keep their service departments hidden from the public, here the spot- lessly clean shop is showcased via large glass doors. Porsche offers four models: the Boxster, Cayman, Panamera and signa- ture 911; and two SUVs: the Cayenne and Macan. Each is customizable with a bewildering number of options. "There are literally scores of possible configurations for each of our vehicles," says Porsche of Monterey General Manager Jim Davis. "It can be difficult for customers to visualize the combinations, so Porsche created the 'Fitting Room.'" The Fitting Room offers dozens of paint samples on sleekly curved steel so clients can see how light plays off the finish. There are also dozens of leather and fabric samples. A customer sits in front of a large-screen high-res monitor while a sales associate inputs various parameters. The screen then shows the chosen vehicle with those options installed. Want to see how a red 911 looks with a tan interior? Done. How about pick- ing up the body color in the wheel hubs? OK. Don't like tan and want to try black? Voila. The image rotates to give the viewer an idea of what the vehicle will look like from every angle. Tied directly into the Porsche fac- tory's production schedule in Stuttgart, Germany, the software provides real-time information as to when the vehicle with the chosen options will be delivered. "This system is typically used by previous Porsche owners," Davis adds. "While we have plenty of vehicles on the lot to choose from, at this stage an owner wants to personalize their next car." Porsche of Monterey is located at 1781 Del Monte Blvd., Seaside. For more information, call 888/687-5180 or visit www.porscheofmonterey.com. —Michael Chatfield SHORTCUTS BUSINESS Porsche of Monterey sells the famous sports cars Boxster, Cayman, Panamera and 911; there are also two luxurious SUVs, the Cayenne and Macan. The facility offers state-of-the-art technology in "The Fitting Room" to pick out the perfect customized vehicle. 74 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 5 Photo: Kelli Uldall