Dick Lovett has opened a new OPC, Official Porsche Centre, in Bristol, which doubles the size of its previous showroom in line with the carmaker’s corporate identity (CI).

The new showroom has space for 12 new and used cars with glazed panels in the ceiling to allow natural light. The windows are deliberately shallow to create what Porsche calls a ‘jewellery box’ effect. It has an eight-bay workshop.

When the new Porsche CI was launched in 2002, the company said it wanted an environment where enthusiasts can “talk Porsche”.

“This is not an archetypal showroom from an architectural perspective,” says Hans Riedel, executive vice-president at Porsche AG. “This is about creating a new experience for Porsche enthusiasts where they can meet other owners who have been bitten by the bug.”

Dick Lovett declined to say how much it has spent on the new building. In 2002, PCGB talked about a total network investment by its 32 dealers of £60m, with Porsche making a “substantial contribution”.

Previously located at Portwell Lane in the city, and dual franchised with Chrysler, the new dealership has been moved to a standalone site at Cribbs Causeway.

Bristol is the 27th Porsche centre to undergo redevelopment – the remaining seven outlets in the network will be refurbished next year.

Porsche Centre Hatfield is planning a similar development on a former factory site west of the town.