For many people, the dream of driving like a professional on a race track in a top-of-the-line performance vehicle is something they have craved since childhood. Today, with Mercedes-Benz Burlington AMG Driving Academy programs, this dream can become a reality.
The various AMG Driving Academy programs available through Mercedes-Benz Burlington are designed to provide participants with an exciting, informative, challenging and practical half or full day of driving. The courses are designed for novice drivers and driving enthusiasts alike as there are no pre-requisites required to register. Each program is equipped with a fleet of custom Mercedes-Benz vehicles for participants to use.
With four different programs to choose from, drivers will be able to experience the true benefits of active and passive safety features, performance and handling, and the ability to maintain control in different types of driving environments. The program even recreates realistic and difficult road conditions in a safe and controlled manner to give drivers a great feel for the control of the car and further perfect their driving techniques.
The professional instructors at the Mercedes-Benz and the AMG Driving Academy offer one-on-one attention and training with immediate and comprehensive feedback. They work with participants throughout the day to help them develop new skills and confidence in understanding their personal capabilities and the capabilities of the vehicle itself. This program has proven to improve different action and reaction techniques in participants.
There are currently five different courses offered by the AMG Driving Academy.
Winter Driving Academy
The Winter Driving Academy was designed for anyone who drives regularly in extensive winter conditions. For Canadians battling long winters, this program is a perfect way to improve your technique in difficult terrains. The highly-skilled instructors for the Winter Driving Academy will offer new insight and concepts on proper steering, vision and vehicle control, all of which are tailored to winter driving conditions. The course offers exercises that improve stopping distances on slippery roads, tips and techniques on maintaining traction through snowy conditions, proper use of the vehicle’s Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), training in electronic stability control and proper execution of emergency maneuvers to keep every driver safe in dangerous situations.
The response from the public to this program was so high that additional dates needed to be added in the Toronto area. Julien Matteau, Marketing Manager for Mercedes-Benz Burlington, explains, “We initially had one date set for the Winter Driving Academy in the area, but it sold out in minutes. To account for all the additional interest in the program, a second day was added which also sold out very quickly.”
This program is a full-day course priced at $795.
The Driving Experience
This course is a half-day introductory program with both a morning and afternoon session offered. The objective of the Driving Experience program is to build and reinforce advanced driving techniques through proper instruction and practical repetition. The techniques that participants will walk away from this course with will help them to better handle and avoid emergency situations, helping to develop a strong sense of confidence in everyday driving. There are exercises in this program that cover vision, slalom, emergency braking, braking on a turn and collision avoidance.
This half-day course is priced at $395.
Mastering Performance
This program is a full-day course that is conducted at the Canadian Tire Motor Sport Speedway—formerly known as Mosport. The Mastering Performance program was designed to teach advanced driving techniques. This is not a racing program, but rather a high-performance driving program where participants will learn advanced techniques and how critical elements such as vision, weight transfer and the use vehicle control systems ultimately affect traction and the vehicle’s overall behaviour. The focuses of this program are cornering, trail braking, vehicle balance, performance vision, orientation lapping/ learning race track line, and coached group lapping with instructor feedback.
This program is priced at $1,695 and currently has 2015 dates set for May 19th and June 16th in the Greater Toronto Area.
The AMG Driving Academy Basic Training
This course is a full-day training program that introduces driving enthusiasts to the world of AMG and high-performance driving on purpose-built tracks and courses. This program offers participants their own individual vehicle from a fleet of Mercedes-AMG models. The session allows drivers to rotate through the entire fleet affording them the opportunity to drive every vehicle more than once. For this particular level of training, helmets are required and will be provided.
This program is priced at $1,895.
AMG Driving Academy Advanced Training
This program is designed to go much further than the basic training and develop driving skills more with more challenging exercises, more lapping and increased speeds. This course requires drivers to have participated in the Mastering Performance Program or The AMG Basic Training course prior to taking part.
One of the exclusive features of the Advanced Training course is video and in-car date recording. This technology is designed to collect information on braking, throttle and steering traces. Afterwards, the data is over-layed with the track map, as well as the video captured. The professional instructors will review and analyze the findings post-drive to provide in-depth and comprehensive feedback one on one with the participants. Following this portion, participants will be given the opportunity to take part in a skills competition with the instructors. Other exercises from this course include a refresher on seating/ steering/ braking, advanced visual exercises, braking and cornering techniques, and vehicle dynamics and managing balance and traction.
This program is a two-day course priced at $3,995 which includes meals and overnight accommodation for one night.
These programs are designed to not only allow participants to fulfill the dream of driving like a professional on a race track for a day or two, but also improve overall driving skills with lessons that will remain with you well beyond the duration of the course. These courses will enhance your fundamental driving techniques to ensure that you and those in your vehicle are safer on the road.
To register or find out more about any of the programs offered by the Mercedes-Benz AMG Driving Academy, visit Mercedes-Benz Burlington. The team of highly trained staff can answer any and all of your questions and get you registered for the course of your choosing. For more information please see: www.burlington.mercedes-benz.ca