AMG Driving Academy

So doesn’t this sound like a fun way to spend your time and money, Mercedes, via their AMG division, offer a driving school.

The title reads as: “AMG Driving Academy 2008/2009: Maximum driving safety and pleasure”. As with all things Mercedes, safety is right up front.

Does anybody know why that is? Why DOES Mercedes have such a fetish for safety. yeah, look, I’m not knocking it in any way shape or form; safety is very good thing, but Mercedes has been really twitchy about safety for a long, long time now.

Personally, I think it has a lot to do with their big crash at the Le Mans 24 hours race back in ‘55. Being part of a screw up, even if, like Mercedes, all you did was provide the car for a noodge like Levegh, does have a tendency to make a company a tad bit flinchy.

That said, being able to take part in a performance driving course from an organization like AMG sounds like a really good idea. These days, Mercedes is making street models that are horrendously powerful, even by “there’s no speed limit on the autobahn” standards. So, teaching your buyers what to do seems really bright.

Besideds, consider the venues:

“Legendary race tracks such as the Nürburgring Nordschleife and the Spa-Francorchamps grand prix circuit in Belgium are the venues, as AMGdrivers and enthusiasts gradually and safely discover the limits.”

Whoa, the Nordschleife AND Spa?

I’m there (as soon as I find that credit card).

Mercedes deets & full presser after the jump.

AMG Driving Academy 2008/2009: Maximum driving safety and pleasure
Affalterbach – The AMG Driving Academy was set up to give keen drivers the opportunity to hone their sporty driving skills under professional guidance and to experience unforgettable events with like-minded enthusiasts. The programme offers a wide selection of events which allow ambitious sports car enthusiasts to improve their car control and further enhance their driving safety.
The AMG Driving Academy, founded by Mercedes-AMGin 2007, consists of five different programmes: EMOTION, BASIC, ADVANCED, PRO and MASTERS. These provide everything from lifestyle-oriented events and courses which take the participants through their first experience of driving at the limit, all the way to intensive race circuit training with a competitive edge. The level of difficulty is tailored to the participants’ individual requirements.
Legendary race tracks such as the Nürburgring Nordschleife and the Spa-Francorchamps grand prix circuit in Belgium are the venues, as AMGdrivers and enthusiasts gradually and safely discover the limits. In this way, each participant automatically improves their driving safety. Licensed trainers with extensive
racing experience pass on their vast knowledge with great professionalism. All of which means the learning experience is directly linked to driving pleasure and passion.
Data recording for precise analysis and rapid progress
Advanced training methods ensure the participants are quickly in touch with the fundamentals of driving dynamics and allow them to discover the limits of man and machine in a danger-free environment. A racing pulse and broad smile come as standard. Data recording techniques refined in motorsport are used to record not only individual sector and lap times, but also longitudinal and lateral acceleration. This enables the team to conduct fast and precise analysis of each participant’s progress. Depending on the event, the programme also features sports medicine input from official Mercedes-Benz DTM motorsport doctor, Dr Markus Schmitt and a sports physiologist.
AMG Masters “Sports Trophy” offers a unique prize
Ensuring a racing heart and maximum car control are the aims of the AMGMasters “Sports Trophy”. This extremely exclusive and top-class AMG competition series sees the participants benefit from intensive and individual race circuit training, combined with input from the field of sports medicine. AMG specialists use their vast pool of expertise to work out a personal chassis set-up with each individual participant. In 2008 the three or four-day events are taking place at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), the EuroSpeedway Lausitz (Germany) and the Ascari Race Resort in Spain. 25 drivers at each of the three events collect points towards an overall score. Awaiting the winner is a quite unique first prize: the chance to drive this year’s AMG Mercedes C-Class from the DTM.
Wintry driving pleasure in Swedish Lapland
A very special experience is offered by the AMG Winter Sporting event, which takes place in Arjeplog, Sweden – not far from the Arctic Circle. Participants drive the AMGhigh-performance cars provided exclusively on a closed-off ice surface. All the cars are fitted with special spike tyres, which ensure a precisely defined level of grip. A wide-ranging support programme for the event characterised by a typical local atmosphere rounds off the four-day events in Swedish Lapland. Also included is a ride in the AMG Ice Taxi, a specially prepared AMG car fitted with the special spike tyres used by FIA WRC rally cars.
Depending on the type of event, the participants drive either their own AMG cars or AMG models laid on by the AMG Driving Academy. There are also cars for hire, e.g. the C 63 AMG, SL 63 AMG, CLS 63 AMG with the Performance Package and CLK 63 AMG Black Series. Standard features of all AMG events, meanwhile, are top-class hospitality – including culinary specialities – and accommodation in high-class hotels.
Incentives for companies: an unforgettable experience
The AMG Driving Academy also arranges complete incentive packages for companies, customers and business partners. These may take the form of lifestyle-oriented events along the lines of an EMOTION tour or intensive race circuit training at Hockenheim, the Nürburgring or other race circuits. Whichever option you choose, AMG will be pleased to put together a tailor-made programme to suit the occasion.
For more details on dates and further information go to www.mercedes-amg.com/driving-academy or contact the AMG Driving Academy hotline on +49 7144 302-575.