Off to the racetrack this morning.

[P31-C63]

Well it's finally here!
Closest thing to Christmas morning
I can't wait to thrash someone elses AMG for a change.

The hotel I stayed at last night had a film crew staying there that was shooting an MB commercial.
I never got to talk to any of them for details.
I did see a red SLS around town yesterday, not sure if it was coincidence or not.
Anyway, gotta run.
I hear there is no cell service at the track (Lime Rock) so probably no live updates, but I will post pics tonight if I don't get home too late or end up putting an SLS in the wall

Later

[930chas]

Sounds like a blast!!

[leo985i]

Have fun man, and be careful out there.

[Payam@BMS]

Have fun and be safe! goodluck!!

[P31-C63]

so, it was absolutely amazing.
the event was 5 star from start to finish.
All of the instructors, modules and people were great.
The cars were all amazing too, especially the SLS.
All of the cars were fully spec'd with CF everything and they let us thrash these cars all day long.
There was absolutely no standing around, you were always driving or sitting shotgun with your partner.
By the end of the day, everyone was tired, in a good way.
They actually push you to drive faster and faster over the radio as you do lead/follow on the track.
I'm a very aggressive driver and fearless (especially when it's not my car to crash)
My partner was being forced to go faster and faster and push the car, so the instructors really want you to teach you and push you out of your comfort zone.

Two out of the eight guys in my group own SLSs and I met a lot of great dudes--everyone was cool, from the white haired old timers to the rich 30 something guys from NYC.
I went as part of the Private Lounge day, so everyone was a PL member and 90% of the cars in the parking lot were late model AMGs--it was something special and you all must attend one of these events.

I would never push my own car this hard at the track because I wouldn't want to pay for the tires, brakes, and possible damage from a wreck, so this event lets you push and push if yoou want to.
I spun out in the SLS at the end of the day in a turn.

So we were doing a lead/follow with the instructor in the lead and then my SLS and another team mate in an SLS and on about the 8th lap I we were really pushing these cars as much as my driving ability could handle and boom--I flew off the track into the grass and I was loving it.
My instructor was saying "brakes, brakes, brakes over the radio"
Luckily there was no chance of hitting anything so the car just go a little muddy and I floored it out of the grass and caught up to my group in no time and we finished the lap.
At the pit I was smiling and laughing with the other car and my instructor, he asked me what happened and we were all a laughing and having a great time ribbing each other.
The other car in my group lost it earlier in the session in the same area and I blamed him for kicking up dirt on the track, it was awesome.
My other instructor came down from the tower to find out what happened and he was all smiles too--they liked that I was pushing the car to the limit.

Everyone was total cool dudes and Tommy Kendall was there too.
I talked to him at lunch for a while about his show and everything.
Later on in the day I got to sit shotgun with him for a hot lap in the CLKBS around the track (i've got video) we chatted about his personal cars as he flew around the track in the BS.

I will post some pics and videos later

[Mort]

Sounds like a great day and you had a great time. Lime Rock is a great track and fun to drive. Glad to hear they put on a class show and treated you right. Congrats on having an A+ experience.

[P31-C63]

Sounds like a great day and you had a great time. Lime Rock is a great track and fun to drive. Glad to hear they put on a class show and treated you right. Congrats on having an A+ experience.

Thanks Mort, it was awesome.
When I laid down to go to sleep last night I could still hear the tires screeching and the exhaust roaring from those beasts.
It reminded me of when I moved out of the city years ago and I could still hear the subway at night because my brain was so use to hearing it, even though it was dead quite in my bedroom.

[DD GT3 RD]

Sounds fun, glad you enjoyed it

[P31-C63]

here's some pics I snapped:










Here's some of the stuff they included in the gift bag:
Two hats (one white PL hat and one black AMG Academy hat--flexi fit with embrodiered sponsors on it (awesome hat BTW))
Mouse pad, couple Amg magazines, PL poster (in the white tube), AMG tote bag, AMG Driving Academy shirt and stickers, DVD of a ton of pictures from the Pro photogs, etc.

[leo985i]

Those SLS's are sweet.

[LZH]

Sounds like fun. So what do you think was quicker around the track, the SLS or the BS ? Also, why were the hoods open on the BS ??

[P31-C63]

Sounds like fun. So what do you think was quicker around the track, the SLS or the BS ? Also, why were the hoods open on the BS ??

The hoods were up in the staging area before the day began--just to display.
The CLKBS is retired so we didn't get to drive them, but I did a couple hot laps with my instructor Jeff and once with Tommy Kendall. Kendall praised the BS during our drive and said he's looking to add one to his stable, it is a special car.
I actually asked one of the instructors which was faster around the track and he said the SLS.
That car really is a beast and the tranny and cc brakes are amazing.
I love the BS, but it seemed really dated after being in the SLS all day.
I think the BS will stabilize in price and even climb in the future, the SLS is great, but the production numbers will hurt it's value over the long haul.
And most BS will be tracked and modded whereas most SLS will see more garage time in a rich dude's stable--so a nice clean BS is a great car to own and preserve it's value better than the SLS over the long haul.
Don't get me wrong, the SLS is a near perfect car, other than it's production numbers.
I'd love to have both.

My .02

[LZH]

The hoods were up in the staging area before the day began--just to display.
The CLKBS is retired so we didn't get to drive them, but I did a couple hot laps with my instructor Jeff and once with Tommy Kendall. Kendall praised the BS during our drive and said he's looking to add one to his stable, it is a special car.
I actually asked one of the instructors which was faster around the track and he said the SLS.
That car really is a beast and the tranny and cc brakes are amazing.
I love the BS, but it seemed really dated after being in the SLS all day.
I think the BS will stabilize in price and even climb in the future, the SLS is great, but the production numbers will hurt it's value over the long haul.
And most BS will be tracked and modded whereas most SLS will see more garage time in a rich dude's stable--so a nice clean BS is a great car to own and preserve it's value better than the SLS over the long haul.
Don't get me wrong, the SLS is a near perfect car, other than it's production numbers.
I'd love to have both.

My .02

Thanks for your thoughts...I agree on all accounts. The SLS IS a beast and in the hands of an experienced driver, can REALLY put down some blisteringly fast lap times...with the AC on and the stereo

[Sticky]

Well, you obviously were very impressed with the event.

How much does it cost?

[LZH]

Well, you obviously were very impressed with the event.

How much does it cost?

that's the rub

[Mort]

The Basic Training is $1595 for the day long event. If you bought a new AMG since December 2010 it was included as part of the purchase.

Not bad when you consider the venues, instruction and quality of vehicles that you get to drive. These are first class events and include some nice giveaways. They are a blast to drive as well!

[Sticky]

The Basic Training is $1595 for the day long event. If you bought a new AMG since December 2010 it was included as part of the purchase.

Not bad when you consider the venues, instruction and quality of vehicles that you get to drive. These are first class events and include some nice giveaways. They are a blast to drive as well!

That is awesome, so if you purchased basically this year you can do it for free? Awesome.

[Mort]

AMG Driving Academy: New Owners Ride Free

http://www.mercedes-amg.com/?lang=usa#/news

[Sticky]

AMG Driving Academy: New Owners Ride Free

http://www.mercedes-amg.com/?lang=usa#/news

So cool.

[P31-C63]

PL members get 20% off all AMG Driving Academy events, check the PL.
I got 25% because I booked it early.
I think it cost me right around $1200 with discount and after doing it, I would pay double and not even bat an eye, I hope AMG is not listening

I'm already looking at doing the next stage, Advanced, possibly in the Fall, but it's at Laguna Seca and a hike for me, we'll see.

Either way, everyone on here or any fan of german performace cars needs to do this at least once, it's a bargain if you compare it to renting exotics for the day and you get to push the cars around a track and not worry about the cops or crashing--if you crash, oh well

[HHughes1]

Great review, I would think $1200 to $1500 is well worth it for the following reasons

1. More track time in one day than at typical 2 day HPDE's
2. Access to the AMG experts
3. Cost of wear items on your own car as well as track insurance
4. Chance to drive an SLS
5. Did I mention you get to drive the crap out of an SLS?

[P31-C63]

Great review, I would think $1200 to $1500 is well worth it for the following reasons

1. More track time in one day than at typical 2 day HPDE's
2. Access to the AMG experts
3. Cost of wear items on your own car as well as track insurance
4. Chance to drive an SLS
5. Did I mention you get to drive the crap out of an SLS?

Exactly.
It is so worth the money.

Hey, glad to see you're posting over here.

Your car looks sick in the new sig