Sabine and her M5 in Nurburgring

[BorisRS]

A bit OT but have you considered getting an AMG?

I just came back from the PCS trip to Germany and there were a group of Singaporeans in Germany at the same time attending the AMG driving course which was organised through Cycle and Carriage. They paid S$7k for 1 day classroom instruction, 1 day of the green hell (entire track closed for their instruction) where they did on average 22 laps each (450km of track distance in 1 day!) in every single AMG variant Merc avaliable and then 2 days driving in Germany (basically from Frankfurt to Stuttgart) in an AMG of your choice followed by a full day's factory visit. All that plus food and lodging in good hotels. Pretty good value trip cos there were german instructors for the green hell session who were apparently very good.

 

[Racebred]

gulp.... 7k.... anyway it sounds like a really good program, what with nurburgring. it's very close to the 8k pilota course for ferrari but you only get to muck around at the track. but u get to drive every type of modern ferrari too!

 

[BorisRS]

Pilota is strictly for the course only. This one still got food and board plus all ancillary travel n transfer expenses. Also covers fuel for cars on road trip.

Pilota is pretty much expensive tuition on very expensive rentals!

 

[Racebred]

hmmm.... ok wow then it's much better value. If only we get to drive BMW Ms instead of AMGs for the course. heheheh!!!! u interested ah?

but if i have to choose, i'd rather go to a racing school than a driving course.

 

[BorisRS]

Then you better get in contact with Maomao. He swears by Ian Luff in Sydney(?). After he went for the trip, he truly became converted to a track junkie....

Imagine what kind of monster you would become after one of those :laughlik: :laughlik: :laughlik:

 

[Shaun]

Guys what about formula race driving school like Barber? Apparently they set up their cars to be quite unforgiving so you leave the place having really learnt how to control a challengingly set up RWD at speed. Then you can get a racing license and go wheel to wheel in forumla cars in structured regional races if you want.

 

[BorisRS]

Problem is geography. Too damn far for most people to attend. Shame cos from what a lot of participants say, Baber argubly runs the best racing school in the business..

 

[Racebred]

and the cost!!! it's usually several month's salary for most.....it'll be fun to go with a group of friends though. i'm going to try to track nurburgring at least once in my life man. it's like a pilgrimage.

 

[Shaun]

Yeah SG to Germany is about the same as SG to US no? Pay extra for data acquisition, run a pro, see exactly where all the differences are.

If you guys are ever interested in Barber, let me know and I can get the planning and co-ord done on this side. If we can get a bunch of guys together it will be great. So far there's one other crazy Singaporean in Cali who is interested and if two of you and ryan... that already makes 5. See how..

 

[Racebred]

any idea of the cost? and couse length and structure?

 

[Shaun]

there are a couple... 2 day, 3 day... single day run with data acquisition, introductory course, etc. Some require you having done other parts of the course. IIRC the 3 day was about 3.5K USD. Covers everything from basics up to wheel to wheel racing. It's all there on the website actually. Just that I haven't looked recently.

 

[MRacer77]

hmmm.... ok wow then it's much better value. If only we get to drive BMW Ms instead of AMGs for the course. heheheh!!!! u interested ah?

but if i have to choose, i'd rather go to a racing school than a driving course.

Actually, BMW does organize trips to Green Hell... actually, I think that there is one coming up in Sep... You get professional instruction by the BMW test drivers as well as to go full out in M3s...

 

[DreamDriver]

Actually, BMW does organize trips to Green Hell... actually, I think that there is one coming up in Sep... You get professional instruction by the BMW test drivers as well as to go full out in M3s...

Just curious: is this the same or different from the Level 4/5 courses in BMW's Driver Training series? A friend once told me that the ADT/IDT we take here are Levels 2 and 3 respectively, and 4/5 will have to be taken in Germany using M3's.

 

[Racebred]

Yes, there are 8 slots and they are snapped up by customers closer to pml before they have a chance to publicly ask us. sheesh. i'd have signed up.

i believe the latter 2 courses are called fascination and perfection driver trainings. if you pass them like twice, u can become an instructor.

 

[MRacer77]

Well you were asking if BMW organises the trips mah... and the answer is yes what... lol

No lah... dun have to pass the same course twice... Fascination I think, is more of a holiday trip... eating drinking and the lot... with driving thrown in... perfection is broken up into 2 part, perfection 1 and 2. this is where the serious driving is... after you pass this 2 can be instructor... lol