September is traditionally the back-to-school month. This year, it was no different with us. At the invitation of Mercedes-AMG, we went to the Autodromo Internacional de Portimão to remember a thing or two about sporty driving.
We took a TAP flight — which in our recent trips has been synonymous with “arrive late”… — heading for Faro, but luckily we arrived just in time. We went to the Autodromo de Portimão to debut the Driving Experience AMG, a «driving school» created in partnership with the AIA Racing School.
From now on, throughout the year, customers and non-customers of the German brand can travel to the Algarve and choose from eight driving experiences ranging from the simplest laps of the AIA track to more complete programs. The price list is at the end of the article.
my return to school
For this presentation of the AMG Driving Experience project, I had access to all the models available on the circuit, ranging from the most affordable CLA 45 to the all-powerful AMG GT. In between we also have the E63 and the brand new E43 Coupé.
Swipe the image gallery:
During just four laps I explored the characteristics of these models (and their differences) a little more, learned a little more about the (huge) secrets of the AIA, and fixed the helmet. It only took four laps because I had to go to another class… waiting for me was a Mercedes-Benz GLE for a short off-road course.
Finally, with the tips I received from the instructors, it was time to go to the AIA Karting track. Time when about 25 representatives of the specialty magazine, blogs and YouTube channels were able to apply in a lively race everything they learned — or remembered — throughout the experience.
Just as a note, I got 2nd place in the race, after a lively dispute throughout the race. I haven't won anything yet…
Can I go too?
If you were excited about the possibility of also experiencing the sensations of driving sports cars on a circuit, here are (at the end of the article) all the available experiences and their respective prices.
Honestly, the first two experiences are nothing special. You pay between €75 and €160 and you're done in just over 45 minutes. If you add to this the costs of traveling to the Autodromo, it's 45 minutes, rather expensive…
All in all, maybe it's only after the AMG Classic experience that things really start to pay off. Here is the list of experiences:
- Hot Laps AMG: 2 laps of the “hanging” circuit, conducted by an instructor from the AIA Racing School. The price varies: CLA 45 AMG (€75) up to AMG GT (€140);
- Single Experience AMG: two laps of the circuit to be driven and one where it is driven. Vehicles available from the CLA 45 AMG (€95) to the AMG GT (€160);
- AMG Classic: set of three challenges: Dynamic Control, Moose Test and Track Initiation. Available vehicles: CLA 45 AMG and AMG E63 S, priced at €250;
- AMG Silver: set of four challenges: Dynamic Control, Drift Control, Moose Test and Track Initiation. Available vehicles: CLA 45 AMG and AMG E63 S, priced at €350;
- AMG Gold: set of four challenges: Dynamic Control, Drift Control, Moose Test and Track Initiation. Available vehicles: CLA 45 AMG, AMG E53 and AMG E63 S, priced at €450;
- AMG Platinum: set of five challenges: Dynamic Control, Drift Control, Moose Test, Initiation in Track I and II. Available vehicles: a CLA 45 AMG, AMG E53, E63 S and AMG GT, priced at €650;
- Mega AMG: two laps of the circuit to be driven and one where it is driven, in three different models: CLA 45 AMG, AMG E53 and AMG E63 S, with a price of €450;
- Mega AMG GT: two laps of the circuit to drive and one where it is driven, in three different models: CLA 45 AMG, AMG E63 S and AMG GT, with a price of €650.