Pushing Personal Driving Performance to the Limits With AMG Driving Academy

MONTVALE, N.J., Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Driving enthusiasts and AMG fans get a chance to enhance their driving abilities and push the most exclusive and highest performance Mercedes-Benz luxury cars to the limit at the AMG Driving Academy.  For 2012, the AMG Driving Academy has expanded to five tracks, beginning at Palm Beach International Raceway in April.

Originally founded by the Mercedes-Benz high performance subsidiary AMG in Affalterbach, Germany in 2007, the 2012 AMG Driving Academy offers an opportunity to get behind the wheel of several AMG models including the E63 AMG, SL63 AMG, C63 AMG Coupe, SLK55 AMG and the SLS AMG. The program offers Basic, Advanced, and Pro levels of training.  Under the guidance of top professional instructors, driving enthusiasts experience the excitement of motorsports and the track capabilities of Mercedes-AMG vehicles.

The program features custom-designed exercises that showcase the dynamic driving capabilities of Mercedes-AMG models across five premier tracks:

• Palm Beach International Raceway (Jupiter, FL) - April 12-17
  • A favored testing venue for championship teams offering both high speeds and twisting corners, Palm Beach International Raceway is a track that will constantly challenge even the most experienced drivers.
• Lime Rock Park (Lime Rock, CT) – May 8-17
  • Few tracks are as well known and loved. This classic 1.53-mile, 7-turn course, nestled in the Berkshire Mountains of northwest Connecticut continues to excite some of the world's best drivers since 1957.
• Texas Motor Speedway (Fort Worth, TX) – September 6-9
  • The infield road course has hosted some of the most exotic machinery in the world, providing drivers a chance to explore the limits of the vehicle...and themselves.
• Laguna Seca Raceway (Monterey, CA) – September 23-27  & November 8-12
  • Located in one of North America's best destination locations -- the Monterey Peninsula, Laguna Seca features tremendous elevation changes, the famous Corkscrew complex and 2.24 sinewy miles.
• Auto Club Speedway (Fonatana, CA) – October 23-30
  • The fastest track on the west coast, Auto Club Speedway offers a challenge to drivers of all levels.

The AMG Driving Academy offers three levels: 

• Basic Training ($1,595):  A one day program designed to teach the fundamentals of performance driving dynamics and car control maneuvers using customized exercises that emphasize the power and handling capabilities of AMG vehicles.  Drivers will also test their skills on the track at high speeds and during performance course competition.
  • PBIR – April 12-15
  • Lime Rock – May 8, 11-12 & 14
  • Texas – September 6-9
  • Laguna Seca – September 23-24 & Nov. 8-10
  • Auto Club Speedway – October 23-28
• Advanced Training ($2,995):  A two-day program that provides a deep level of technical driver training both on and off the track.  The program picks up where Basic leaves off, offering more track driving to extract a driver's maximum potential in a performance driving setting. 
  • PBIR – April 16-17
  • Lime Rock – May 9-10
  • Auto Club Speedway – October 29-30
  • Laguna Seca – Nov. 11-12
• Pro Training ($3,695): The pinnacle of the AMG Driving Academy experience in the U.S. Comprised of three days of intensely focused instruction and technical skills reserved for the highest level of driving, Pro Training allows for maximum speed, challenges and thrills.
  • Lime Rock – May 15-17
  • Laguna Seca – September 25-27

Additional information and registration for the AMG Driving Academy is available at www.AMGacademy.com or by phone at 1-877-646-6762.

About Mercedes-AMG

Mercedes-AMG is the high-performance subsidiary of the Mercedes-Benz Car Group and is headquartered in Affalterbach, Germany. AMG engineers lend the benefit of more than 40 years racing experience to the development of new Mercedes-AMG vehicles. Transmissions, brakes, aerodynamics, exhaust systems and, most importantly, the hand-crafted engine built and signed by an AMG Master Technician reflects AMG's holistic approach to performance.

By blending AMG genes with Mercedes DNA, AMG has delivered thrilling performance and exclusive refinement to discerning customers since the brand's introduction to the U.S. in 1995. While all Mercedes-Benz authorized dealers offer AMG products, 28 dealerships across the U.S. have attained 'AMG Performance Center' status where more personalized expert service for these high-performance vehicles is offered. www.mercedes-amg.com

SOURCE Mercedes-AMG