For all you thrill-takers who urge the driving experience of your lifetime, but can’t afford a Ferrari or a Porsche, we rounded up 5 of the best experienced driving courses. Definitely not for the faint-hearted, these packages offer the opportunity of driving exotic cars, pushing them to the limits thus living your automotive fantasy. From the desert of Las Vegas to a remote ski resort in Finland only 40 miles south of the Arctic Circle, you will take part to the most precise training methods and techniques available. Some are offered by well known exotic car manufacturers while others by race drivers who will teach how to tame the car of your dreams. Let the battle of the engines begin.
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Richard Petty Driving Experience
We had to start our list with an authentic NASCAR experience. For those who don’t know, NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) is one of the most popular sports in America with over 40 drivers and cars reaching top speeds of 210 mph. Now let’s see what mister Petty has to offer. Well… you get the chance to ride a 600 horsepower car around 20 NASCAR tracks like Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Walt Disney World Speedway in Orlando. There are a variety of packages available allowing to drive 60 laps but the most requested is the Rookie option which gives you 8 laps with a cost of $449. You will also be given safety instructions and a chance to watch a video starring Richard Petty himself. If you don’t have the guts to drive the car, you can always shotgun as a passenger while a professional instructor reaches astonishing speeds during a 3 laps course. – drivepetty.com
Aston Martin Performance Driving Courses
The British company offers (for owners or carefully selected guest) some of the most exhilarating experiences. From ‘One-to-One’ (training with skilled pilots) to Aston Martin On Ice (ice driving ) or On Tour (which includes various locations). They have something for everyone starting at only $1000. Drivers must be over 25 years old and have a valid driver’s license. This experience is not only about driving, the courses include a light breakfast, lunch, beverages thus awakening more and more the James Bond in you. To see the full price list and why Aston Martin is one of the most representative automotive brands we invite you to visit their website. – AstonMartin.com
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Porsche Driving Experience
Porsche offers a complete range of unforgettable training and driving courses all around the world. These experiences are designed to focus on a particular type of driving, model of Porsche or driving environment. The company from Stuttgart is a benchmark in the sport automotive world and spoils their fans and owners with 3 different driving programs. The first one is called Porsche Travel Club and takes part in every country that has a Porsche Showroom. For an amount of money (different from country to country) you can join a club which organizes events, road trips and photo shoots. The second one is the Porsche Sport Driving School where you can learn how to properly drive a sports car. You can not only borrow Porsche’s car but you can bring your own 911 to master its skills. You can undergo three levels of training: precision, performance and master. Porsche’s Experience Center at Silverstone can be used to simulate bad weather, ultra-slippery conditions, varying grip-levels or simply a lovely day’s drive. The course also gives you access to the legendary Silverstone Grand Prix circuit for an hour a day during your training. The Winter Driving Experience is the last program and involves driving on ice and snow. The action takes place in the far north of Finland at temperatures of up to 30 degrees (Celsius) below zero on track that let you improve your skills in icy yet controlled conditions. – Porsche.com
Exotics Racing
We are now in Las Vegas were one of the top rated attractions is the Exotic Racing experience with over 90.000 satisfied guests. They provide everything: driving lesson, instructors, supercars, racetrack and insurance. Situated on Las Vegas Motor Speedway(20 minutes from the Strip) the Exotics Racing road course is the newest trackm, designed for fast cars with a long straight away, along with fast and technical turns. Opened 7 days a week they supply 15 different exotic cars like Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari 458 Italia, Posche 911 Turbo S, Mclaren Mp4-12c, Nissan Gtr, Corvette Stingray and many more. The prince range is from $199 for 5 laps in a Cayman S to $3699 for The Combo 14 Cars which let’s you drive 70 laps with each(or all) of their 14 supercars. If you don’t like Vegas you can always go to L.A. on the Auto Club Speedway track where they offer the same thrilling driving experience packages. – Exoticsracing.com
Bentley Power On Ice
It’s cold, it’s fast, it’s an adventure and it offers an incredible amount of joy. For the posh thrillseekers who’ve done it all, Bentley’s Arctic Driving Tour is bringing the ultimate driving experience. On a remote frozen lake in the far north of Finland, only 40 miles from the Arctic Circle, Bentley brings their top cars for a 3 day one a lifetime experience. The starting price is $22,000 and it includes private jet transfers from Helsinki to the Ruka Peak resort, plus lodging and meals. Your driving instructor will be Juha Kankkunen four-time world rally champion and world speed record holder on ice. If you ever get bored drifting a $250.000 Continental Gt, you can always take part in other activities like snowmobile safari or night-time husky sled adventure. – BentleyMotors.com