Author: Steve Allen |
2,659

Rarely has a driving school offered so much fun: at Porsche Driving Experience Winter, participants will learn to drive the sports cars from Zuffenhausen with confidence, even under icy conditions and in extremely challenging situations.

911 Turbo S, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

911 Turbo S, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

911 Turbo S, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

911 Turbo S, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

Slippery surfaces, freezing temperatures and snow as far as the eye can see – what may sound like dreadful conditions for some motorists are actually the best conditions for Porsche Driving Experience Winter. The Stuttgart sports car manufacturer’s programme offers participants the opportunity to develop their driving skills for the cold months too, step by step – combined with a unique Porsche driving experience and a dream backdrop.

There can be no better way to get this practice

911 GT3 RS, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

911 GT3 RS, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

“It’s about testing limits,” explains Catja Wiedenmann, Head of Porsche Driving Experience. “We train the so-called muscle memory with these manoeuvres.” This means: drivers who have experienced a swerving tail under controlled conditions will be better prepared for real emergencies and react intuitively to the movement of the vehicle. It takes practice to be able to do this, though. And there can be no better way to get this practice.

911 Turbo S, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

911 Turbo S, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

911 Turbo S, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

911 Turbo S, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

911 Turbo S, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

911 Turbo S, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

Participants work on disciplines such as proper braking, evasion or controlled drifting on specially prepared handling courses and under the guidance of trained instructors. And not just in any car either. Clients take their seat in the latest Porsche models – even including super sports cars such as the 911 Turbo S. The challenges escalate in each of the four successive constituent training levels: while in “Camp 4” the basics for driving on snow and ice are acquired, in “Camp4S”, drivers learn to optimize their car control with new exercises. “Ice Force” increases the engine power. The focus, among other things, is to control the car with the accelerator and the brake using advanced load-changing reactions for cornering confidence. With its sophisticated manoeuvres, “Ice ForceS” is designed for experienced drivers.

911 Turbo S, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

911 Turbo S, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

911 Turbo S, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

911 Turbo S, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

911 Turbo S, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

911 Turbo S, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

To handle a Porsche like professional rally drivers

918 Spyder, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

918 Spyder, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

Taking a Porsche to its limits in snow and ice is a real learning experience; in practice though there is also another dimension to the experience: sheer driving pleasure! The well-groomed tracks, some of them seemingly boundless, offer a rare chance to handle a Porsche in a way usually reserved for professional rally drivers. And that’s why our winter driving school is rapidly becoming something of a big boys’ adventure playground. With the Porsche Traction Management (PTM) switched off, spiked tyres up to 4 mm, spinning wheels and 427 kW behind you (580 PS, 911 Turbo S: fuel consumption combined 9.1 l/100 km, CO2 emissions 212 g / km), you face those icy curves on your terms. Leaving behind a spectacular cloud of snow – and a huge grin on the driver’s face.

911 GT3 Cup, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

911 GT3 Cup, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

Nico Hulkenberg, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

Nico Hulkenberg, Porsche Driving Experience Winter, Levi, Finland © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

Germany’s reigning Motor Sportsman of the Year and Le Mans winner Nico Hülkenberg recently got to know the Porsche Driving Experience Winter in Levi during a press event. About 170 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, he proved that it is not just on the Formula 1 circuits of the world where he feels at home. In the 911 GT3 Cup and 918 Spyder he demonstrated how to push such supercars to their limits.