Tjandegi

At COTA with the girlfriend for AMG's driving school. You have to take the beginners course regardless of prior experience but it's been fun so far. They replaced the SLS with the AMG GTS though. Will post more pictures and final thoughts. Also, you get a discount as a Mercedes private lounge member.

NewportSLS

Very cool! post up more when you can!

dabba

I agree, more pictures would be entertaining !

NewportSLS

Give us your GT driving impressions as well.

Tjandegi

They didn't allow us to take many pictures because they had photographers throughout the track so once they send the photos I will upload more. First we arrived around 7:45am and received our helmets and head socks. Then we checked in and signed a the waivers and they had an actually pretty good breakfast (most events I've been to have had bad food). They had lockers you could use, gum, pain pills, motion sickness pills, anything you needed they had or would get. After breakfast they gave a speech about the day and then we broke up into groups of about 12 and two instructors. You stay with this group all day and are paired with one other driver so it's a good idea to go with a friend or gf/wife because you never know who you'll be paired up with. My group started off with the cla45 in an abs test situation. Pretty much floor it to 30, 50, and 60 and then slam on the brakes to engage the abs. Kind of fun because you get to the thrash the brakes. We then went to a skid pad that they wetted down and got to skid out in the c63. Just spinning around a circle but fun to get the rear end out and make the corrections. Orrrr not make the corrections and do 360s. Also, at each station they had snacks, drinks, medicine, and bathrooms. Great to have throughout the day. Next we went to the drag race section with the cls63 and e63. After that we got to get into the GT and do half laps around the track. Not at full speed but still fun to get an initial trial in them. We then had lunch and got back into the cla45 for a timed lap event around a small track they set up. About 30 second lap times. I was surprised how fun it was whipping it around this small course. Then we went back to the c63 for some more spinning around the wet skid pad. Same thing as before just more time. Then off to the full track in the sl63. I was very disappointed in this car on the track. The turbo lag felt like eternity! After those we got to hop in the gt and do full laps, still not full speed but they were using this time to teach everyone the course. After that we got to stay in the gt but drive solo, every other time you would be with your partner. They placed cameras and recording devices for this part so that's a cool feature to have. We then got to do some pretty fast laps, you always follow the instructor but they'll pick up speed if they see everyone can handle it. After that they gave hot laps in the sls black series, c63 and the gt. I waited for the sls black series (they almost didn't let me but I insisted). Great lap drifting around every turn. Overall I would highly recommend this event. Extremely well organized, very polite employees, and great time. Now onto the GT. This little guy actually surprised me a lot. I've heard the build quality wasn't as nice as the sls but I thought it was pretty good. There are some parts that feel "cheap" but overall pretty solid. Technology is far superior to the sls. Infotainment, driving selections, etc. I really liked that with the amg performance media you can really customize the car a lot more than the sls and also there's an exhaust valve that you can control. I love the new seats they have in there! Zero turbo lag which was great and worrisome coming from the sl63. This car is more nimble and quicker than the sls but would I buy one? Nope. Well I probably would but not for $170k (msrp of the one we drove). Beautiful styling interior and exterior. At the end of the day there always was and always will be cars that are faster, quicker, and offer "more" than the sls but the sls is just something very special. Even after a day of driving the best AMG has to offer, it still put a smile on my face to open the doors and start it up

lig4u

Great write up and photos !!

Tjandegi

Not sure if it's just the app, but on my phone it shows that as one huge paragraph. Sorry if it's like that for everyone else.

Tjandegi

http://www.amgacademy.com/gallery/ph...mericas-jun-19

All the photos you would want

dabba

Just curious is the green G63 factory paint ? Lol

Tjandegi

I think it might be. It wasn't a wrap and I don't think they would have painted it after the fact so I'm assuming it came from the factory.