About Drivers Ed And The High End Of Performance Cars

For many when you think about Drivers Ed, it’s just the thing you have to do before you can get your driving licence. The classes and theory and possibly boredom. Once you’ve done it you don’t need to do it again unless you get a bad driving record and get sent back for a refresher course – right? Wrong! One of the world’s most expensive and desirable sports cars, Porsche, has been running numerous Drivers Ed courses for their owners and enthusiasts. And they have been successfully doing this for the last thirty years.

Drivers all must master the basics before they are permitted to do more advanced training. It is a structured approach like any good training course.

Warm up courses focus on the basics of driving a precision car. From what seat and steering wheel positions should be to what the various components in the car do. Done in safe areas or on racing tracks the Porsche driver learns how to handle common issues such as over and under steer, emergency braking and the best method for getting through road bends. It’s just about drivers Ed, just on a different scale.

A precision course works on the same basic principles as a warm-up course but has the added attraction of a second day working on a racing circuit practicing accurate steering, cornering and skilful braking. While it sounds like fun the focus is on improving driving skills rather than high speed driving.

Education on off road conditions is also offered to get the best of off-road vehicles. Learning about terrain and optimal gearing. When thinking about drivers Ed we think about a school classroom or sterile room, with Porsche the classroom might be the gulf state of Dubai with enough sand dunes to satisfy anyone.

They do the same for winter driving. Instead of just teaching the theory of snow and ice they make it real with a dedicated driving facility in the arctic conditions of Finland. Here you learn to be a safer driver and get to practice what you are taught. If you have nerves of steel you can go on to do masters courses where you drift on ice, test yourself on slalom precision courses and learn to drive downhill.

And one area that isn’t ignored in the education process is discussing ecological factors. Information is taught about how to drive economically with no unnecessary braking and acceleration and how to minimise fuel consumption.

And you to learn from trained professionals. They are passionate about the vehicles and come from the ranks of Porsche designers, engineers and testers. They know these cars totally. The program itself is available in many countries around the world from Japan to Brazil, from Europe to the USA.

Drivers Ed is something that we need to learn to become safe and capable drivers. It may be learnt as a young driver starting out who wants to get their licence, but it doesn’t spot there. Often ‘bad’ drivers are sent back for a refresher about drivers Ed and they benefit from understanding and updates. Performance car makers have also recognised this and offer it to their drivers so they get the best out of their vehicles and are safe, happy, drivers on our roads.