AMG Driving Experience - Click above for picture gallery

The AMG driving academy is a global initiative from Mercedes Benz to train enthusiasts and Mercedes owners to skillfully and safely drive AMG vehicles with increased driving pleasure and better safety. The courses offered are the Emotion Tour, Basic Training, Advance Training, Pro training, Winter Sporting and Masters SLS AMG GT3. Mercedes Benz has collaborated with the Buddh International Circuit to bring the AMG Driving Academy to India and will kickstart 2012 with the Basic Training programme. Lucky, as many will call me and i shall gracefully admit, i got a chance to be a part of the exclusive preview which was organized for select media on the eve of the 11th Auto Expo.

The Driving Academy will be the first of its kind in India and third outside Germany. The participants will be trained by experienced German drivers. There will be total of maximum 64 participants per year with the course including both theory and practical sessions. The course will span out into 2 day sessions per quarter at the circuit which is total 8 days in a year trackside. Course fee will be Rs 75,000 per year with Mercedes Benz owners getting a special price tag of Rs 50,000 per year. The fee will cover all the trackside expenses. Travel and hotel arrangements will be borne by the participant. At the end of the year, the participants will get a Certificate stating that they have been trained by the AMG Driving school.

Getting to my experience with the AMG cars, the session started with us being introduced to our trainers. If you follow Formula 1, one face will seem too familiar. Bernd Maylander (right) is the official Formula 1 safety car driver since the last 12 seasons. As i will mention later, it was a breathtaking experience to sit alongside him on a hot lap around the circuit. Reinhold Renger (center) is the Chief Instructor at the AMG Driving Academy and one of the most senior instructors. Norman Simon (left) is an instructor and race driver. All the instructors at the academy have more than 10 years of professional racing experience.

Our AMG experience was divided into 4 parts -

1. Theory
2. Taxi with Bernd Maylander
3. Lead Follow on the Race Track behind the Safety Car
4. Slaloming to get a feel of Handling and ABS Brake

1. Theory

Renger gave us a few important instructors and thew light on the Flag rules which have to be followed at the circuit. Seat positioning and steering principle were given special importance. The steering has to be held with both hands at all times. Other key things discussed were -

The first thing to do when you step into the car is to adjust the seat accordingly as shown.

Different racing lines and how they should be taken to get the fastest time on the track.

Braking behavior and reaction time graph.

Observation is important and the participant should focus far ahead as shown. Amongst other things, the importance of ABS and ESP were discussed.

2. Taxi with Maylander

The participants were split into 3 batches and my batch was the first to get a taxi ride with Maylander. With helmets on and seat belts fastened, we head out of the pits in the C63 AMG. The C63 AMG is powered by a 6.3 litre V8 engine which churns out 457 Bhp and 600 Nm Torque. Power to weight ratio is perhaps the best of all the AMG cars. As Maylander stepped the gas, i was thrown back into my seat with adrenaline swiftly rushing into my blood. The sound of the 6.3 ltr V8 was phenomenal and Maylander on the wheel was sqeezing out the last bit from the entire 457 horses. The track had not been used since the inaugural Formula 1 Grand Prix and hence grip levels were low. The tyres were squealing and the car was sideways with the track offering little grip, but i have to give it to Maylander. I have never seen anyone with such finesse and car control, no wonder he is driving the Formula 1 safety car since the last 12 years. We did 2 laps and were back into the pits. The brakes and tyres were smoking away to glory.

3. Lead Follow on the Race Track behind the Safety Car

In the next leg, we were to get into the cars and drive in formation behind the safety car. Before getting behind the wheel, i will briefly mention the cars present on the track.

Renger was behind the wheel of the Safety car, the awesome SLS AMG Gull-wing. Powered by a 6.3 ltr V8 engine, the SLS AMG produces 571 Bhp and 650 Nm torque and does 0 – 100 in a 3.8 seconds with a top speed of 317 kmph.

Cars meant for the participants were two C63 AMG’s and an E63 AMG. I did see a SL63 AMG in the pits but did not see it on the track.

I was eagerly edging to get into the car and was put behind the wheel of the E63 AMG for my run on the track. I would have preferred the C63 ideally, since its lighter and sharper around the track but i had 68 Bhp more on hand as compared to the C63,  so i wasn’t really complaining. The E63 AMG is powered by the same 6.3 ltr V8 and produces 525 Bhp and 630 Nm torque and hit 100 from 0 in 4.5 seconds. The C63 AMG also stops the clock in the exact same time but the 68 horses extra on the E63 make up for its extra weight. The top speeds of both have been limited to 250 kmph.

After adjusting my seat position and putting the car on Sports mode with a Stiffer suspension setting, i was ready to go. Renger came and had a check on the settings. All good. I maintained 60 kmph in the pits and steeped on the gas after i crossed the pit exit, the sound of this 6.3 ltr beast was phenomenal, soul soothing so as to speak, its till ringing in my ears.

The Buddh International circuit is the one which makes all this possible. Designed by non other than Herman Tilke, its an absolute masterpiece. In the picture above, the SLS is approaching turn 3, which is completely blind, you start turning in (right) and then you see the apex, absolutely brilliant. The elevation changes on the circuit are more apparent than what is appreciated on television.

I got a taste of both understeer and oversteer and even missed the apex a couple of times. Grip levels were still far from ideal. On the start finish straight i was doing about 240 kmph, though i never did get a chance to look at the speedo again. The perfume for the day was burning rubber and the smell greeted me when i stepped out of the car. I will summarize my experience in this video. The frames have been accelerated to 165 percent to give it a race track feel.

Turn up the volume now and appreciate the sound of the E63 AMG on the Test Track.

4. Slaloming to get a feel of Handling and ABS Brake

The last part of the programme was taken up by Norman and included going through slaloms to understand the handling and braking characteristics of the car. Unfortunately i was unable to get into the car for this part as we had come to the end of the allotted time.

To sum up, it was an eventful and a good days work for me. It is a great initiative from Mercedes Benz to start this kind of an Academy in India, a country which is at the bottom as far as motorsports are concerned. This program will not only help people extract the best out of their car but also train them on the importance of safety & basics of driving and will encourage motorsports in the country. I know a few people who will be willing to sign up, if they haven’t done so already and the Buddh International Circuit is all set to be busy throughout the year. A certificate sits pretty on my desk and reminds me of the roaring V8′s on the track, its says “Trained by the AMG Driving Academy”, this piece of paper puts a smile on my face & is absolutely priceless.

Mercedes-Benz stole the thunder at the 2012 Auto Expo, showcasing awesome products in a very exciting theme. The Mercedes-Benz stand had cars displayed both inside and outside. A Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG was positioned at such a strategic location, that it was visible from most parts of the road leading to its competitors. The S-Class Pullman was standing outside, giving visitors a glimpse of the huge length of this limousine. The GL-Class was parked on challenging off-road situations while the company bought the all new M-Class, unveiling it for the first time in the country.

Inside the Mercedes-Benz stall, there was the highly anticipated A-Class Concept and the F-Cell. A racing game was available to play on a half Formula 1 car. The SLS AMG Roadster along with the DTM C-Class were parked in the Mercedes-Benz stand as well. Then there was the SLS AMG GT3 racecar, which was hugging the ground with its high downforce low ground clearance setup. Car from the German automakers India lineup were present as well. This whole setup cost Mercedes a cool Rs. 20 crore (excluding prices of the cars on display).

Mercedes Benz, the luxury car maker based out of Germany today utilized the 2012 Auto Expo to launch their new brand initiative, “mb. Inspired”. mb. Inspired, is not something specifically related to the automobile world. The mb. Inspired on the other hand, is a platform launched by the company to recognize people especially the youth population with rising aspirations and fearless about taking risks. Mercedes-Benz also commemorates these young youth inspirational icons through mb. Inspired.

“As India readies itself for globalization, the young India seeks recognition for their talent & uncompromising attitude which have made many stand up and get recognition in their respective fields. mb Inspired is once such platform which shall recognize these individuals & collaborate with them to spread inspiration. This helps us in communicating our brand values of Best or Nothing seamlessly to the Indian consumers”, Peter Honegg, Managing Director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said.

Apart from this, Mercedes Benz also launched its powerful open top roaster, the SLS AMG Roadster. The SLS AMG Roadster convertible is powered by a 6.3 litre V8 engine that produces 420 KW of power @ 6800 RPM and a torque of 650 Nm @ 4750 RPM. The car can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph at a mind numbing time of 3.8 secs and can go all the way to a top speed of 317 kmph. Fuel consumption stands at 13.2 litre/100 km with CO2 emission figure of 308 /km. Mercedes also launched the third generation M class SUV at the Auto Expo. The M class is powered by a 2987cc V^ engine that produces 190 KW of power @ 3600 RPM and 620 Nm @ 1600-2400 RPM. 0 to 100 kmph acceleration timing stands at 7.4 secs with a top speed of 224 kmph. It consumes an approximate 7.4 to 6.8 litre per 100 km with CO2 emission at 194- 179g/km. The car carries features like automatic transmission, anti-lock braking system (ABS), Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and Electronic Traction System all at the touch of the off-button on the console. Other features like PARKTRONIC and ATTNETION ASSIST are also features in the car. The vehicle has been built with the ECO start-stop function, which reduces fuel consumption and emissions- by automatically switching off the engine during traffic jams or traffic signals.

Mercedes-Benz has launched the AMG performance driving academy in India. To be officially known as JPSI-AMG Performance Driving Academy, this Mercedes-Benz training school has been opened in collaboration with Jaypee International. Bernd Maylander, the Official Formula One World Championship Safety Car Driver were present to showcase the endless possibilities of learning at the AMG performance driving academy. Reinhold Renger, the chief instructor at AMG Performance Driving Academy gave us a first drive experience and personalized hands on training on the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG (report to follow soon). Other cars which were present were the C63 AMG, SL63 AMG and the SLS AMG. There are a total of 21 instructors (including Bernd Schneider) globally in the AMG driving academy.

“With Buddh International Circuit, we have laid strong foundations together for Motorsports in India. The F1 debut was just the beginning. JPSI and Mercedes-Benz take this step further by offering India’s first performance driving academy. Under the guidance of expert instructors who are themselves former race drivers and champions, our patrons will now have an opportunity to hone their driving skills. Performance driving has come of age in India and the popularity of AMG is testimony to that,” Peter Honegg, Managing Director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said.

Mercedes-Benz is only offering the Basic training in India, which consists of theory and practical training sessions. This course is offered for Rs. 75,000/- per participant but if you own a Mercedes-Benz vehicle, you pay a special price of Rs. 50,000/-. The basic course will help you to exploit your driving to the full potential.

The German luxury car manufacturer, Mercedes Benz is gearing up to get into the number 1 spot in the domestic luxury car segment, a position it lost to its rivals, BMW and Audi. Mercedes is planning to get back the “numerno uno” position by putting in more investments at its manufacturing facility at Chakan near Pune in Maharashtra. Mercedes plans to be able to produce more and more cars locally so as to avoid the high import taxes. The company will also be strengthening its Rs. 20 lakh to 3 crore portfolio for increased presence in the Indian market.

“We have been in constant talks with our headquarters for ramping up our operations here in India. A significant investment will happen in the CKD (completely knocked down) category. We would like to do more and more local assembly here. For that, we need to ramp up the capacity,” Debashish Mitra, Director-sales and marketing, Mercedes-Benz India, said.

He forecasted that in October, India’s luxury car market is set to grow to 35% which amounts to 23,000 units from 17,000 last year. However, he said that the amount of investment is still not decided but revealed that a chunk of that investment would be spent on its new product line-up, manpower, IT and services department. He went on to add that the company still retains a dominating position in products of Rs. 25 lakh and above and would like to now focus on bringing in more entry-level premium cars and sports cars. At the 2012 Auto Expo, Mercedes will be showcasing the SLS AMG Roadster which is going to be positioned above SLS-AMG alongwith the new M class. Also, Mercedes will be launching its compact B class and A class vehicles at the end of this year and 2013 respectively while the GLC will follow in 2014.

Auto Hangar has opened its new showroom at Prabhadevi in Mumbai, which is also the largest Mercedes-Benz showroom in the city. Measuring over 6000 square feet in area, the new Mercedes showroom features the complete line-up of Mercedes-Benz cars including the C-Class, E-Class (saloon, coupe and cabriolet), M-Class, GL-Class, SLK, CLS, S-Class, G55 and the jaw dropping SLS AMG. The Mercedes cycle is also present at the showroom, along with a dedicated section for accessories. Auto Hangar plans to complement the showroom with a 10,000 square feet workshop to service the three-pointed range of cars next year. The showroom took lot of time and effort to be made and work was carried out frantically over the past few days.

“We are confident that our customers in Mumbai will experience an even further enriched ownership experience with the inauguration of this dealership,” Peter Honegg, MD and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said.

As a part of the global “Mercedes-Benz Driving Event” campaign, a caravan of 15 G-Wagons or better said, the G55s set out on a 16,800 km road trip. The road trip spanned for a whopping 38 days and was through the continents of Europe, Asia through Germany, Russia and Nepal and finally drawing its end at Kolkata. A group of auto enthusiasts of the age group ranging from 18 to 80 participated in this event. The 15 G Wagons set out to provide an ultimate experience in off-roading from Germany though Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, across the Ural Mountains in Russia, Kazakhstan, the Gobi Desert in China, Tibet all the way up to the Mount Everest Base camp, finally concluding the grand drive in India. The G-Wagon, in which the G stands for Geländewagen which literally means ‘cross country vehicle’ in German, is considered one of the best SUVs for off-roading.

“The G-Wagon is the pinnacle in automobile engineering when it comes to SUV’s. Riding across landscapes and hostile terrains, this drive has only reinforced the G-Wagon’s supremacy as a vehicle that offers the best capabilities in the highest terrains of the world,” Martin Breuninger, MD, Mercedes-Benz Off-road, said.

Mercedes-Benz has introduced Star Lease for its complete range of cars available in India. “Star Lease” is being provided through Daimler Financial Services India, across all Mercedes-Benz dealerships in the country. Under Star Lease, customers will pay only what they use with a fixed month lease rate. The car will be owned by Daimler Financial Services, while maintenance will be taken care off by the dealers. The customer will benefit from a lower fixed EMI as compared to the financing of the vehicle. The vehicle would not feature as a part of the customer’s asset and hence would give him tax benefits. The lease contracts can be chosen between two to five years.

“Like many other firsts, Mercedes-Benz first brings to India a financial product which can change the way consumers purchase a car. Our leasing product shall ensure easy upgrades for consumers & hassle free ownership experience. We are proud to be the only luxury car manufacturer to offer this option in India.” He further added, ”Consumers shall now have an option to drive away a Mercedes-Benz without any initial investment & just pay affordable rentals which shall cover all insurance & maintenance costs for 3 years,” Mr. Debashis Mitra, Director, Sales & Marketing, Mercedes-Benz India, said.

Mercedes-Benz and BMW are known to be arch rivals, with both companies looking to go one up on another. Mercedes-Benz has been the leader in the luxury car space for quite some time now but in 2009 BMW displaced it from the numero uno position. Now Mercedes feels that BMW has resorted to discounting and model stripdowns to gain volumes. But BMW replies back saying that their top position in the luxury car market was due to the strength of its brand. Also the Bavarian car maker feels that they understand the consumer better and are able to offer them what they want.

“If I talk about my rivals, mainly BMW, their path to leadership has been built on discounting, model stripdowns and low-entry cars. This is not what Mercedes does. We are clear on maintaining our product quality and brand, while having an aggressive pricing. A stripped down model really does not work for Mercedes and the luxury customers. Mercedes is not there in certain segments like the mini SUV category, which has given rivals an edge in volumes. Therefore it is unfair to compare the companies in terms of absolute numbers till the time we have a full portfolio,” Debasis Mitra, Director (sales and marketing), Mercedes-Benz, said.

Mercedes-Benz and Jaypee Group (promoters of Buddh International Circuit) have come into an agreement whereby Mercedes-Benz cars will serve as the Official Safety car, Fast Intervention Vehicles and Race Control Cars in Motorsport event in the country. The German automaker has announced aggressive plans to popularize motorsports through promotional activities, road shows and dealership activations across India. Mercedes-Benz and Jaypee together plan to set up a Performance Driving Academy in 2012 to foster talent and popularize performance driving.

“Mercedes-Benz is a performance brand and our long association with Motorsports is a testimony to this fact. It has been our endeavour to enable more people to experience the performance and dynamism of our cars, and we will continue to do so in times to come. My earlier experience in China and Southeast Asia shows that once sports like Formula One features in, consumer interest also increases significantly,”
Mr. Peter Honegg, MD and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India said.