Mercedes-Benz is bringing its AMG Winter Sporting Driving Academy to Canada for 2017, the company announced on Monday.
Previously offered only in Sweden, winter driving enthusiasts will now get the chance to hop into high-performance AMG models to tear across Lake Winnipeg in Gimli, Manitoba, which freezes over in the winter months.
Mercedes already offers a variety of driving courses across Canada, including a Winter Driving Academy which consists of a full day of instruction behind the wheel of a range of Mercedes-Benz vehicles (including AMG models). But the AMG Winter Sporting Driving Academy takes things to another level.
Mercedes-Benz says the lake will be converted into a course that includes some of the challenging curves and apexes from tracks like Laguna Seca, Mosport and Mont-Tremblant. The program was designed by the AMG Driving Academy group in Affalterbach and by Driving Unlimited, a partner of Mercedes-Benz Canada that runs the Driving Academy courses.
The course is designed to give participants “experience with controlled driving safety and dynamics through theoretical training, driving exercises, video analysis, and perfection training that will culminate in a final AMG Race of Champions,” according to Mercedes-Benz Canada.
There are two programs being offered in Canada: A three-day AMG Winter Sporting ADVANCED and a four-day ADVANCED PLUS. They will run, alternating, from Jan. 30 to Feb. 27, 2017. Cost for the three-day program is $3,995 per driver and $1,195 for a non-driving guest. The four-day program will cost you $4,995 and $1,495 for a non-driving guest.
