Silverstone Porsche driving experience for Cayenne

[londonlaw]

Apologies for this newbiew question - i was emailed for a free 90mins silverstone driving experience event; presumably a freebie for the ehybrid i'm about to take delivery. This is for myself + 1guest, lunch included.

two months later, i was emailed for a separate event - again silverstone - but this time described as half day (2.5hrs driving) with lunch before & tea after. This is just for myself, + 1 'spectating' guest (who however can pay £400+ to also do the drive if wish).

The latter is labelled 'cayenne ehybrid' event.

If i only wanted to do one, which should i go for? The circuit map was sent to me for the latter but not the former, but am i right in saying they are basically the same apart from duration??

Any advice appreciated.
I presume you just get to drive the one car, rather than a 'selection'??

[Pauloamore]

The latter sounds more like what one gets for a new car purchase.
- do the longer one.

[londonlaw]

Yes i was thinking that too, thanks.
Basically either 90mins x 2 or otherwise 150mins x 1 , but i wasn't sure what the driving experience actually entails, for either??

[Cheib]

londonlaw said:

Yes i was thinking that too, thanks.
Basically either 90mins x 2 or otherwise 150mins x 1 , but i wasn't sure what the driving experience actually entails, for either??

They have two handling circuits, a low grip area, ice hill, kick plate and a small off road course. Latter is only used by the Cayenne....genuinely very impressive what it’s capable of. The instructor shows you first then you get a go on the off road bit, The rest of it you drive and depending on what you want the instructor will do what you want. In a Cayenne the ice hill is great for showing you how the safety systems work and also for teaching you how to handle a car in that kind of situation. It’s also impressive how well they handle on the track.

[londonlaw]

Cheib said:

They have two handling circuits, a low grip area, ice hill, kick plate and a small off road course. Latter is only used by the Cayenne....genuinely very impressive what it’s capable of. The instructor shows you first then you get a go on the off road bit, The rest of it you drive and depending on what you want the instructor will do what you want. In a Cayenne the ice hill is great for showing you how the safety systems work and also for teaching you how to handle a car in that kind of situation. It’s also impressive how well they handle on the track.

Thanks Cheib - v helpful.
Do i get to choose what car i want beforehand eg 992 for myself, cayenne for wife, if we chose the 2person 90mins session each?
Or for that matter, if i had the 2.5hr session, can i go through several models or do they tend to just keep to the one car selected right at the start?

[Cheib]

londonlaw said:

Cheib said:

They have two handling circuits, a low grip area, ice hill, kick plate and a small off road course. Latter is only used by the Cayenne....genuinely very impressive what it’s capable of. The instructor shows you first then you get a go on the off road bit, The rest of it you drive and depending on what you want the instructor will do what you want. In a Cayenne the ice hill is great for showing you how the safety systems work and also for teaching you how to handle a car in that kind of situation. It’s also impressive how well they handle on the track.

Thanks Cheib - v helpful.
Do i get to choose what car i want beforehand eg 992 for myself, cayenne for wife, if we chose the 2person 90mins session each?
Or for that matter, if i had the 2.5hr session, can i go through several models or do they tend to just keep to the one car selected right at the start?

Can’t comment on the first event, just give them a call and ask!

Re the specific Cayenne one you can’t choose the car and very unlikely you can choose models as they are always very busy. They’ll have a car of the same model you have for the track work/handling work and a separate one for the off road section. The off road car will have the Air PASM....when I did it the track car has the Steel PASM. It’s very,very unlikely you can get a go in another car I think, the instructors are excellent but all almost all are freelance so not keen to break the rules.

You might be able to don both on a day...Cayenne in the morning and then 90 min experience in a 992 in the afternoon ?

[londonlaw]

Cheib said:

Can’t comment on the first event, just give them a call and ask!

Re the specific Cayenne one you can’t choose the car and very unlikely you can choose models as they are always very busy. They’ll have a car of the same model you have for the track work/handling work and a separate one for the off road section. The off road car will have the Air PASM....when I did it the track car has the Steel PASM. It’s very,very unlikely you can get a go in another car I think, the instructors are excellent but all almost all are freelance so not keen to break the rules.

You might be able to don both on a day...Cayenne in the morning and then 90 min experience in a 992 in the afternoon ?

OK, many thanks again, Cheib.
I did ask when i phoned through to book , but it appears it's just a booking call centre & didn't know the exact answer to question above.
Anyhow, it's something free from Porsche (!) - two track days - & a whole new world for me, after 25yrs of mercs & bms.

[anonymous-user]

londonlaw said:

OK, many thanks again, Cheib.
I did ask when i phoned through to book , but it appears it's just a booking call centre & didn't know the exact answer to question above.
Anyhow, it's something free from Porsche (!) - two track days - & a whole new world for me, after 25yrs of mercs & bms.

If you call the experience centre at Silverstone, they will be able to give you far more detail than the booking team. I have in the past split my session into two cars. The car I've got on order and something else I fancy as a future purchase. They're accommodating as they know that this will sell a car more than a test drive round the block at your local OPC.

There is an off road section that they will take you on to show you the capability of the car, they did with me in a Cayenne when I attended a drive the range event and it was impressive seeing the angles that the car can achieve but the instructor drives and you're the passenger as there is greater potential for it to go wrong.

When I got a Macan GTS, I got bored and changed out to a sports car for the second half. I've done the centre several times and it's great for learning the capabilities of your car. I find the instructors you get when you take out a GT car are very different to when you take out an SUV. The instructor I had for the SUV was more of a babysitter in terms of his approach - way more qualified than me but very different in approach to the instructors who took me out in GT cars. Which makes sense but something to be aware of in setting expectations for what you want to get out the session.

They're well organised and if you go in there with an open mind and good attitude, you'll learn and benefit. My advice is get the coach to give you a demonstration lap first - it'll give you a feel for the place and what the car is capable of.

And of course, have fun. :-)

[londonlaw]

Mutema said:

If you call the experience centre at Silverstone, they will be able to give you far more detail than the booking team. I have in the past split my session into two cars. The car I've got on order and something else I fancy as a future purchase. They're accommodating as they know that this will sell a car more than a test drive round the block at your local OPC.

There is an off road section that they will take you on to show you the capability of the car, they did with me in a Cayenne when I attended a drive the range event and it was impressive seeing the angles that the car can achieve but the instructor drives and you're the passenger as there is greater potential for it to go wrong.

When I got a Macan GTS, I got bored and changed out to a sports car for the second half. I've done the centre several times and it's great for learning the capabilities of your car. I find the instructors you get when you take out a GT car are very different to when you take out an SUV. The instructor I had for the SUV was more of a babysitter in terms of his approach - way more qualified than me but very different in approach to the instructors who took me out in GT cars. Which makes sense but something to be aware of in setting expectations for what you want to get out the session.

They're well organised and if you go in there with an open mind and good attitude, you'll learn and benefit. My advice is get the coach to give you a demonstration lap first - it'll give you a feel for the place and what the car is capable of.

And of course, have fun. :-)

Thank you Mutema - that's v useful info. In fact, what i was hoping for, a split session. Not looking for a GT but would be good for a sports car, 992 etc as a change from SUV. & as you say, a good platform for them to influence future buying decisions.

[anonymous-user]

londonlaw said:

Thank you Mutema - that's v useful info. In fact, what i was hoping for, a split session. Not looking for a GT but would be good for a sports car, 992 etc as a change from SUV. & as you say, a good platform for them to influence future buying decisions.

I'm sure they'll accommodate your request, particularly as the 992 is early in sales cycle but you need to arrange in advance. I was lucky I was able to split my session with the GTS - they make sure the cars are fuelled, checked and have a good set of tyres so not a case of grabbing a car from the car park as it were. I've not driven a 992 at the experience centre, only on the public road and it would be good to drive it without having to monitor speed. Interested in your thoughts and take on the experience once you've been.