The Lotus Driving Academy is not a new idea, the initiative having been
launched in 2009
following a decade of driving training at Hethel. Since then the Academies have spread over Europe and the world, offering customers a taste of the Lotus range - and some proper tuition - for a few hundred quid.
Elise there to kick you off...
Now the Hethel Driving Academy has been refreshed and updated with new models, the
Elise Sport 220
Exige Sport 350
now available. In the current climate of Lotus model launches they aren't all that new, but they should provide both circuit novices and more seasoned track tearaways with a challenge.
The Driving Academy Days start at £119 for the 'Scare Yourself Sensible' experience, which sounds a bit like a teenage safe sex initiative, through Bronze, Silver and Gold licence days. The Gold day is £899, and required to obtain a Lotus Licence. Lotus says the days will challenge "even the most ardent serial track day enthusiast", teaching techniques like heel and toe and power oversteer while also offering a personal evaluation at the end of the day. And then a passenger lap, to prove how distinctly average you really are...
... hopefully you're onto this in no time!
Jean-Marc Gales said of the news: "Only with the Lotus Driving Academy will you get an unbeatable experience on a challenging track in some of the best giant slaying sports cars you can drive." Nothing more to it, right?
More details can be found on the Lotus Driving Academy website, with prices and booking there too. Take it from us, the track is quite good fun...