People who like to go fast under controlled circumstances will want to know about the latest driving programs in North America -- the new BMW Performance Center in Spartanburg, S.C., on a course "designed expressly for driving instruction."
The one- and two-day programs are open to licensed drivers 18 and older and conducted by BMW-trained driving instructors in a fleet of BMW automobiles.
One of the more interesting aspects of the BMW Performance Centre is the water wall area, since fountains of water are one of the best ways to simulate unforeseen obstacles and practice crash avoidance programs.
Other features of the driving course include a wet-surface skid area to simulate icing and slippery surface conditions and sections for autocross and slalom programs. In all, there are 35 different course variations available on a circuit that's 1.45 km long and expands to 2.7 kms using connecting roads designed to provide actual driving conditions.
Instruction begins with an orientation "chalk talk" in a classroom at the 60,000-square-foot facility overlooking the driving course.
The BMW Performance Center is adjacent to BMW's manufacturing plant and,in addition to the active driving safety school, it's the home of BMW's delivery center, where buyers in the U.S. and most of Europe (but not buyers in Canada) can take delivery of their new BMW.