BMW Driver Training activities were originally developed in Germany and have now spread across the globe. Today, BMW Driver Training in Canada joins a network of courses which include the USA, Australia and Japan with further programs in development in Italy, France and Switzerland. In Canada, the program will be based on the highly successful German model and will be implemented in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver throughout 2001. Additional cities will be added in the future.
"BMW is a pioneer in providing manufacturer supported driver training in Canada and our new program will travel across the country in order to bring BMW Driver Training within the reach of ever more drivers," said Mr. von Kuenheim.
The travelling program utilises large areas of tarmac that provide a great degree of safety run-off areas, such as Downsview Park (formerly Downsview Airport) in Toronto and race circuits throughout the country. The program descends on each location with tonnes of training equipment, a special training pavilion and up to 20 cars. Staffed by dedicated BMW trainers (who have been trained in Germany) and supported by a team of logistics and administration professionals, the new BMW Driver Training program is run entirely by BMW Canada.
BMW Canada's Driver Training Chief Instructor is Pierre Savoy. Having been involved in driver trainings since 1983 in Canada, the United States and in Europe, he is experienced in race driving instruction, collision avoidance courses and skid control schools. Pierre Savoy has trained race drivers such as Jacques Villeneuve and Patrick Carpentier, emergency response organizations including Police forces, ambulance drivers and fire fighters across the country, and RCMP officers.