I wipe the C63 AMG’s foggy driver-side window with my palm as I wait for my next run. This is the first time I’ve had torely on the side window to see what’s ahead of me. I’m behind the wheel of a barking 507bhp V8, rear-wheel-drive Mercedes, with strict instructions from Austrian rally champion Hannes Danzinger: “Turn in, be super-quick with the counter-steer and balance the gas to keep that tail out.” I’ve never, I repeat, never, received driving instructions like that before. Brilliant!
Welcome to Mercedes-Benz AMG Winter Sporting Basic programme at St Michael Lungau in Austria, a 90-minute drive from Salzburg – Mozart’s hometown. On an artificially created frozen lake called Lungauring, this course is designed to teach you the black-art of drifting. However, don’t let the word ‘basic’ throw you off. The combination of brute AMG power and slick ice is plenty to catch seasoned drivers off-guard. Also included in the package is a night’s stay at the quaint Eggerwirt Spa and Vital Resort, where a theory session was conducted by three very accomplished racing drivers, handpicked by AMG to teach us a thing or two about going sideways. The classroom coaching is packed with slides on drifting techniques, track layout and tech details of the C63 AMG ‘Edition 507’ (the number depicts horsepower!), CLA45 AMG and the A45 AMG hatch – our drift equipment for the next day. After a warning from the instructors about how they hate to see understeer, we set off on a slightly surreal snowy horse-carriage ride for an authentic traditional Austrian dinner.
At about 7:30a.m, it’s a cold grey morning with a dull sky threatening heavy rain. The persistent drizzle isn’t great news for ice driving either, but the wet weather fails to dampen the camp’s spirit. How could it? It’ll take a lot more to curb our enthusiasm, especially once we see a parking lot packed with AMGs. A few brief instructions and a short drive later, we’re at the track; traction control off.
