Performance driving schools are wonderful. A range of automakers have them to celebrate the performance of their hottest cars. These schools allow you to learn all about pushing a car to its limits, and possibly beyond, in a controlled environment. You'll have a wealth of knowledge and skill at your disposal thanks to the assembled crew of veteran instructors.
Lexus hasn't traditionally been linked to performance, but soon, Lexus will offer its own performance driving school.
Starting this fall, Lexus will offer the aptly named Lexus Performance Driving School. It makes sense. From the fun yet not-insane F Sport models to the fun and almost insane full-on F variants, there's a whole to like from Lexus if you're a well-heeled enthusiast.
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Lexus plans to offer three different programs for those interested in its school. There's an Express Experience, which provides in-class training before you're let loose on an autocross course and then finish up with some on-track lead/follow laps. The Half-Day Experience provides the same bits but adds in some slalom and braking training, a skidpad, and eventually some hot laps with you riding shotgun as the pros show you how it's done.
Finally, the Full-Day Experience provides a bit of advanced driver theory and a portion where you'll learn about proper racing lines. Lexus will provide the full range of its F and F Sport machines, which should prove to be great fun for the average school attendee. It will also show GS 350 F Sport owners why the GS F is worth the extra coin. Same goes for the RC owners.
Lexus will offer its school at the following tracks on the following dates:
- Palm Beach International Raceway in Jupiter, Florida - September 30 to October 2
- Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Illinois - October 7-9
- New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, New Jersey - October 27-29
- Autoclub Speedway in Fontana, California - February 10-12, 2017
The Express Experience doesn't cost you anything, if you can find an open time slot. A Half-Day Experience is $495, and the Full-Day will run you $895. It's not cheap, and you're not getting any open track time of your own, but running someone else's Lexus on a racetrack will certainly be fun and informative.
Still, for that much coin for the Full-Day Experience, we might consider heading to Drift School.
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