PEC Back From July - With Some Changes

[kmacuk]

So we have 3 PEC places pending since our GTS purchase in March. As things seem to be moving again, we decided to send an email. Got below response.
We are thinking of heading down 20th July (6hr drive ☹). We can choose 3 cars and as we are in the same household, we can swap between any 2.

We are thinking 718GTS, 718S and 992 Carrera S - not looking to take a Macan GTS as it’s not a track car and having do before the 2nd time we will be more prepared - not sure if this is a mistake - thoughts anyone?

Anyone else got PEC tickets and waiting to take them up? I am ok with the driving alone, might be better than accompanied even. Would the restrictions/changes noted below be a problem and you’d wait or like me do you think its fine or even a plus?

Anyway thought i would share with the forum members who might be interested.


Thank you for your email.

We are booking experiences from Monday 06 July until the end of September, and various alterations have been made in light of Covid-19 as to how the Porsche Experience Centre will be operating, and as a reminder, please see these outlined below. Whilst we have been required to modify our approach to driving activities to ensure your safety and that of our team, we’re confident that you will be able to enjoy an exhilarating experience on the Porsche tracks.

• You will receive a welcome and safety briefing with other guests while observing 2-metre social distancing measures.

• All driving experiences will remain bespoke and delivered on a one-to-one basis with a dedicated Porsche Driving Consultant.

• Since your Driving Consultant cannot be in the car with you under current guidance, they will lead your experience from a separate vehicle.

• All coaching will be done via in-car, hands-free radio with plenty of opportunity for breaks and discussion as required.

• To adhere with social distancing, unfortunately demonstration laps and Cayenne off-road activity will not be accessible during this time.

• Due to current government guidelines and requirements around social distancing, we are required to restrict the number of people in the building. To help us manage guest capacity during this first phase of re-opening, we will be prioritising those guests who are participating in a driving experience. Unfortunately this means that any non-driving guest will not be able to join you on this occasion.

• To safely accommodate all of our visitors, only driving guests joining us from the same household will be able to sit on the same table. We will, however, endeavour to sit you as close as possible so that you may still enjoy each other’s company while you are dining with us.

If you would like to arrange a date, please let me know and I will be happy to provide you with our July to September availability. Alternatively, if you would prefer to wait until the restrictions have been lifted, again please let me know and I will add your details to our waiting list to be notified of when this will be.

I look forward to hearing from you.

With kind regards
Charlotte Nicholls

Porsche Driving Experience
Porsche Experience Centre
Hangar Straight, Silverstone Circuit
Towcester NN12 8GR
Direct: +44 (0)1327 855 911
E-Mail: drivingexperience@porsche.co.uk

[MCDK]

What do they do if you overtake your instructor lol.

Hard to know if it’s better on your own or with the instructor in car with you to be honest.

[Miopyk]

I've just booked 2 sessions for late July and as we've done it several times before we're going to split it across 4 people in 2 Boxsters. We did an all day full range session a few years back and in the Boxster at that time it was me and the wife with a radio being talked around the various tracks by an instructor. Seemed to work well and really enjoyed it. So I'd say go for it.

My last Macan session was purposely booked for the winter and I spent the whole time on the low friction circuit and ice hill as I wanted to learn how it felt if I ever encountered black ice in the real world. Although I didn't get above 35mph it was probably the most educational driving experience I've had there.

[Tracky]

Is the 718gts the 4.0?

If not why bother with S and GTS

Agree to do a 718 though as it will be the most fun around that tight circuit.

I did a few last year and thought the Macan was going to be boring but I had an absolute blast hunting down 911s !

Interesting on new set up. Done a few like that with Audi and Jag where the instructor uses diffErnest ‘pace’ car in front

In the Audi one the instructor had to apologise for us going flying towards a speed camera On the road route so we had to slam the brakes on

On the Jag one we were at Donnington and I jumped in to the car behind him

We built the pace up respectively then by the end of it he and I had left behind the rest of the pack that were supposed to be following

[bennachie]

Would be nice if my OPC remembered that i had bought a car from them............................poor...................still, only two years ago......................

[kmacuk]

Is the 718gts the 4.0?

If not why bother with S and GTS

Agree to do a 718 though as it will be the most fun around that tight circuit.

I did a few last year and thought the Macan was going to be boring but I had an absolute blast hunting down 911s !

Interesting on new set up. Done a few like that with Audi and Jag where the instructor uses diffErnest ‘pace’ car in front

In the Audi one the instructor had to apologise for us going flying towards a speed camera On the road route so we had to slam the brakes on

On the Jag one we were at Donnington and I jumped in to the car behind him

We built the pace up respectively then by the end of it he and I had left behind the rest of the pack that were supposed to be following

My 21 year old son joing us, he did a base Boxter so he was keen on the GTS, 1ith only 15hp more I had selected the S too, to be fair it does have S PASM so lowered and PVT, which might make a difference if its wet. I highly doubt it will be a 4L and will be the 4 pot.

I do like the dea of the Macan hassling the 911's

I was hopng the instructor was following behind, fine with following if its not to slow you down. Last visit was great and no real restrictions on pace as long as you didnt do anything stupid.

[Tracky]

Most instructors are very good if they can sense you know what you are doing. Bear in mind most people are likely to only get to 70% of the cars capabilities so they have plenty of scope to increase it safely

Never judge a book by its cover either when it comes to the instructor. I did a bmw M day at thruxton a few years back. I was looking down the line of instructors as we were being paired off and saw this meek and mild small guy and thought this is going to be dull.

He took me for some laps to show us the circuit with all the others. We were told it would be at 40mph. He was doing 80 chatting away.

Then my go driving all the range.

By the afternoon he was encouraging me to outbreak M5s in to corners whilst I was driving a 235i - we really shouldn’t have been!!

[Salty]

The last time I was at the PEC I drove a Macan GTS. I had been twice before so knew what to expect in terms of the circuit. However I didn’t expect to be held up by the car in front of me for almost the entire time I was on the main circuit. Even my instructor got frustrated as the instructor in the car in front was quite new and didn’t ask his driver to indicate to let me past. Completely spoiled my day and I doubt I’ll bother going back particularly as it’s a long way for me to go in the first place.

[Tracky]

The last time I was at the PEC I drove a Macan GTS. I had been twice before so knew what to expect in terms of the circuit. However I didn’t expect to be held up by the car in front of me for almost the entire time I was on the main circuit. Even my instructor got frustrated as the instructor in the car in front was quite new and didn’t ask his driver to indicate to let me past. Completely spoiled my day and I doubt I’ll bother going back particularly as it’s a long way for me to go in the first place.

Surely that is your instructors fault too - he could have made you back off, go to a different area or anything to get the space you might need

Everybody should bear in mind that there are all sorts on these days and not all will be confident. It isn’t a track day it is for everybody to experience their new car in a safe environment with some coaching thrown in

[Salty]

The last time I was at the PEC I drove a Macan GTS. I had been twice before so knew what to expect in terms of the circuit. However I didn’t expect to be held up by the car in front of me for almost the entire time I was on the main circuit. Even my instructor got frustrated as the instructor in the car in front was quite new and didn’t ask his driver to indicate to let me past. Completely spoiled my day and I doubt I’ll bother going back particularly as it’s a long way for me to go in the first place.

Surely that is your instructors fault too - he could have made you back off, go to a different area or anything to get the space you might need

Everybody should bear in mind that there are all sorts on these days and not all will be confident. It isn’t a track day it is for everybody to experience their new car in a safe environment with some coaching thrown in

Actually the instructor did ask me to back off although I had anyway and we did go off to the other newer area for some emergency braking demos.

As you say it isn’t really supposed to be a track day and there are all skill levels catered for. It was just a shame that I had someone so slow ahead of me when I wanted to get a feel for the cars handling at a decent speed.