The 2011 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 performs at the Ron Fellows Performance Driving School. The car packs 638 horsepower. (General Motors)
Out on the raceway, Justin Johnson shepherds students skidding through turns and roaring down a straightaway in Chevrolet Corvettes.
"Slow the entry down and turn a little sharper," he implores over a two-way radio to a student coming into a curve.
Buyers of the new Corvette ZR1 get two free days of driving instruction from Johnson and other staff members of the Ron Fellows Performance Driving School.
The 2011 Corvette ZR1 (General Motors)
General Motors says it offers the $2,995 course free "to teach new owners how to fully enjoy the performance of the ZR1 in a safe, closed-course environment" at the track in Pahrump, Nev., or at another outside Phoenix.
More automakers are offering similar courses. And for good reason: Performance cars have undergone stunning gains in horsepower. But the trend also raises a question: How much is too much in horses under the hood?
The $111,100 ZR1's supercharged engine packs 638 horsepower, the kind of power virtually unavailable even a decade ago. These days, even everyday cars are packed with engine oomph.
"People always want more, but people need to realize 305 is a lot of horsepower," says Amy Marentic, Ford's car marketing manager. "It's a lot to handle," and if mishandled, it "can get them into trouble."
In 1987, the average vehicle had about 118 horsepower, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. By 1998, it was up to 171. And in 2008, horsepower averaged 222. Average zero-to-60-mph times fell from 14.1 seconds in 1987 to 9.6 seconds by 2008. Today, a few production cars can hit 60 mph in half that time.
A 2003 study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that medical and collision-damage payouts were higher in accidents involving higher-horsepower cars, especially when the drivers were ages 16-25.
Driving lessons
- Some recent examples of lessons for performance-car buyers:
- General Motors. Corvette ZR1 buyers can choose from one of two programs. The first two days are free, and owners can pay for a third day.
- Ford. Buyers of the 2012 Mustang Boss 302, a 440-horsepower model due this spring, will be eligible for a free day of on-track training at the Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah.
- Mercedes-Benz. The company runs periodic promotions for buyers of cars from the AMG performance division. Recently it gave a day of driving training at the AMG Driving Academy at one of three racetracks around the country.
"The intended user has no idea what the product is capable of," says Sean Kane, who specializes in auto issues at Safety Research & Strategies, a consultancy that does work for trial lawyers.
However, maintaining control isn't so much about the car itself but how the driver handles it, says Angus Mackenzie, editor-in-chief of Motor Trend magazine.
"You don't need 500 horsepower to go fast," he says. "You don't need 500 horsepower to drive like an idiot. It's not about what the car has -- it's about the attitude of the driver."
He says that's why he has high regard for the performance-driving programs that can teach how to effectively brake, take turns and handle emergency maneuvers. "People in this country are not really taught to drive," Mackenzie says. "The basic skill level is actually pretty low."
Brent Hicks, an accountant from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., says he was so impressed by the class he took in his ZR1 that he is rounding up 11 friends to take another session. He says he wanted the training mainly for everyday driving.
"I don't want to be one of those guys you read about who had 7 miles on [the odometer of] a car and put it into a wall," Hicks says.
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