Anyone else get invited to this? Kind of like Revitup but with Mercedes cars and ride-a-longs with professionals at full-throttle. There won't be any competition but you do get to drive a C-Class (and supposedly the AMG version will be available for driving!) on a closed course. Here is the site:

http://www.c-spotdriveparty.com/default.asp

 

How much is the event?

 

I lived there for a while and never heard of it. Looks like a ploy to get the addresses of MB owners. They site might be a lot of thieves looking for MB's. I could be wrong but, I much rather err on the side of caution....

 

Hmmmm...I couldn't find any mention of it at MB's main website. Seems odd.

http://www.mbusa.com/brand/index.jsp

 

I guess this event is free, and I signed up for it. I did not see the price being mentioned in the FAQs, nor anywhere else on the site. I will be looking towards this, after I do Rev It Up.

 

It's sponsored by MB, I got an e-mail today from their normal e-mail address (I'm on their list) inviting me to it. Not some huge plan to steal people's cars or anything. It is free. No Mazda $40 charge there to drive the cars.

I really think it is just for "invitees" but they don't require it to sign up. Maybe they are letting all of us preferred individuals sign up first and then they will announce it to the public (kind of like you didn't hear a lot about Revitup until close to the event).

 

What the hell...I just signed up. Guess I'll see what comes of it.

 

The FAQ says you've gotta be 21, so I guess I'm out. Oh well, sounded like fun .

 

C32 AMG -

349 HP
332 Lb/ft

No way in hell I would pass up on a chance to drive that beast.

 

Hey I live in the C-Spot!!! Anyways if I feel a need to drive a MB C Class (which is hella rare unless its the AMG ) I'll juss borrow my dads C320...LOL that NEVER happens hahaha (although I have driven it a couple of times...really really sweet )

 

I went today. They weren't letting anyone drive the C32 AMG but that was what they were driving for the hot-lap with "professional" drivers (I don't know where they got them from but the one I got was good). I noticed that if you tell the driver to scare the hell out of you, they will. I got the hardest ride out of just about anyone I saw. For most people they weren't even screeching the tires that hard. My driver entered the first corner going approx. 90, and I was thinking oh **** we are about to spin but the tires held (amazing grip, it was a tight corner) and we got through the course hauling ***. I think he got bitched out afterwards because nobody else got as much tire screeching as I did. That car is amazing, as good as an M3 in my opinion (automatic only, yech). They did let you drive the C320's (and all the engines in between). They drove nice, not as tight as the AMG but I was able to get some good screeches on the curves (frowned upon). The luxury level and ride comfort was very good, if you pushed it they would handle well and the touch-shift automatic is the best I've ever seen (makes the one on the 6 look like a POS). They did not bring any manuals for driving. They had a course for just driving and one for checking out the AWD versions. Lots of fun so for those people who didn't sign up yet. Houston was only the first stop on the tour so go check it out. You even get a free set of Mercedes golf ***** and beverages and all that (weren't out to drag money out of you like Mazda was at the Rev-it-Up, and lines were a lot better).

 

How was the event set up? Was it sort of like an auto-x similar to Mazda Rev It Up or was it a low speed test drive like setup?

 

2 courses like the test drive one at Rev but with more corners and a little bit longer. You can hit pretty decent speeds on them but they will single you out if you start to lose control or whack some cones or something. One guy lost control on the AWD course and plowed a few cones they commented on it to everyone in line and then bitched him out when he got back in. One of the courses has only 4Matic vehicles so you can drive on some simulated ice and a bunch of water and then after the water you can tear it up a little, the other one you can tear it up all the way. The third course for the professionals was bigger than anything at Rev and they were able to hit high speeds (the aforementioned 90MPH, I was watching the speedometer the whole way to that first turn). Stay away from the sedans and try the coupes if you want to have fun on the driving courses, you will be going a lot faster than you think you are because the cars are so smooth.

 

Did they have the C230K coupe? It's a lot closer to my price range, hehe. Though the reliability of one == poop. At least that one has an engine oil dipstick on it, lol. Imagine if the computers wrong and told you you were low 1.5 quarts and you added it, and no way to test it, like on the C240. Ooops.

 

All engines and body styles (even the wagon) were represented. I recommend the C230 coupe and the V6 (C320) sedan. They had a 320 coupe as well but I did not drive it (not a big fan of the long coupe body style, prefer them short like the Mini).