The Sepang International Circuit flaunts its AMG makeover (All photos: Mercedes-Benz Malaysia)
We live fast-paced lives; marching to the beat of the metropolis at the mercy of the flow of capitalism, with scarcely any time for personal enrichment or socialisation. For some, comfort is found in taking the time to slow down — but at Mercedes, it is all about speeding up.
Picture this … slamming the accelerator mercilessly flat, racing without inhibition down a racetrack, the silky smooth steering of an intensely powerful vehicle at your fingertips. Delivering this ultimate satisfaction, the Mercedes-Benz Driving Experience 2024 was organised as an exclusive and enjoyable course for participants to hone their driving abilities and bolster their automotive appreciation. To put the German marque’s armada of high-performance AMG models to the test, there was of course no better stage than the illustrious Sepang International Circuit.
This drive day, part of the AMG Experience on Track available worldwide, was a chance to show off the technological and mechanical prowess of these spectacular vehicles, but it was also much more. Long-time Mercedes owners and fans of the Stuttgart-based brand were provided with a liberating opportunity to take the brand’s power-packed creations to the absolute limit — within a safe environment — and witness the extents of performance that each automobile is engineered to handle.
Newly appointed Mercedes-Benz Malaysia & SEA vice-president of sales and marketing Nadia Trimmel opened the morning with an overview of the event, followed by a presentation by Mercedes-Benz Australia Pacific chief driving instructor Peter Hackett. It covered the details of the circuit, appropriate positioning, driving dynamics and safety guidelines: Maintain a good bend in the elbows and knees; sit lower in your seats; and keep your eyes on where you are going, not what you are avoiding.
The Australian GT race driver followed this up with the impressive specifications for the day’s suite of AMG vehicles, but the belle of the ball was undoubtedly the recently launched C 63 S E Performance, an extraordinary machine that uses Formula One technology on everyday roads. Not slighting its co-stars, every member of the fleet — the CLA 45 S, GLB 35 and the GT 63 S E Performance, to name a few from this dreamy cast — got to flaunt its unique personalities on the track.
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The heavy storm from the early hours had become a persistent drizzle, and slipperiness presented some concern. Under the incredibly capable oversight of the professional instructors (all with ample motorsport experience), however, it became immediately apparent that we were in safe hands. Participants were divided into three groups of eight, with each division rotating through 30-minute dynamic handling exercises. Every round was followed by a swap of passenger and driver, as well as frequent car switches, with a rotating lineup curated for each trial ensuring the best experience every time.
As we strapped ourselves into the chic interiors of the A 35 for the cornering segment, the superior German engineering was palpable: It was lithe and hyper-reactive; yet, for all its 306 + 14hp (boosted by belt-starter generator) of might, this ride surrendered to amateur hands with exceptional obedience. Keeping as close as possible to the cones guiding the racing line, it yielded smoothly through braking and turning, leaning into the apex before riding through the exit of each curve. One by one, the supercharged automobiles whipped their way around the fifth and sixth turns like cheetahs bounding fiercely through fresh rainfall. Each AMG vehicle also included the Dynamic Select with eight options to enable a wide range of driving experiences — but for those unfamiliar, recommendations and guidance were delivered all the while via walkie-talkie from our instructor. The Electronic Stability Control (ESP) settings also protected against oversteering, or the loss of control in the rear tyres, an especially valuable management system when driving in rain.
When the time came for the drag race at the start/finish line, the precipitation became a dramatic backdrop for the performance of the next troupe, featuring the C 43, A 250, A 45 and EQE 53, among others. Witnessing the cinematic sprays trail behind the spinning tyres — the droplets on the windows flowing quiveringly backwards as nature was forced to yield to the immutable physics of peak acceleration — only made the extreme speeds more tangible. Ankles twitching at the ready, drivers competed to floor the gas at the sound of “go”. Staring and gripping, we watched the rapidly approaching cones with laser-like focus to gauge just when to hit the brakes and stop within the box. The EQE — representing the brand’s foray into electrification — boasted an immense 1,000Nm of torque that won out ahead of every other racer. The impact of the eagerly hunched-over body slamming firmly into the seat as the speedometer spiked to triple digits in but a precious few seconds was incomparable — and oh-so cathartic.
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Guests could then hop into a lineup that included the GLA 250 and GLB 200 for the braking and swerving portion, which like the drag race involved reaching full acceleration before fearlessly stomping on the brakes, then manoeuvring to avoid an “obstacle”. For some participants, the anticipation made them pedal-happy, while others clipped a cone or two, and others still accomplished the technique commendably. In an emergency scenario, the cars were able to take maximum speeds down to a manageable 20kph to 30kph in a matter of moments, allowing for optimal steering control to safely avoid any road hazards you should encounter.
Pumping with petrol and adrenaline, participants donned their helmets for the closing act, which was lead-and-follow laps from the first through to the sixth turns of the circuit. With a chance to shuffle between the full availability of rides, drivers attempted to mirror the movement of the instructor at the head of the pack, navigating the track faster with each run-through. The sporty blue SL 43, the only rear-wheel drive among its 4Matic and 4Matic+ brethren, provided remarkably wieldy handling, while the vicious torque of the EQS 53 proved a slightly more challenging beast to tame when it came to the sharp steering and braking required along turns two and four on the slick asphalt.
For anyone who was unable to attend that day, or hoping for a more up-close-and-personal look before making their purchases, most of these stunning machines are currently available to test drive with Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, with more to be accessible in the coming months. While we would not recommend trying any extreme manoeuvres on the highway, rest assured that there is a little silver arrow spirit in every AMG vehicle.
This article first appeared on July 29, 2024 in The Edge Malaysia.
