High Performance Cadillac Buyers Get Free Track School

Over the past two years, we have talked about how Ford Motor Company offers high performance driving school to buyers of their high performance cars and I got to attend the SRT program at Bondurant High Performance Driving School which applies to all SRT vehicles and now the Abarth Fiat models. Not letting the crosstown rivals have too much of an advantage, General Motors has announced that they, too, will offer a free driving school – specifically to those folks who buy the new Cadillac ATS-V or CTS-V.

Best of all, General Motors includes a little more in the package than do Ford or FCA, so while the car itself will cost you more – the two-day driving school should end up costing owners a little less.

“Cadillac is a brand for passionate people, by passionate people,” said Nathan Tan, associate director of Brand Partnerships and Experiences for Cadillac. “V-Series customers are in many ways nearest the core of the Cadillac brand, and we are proud to offer this valuable training with our thrilling products.”

Cadillac V-Performance Academy
This new program is called the Cadillac V-Performance Academy driving experience and the location is the Spring Mountain Motor Resort and Country Club near Las Vegas, Nevada. The first buyer of the 2017 Cadillac CTS-V or ATS-V (sorry, no used cars and it doesn’t seem to be transferrable) gets a free pass to this two-day event during which time they will experience “two days of intensive driver training in the model of purchase”, with a healthy dose of track time and the necessary classroom sessions to keep everyone safe.

The fact that the Cadillac driving school is two days long makes it unique from the Ford and FCA programs, but the GM luxury brand goes a bit further. Cadillac CTS-V and ATS-V buyers also get ground transportation to and from the Las Vegas airport, two nights lodging in a Spring Mountain luxury condo, breakfast and lunch on each day of the event, general admission for a guest (no driving for the guest, although your guest can drive for an additional fee) and on-site vehicles to get around town while attending the event.

So, while those folks attending the Ford or FCA schools have to pay for the flight to the various locations, their lodging while there and their around-town travel, the Cadillac program only leaves owners to pay for their flight to Vegas.

“The V-Series are the most-track capable Cadillac models ever, using exclusive technologies tuned by a select group of dedicated engineers,” said Brandon Vivian, Cadillac executive chief engineer. “These technologies, such as Magnetic Ride Control, Performance Traction Management software and the Performance Data Recorder, set the Cadillac ATS-V and Cadillac CTS-V apart from all other luxury cars and are the tools drivers will experience at the V-Performance Academy.”

Those folks who don’t want to make the trek to Vegas for the Spring Mountain driving school can opt for two other shorter programs as part of the single-day V-Performance Lab, which will be held at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas and at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut.

Having had the pleasure of attending a school of this type with the folks from Dodge, I would recommend strongly that anyone who has a shot at a free track school like this one take advantage of the offer. While you will have to pay for the flight, the experience and training gained while there will allow owners to better enjoy their high performance Cadillac in every way – while also making them safer drivers in the process.