PALM BEACH, Dec. 08, 2011: Ultimate test drives? Kelly says some OMGs after track day with Mercedes-Benz AMGs

PALM BEACH, Florida — In case anyone needed any extra encouragement to keep the car on the track, there were always the alligators.

Gators and fire ants and braking zones, oh my!

Mercedes-Benz Canada brought a handful of Canadian journalists to Palm Beach International Raceway for a day of high-performance driving in six Mercedes AMG models — the C 63 AMG (coupe and sedan), S 63 AMG, CLS 63 AMG, the SLS and the E 63 AMG (sedan and wagon).

And let the record show that if you’re in the market for a cool station wagon (yes, there really is such a thing), you can do no better than the $102,100 E 63 AMG.

It appears that AMG might really be German for OMG. The E 63 wagon was outstanding; boatloads of power, and, despite the car’s considerable size and weight, very, very little body roll.

AMG was founded by Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher in 1967. The name stands for Aufrecht’s and Melcher’s last initials and Großaspach, the community where Aufrecht was born.

It began as an engine builder and automotive tuner, and developed increasing ties to Mercedes-Benz until finally, Mercedes purchased a controlling interest.

The engines are built by a single technician from start to finish, and the technician signs each engine before it goes into a car. A host of suspension upgrades go into each AMG product, as well as the AMG Speedshift seven-speed dual clutch automated manual transmission.

The results are cars that are Benzes on steroids. The 63 in the model names refers to a 6.3-litre twin-turbocharged V-8. Power varies, from 451 horsepower in the C63 AMG to 563 in the SLS AMG. Performance packages in all but the SLS increase power by about 30 horsepower.

As well, an increased number of performance and personalization options are available in all AMG vehicles. Interestingly, on a per capita basis, Canada buys more AMG cars than any other country in the world.

The particular program we were on was the AMG Performance Tour. This is a by-invitation-only program that Mercedes-Benz dealers can use to thank customers, to encourage prospective customers to purchase or as a thank you reward for staff.

The day started as most such schools do, with a slalom exercise designed to teach proper vision: An instructor at the far end of the slalom will, unpredictably, raise his hand as you drive the slalom.

Each time he does, you have to miss the next gate and proceed to the one after. Most of the people who fail this exercise do so because they’re looking at the cones and not far enough down the road to see the instructor.

Proper use of vision is important, as it allows drivers to drive more quickly and more safely around a race track. We moved on to a trail-braking exercise, where you hold a reducing amount of brake pressure until about 1/3 of the way around a turn.

Trail-braking helps maintain momentum through turns by keeping more weight on the front wheels, which allows them to continue to turn at a higher speed than without trail-braking.

Finally, it was on to the fun part: high-speed laps around Palm Beach International Raceway with coaching from instructors.

Danny Kok, chief instructor for all Mercedes-Benz Canada driving instruction programs, said a racetrack is the only place to truly appreciate what AMG brings to the Mercedes lineup.

Mercedes also offers a host of advanced driving programs that would do wonders for any average driver’s abilities. There’s the Mercedes-Benz Driving Experience (half day, $395), a winter driving course (full day, $795), a Mastering Performance course (full day, at a race track, $1,695) and the AMG Mastering Performance (two days, race track, $3,995 (includes hotel and meals).

JoAnne Caza, public relations manager for Mercedes-Benz Canada, said those courses are available to anyone, irrespective of owning a Mercedes vehicle.

Kok said the courses build confidence and teach important skills such as emergency lane-change manoeuvres and collision-avoidance.

Of all the cars here, the C63 AMG remains my favourite. In a perfect world, I’d buy the coupe. In the real world, with a family, I’ll take the sedan.

It was arguably the best-handling car here, aside from the SLS. That it is available, at $66,000, for $174,000 less than the SLS is the key selling point.

While the S63 might be the epitome of luxury for some, with more rear-seat legroom than many Town Car limousines, as a performance car, it was heavy and huge.

The CLS63, with its four-door coupe look, is also heavy, but it arguably is the most luxurious. The SLS AMG is basic supercar: fast, without a lot of frills.

And the E63 Wagon is the family car from hell. It’s mind-blowingly quick for a wagon and quite luxurious inside.

I go to at least one of these schools a year, and never have I left thinking I didn’t learn something new. And that’s the attitude to take about driving: guaranteed there are no average drivers who know everything about driving. Especially the ones who think they do.

More information on the Mercedes-Benz driving program can be found at www.mercedes-benz.ca/drivingacademy.

And check out the other European carmakers, too. BMW offers similar programs and so does Porsche.

And yes, there were indeed gators. We saw one in a slough as we drove in.

*photo and article from Chronicle Herald-Wheels' columnist Kelly Taylor