 Porsche Camp4 Canada. Click image to enlarge |
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By James Bergeron; photos by James Bergeron and courtesy Porsche Canada
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Porsche Camp4 Canada
Mont-Tremblant, Quebec – When people find out I review cars, they always think it is a dream job, but then, of course, I have to inform them of some of the not-so-dreamy aspects. Like the waiting at the airport, spending more time on the plane than in the car, or having to drive and then write about that boring vehicle with no personality that just zaps the life out of you. And then, for the most part, people come back to reality and realize that it may sound great on the surface but is not all that jazz.
But then you tell them you spent the day at the Mecaglisse facility, about one hour north of Montreal, drifting Porsches. They smack you upside the head and you realize: I get paid to do this?
 Porsche Camp4 Canada. Click image to enlarge |
As a result of this profession and my love of motorsports, I have had the chance to attend – as an observer, a participant and an instructor – many driving schools. This one proved to be different: the Porsche Camp4 Canada school was the first time I had ever heard an instructor wilfully encourage me to drive “more sideways” and ensure that the PSM (Porsche Stability Management) was disengaged to get the most sideways action humanly possible – can you say FUN?!
Imported directly from Finland, the Camp4 Canada program is new this year and offers a unique opportunity to learn the “art of driving in an unstable way.” Typically a two-day course, journalists were offered a one-day teaser of what a Porsche Camp4 Canada customer might expect during their two-day adventure.
The school is held at the Mecaglisse facility and involves piloting Porsche 911 Carrera4’s and Porsche Cayman S’s. The course is held during the winter up in the mountains, so expect some cold, although most of the day was spent in the warmth of the Porsche vehicles. All track surfaces are flooded and offer a nice range of snow and ice conditions, subject, of course to Mother Nature’s whims. Luckily, the track was heavily glazed over with ice this year.
 Porsche Camp4 Canada. Click image to enlarge |
Like most schools, the day started with a briefing on safety, the course outline and a brief discussion on vehicle dynamics. During a full two-day course, one can expect a little more in-class training, but our schedule was compressed and we were all anxious to get into the driver’s seat.
At most driving schools the only spoon you may see would be at lunch. But the large wooden spoon we were briefed on was different; perhaps the instructors would snap our knuckles with it if we didn’t behave? No, we were told, we would inevitably end up in a snow bank and the wooden spoon was there to scoop the snow out of the bumper and grille. At this point, we knew this was going to be a day to remember.
The class was split into three groups and we were escorted out to the three separate areas of the compound. Paired up with another student, I hopped into our assigned Carrera 4 Cabriolet to start the day on the skid pad.
