Xtreme Xperience Driving Dream Cars

by Michael Satterfield - 04/09/2021

Automotive enthusiasts dream of getting behind the wheel of their favorite supercars, but few of us will ever get the chance to own an exotic sports car like a Lamborghini, Ferrari, or Aston Martin. This is where driving schools and experiences come in, they give us everyday car fans the chance to drive our dream cars. Because of my work in the automotive media, I have had the opportunity to drive some of the most drool-worthy cars at the world's best race tracks, from pushing a McLaren around a Formula 1 track to piloting a professional drag car down the quarter-mile, there are automotive experiences designed to fulfill every motorsport enthusiast's dream.

While true track day experiences are fun, they aren't for your casual car enthuist, most people start with something more like Xtreme Xperience, a supercar driving experience that tours the US and gives everyday people a chance to get behind the wheel of their dream car. I actually was given my Xtreme Xperience as a gift for my bachelor party with three laps in a Ferrari 488 GTB, a car I had never driven, at Driveway Austin, a small race track outside of Austin, Texas which you might recognize from Radwood Austin or the Toyota Supra press photos.

Pricing starts at $199 to drive a Challenger Hellcat Widebody and goes up to $349 for a Ferrari 488 GTB, Lamborghini Huracan, or McLaren 570S for three laps. That price doesn't include insurance which starts an extra $39 for $20K in coverage and still has a $6,000 deductible if you do have an incident. Want to bring your friends along to watch? They need a $10 per person pit pass and there are several other add ons and packages you can buy, including ride alongs with a professional driver.

The experience starts with check-in, you are handed your badge, a USB drive to record your video to, and a time slot for the driver meeting. You can kill time by watching cars, but depending on the track there is little else to do while you wait for your turn behind the wheel. Once your time comes around for the driver meeting, you'll find a seat in a tent that has some TVs, and a driving instructor starts by asking "How many of you have any track or racing experience?" a few hands, including my own, go into the air. The answer to this question doesn't seem to matter as regardless of your experience you will be treated the same as the grandma who is here for her 80th birthday.

Xtreme Xperience Supercar Driving Review

You are warned again and again that you will be charged for any damage you cause to the car, that even with insurance you are on the hook for thousands of dollars, and they make it seem as if you will be arrested and held if you happen to clip a cone, they also go over what all the different cones mean. The instructor goes on to share that you will be taught to drive the optimal driving line, while somehow staying away from the rumble strips, sides of the track, cones, etc... You are once again reminded that if you cause any damage to a car, even minor damage that your card will be charged thousands of dollars before you will be allowed to leave. On that fun note, go have fun.

Exiting the tent, we are herded towards a group of canopies where we are directed to lines based on which car we have signed up to drive. The exotic cars had a longer wait time, while you are in line the team attempts to upsell you into buying a ride along with the pro-driver so you can "learn the track" before going out on your own. The sales pitch is delivered with all the subtle salesmanship of a carnival barker, invoking yet again the terrible consequences and generations of indebtedness your family will face if you mistakenly touch a cone.

About 40 minutes past my "scheduled time" I have worked my to the front of the line and a red 488 is waiting for me. The instructor greets me and explains that the car will be in sport mode, automatic and that I need to keep 6 feet away from both sides of the track. Shaving 12 feet off a track that is around 36 feet wide should make for some interesting "optimal driving lines." We set off, the first lap the instructor keeps you fairly slow, even at this speed, it can be confusing with how many commands he is shouting, plus with the essentially redesigned track layout, I have to ignore everything I learned from the racing schools. By the second lap, I have been yelled at several times for getting too close to the edge of the track and decide to just settle into a leisurely last lap in a very nice car.

I think the most Xtreme part of my Xperience was the interaction with the staff, it is an experience designed for those who have never been behind the wheel of a sports car or on a race track, and feels more like something you might do if you were car shopping for a new C8 or Porsche 911 and wanted to at least see what it feels like when pushed or a little, or if you just wanted to flex on the gram and get your picture taken with a supercar. If you are wanting to really experience what these cars can do, learn how to drive fast, or learn one of your favorite tracks, Xtreme Xperience is not for you, think of it more as a test drive.