Top five overseas driving experiences

One small problem, your average Lamborghini or McLaren isn’t cheap and getting it from Australia to (for example) Norway to start a drive could be tricky.

Fear not, there’s a multitude of operators willing to fulfill your fantasy at a fraction of a Ferrari’s price tag. Feel like blasting from one restaurant to another in France, or learning to drive a NASCAR like a pro? These guys have got the cars, the roads and the local knowledge. None are especially inexpensive but take it from us, they offer trips of a lifetime.

So it’s the middle of February, you’ve spent summer baking on the beach and the kids are back at school. One way to clear the cobwebs and cool down a bit would be to head for Finland and learn how to power through slippery snow in a Porsche Ice Experience. Based in Porsche’s Finnish driving centre on a frozen lake near the ski resort of Levi, the four available programs start with an introductory experience that includes learning how to slide and drift a Cayman or 911, and go right up to driving a race-ready GT3 Cup car on ice. All under the watchful eye and tutelage of Porsche driving instructors. The accommodation is spectacular, there’s plenty of fun stuff like snowmobile tours and if you’ve never been to Finland before well, here’s your chance. Porsche also holds similar events in Italy, China and Canada.

While most premium car-makers offer some sort of travel adventure using one of their four-wheel products, few have been doing it as long as Land Rover. And being a proper off-roader, you can explore some pretty amazing places where few vehicles dare to go. Depending on the time of year, the Land Rover Adventure Travel might take you to Namibia’s Etosha National Park to see the elephants or through that country’s spectacular Namib and Kalahari deserts. There are also trips to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, across the glaciers and volcanic scenery in Iceland or for a slightly more civilized landscape, Land Rover’s ‘Best of British’ tour visits some pukkah local estates while still managing some surprisingly tricky off-roading. In all cases there’s luxury accommodation, plenty of great local dining and expert guidance from off-road experts and guides.

If Tom Cruise can “just up and drive NASCAR” (remember Days of Thunder?) then the good news is, you can too. And if you want to learn how to drive the big oval tracks like the good ol’ boys you should go with the best and join one of NASCAR Racing Experience’s many programs. Formerly owned and run by Richard Petty, the most legendary NASCAR racer of all, the NRE has the benefit of using 14 raceways scattered about the USA, including Daytona, Talladega, Charlotte and Michigan. You’ll be strapped into a proper, race-used V8 NASCAR, given expert training and depending on how much you’ve paid, be able to complete a number of timed laps with no pace car to follow and overtaking allowed if there are others on the circuit. Experiences range from a simple ride with a real racing driver right through to a gruelling 40 minute race session including pit stops. Shake and bake brother, this one’s for real!

If you’ve ever dreamed of waking up in, say, a French chateau and wandering down to breakfast before being handed the keys to a Ferrari 488 and blasting off to your next destination, the Ultimate Driving Tours can help. The brainchild of Australian Anthony Moss, UDT’s mission is simple but hugely enticing: bring together a group of enthusiastic drivers with a bunch of exotic supercars, throw in a tour to exotic locations with excellent accommodation and food, then let it rip. Experiences are run in Europe, the USA and Australia and cars include the best from McLaren, Ferrari, Lamborghini, AMG and, in fact, just about any you care to mention. Try the Beautiful Cars + Michelin Stars eating and driving tour of France, an Ultimate British Driving Tour supercar drive taking in the Goodwood Festival of Speed, or the Ultimate USA Driving Tour that includes the F1 Grand Prix in Texas and dinner with Daniel Ricciardo. You’ll never regret it, and never forget.

It should come as no surprise that Aston Martin know how to do luxury. The British supercar company call this the Art of Living and if you’ve always wanted to find out what that means, here’s your chance. The company runs a number of programs, including driving tours in their latest models such as the Vantage, DB11 and Vanquish to destinations and motorsport events around Europe. For instance, you could discover the precipitous and beautiful Atlantic Ocean Road in Norway, tour the fjords and stay in some astonishing hotels. Or tour Scotland’s North Coast 500 roads and live it up like a Laird in Skibo Castle. The only bad news is you’ll probably want to raid the piggy bank and buy your own Aston afterwards, but then things could be a lot worse.

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