Girl on Cars

(Credit: Reagan Morgan)

Here are some winter driving tips straight from the Porsche Camp4 Colorado curriculum:

• Cars respond more slowly on slippery surfaces. Always wait a moment after steering, braking, or accelerating to see how the car behaves before giving it more input.
• Visibility is greatly reduced in bad weather. Make sure you can see clearly, and turn on your headlights.
• Brake carefully and accelerate more gently.
• Get the car pointed where you want to go before getting on the gas.
• Be aware of reduced grip.
• Take corners at lower speeds.
• Brake sooner and longer than on dry surfaces.
• Apex later.
• Look for fresh snow - it provides more grip.
• Avoid icy ruts.
• Check tire pressures monthly - tire pressure can change by 1 psi for every 10 degree F change in temperature (use manufacturer-recommended pressure).

And perhaps the most important tip taught in every driving school, whether it's in the snow or on the pavement:

• Look farther ahead. So many of us keep our eyes glued to the back of the car in front of us. The car goes where you look, so get those eyes up and anticipate your next move!

(Credit: Jonathan Elfalan, courtesy of Road & Track)

When the weather turns cold, scores of well-to-do winter sports enthusiasts flock to the high slopes of Vail valley in Colorado for world-class skiing and snowboarding. But about 20 miles west of Vail Village, high upon a privately owned mountain, sits a secret winter wonderland: a racetrack made of snow and ice.

The twisty road course, built on top of a golf course, is the training ground for Camp4 Colorado, a winter driving school hosted by the Porsche Travel Club, an offshoot of the Porsche Sport Driving School. Here, with professional instruction, participants drive the Porsche 911 Carrera 4, the Carrera 4S, and the Cayenne SUV, in a variety of exercises designed to familiarize drivers with how the cars respond in low-traction conditions.

When I was invited to participate in the program, I was both excited and hesitant; this California girl has hardly ever seen snow, let alone driven in it.

Camp4 offers both a one-day program and a five-day program. The longer school is a combination of driving instruction and recreational activities (with only two-and-a-half days of actual driving time). Our media program was a tad modified--we did one full day of driving, with some additional organized activities afterward.

Some of the Porsche instructors

(Credit: Laura Burstein)

The Colorado school is based on Porsche's Camp4 program in Finland, a winter-driving program in its eighth year that takes place at the Arctic Driving Center, a test facility long used by car manufacturers for covert cold-weather testing. But whereas the Finnish program takes place on a permanent circuit, the Colorado course had to be created from scratch:

While the weather was still fair, a team of designers mapped out the track circuit, careful to avoid obstacles such as sand traps. When winter hit, the builders used a "snow cat" tractor to pack snow into the grass over a period of a couple of weeks to create a base layer. Then, a water truck was used to run about 75,000 gallons of reconstituted water over the track, one section at a time, to create a layer of ice. Finally, fresh snow was dragged over the ice to create a powdery finish. That's no small feat.

Another thing that impressed me about Camp4 was the quality of the driving instructors. Most, if not all, had professional racing experience--including rally, open-wheel, drifting, and Nascar (though I won't hold the latter against them).

Our day began with a classroom session, where we learned about vehicle dynamics such as weight transfer, cornering, and traction, and how applying steering, throttle, and brakes in different combinations could control (or fail to control) a car in a slippery situation.

After class, it was time to head up the mountain to the track.

Continue reading Porsche's winter fantasy camp, part 2 >>>

Winter temperatures can be tough on cars. Here are a few things to keep in mind to ensure your car performs its best in the cold:

Keep battery backup. It takes more electrical power to start a car in cold weather, yet those chilly temperatures also drastically reduce the battery's cranking power. To compensate for the increased need and reduced output, keep a good set of jumper cables or a portable power pack in the trunk.

Check climate controls. Make sure the heater and front and rear defrosters are working properly. If it takes more than a few minutes to feel or see a change, take the car in for service. In addition, take the extra time in the mornings to wait for the windows to defrost completely.

Replace wiper blades. Windshield wiper blades should be replaced every six months to a year, depending on the climate (although most drivers only replace them once every few years). Well-made, effective blades are essential for maximum visibility in bad weather.

Change the oil. Consider switching to a different grade of oil to help protect your engine in the cold. Base your decision on the lowest temperature you expect to encounter; for example, use 0W-30 in climates where the temperature drops below zero. While there are many differing opinions about which grades of oil to use, a good rule of thumb is to choose a multi-grade with the narrowest range of viscosity possible (meaning, the smallest difference between the low number and the high number on the label). Make sure to check the owner's manual for specific guidelines for your car.

Check filters, hoses, fluids. Inspect hoses to make sure they're properly connected and free of damage or leaks. Also check the oil, gas, and air filters. Coolant should be changed every two years (five years for extended-life coolant). Also check the radiator or coolant tank pressure cap.