Adventures | KW Suspension Training
The journey started at a painstakingly early 5am. Flying from Stanstead airport at 7:30am I was lucky enough to see the sun rising through the clouds as we took off. The view from the plane window was pure fluffy cloud mountains.
Upon arrival at Cologne airport it was time to find the rental car… Unfortunately it wasn’t the stunning black 911 Carrera T pictured above. I jumped into the poverty spec Ford Fiesta with the steering wheel on the wrong side and most confusingly with the gear shifter being operated by my right hand. Onto the Autobahn and we were off on towards Fichtenburg. It doesn’t take long to get accustomed to the driving position although I did find myself punching the window on occasion instead of reaching for the gear stick…
As I got closer to the hotel I was taken off the main road and onto the German A roads. They are stunning. Rising through mountains and deep through the forest I found myself disappointed to be sat inside a car with sub 100hp and wallowing suspension. None the less I pushed on extracting every ounce of performance from what we all know is the fastest car in the world the rental car!
We all met the night before training to enjoy some amazing German food and beer. It is always great to be surrounded by like minded petrol heads from across the world. The language of the motor car is something that extends beyond borders. The main course was some delicious local beef which was to become somewhat of a habit during my time in Germany. At the end of the night it was back to the hotel after a long day to get some rest.
The next day was a fun day of product training including a factory tour. It is amazing some of the names and brands that KW manufacture for, we wont mention any names for the sake of the NDA but, I can say is that if everybody knew which cars were fitted with KW suspension I don’t think there would be any rivals.
One of the best experiences was hosted by one of KW’s subsidiary companies RaceRoom who hosted a race for us on their simulators. I managed to qualify in the top group with what could only be called a beginners hot lap. We enjoyed two fun fuelled races with me qualifying in 5th on both occasions. Sadly for me I was unable to keep the lead gained in the second race managing a spectacular crash into the barrier. It would be very exciting to bring a similar experience to our customers in the UK and something we would love to incorporate into our premises in the near future.
The final day was hosted by Wolgang Weber a famous German rally and racing driver who is a fellow KW distributor and is best known for being a suspension psychologist. He blessed the group with his dynamic expertise explaining exactly how to get the best performance from any car. The most valuable tip that he tries to install in every attendant is that more comfort = more grip. More grip equals more speed and a more enjoyable driving experience.
For lunch we went out to a lovely restaurant next to a picturesque frozen lake. We returned to finish off the day perfecting our knowledge on the KW group product line up.
It was time to hit the road back to the airport. Leaving Fichtenburg I was taken on a different route to the way I had arrived winding through a tight mountain gorge with breathtaking drops either side snaking along the same route as the stream below. These roads continued for an age until arriving on the Autobahn again. Now I must confess I only briefly looked at a map before booking my flights and may have underestimated the sheer size of Germany so after a 4 hour trip back to the airport I was very much looking forward to landing back in the UK and getting in my own car and driving home.
Once on route home I remembered that the quality of UK driving is sub par in comparison to the average German flow of traffic and had to trundle along at our lowly speed limit of 70mph….
What a great few days! I think I will have to look for an excuse to return one day in the future…
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