To mark the arrival of the 2009 Lancer EX, Mitsubishi agent Cycle & Carriage organised a stunt-driving course on the sprawling grounds of Changi Exhibition Centre.
The heavily subsidised event over the last weekend met with overwhelming response. In the end, it could accommodate only half of the estimated 400 people who signed up.
The 200 people chosen ranged from 18 to 50 years of age and were mostly male (actually, there were only 10 women).
They were coached by three instructors flown in from Melbourne's Driver Dynamics, said to be one of Australia's best schools in advanced driver training.
The highlight of the four-hour session was the 180-degree handbrake turn, which chief trainer Kevin Flynn admitted 'has nothing to do with road safety and is purely for fun'.
It might be useful for getting that choice parking lot in Suntec City, though.
The manoeuvre was aided by a stretch of the tarmac that had been hosed down, to make it easier for participants.
The so-called Mitsubishi Speedway Challenge was enjoyable too. Essentially a short slalom followed by a sweeping left-hander and a hard 'hands-free' stop from 60kmh, this exercise was more challenging than the handbrake-turn station.
Still, it was not exactly World Rally Championship syllabus.
Neither was the third and last activity, a dramatic series of multiple 360-degree spins induced by braking on a specially prepared surface. The anti-lock brakes were deliberately disabled on the cars used for this.
Also handicapped, so to speak, was the degree of difficulty set for the participants.
All the speeding and adrenaline-pumping were kept at low, easily accessible levels so everyone could experience some 'extreme driving' without scaring themselves or the spectators silly.
Aspiring Tommi Makinens, however, looked a little uninspired after the whole event.
Mr Aaron Cheah, 42, who drives a Mazda MX-5, was not one of them though. Visibly pleased, he said: 'It was a lot of fun and good value for my $68. I was expecting an elaborate Lancer test-drive, not this stunt show.'
The writer is deputy editor of Torque, a motoring monthly published by SPH Magazines.
This article was first published in The Straits Times on Nov 8, 2008.
