Local News: Hyundai Customers Does Spins With Their Cars

Hyundai advanced driving course leaves ladies wanting more. A total of 58 cars spun, slalomed and surged through the first Hyundai Advanced Driving Course that left the women participants gasping for more following their 22nd May experience. All taking part in their first-ever driving course of any kind, the Hyundai owners marvelled at what they could do with their cars – if they knew how to handle them in the first place.

Designed as a defensive driving programme, the two-session four hour course put the participants through braking exercises on wet and dry surfaces, feeling the real benefits of ABS and ESP, changing lanes in emergencies, and then competing in a motorkhana to apply all they had learnt.

And they certainly learnt a lot from the chief instructor Rick Bates of Australia, a former international rally champion who now runs Bates Advanced Driving in Canberra to provide all levels of driver training, including rallying and racing. His expertise was telling, particularly in showing how things were done as he accompanied the participants through all the exercises.

Just as well that the venue suited the programme, with The Plaza at the Changi Exhibition Centre in Changi Coast Road providing the wide open space needed for such a safety event.

The most thrilling section was obviously the split-surface emergency braking on wet or dry conditions, or both, as the cars spun round to activate the Anti-Brake System and Electronic Stability Programme for firm control of the car.

Said Diana Ng, one of the seven women participants, who drove a Tuscani: “Thank you for the good time I had. For a first timer, it was a fabulous 720 degrees spin in a safe environment. Wheeeee…yes, I can't wait to do that again. Will aim for 900 degrees the next time...”

Avante owner David Tan added: “I am now more confident of handling the car as I know how it would respond in various situations. I work for the RSAF, who are very particular about safety and efficiency. Well done!’’

Of the 58 cars, 29 were Avantes while the rest were quite representative of Hyundai’s recent models in Singapore, from the big Trajet MPV and the Sante Fe 2.7 V6 SUV to the tiny Getz, the Matrix 2 mini-MPV, the Tuscani coupe, the Elantra, Verna, Sonata and the new i30CW and 2010 Tucson.

In the end, the winner of the morning session’s motor-khana was i30CW owner Wong Shi Chiat, who clocked the fastest time of 20.61sec, and the afternoon session was won by Avante owner Shahri Rahim in 19.55sec.

Credits: wilswong