Mercedes-Benz India has been at the forefront of conducting driver training courses for its car owners – both current and prospective – in an attempt at increasing safety awareness and to enable the driver to fully enjoy the true potential of their cars.

Following the overwhelming response received for the ‘StarDrive Experience' conducted across the country during the past two years, Mercedes-Benz India has flagged of the new phase of its signature driving experience program. This programme was specially conceptualized by Mercedes-Benz to highlight the unparalleled safety features and top notch engineering technology that is the trademark of each Mercedes-Benz vehicle.

The StarDrive Experience offers prospects and customers an opportunity to understand the handling of critical road situations in a safe and controlled environment.

This exclusive drive experience puts to test the power and performance of Mercedes-Benz cars like the ML-Class, GL-Class, C-Class and E-Class and offers prospects and customers of Mercedes-Benz an opportunity to understand handling of critical road situations in a safe and controlled environment. New additions to this line up of performance cars are the AMGs, which include the exciting SL 63 AMG, C 63 AMG and G 55 AMG. Through the simulations, the dynamics of the vehicle namely safety, agility and performance in off-road and on-road conditions are brought to the fore. The participants could experience the tangible benefits of world-class safety technologies like Pro-Engineering Package, Airmatic Package, 4ETS, Downhill Speed Regulation (DSR) etc., during the driving experience program.

The StarDrive Experience combines essential elements of the driving experience with simulation of critical road situation and embodies Mercedes-Benz's spirit of innovation with an element of fun. StarDrive Experience is conducted by a team of driving experts with professional experience of 12-15 years. The driving expert team has been trained by German professionals from the Mercedes-Benz driving team.

Mercedes-Benz has always been a pioneer in introducing new technologies globally as well as in India. One of the overriding principles driving the brand's innovation and technology has been Customer safety. Over the years Mercedes-Benz has introduced various revolutionary technologies ranging from Integral occupant protection system (PRE-SAFE), Neck-Pro, PARKTRONIC to the latest addition – Attention Assist System that have created a benchmark in terms of passenger safety in the automobile industry.

The third edition of the StarDrive Experience 2012 started with Kochi and Bengaluru and is travelling to different cities like Chennai, Delhi, Chandigarh and would culminate in Mumbai. Participants at the StarDrive Experience can share their exciting experiences with their family and friends through the wi-fi enabled iPads installed in the high end StarLounges – an exclusive hospitality area which is created for the participants of StarDrive by Mercedes-Benz.

This year the event activities are divided into following three sections:

1.PRE-SAFE Demonstration activity: Dynamics of Mercedes-Benz sedans – C-Class and E class in areas such as safety, agility and performance like PRE-SAFE®, ESP® are brought to the fore through controlled demonstration activities.

2. Off-roading demonstration activity: Tangible benefits of key off-roading technologies like Pro-Engineering Package, Airmatic Package, 4ETS, downhill speed regulation (DSR), etc. are showcased through demonstration activities with MB's SUV – GL-Class and M-Class Grand Edition. Artificial parcour set-ups have been created that resemble natural off-road terrains to demonstrate off-roading features in MB's SUVs. These parcours have been designed on the basis of global guidelines made by the Mercedes-Benz driving events team based out of Germany for creating such set-ups at many globally held driving events.

3. 'StarDrive with Farhan Akhtar contest': For the first time ever in India, participants get a chance to get behind the wheels of a Mercedes-Benz by participating in the StarDrive with the Farhan Akhtar contest and win exciting gift vouchers. One lucky winner along with his spouse gets a chance to experience StarDrive at the grand finale in Mumbai on September 23, 2012 with noted actor, director, singer Farhan Akhtar from Bollywood.

The StarDrive Experience has been organised by Mercedes-Benz India in association with Daimler Financial Services and Mobil 1. The StarDrive Experience also goes online with a dedicated website rendering event information and registration.

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