NURBURG, GERMANY — Wolfgang Kaufmann accelerates like a bullet out of the pit as I push myself into the back of the passenger seat, my legs tensing with the speed. We're setting off to do a lap on the original Nurburgring, known as the Nordschleife (north loop), one of the most historic - and dangerous - racetracks in the world. He isn't wasting any time.
As a professional race car driver, Kaufmann knows this track well. He holds a speed record behind the wheel of a Porsche Gemballa Turbo. On this day, we're in a slightly less racy model - a street-worthy Skoda - but he's going to put the car, the track and my pulse through their paces.
With the 2008 Formula One season in full swing, "the Ring," as its known by enthusiasts, is a hair-raising reminder of what the Grand Prix used to be like. Not for nothing did legendary driver Jackie Stewart dub this circuit the "Green Hell."
One of its many unusual features is that from its beginning in 1927 the track has been open to the public to test their skills where the pros do battle. And unlike more modern Formula One racetracks, which tend to be about five kilometres long, this one is an astonishing 20.8 kilometres, with 73 corners and 300 metres of elevation change. It's a racetrack roller coaster that has taxed the best drivers in the world and taken its toll in tragic endings.
"Most amateur drivers spin out on the second curve," says Kaufmann, who when not on the racing circuit takes fans for a thrill-seeking spin. "Each driver has to use his brain, check his mirrors and never assume the track is his alone."
He rhymes off a list of the most spectacular crashes, which have claimed the lives of seven pro drivers and each year kill a few amateurs.
It was Niki Lauda's fiery collision in 1976 that brought Formula One racing to an end at the Nordschleife. Before the race, the reigning world champion and only person to lap the track in less than seven minutes wanted F1 drivers to boycott this circuit. He felt it was no longer safe for the faster cars of the day. He survived with serious burns, and a new, 5.1-kilometre circuit for Formula One was built next door.
The Nordschleife is still used for as many as 20 races a year, including motorcycle events and the 24-hour Nurburgring, a punishing test that Kaufmann will tackle in a Porsche 997 May 22-25. The track also hosts vintage-model races, youth competitions and an annual heavy metal festival, Rock am Ring (June 6-8), that will see the likes of Metallica and Rage Against the Machine belt it out in the hills of western Germany's Eifel region.
For $30, anyone with wheels and nerve can drive the circuit on non-race weekends and Monday afternoons. My two backseat buddies and I opted to shell out $285 for the escorted tour, not only to learn more about the course from a pro but also because rental-car insurance won't cover the cost of accidents on the track.
Kaufmann grips the wheel tightly as we bank into a corner and run up a curb before veering sharply into a hairpin turn. He floors it on a straightaway, accelerating as we come over a blind crest.
"Here's where you go airborne in a race," he says as the car flies over the hump and through a series of tight curves through the forest.
This is not like driving on the autobahn, which is engineered to keep traffic flowing at high speeds. German drivers may be adept at going fast on their speed-limitless highways, but this track constantly challenges a driver to keep the car under control. The Nordschleife is, in effect, a one-way, public toll road subject to the same rules that apply on German highways. Passing on the right, for example, could get you a traffic ticket, though Kaufmann says he's never seen anyone get pulled over.
During Touristenfahrten, Sunday Schumachers flood the course with all manner of motorized vehicles, including RVs, trucks, cars with trailers and motorcycles. Without having to worry about oncoming traffic and intersections, drivers can concentrate on the demands of the course.
We come up on an Audi that's fishtailing on the rain-slicked track. "I'm not sure if he knows what he's doing so I want to pass," Kaufmann says, shifting into overdrive and mischievously flicking on his passing signal.
As we approach Bergwerk, a tight, downhill right-hand corner, he glances out his window and says this is where Lauda crashed when his rear suspension failed.
On the last straightaway, I spot the turret of the Nurburg castle. Not many racetracks can boast a medieval village on their infield. We cross the finish line, and though there's no checkered flag, it's high fives all around for the thrill of having lapped this infamous track and having felt every dip, curve and heart-pounding moment.
On our lap, Kaufmann topped out at 160 kilometres an hour, but he tells us he clocked 309 km/h when he set the speed record for a car with regular street tires in seven minutes and 32 seconds. Our journey took about 15 minutes and was well worth it.
Speed demons will have more reasons to visit the Nurburgring when new attractions open next year and vault the track into the realm of amusement park. An updated racing museum, simulators, a 4-D cinema and the fastest roller coaster in the world, with a top speed of 217 km/h, will provide more ways to start an adrenalin rush.
The car lover's Louvre
There are other ways to indulge a love of cars than driving the "Green Hell." Here are a few:
Cité de l'Automobile
As the Louvre is to art, Cité de l'Automobile is to cars. This private collection of 437 classic and rare models is housed in a 19th-century wool mill in Mulhouse, France, in the Alsace region. Collector Fritz Schlumpf's impressive lineup of cars includes Bugattis, Ferraris, Rolls-Royces, Maseratis, Maybachs and Mercedes. Admission is $17, which includes an audio guide. Hours vary. 33 (0) 389 332 323; http://www.collection-schlumpf.com.
Trabi Safari
The craze for ostalgie - nostalgia for the rudimentary ways of the former Eastern Bloc - can be experienced behind the wheel of a Trabant, the two-cylinder clunker that is now a coveted relic. Take to the streets of Berlin and Dresden and watch heads turn. A 11/2-hour tour with guide is $40 a person, with four people to a car. 49 03 49 22 6 65 07; http://www.trabisafari.de.
Italy's Motor City
Turin's past as an auto powerhouse is preserved at the Biscaretti di Ruffia Automobile Museum. Founded in 1932, the collection covers the history of Italian production and includes the 1929 Isotta Fraschini used in Sunset Boulevard. Also in Turin is the original Lingotto rooftop test track seen in the original version of The Italian Job. Admission is $11. Open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday. 39 (0) 011 434 7954; http://www.museoauto.it.
The National Motor Museum
Britain's automotive past - and a look to the future - is on display at this vast collection in Hampshire in southern England. The museum houses 250 models, including world speed record setters such as the Bluebird and Golden Arrow. The James Bond Experience features gizmo-laden Aston Martins, Jaguars, jet skis and motorbikes used in the films. Admission is $25. Hours vary. 44 01590 612345; http://www.beaulieu.co.uk.
Pack your adrenalin
GETTING THERE
Several airlines offer flights from major Canadian cities to Frankfurt, which is 150 kilometres east of the Nurburgring. On race days, there's a free shuttle bus from the nearest train station in Koblenz.
RIDE WITH A PRO
WOLFGANG KAUFFMAN 49 06 433 815 450; http://www.wolfgang-kaufmann.de. Rates are $285 for up to three passengers. Reservations required.
BMW RING TAXI 49 02 691 932 020; http://ring-taxi.bmw-motorsport.com. Service offered from April to October for $290 for up to three passengers. Reservations required.
more information
Call 49 02 691 302 144 or visit http://www.nuerburgring.de. The Nordschleife track is open for public driving most of the year except on race days. Hours vary, so check in advance.
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