Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG 2012 review

Spin, spin, spin. It feels like I'm in a tumble drier as the scenery swirls past in a wall of whiteness.

I'm frantically spinning the wheel and desperately trying to regain control in a losing battle against the elements. The $153,000 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG seems to have a mind of its own, bellowing and belching, skittering and sliding, as I work the throttle on its high-powered V8 engine in a pointless search for grip.

Then I remember it's all happening in the controlled safety of a New Zealand ski field and I relax a little. Then I smile and start to laugh out loud. After all, I'm only doing 25km/h. "The whole idea is to lose control. That's what we want," says Peter Hackett, chief instructor at the AMG Snow Challenge.

Explore the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class range

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• Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG 2012 review

"Most people never know they are out of control until it's too late. This program allows us to teach people in a safe environment and let them experience things you would never normally want to encounter on the road." Most driving schools concentrate on the basics. They show you the correct seat position, how to set the mirrors, holding the wheel the right way and coping with panic stops.

But this is AMG and that means a minimum of nanny-state lecturing and maximum enjoyment - with $3 million worth of German pocket rockets on specially-groomed surfaces at the Ski Farm in the mountains outside Queenstown in the South Island.

It's the latest development that allows AMG owners to sample some of the world's fastest cars on track days at Phillip Island and Albert Park, home of the Australian Grand Prix. It's not cheap - $4500 for the snowfield excoursion - but AMG provides everything from the cars and instructors to lunch and a special beanie. It's a Top Gun course where the jet fighters are swapped for Benz's best belters.

The C63s - sedans, coupes and wagons - are showroom stock apart from special Continental 'winter' tyres designed to provide the best possible grip on the snow and ice that's all around. "When it gets as cold as it does here a normal tyre is almost like plastic. Zero grip," says Gordon Jones, technical chief at Mercedes-Benz Australia.

"We are taking the cars into some extreme conditions. So what we're trying to find with these tyres is grip. They have a special compound for cold weather and a special design to help the snow bind and give grip." With 30 kilometres of snow roads around us, and a very special ice pad where it's almost impossible to stand, any help is going to be welcome. The seat heaters, for a start, are switched for a toasty bottom.

The day starts with a bang, as we attempt a full-on, straight-line V8 blast. It should be straight forward and simple, but there is a twist. Hackett and his instructors disable the electronic traction and stability controls which make the C63 so user-friendly on the road, leaving the driver - and their right foot - to handle the balancing act between giant power and tiny grip.

Some people spin, most wiggle-waggle, and I reach the finish line on the verge of a spin after discovering ABS brakes are near-best-thing to useless on ice. "You are going to have a truly remarkable experience. You will be completely frustrated. Just be patient," Hackett says.

Next up, we hit the 200-metre ice pad and discover that first gear and a tiny tickle on the throttle will leave you almost powerless against spinning. One car has to be pushed out of the snow bank lining the edge of the ice. "We're the only people game to come here without all-wheel drive," laughs Hackett.

As the day goes on, and we get more familiar with the cars and the snow, there is more fun and almost-endless V8-powered slides and skids. It's not hooning, but it gets close as the instructors encourage everyone to explore their personal limits. "If you're not here to slide around, then you might as well sit with a coffee and watch," says Hackett.

Drift king Ken Block would love this place, and so does everyone in the snow today. But there is a serious side to the course. The instructors are always passing on advice about looking ahead, planning your actions, gentle use of the controls, and driving within your limits. It's impossible to ignore them, as they always seem to have a better solution to any challenge - from starting on the ice to recovering from yet another spin.

They're also giving a lesson that will make anyone better in their day-to-driving. The cars, too, make a contribution, since the AMG answer to go-faster motoring also brings a greater margin of built-in feedback, control and safety. There is lots of power in the engine room, but the brakes balance the deal, the steering has great feel and instant response, and the seat heaters are marvellous.

To provide some perspective, I try one run through a set of slalom conces with all the electronic safety nets back in place. Now the C63 is brilliantly controlled and, although nowhere near as much fun, it shows how 21st century driver aids make us all better - and help us avoid potential disasters.

Compared against some other ice drives - and I've tried Saabs in far northern Sweden and Lamborghinis on a frozen lake in Italy - the AMG experience is intensive and rewarding. It's not as much flat-out fun as a Gallardo supercar on a simulated rally road, but it comes close. And there are a couple of twists in the tale.

First, Hackett takes me on a taxi ride over a snow-wrapped road where an all-wheel drive Subaru would skitter and struggle. The C63 is incredibly quick and totally controlled, as Hackett uses his skill and the strengths of the AMG engineering to demonstrate what is really possible at the Snow Farm.

Then, while he is still twirling the wheel and his feet are dancing across the pedals, he issues a combined invitation and challenge. "What you've done today is only Level One. Next year, we'll have Level Two, including roads like this one. So, are you up for it?," he asks, already knowing the answer.