Christmas gift for car lovers: a driving experience voucher

Finding a gift for car lovers is hard when the garage is full and the shelf is lined with scale models. What almost every car enthusiast still lacks is a day spent testing their skills on a race track, on ice or at a proving ground. That is exactly what you can give. The European Speed Club (ESC) sells gift vouchers for track days, ice driving and driver training at Boxberg, plus a value voucher that works for every programme. This guide shows which voucher suits whom and how to get it under the tree in time.

Why a driving experience is the better gift for car lovers

A wheel clock, a workshop calendar, a poster of their favourite model: the usual gifts for car enthusiasts are nice but quickly forgotten. A day on track stays with you. The person you give it to drives their own car or a provided sports car where it belongs, learns from experienced instructors and comes home with stories they will still tell years later.

A voucher is practical, too. The recipient picks the date themselves, to suit the season, the track and their calendar. So you don't need to know their free days or their driving skills.

The 4 ESC vouchers at a glance

The ESC voucher shop offers 4 types of voucher. The table shows how they differ.

Track day voucher: drive the race track yourself

With the track day voucher, the recipient spends a full day on a race track, as set out for the individual event. It comes in 2 versions:

• STREET package in your own car: for anyone who drives a road-legal sports car and finally wants to use it the way it was built. The STREET slot usually includes group coaching.
• CarForGo with a provided sports car: ESC provides the car, for example a Porsche 911 (992) Sport, GT3 or GTS. Read how it works in Track day without your own car.

Track days take place in Germany and abroad. According to the voucher shop, the day can be tailored to any level, from a first time on a race track to fast, experienced drivers.

Helmets are mandatory on every race track at ESC events. If the recipient doesn't own one yet, you have the idea for a matching extra gift. The Track days page shows which tracks are on the calendar. The track day guide explains how the day runs, the tracks and how to prepare. Classics on the calendar are the Nordschleife and the Hockenheimring.

Ice Experience voucher: drifting on ice

In winter, ESC moves onto the ice. The Ice Experience takes place at Katschberg in Austria and in Swedish Lapland. Guests drive the provided, studded-tyre cars of the ESC fleet. Coaches guide the groups across the handling courses and show how to control a car in a drift.

• Katschberg: 1 day or a weekend on the ice in the Alps. The vouchers do not include a hotel.
• Lapland: multi-day programmes such as Grand Prix, Masters, Endurance or Final, close to the Arctic Circle. ESC flies its guests north on its own charter jet operated by Polarflights.

The programme usually includes travel organisation, German- and English-speaking tour guides on site, coaching by instructors including training equipment, catering at the track and transfers. Photos of the day are usually available to download, a lovely keepsake of the gift.

With Double Driver, 2 drivers share one car. With Single Driver, the recipient has the car to themselves. There is no helmet requirement on the ice. If you give the voucher at Christmas, the recipient can head onto the ice the very same winter, as long as places are available. Places are limited. Dates are listed on the On Ice page and in Learn to drift on ice.

Boxberg voucher: Perfection, Sport and Drift training

At the Bosch proving ground in Boxberg, ESC trains on handling courses, wet surfaces and the oval. The voucher covers 3 trainings in your own car:

• Perfection training: an intensive training for everyone, from the first time on a closed circuit to the final polish. It includes drifting, too.
• Sport driver training: more kilometres and more speed, on the circuit or on the proving ground's oval.
• Drift training: for anyone who wants to practise driving at the limit.

Without your own car, there is CarForGo DISCOVER. ESC then provides cars such as the Porsche 718, 911 (992), GTS and GT3 or a BMW M2. If the recipient doesn't want to drive alone, a second person can be booked as co-driver. Catering is usually part of the programme at Boxberg, and no helmet is needed there. Read more about the venue in Driver training Boxberg.

Value voucher: when you'd rather not decide

Not sure whether it should be the race track or the ice? Then the value voucher is the safe choice. You choose the amount in steps, and it can be redeemed for every ESC programme, for track days, On Ice, Boxberg and a Grand Touring trip. If the chosen programme costs more, the voucher shop says the recipient can top up the value freely. It also works well when several people chip in.

Getting the voucher under the tree on time

You order in the ESC voucher shop. Choose the voucher, enter the recipient's name and add a short personal message if you like.

• As a PDF by email: to you for printing or straight to the recipient. Before you buy, the shop shows a PDF preview of the voucher.
• As an engraved aluminium plaque by post: the premium version to unwrap. You can add the plaque to any voucher, and it carries a personal engraving, such as a short greeting. It arrives by post, so you can hand it over yourself. Allow time for delivery.
• On a date of your choice: you can set a delivery date, so the PDF arrives exactly on 24 December, for example.

Important for last-minute shoppers: the voucher is only delivered once it has been paid. You can pay by credit card or by invoice. If you order by invoice shortly before Christmas, allow a few days for the payment to arrive.

What the recipient should know

• Choose a date and redeem: they pick their date in the event calendar and book it directly. In the “Message to us” field they enter the voucher number and the amount to be deducted. The ESC team checks every booking and deducts the voucher amount. If they prefer to call, the office is on +49 6172 923 920.
• Validity: ESC vouchers are usually valid for 3 years from the invoice date. The details given at purchase apply.
• Transferable: according to the voucher shop, the voucher can be passed on to someone else at no extra cost.
• Helmet: mandatory on the race track, not on the ice or at Boxberg.
• Questions: the ESC team is happy to help via the contact form.

Which voucher fits? A quick guide

• Drives a sports car and wants to take it on track: track day with the STREET package, or Boxberg in their own car.
• Dreams of driving a GT3 on a race track: track day with CarForGo.
• Wants to learn drifting: Ice Experience at Katschberg or in Lapland, or Drift training at Boxberg in summer.
• Would love a big experience with travel: Ice Experience Lapland with the charter flight.
• You're not sure: value voucher.

Looking for a gift for someone who already has everything, such as a business partner or your boss? Read on in Gift for someone who has everything.

Choose your ESC voucher now

The services, deadlines and cover that apply to your specific date are set out in the description of the individual event and in our terms and conditions, which take precedence.