10 Things I Learned During the Perfect Day at the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy

4. Helmets Don’t Make for Headroom

“Are these helmets particularly big, or is it just me?”

That’s what I’m thinking as I cram into a C63 AMG. In fact, with the extra inches of headroom a helmet requires, I’ve got to crook my neck at a 45 degree angle and lean the seat back further than I’d like.

A lot of driving on a track comes down to vision, and that becomes pretty hard when you can’t even move your head.

The regular C-Class sedan is very much the same. I imagine the next-gen 2015 models will be a big improvement over what is essentially one of the most dated chassis in the Benz lineup.

It’s a good thing we spend the day cycling into and out of different cars, because a whole day in the C63 might have left my neck feeling painfully stiff.

I don’t have any issues in the big E and S-Class sedans or, obviously, the SUVs. Even the SLS is surprisingly spacious thanks to a bump cut in the roof – most likely for exactly this purpose.