Mercedes dealership buys a 5,000-ft runway for high-speed test drives

A Mercedes dealership in Calgary, Alberta, has bought a 5,000-foot (1,524-meter) runway so customers can test drive cars at high speeds. 

The owners of the dealership splashed out on a 160-acre property – complete with a near-mile-long runway – so customers could get a real feel for a car before making a purchase.

The super-sized runway means that potential buyers are able to test cars in a safe environment.

And it’s an absolutely genius idea, if you ask us. 

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The Mercedes dealership gives potential customers a real test drive 

A test drive is the only real way to get a full picture of a car and its potential before splashing out.

But when it comes to purchasing a high-end performance vehicle, your standard test drive is somewhat limited. 

So, Mercedes-Benz Downtown Calgary decided to purchase the Cayley Flying Ranch Airport where would-be buyers can see exactly what a Mercedes can do.

“After using it several times for a few productions, we realized that it would be worthwhile for us to actually own this property,” general manager Mazen Aboulhosn told CTV News.

“A simple test drive isn’t going to show you what these high-performance luxury vehicles are going to do. But having a runway that’s almost 5,000 feet long lets you see exactly what they can do.”

The owners are already eyeing up expansion 

The property also has its own airplane hangar and its new owners are keen to develop it further. 

“There’s a lot of opportunity and potential to make this something more than what it is,” Aboulhosn said.

“We’ve discussed having a full-blown track. We’ve also discussed having a drifting circuit and having an off-road circuit here as well. 

“We deal with a lot of different companies that also want to rent the facility for those very specific purposes.”

Pretty cool, right?

And it turns out that – as you’d expect – customers love it. 

Speaking to the outlet, one driver said that he’d been all over the world driving high-end vehicles on tracks. 

“So, it’s great to be able to bring that home,” he added. 

Since purchasing the track, the dealership has been sharing videos of cars racing along it on YouTube – you can check it out here.