MEET THE INSTRUCTORS AT EXPERIENCE JOHANNESBURG
Our driving instructors are passionate about taking your driving experience to the next level. We offer a full range of advanced driving courses designed to help ensure your personal safety on the road. Our instructors combine their knowledge with enthusiasm and a hands-on approach to ensure that every course we provide is a success.
SEAN RENTON - GENERAL MANAGER
Anyone who has had even a fleeting connection with Jaguar Land Rover across South Africa and sub-Sahara Africa will have heard of Sean Renton. He’s the Land Rover Defender – or should that be the Jaguar XK120? – of the company’s driver training team having started out as far back as 2002 following a year with a well-known German make.
Today, Sean oversees a substantial team of instructors in his management role, but it’s pertinent to note, given the stunning new Experience premises at Lonehill, that it was Sean who first recce’d this off-road site way back in the sands of time. When asked whether he preferred instructing males or females, Sean didn’t follow the line of his colleagues and suggested that when it comes to imparting knowledge, neutrality is a must. “It’s up to each instructor to adapt to his audience” opined Sean. His colleagues, however, are insistent that Sean always showed a preference for the fairer sex!
As for the people he once instructed on a regular basis, Sean says that a widespread lack of knowledge of the workings and purpose of electronic aids in more modern vehicles leads to apprehension in exploring the unknown, which makes instruction all the more relevant in generating confidence and with it, better, safer driving in an off-road environment.
In terms of on-road driving, Sean cites speed and inability to judge distances as primary problems. Modern vehicles are endowed with incredible performance and in the main, drivers are lacking in application and powers of observation, attributes that are instilled by Experience instructors.
As for steering wheel position, Sean favours the “quarter-to-three” position as this maximises feel and control. When it comes to colour, Sean favours red, strangely the colour of his preferred F1 team, and when asked if he would rather spend a weekend with a hot blonde or a hot car, he immediately responded that a session in an LMP (Le Mans Prototype)at Belgium’s Spa circuit would do just fine … but few believe him!
And his favourite model in the Jaguar Land Rover range is the Range Rover 5.0 Autobiography Dynamic as this has all the traditional RR virtues massaged by considerable performance.
Anyone who has had even a fleeting connection with Jaguar Land Rover across South Africa and sub-Sahara Africa will have heard of Sean Renton. He’s the Land Rover Defender – or should that be the Jaguar XK120? – of the company’s driver training team having started out as far back as 2002 following a year with a well-known German make.
Today, Sean oversees a substantial team of instructors in his management role, but it’s pertinent to note, given the stunning new Experience premises at Lonehill, that it was Sean who first recce’d this off-road site way back in the sands of time. When asked whether he preferred instructing males or females, Sean didn’t follow the line of his colleagues and suggested that when it comes to imparting knowledge, neutrality is a must. “It’s up to each instructor to adapt to his audience” opined Sean. His colleagues, however, are insistent that Sean always showed a preference for the fairer sex!
As for the people he once instructed on a regular basis, Sean says that a widespread lack of knowledge of the workings and purpose of electronic aids in more modern vehicles leads to apprehension in exploring the unknown, which makes instruction all the more relevant in generating confidence and with it, better, safer driving in an off-road environment.
In terms of on-road driving, Sean cites speed and inability to judge distances as primary problems. Modern vehicles are endowed with incredible performance and in the main, drivers are lacking in application and powers of observation, attributes that are instilled by Experience instructors.
As for steering wheel position, Sean favours the “quarter-to-three” position as this maximises feel and control. When it comes to colour, Sean favours red, strangely the colour of his preferred F1 team, and when asked if he would rather spend a weekend with a hot blonde or a hot car, he immediately responded that a session in an LMP (Le Mans Prototype)at Belgium’s Spa circuit would do just fine … but few believe him!
And his favourite model in the Jaguar Land Rover range is the Range Rover 5.0 Autobiography Dynamic as this has all the traditional RR virtues massaged by considerable performance.
CHRISTO VAN LOGGERENBERG - LAND ROVER LEAD INSTRUCTOR & JAGUAR SENIOR INSTRUCTOR
Meet the “old man” of the team who’s been passing on his driving knowledge since the turn of the century, firstly as a freelancer and then as an on and off-road lead instructor at Jaguar Land Rover over the last 10 years.
As for how receptive his audiences are, he says it doesn’t matter that there are differences between females and males. Just like GM, Sean Renton, he says it’s up to the instructor to adapt to his audience, but he did admit that the girls are “easier to instruct.”
Christo must have seen more oddities than most when it comes to tackling off-road courses, but for him it’s poor throttle control that needs the most attention. He cites a lack of smooth transition between power on and power off, summed up as “no balance.”
He also expressed concern about inconsistent steering movements but did admit that the wide use today of power steering masks indifferent helmsmanship. On-road, Donovan immediately identified impatience as a major problem, but he was equally quick to state that speed per se does not kill – it’s misapplied speed that is the problem.
Talking of steering, Christo was less definitive than most of his colleagues, saying that drivers should adopt the position they are most comfortable with as long as this spans the “quarter-to-three” to “ten-to-two” range. Along with millions of South Africans, Christo favours white paintwork but also mentioned green, a colour which has traditionally been used on Land Rovers for many-a-year.
On the question of a hot blonde or a hot car, the experienced Mr Van Loggerenberg picked out his desire to conduct a Jaguar XK-RS on Estoril circuit in Portugal. But it seems his choice of an XK had ulterior motives as such a car has a second seat which he would allocate to the aforementioned hot blonde! For the record, Christo picked Estoril as this is the circuit he used for pre-launch training ahead of the introduction of the Jaguar F-TYPE.
And which model would our man choose from the extensive range at hand? The answer is the new 110 Land Rover Defender which was launched at Frankfurt in September, 2019.
Meet the “old man” of the team who’s been passing on his driving knowledge since the turn of the century, firstly as a freelancer and then as an on and off-road lead instructor at Jaguar Land Rover over the last 10 years.
As for how receptive his audiences are, he says it doesn’t matter that there are differences between females and males. Just like GM, Sean Renton, he says it’s up to the instructor to adapt to his audience, but he did admit that the girls are “easier to instruct.”
Christo must have seen more oddities than most when it comes to tackling off-road courses, but for him it’s poor throttle control that needs the most attention. He cites a lack of smooth transition between power on and power off, summed up as “no balance.”
He also expressed concern about inconsistent steering movements but did admit that the wide use today of power steering masks indifferent helmsmanship. On-road, Donovan immediately identified impatience as a major problem, but he was equally quick to state that speed per se does not kill – it’s misapplied speed that is the problem.
Talking of steering, Christo was less definitive than most of his colleagues, saying that drivers should adopt the position they are most comfortable with as long as this spans the “quarter-to-three” to “ten-to-two” range. Along with millions of South Africans, Christo favours white paintwork but also mentioned green, a colour which has traditionally been used on Land Rovers for many-a-year.
On the question of a hot blonde or a hot car, the experienced Mr Van Loggerenberg picked out his desire to conduct a Jaguar XK-RS on Estoril circuit in Portugal. But it seems his choice of an XK had ulterior motives as such a car has a second seat which he would allocate to the aforementioned hot blonde! For the record, Christo picked Estoril as this is the circuit he used for pre-launch training ahead of the introduction of the Jaguar F-TYPE.
And which model would our man choose from the extensive range at hand? The answer is the new 110 Land Rover Defender which was launched at Frankfurt in September, 2019.
BARRY DE OLIVEIRA-LAND ROVER LEAD INSTRUCTOR & JAGUAR SENIOR INSTRUCTOR
Despite his name, Barry has never been a professional footballer but he has been a freelance driving instructor since 2009 and he’s been with Jaguar Land Rover since 2011.
That’s a long time in a profession which often sees lots of staff movement, but for Barry, it’s his love for cars and for Land Rover in particular that keeps him interested. He too is assessed by UK-based instructors to keep him up-to-date and on form, but when he passes on his knowledge to the public, his views reflect those of his colleagues – well, mostly!
He says that ladies tend to be more nervous and therefore listen more carefully than men who rather too often are over-confident. He too is most concerned about safe operation of cars and believes new drivers should be identified for at least a year.
And from the very beginning, he believes drivers should be exposed to defensive driving techniques and to accident avoidance and wet weather handling techniques. His view is that drivers tend to drive too fast and are distracted by too many tech-based items in modern cars, but having said that, he regards ABS braking as a brilliant safety addition but for the benefit to be maximised, more training is needed.
As with his colleagues Barry believes one of his objectives is to mould drivers that don’t get into situations which cause ABS activation, As for driving off-road, Barry also lists momentum as the most important aspect of sand driving and the same goes for traversing mud tracks, albeit that selection of the correct gear for the conditions is truly important which is precisely why customers are often shown how to lock an auto transmission in a selected gear.
Terrain Response, says Barry, is a great aid for the average driver as it reduces multi-tasking and permits greater concentration on the task at hand, but the most important thing for any driver is to identify where their limits lie.
On a personal front, Barry is taken with white paintwork and a black interior which classifies him along with 95% of South Africans but he could well be in a minority when he too says he’d rather spend a weekend at a track than with a hot blonde!
Despite his name, Barry has never been a professional footballer but he has been a freelance driving instructor since 2009 and he’s been with Jaguar Land Rover since 2011.
That’s a long time in a profession which often sees lots of staff movement, but for Barry, it’s his love for cars and for Land Rover in particular that keeps him interested. He too is assessed by UK-based instructors to keep him up-to-date and on form, but when he passes on his knowledge to the public, his views reflect those of his colleagues – well, mostly!
He says that ladies tend to be more nervous and therefore listen more carefully than men who rather too often are over-confident. He too is most concerned about safe operation of cars and believes new drivers should be identified for at least a year.
And from the very beginning, he believes drivers should be exposed to defensive driving techniques and to accident avoidance and wet weather handling techniques. His view is that drivers tend to drive too fast and are distracted by too many tech-based items in modern cars, but having said that, he regards ABS braking as a brilliant safety addition but for the benefit to be maximised, more training is needed.
As with his colleagues Barry believes one of his objectives is to mould drivers that don’t get into situations which cause ABS activation, As for driving off-road, Barry also lists momentum as the most important aspect of sand driving and the same goes for traversing mud tracks, albeit that selection of the correct gear for the conditions is truly important which is precisely why customers are often shown how to lock an auto transmission in a selected gear.
Terrain Response, says Barry, is a great aid for the average driver as it reduces multi-tasking and permits greater concentration on the task at hand, but the most important thing for any driver is to identify where their limits lie.
On a personal front, Barry is taken with white paintwork and a black interior which classifies him along with 95% of South Africans but he could well be in a minority when he too says he’d rather spend a weekend at a track than with a hot blonde!
KILLIAN DELL - JAGUAR LEAD INSTRUCTOR & LAND ROVER SENIOR INSTRUCTOR
Killian has been around cars and instructing in their use since 2006, both on-track and off-road. When asked about the relevance of track sessions in relation to road driving, Killian‘s immediate response was “car control.”
Given his track experience, it was perhaps a tad surprising that he cited speed as a major factor behind the appalling fatality levels on SA roads. He’s adamant that the average driver has too little idea of the increased impact occasioned by a small increase in speed which could be why he reckons that ABS brakes are the best things since Father Christmas. But he said his job is to teach drivers to avoid having to use this life-saving system in the first place.
As for bad driving habits, Killian listed tailgating and not looking far enough ahead along with aggression and failure to judge braking distances as the biggest problems. He also declared “driver education” in SA as terrible.
He’s a fan of the latest Terrain Response 2 system because its automated mode selection takes away the need for drivers to make a selection. Apart from helping make participants better drivers, Killian thought the Experience did much to generate brand loyalty and that he personally derives great pleasure from seeing an improvement in customers’ driving skills.
His favourite colour is red, his preferred Jaguar is the F-TYPE SVR and when it comes to Land Rover, he’s an unadulterated Defender fan. In terms of instructing customers, Killian shared the views of his colleagues that men tend to be over sure of their abilities while women are more receptive to instruction, albeit that they can be too passive! As a senior member of the team, Killian says he’s assessed at least every three years by senior global instructors from overseas.
Killian has been around cars and instructing in their use since 2006, both on-track and off-road. When asked about the relevance of track sessions in relation to road driving, Killian‘s immediate response was “car control.”
Given his track experience, it was perhaps a tad surprising that he cited speed as a major factor behind the appalling fatality levels on SA roads. He’s adamant that the average driver has too little idea of the increased impact occasioned by a small increase in speed which could be why he reckons that ABS brakes are the best things since Father Christmas. But he said his job is to teach drivers to avoid having to use this life-saving system in the first place.
As for bad driving habits, Killian listed tailgating and not looking far enough ahead along with aggression and failure to judge braking distances as the biggest problems. He also declared “driver education” in SA as terrible.
He’s a fan of the latest Terrain Response 2 system because its automated mode selection takes away the need for drivers to make a selection. Apart from helping make participants better drivers, Killian thought the Experience did much to generate brand loyalty and that he personally derives great pleasure from seeing an improvement in customers’ driving skills.
His favourite colour is red, his preferred Jaguar is the F-TYPE SVR and when it comes to Land Rover, he’s an unadulterated Defender fan. In terms of instructing customers, Killian shared the views of his colleagues that men tend to be over sure of their abilities while women are more receptive to instruction, albeit that they can be too passive! As a senior member of the team, Killian says he’s assessed at least every three years by senior global instructors from overseas.
DEVON SCOTT - JAGUAR LEAD INSTRUCTOR & LAND ROVER SENIOR INSTRUCTOR
Just like his colleagues, Devon, who does not come from the southern English county of that name, spent much of his formative years from 2004 as an instructor for numerous car brands before settling on Jaguar Land Rover where he acquired the status of Lead Instructor three years back.
Unsurprisingly, Devon also identifies a car in the wrong hands as a lethal weapon and sees his prime function as instilling a defensive mindset in all drivers in order to make roads safer.
For the most part, he identifies an inability to anticipate as a serious but common flaw along with a mindset that’s often driven by aggression. Changing driver attitudes is a primary function of Experience staff which suggests that recurrent training should be undertaken to maximise the benefits that Devon feels should include basics such as proper seating position and how to hold a steering wheel properly.
Interestingly, Devon has identified a belief among owners of really good cars that the quality of the car they drive mirrors the quality of their driving, but experience suggests there is no such correlation. Indeed, the fairer sex again come out on top in terms of willingness to listen and learn while males have a tendency to try too hard to impress! For him too, speed is a significant negative safety issue.
Overall, Devon is firmly of the view that driver training is lacking in South Africa which makes his role all the more important. He thoroughly enjoys seeing the improvement in attitude and car control, whether on or off-road, among course participants.
On a personal note, Devon is very much at home traversing large sand dunes which he says “require reading” if they are to be tackled with success. For him, driving and passing on his knowledge is something he really enjoys.
And his favourite car in the Jaguar Land Rover range is the Jaguar F-PACE SVR in black, but he wouldn’t be drawn on whether he’d rather spend a weekend at Kyalami with the F-PACE or a weekend with a hot blonde other than to say that “driving is my passion!”
(Footnote: Every year, Jaguar Land Rover Experience instructors from around the world are invited to participate in the TREK event at Eastnor Castle in the UK – the spiritual home of Jaguar Land Rover. Teams from around the world participate in a series of challenges, which promote the sharing of knowledge and experiences. The overall TREK 2019 champions were Devon Scott and Ricky Hill from South Africa.)
Just like his colleagues, Devon, who does not come from the southern English county of that name, spent much of his formative years from 2004 as an instructor for numerous car brands before settling on Jaguar Land Rover where he acquired the status of Lead Instructor three years back.
Unsurprisingly, Devon also identifies a car in the wrong hands as a lethal weapon and sees his prime function as instilling a defensive mindset in all drivers in order to make roads safer.
For the most part, he identifies an inability to anticipate as a serious but common flaw along with a mindset that’s often driven by aggression. Changing driver attitudes is a primary function of Experience staff which suggests that recurrent training should be undertaken to maximise the benefits that Devon feels should include basics such as proper seating position and how to hold a steering wheel properly.
Interestingly, Devon has identified a belief among owners of really good cars that the quality of the car they drive mirrors the quality of their driving, but experience suggests there is no such correlation. Indeed, the fairer sex again come out on top in terms of willingness to listen and learn while males have a tendency to try too hard to impress! For him too, speed is a significant negative safety issue.
Overall, Devon is firmly of the view that driver training is lacking in South Africa which makes his role all the more important. He thoroughly enjoys seeing the improvement in attitude and car control, whether on or off-road, among course participants.
On a personal note, Devon is very much at home traversing large sand dunes which he says “require reading” if they are to be tackled with success. For him, driving and passing on his knowledge is something he really enjoys.
And his favourite car in the Jaguar Land Rover range is the Jaguar F-PACE SVR in black, but he wouldn’t be drawn on whether he’d rather spend a weekend at Kyalami with the F-PACE or a weekend with a hot blonde other than to say that “driving is my passion!”
(Footnote: Every year, Jaguar Land Rover Experience instructors from around the world are invited to participate in the TREK event at Eastnor Castle in the UK – the spiritual home of Jaguar Land Rover. Teams from around the world participate in a series of challenges, which promote the sharing of knowledge and experiences. The overall TREK 2019 champions were Devon Scott and Ricky Hill from South Africa.)
MARCEL VEERAN - LAND ROVER SENIOR INSTRUCTOR
Like many of his colleagues, Marcel started out as a freelance driving instructor – in his case over 10 years – and for the last six years, he’s been with Jaguar Land Rover and undertakes extensive travelling throughout the SSA network, working with importers and their customers.
In terms of off-road instruction, Marcel is adamant that females are more receptive as they listen better than their male counterparts, many of whom want to “show their prowess” to the instructors!
As for bad habits on the road, it’s again males to the fore for the wrong reason as they mostly tend to drive far too fast for the prevailing conditions and don’t leave enough following distance. In a more general comment, Marcel also bemoaned a tendency of participants to be short-sighted in not selecting in advance, the correct on-board mode settings for known road conditions.
He too favours a “quarter-to-three” hand position on the steering wheel as this position allows greater movement without taking hands off the wheel. Macel was a loner in selecting Oyster, or more generically, a champagne shade, as his favourite colour, opining that Range Rovers in particular look smashing in this hue. In response to whether he would rather spend a weekend with a hot blonde or a hot car, he too didn’t want to split his options and elected to accept both, even down to two hot blondes!
Doubtless his dreams influenced his preference for the Jaguar F-PACE SVR as it has all the sound and power AND room for two blondes but in a moment of intraspection, he admitted to being a bike man and identified the Isle of Man as his favourite circuit.
Like many of his colleagues, Marcel started out as a freelance driving instructor – in his case over 10 years – and for the last six years, he’s been with Jaguar Land Rover and undertakes extensive travelling throughout the SSA network, working with importers and their customers.
In terms of off-road instruction, Marcel is adamant that females are more receptive as they listen better than their male counterparts, many of whom want to “show their prowess” to the instructors!
As for bad habits on the road, it’s again males to the fore for the wrong reason as they mostly tend to drive far too fast for the prevailing conditions and don’t leave enough following distance. In a more general comment, Marcel also bemoaned a tendency of participants to be short-sighted in not selecting in advance, the correct on-board mode settings for known road conditions.
He too favours a “quarter-to-three” hand position on the steering wheel as this position allows greater movement without taking hands off the wheel. Macel was a loner in selecting Oyster, or more generically, a champagne shade, as his favourite colour, opining that Range Rovers in particular look smashing in this hue. In response to whether he would rather spend a weekend with a hot blonde or a hot car, he too didn’t want to split his options and elected to accept both, even down to two hot blondes!
Doubtless his dreams influenced his preference for the Jaguar F-PACE SVR as it has all the sound and power AND room for two blondes but in a moment of intraspection, he admitted to being a bike man and identified the Isle of Man as his favourite circuit.
DEVON SCOTT - JAGUAR LEAD INSTRUCTOR & LAND ROVER SENIOR INSTRUCTOR
Just like his colleagues, Devon, who does not come from the southern English county of that name, spent much of his formative years from 2004 as an instructor for numerous car brands before settling on Jaguar Land Rover where he acquired the status of Lead Instructor three years back.
Unsurprisingly, Devon also identifies a car in the wrong hands as a lethal weapon and sees his prime function as instilling a defensive mindset in all drivers in order to make roads safer.
For the most part, he identifies an inability to anticipate as a serious but common flaw along with a mindset that’s often driven by aggression. Changing driver attitudes is a primary function of Experience staff which suggests that recurrent training should be undertaken to maximise the benefits that Devon feels should include basics such as proper seating position and how to hold a steering wheel properly.
Interestingly, Devon has identified a belief among owners of really good cars that the quality of the car they drive mirrors the quality of their driving, but experience suggests there is no such correlation. Indeed, the fairer sex again come out on top in terms of willingness to listen and learn while males have a tendency to try too hard to impress! For him too, speed is a significant negative safety issue.
Overall, Devon is firmly of the view that driver training is lacking in South Africa which makes his role all the more important. He thoroughly enjoys seeing the improvement in attitude and car control, whether on or off-road, among course participants.
On a personal note, Devon is very much at home traversing large sand dunes which he says “require reading” if they are to be tackled with success. For him, driving and passing on his knowledge is something he really enjoys.
And his favourite car in the Jaguar Land Rover range is the Jaguar F-PACE SVR in black, but he wouldn’t be drawn on whether he’d rather spend a weekend at Kyalami with the F-PACE or a weekend with a hot blonde other than to say that “driving is my passion!”
(Footnote: Every year, Jaguar Land Rover Experience instructors from around the world are invited to participate in the TREK event at Eastnor Castle in the UK – the spiritual home of Jaguar Land Rover. Teams from around the world participate in a series of challenges, which promote the sharing of knowledge and experiences. The overall TREK 2019 champions were Devon Scott and Ricky Hill from South Africa.)
Just like his colleagues, Devon, who does not come from the southern English county of that name, spent much of his formative years from 2004 as an instructor for numerous car brands before settling on Jaguar Land Rover where he acquired the status of Lead Instructor three years back.
Unsurprisingly, Devon also identifies a car in the wrong hands as a lethal weapon and sees his prime function as instilling a defensive mindset in all drivers in order to make roads safer.
For the most part, he identifies an inability to anticipate as a serious but common flaw along with a mindset that’s often driven by aggression. Changing driver attitudes is a primary function of Experience staff which suggests that recurrent training should be undertaken to maximise the benefits that Devon feels should include basics such as proper seating position and how to hold a steering wheel properly.
Interestingly, Devon has identified a belief among owners of really good cars that the quality of the car they drive mirrors the quality of their driving, but experience suggests there is no such correlation. Indeed, the fairer sex again come out on top in terms of willingness to listen and learn while males have a tendency to try too hard to impress! For him too, speed is a significant negative safety issue.
Overall, Devon is firmly of the view that driver training is lacking in South Africa which makes his role all the more important. He thoroughly enjoys seeing the improvement in attitude and car control, whether on or off-road, among course participants.
On a personal note, Devon is very much at home traversing large sand dunes which he says “require reading” if they are to be tackled with success. For him, driving and passing on his knowledge is something he really enjoys.
And his favourite car in the Jaguar Land Rover range is the Jaguar F-PACE SVR in black, but he wouldn’t be drawn on whether he’d rather spend a weekend at Kyalami with the F-PACE or a weekend with a hot blonde other than to say that “driving is my passion!”
(Footnote: Every year, Jaguar Land Rover Experience instructors from around the world are invited to participate in the TREK event at Eastnor Castle in the UK – the spiritual home of Jaguar Land Rover. Teams from around the world participate in a series of challenges, which promote the sharing of knowledge and experiences. The overall TREK 2019 champions were Devon Scott and Ricky Hill from South Africa.)
DONOVAN TAYLOR -JUNIOR INSTRUCTOR/TRACK SPECILALIST
Donovan is the new kid on the block having joined Jaguar Land Rover in the second half of 2019 but that followed 8 years with AMG which accounts for his track specialist role, albeit that he instructs on and off-road usage of both Jaguar Land Rover brands.
He too finds the fairer sex more rewarding to instruct as they “listen better, they’re more appreciative and they are better drivers.” Males, he says, “come with an ego.” It’s this latter characteristic which doubtless fashions Donovan’s views that in off-road conditions, males in particular lack feeling for the vehicle and are mostly devoid of throttle control. It’s a case of “foot flat or nothing” he bemoans.
In on-road conditions, Donovan has identified a lack of appreciation of the effects of vehicle mass when it comes to braking distances and directional changes. On track, drivers tend to brake too late into corners and drive too quickly as they don’t understand the effect of speed on braking distances.
Talking of control, this man favours either a “ten-to-two” or a “quarter-to-three” position as both impart more lateral control. As for paint colour, Donovan is a Midnight Blue fan and on the choice of a blonde or a high-performance car at a track, his answer is unequivocal: “Definitely track, any day of the week. Cars listen to you!” And that track would be the Nurburgring Green Hell, a track he’s regularly circulating, courtesy of Play Station.
His favourite model? The Jaguar F-PACE SVR because it looks fast standing still and has echoes of a gangster car. Look out girls!
Donovan is the new kid on the block having joined Jaguar Land Rover in the second half of 2019 but that followed 8 years with AMG which accounts for his track specialist role, albeit that he instructs on and off-road usage of both Jaguar Land Rover brands.
He too finds the fairer sex more rewarding to instruct as they “listen better, they’re more appreciative and they are better drivers.” Males, he says, “come with an ego.” It’s this latter characteristic which doubtless fashions Donovan’s views that in off-road conditions, males in particular lack feeling for the vehicle and are mostly devoid of throttle control. It’s a case of “foot flat or nothing” he bemoans.
In on-road conditions, Donovan has identified a lack of appreciation of the effects of vehicle mass when it comes to braking distances and directional changes. On track, drivers tend to brake too late into corners and drive too quickly as they don’t understand the effect of speed on braking distances.
Talking of control, this man favours either a “ten-to-two” or a “quarter-to-three” position as both impart more lateral control. As for paint colour, Donovan is a Midnight Blue fan and on the choice of a blonde or a high-performance car at a track, his answer is unequivocal: “Definitely track, any day of the week. Cars listen to you!” And that track would be the Nurburgring Green Hell, a track he’s regularly circulating, courtesy of Play Station.
His favourite model? The Jaguar F-PACE SVR because it looks fast standing still and has echoes of a gangster car. Look out girls!
DEAN BARTHORPE - JAGUAR LAND ROVER INSTRUCTOR
Dean’s one of the newer models on the block in terms of on and off-road instructors, having started out three years ago in a freelance capacity, with the last two years spent full-time at Jaguar Land Rover.
Asked whether he preferred instructing males or females, Dean instantly identified the latter, saying they were “much better listeners.” The male fraternity, he suggests, even tends to decry the potential of the fairer sex when it comes to driving ability!
As for off-road driving flaws, Dean also picked throttle control as a primary problem.
It’s generally a case of “too much or too little” with no happy medium no thanks in part to a lack of understanding of what the wheels are trying to do on different driving surfaces. On-road, that old bugbear of lack of vision comes into focus. Drivers “don’t look ahead…they don’t plan and just arrive at a problem which could have been avoided.” Dean also adds inappropriate speed as a big issue along with a lack of knowledge of rules of the road.
Dean reckons the best position to the hold the wheel is at “quarter-to-three” whether driving on or off-road, but in the case of the latter, the thumbs should be outside the rim to avoid potential injury in the event of hitting a solid obstacle that spins the steering wheel suddenly.
Dean’s favourite colour is a dark metallic blue and on the subject of spending a weekend with a hot blonde or a hot car, he got greedy and wanted both! “I’ll take the blonde to the track and then race around Spa, a circuit I love because of its history and famous landmarks such as Eau Rouge.”
Not unexpectedly, his favourite model in the range is the Jaguar F-PACE SVR because it’s powerful, wieldy and sounds great.
Dean’s one of the newer models on the block in terms of on and off-road instructors, having started out three years ago in a freelance capacity, with the last two years spent full-time at Jaguar Land Rover.
Asked whether he preferred instructing males or females, Dean instantly identified the latter, saying they were “much better listeners.” The male fraternity, he suggests, even tends to decry the potential of the fairer sex when it comes to driving ability!
As for off-road driving flaws, Dean also picked throttle control as a primary problem.
It’s generally a case of “too much or too little” with no happy medium no thanks in part to a lack of understanding of what the wheels are trying to do on different driving surfaces. On-road, that old bugbear of lack of vision comes into focus. Drivers “don’t look ahead…they don’t plan and just arrive at a problem which could have been avoided.” Dean also adds inappropriate speed as a big issue along with a lack of knowledge of rules of the road.
Dean reckons the best position to the hold the wheel is at “quarter-to-three” whether driving on or off-road, but in the case of the latter, the thumbs should be outside the rim to avoid potential injury in the event of hitting a solid obstacle that spins the steering wheel suddenly.
Dean’s favourite colour is a dark metallic blue and on the subject of spending a weekend with a hot blonde or a hot car, he got greedy and wanted both! “I’ll take the blonde to the track and then race around Spa, a circuit I love because of its history and famous landmarks such as Eau Rouge.”
Not unexpectedly, his favourite model in the range is the Jaguar F-PACE SVR because it’s powerful, wieldy and sounds great.
ANDREW BLANE - JAGUAR LAND ROVER SENIOR INSTRUCTOR
Andrew has been imparting his on and off-road knowledge for around eight years, of which five have been with Jaguar Land Rover, initially on a freelance basis.
When it comes to an audience, Andrew declared no preference between instructing males or females but with a little prompting, he did admit that the ladies “listen better,” an opinion that has a common theme in this context.
When asked about the most common flaws encountered in off-road driving, Andrew put his foot down immediately and identified inconsistent use of the accelerator, primarily with reference to too much throttle, as an obstacle to smooth progress.
As for on-road driving, Andrew identified a “lack of forward vision” as the most common obstacle to safe progress, and sadly, “it’s getting worse.” Drivers tend to see only what’s immediately in front of them rather than looking ahead and anticipating potential pitfalls.
When asked about the optimum position for holding the steering wheel, Andrew favours the “quarter-to-three position” as it allows for more hand movement on the wheel. Interestingly, he also expressed the view that because the hands are evenly positioned side to side, the brain favours neither one side nor the other in terms of interpreting position and movement.
He had no hesitation in identifying white as his favourite colour and when it comes to a choice between a hot blonde and a hot car, he unhesitatingly voted for driving on Kyalami – “it’s where I started out”- or perhaps Silverstone, albeit that ice driving holds an attraction owing to the challenging low grip conditions.
Andrew’s favourite car in the Jaguar Land Rover range is the Range Rover Sport SVR as it ticks every box.
Andrew has been imparting his on and off-road knowledge for around eight years, of which five have been with Jaguar Land Rover, initially on a freelance basis.
When it comes to an audience, Andrew declared no preference between instructing males or females but with a little prompting, he did admit that the ladies “listen better,” an opinion that has a common theme in this context.
When asked about the most common flaws encountered in off-road driving, Andrew put his foot down immediately and identified inconsistent use of the accelerator, primarily with reference to too much throttle, as an obstacle to smooth progress.
As for on-road driving, Andrew identified a “lack of forward vision” as the most common obstacle to safe progress, and sadly, “it’s getting worse.” Drivers tend to see only what’s immediately in front of them rather than looking ahead and anticipating potential pitfalls.
When asked about the optimum position for holding the steering wheel, Andrew favours the “quarter-to-three position” as it allows for more hand movement on the wheel. Interestingly, he also expressed the view that because the hands are evenly positioned side to side, the brain favours neither one side nor the other in terms of interpreting position and movement.
He had no hesitation in identifying white as his favourite colour and when it comes to a choice between a hot blonde and a hot car, he unhesitatingly voted for driving on Kyalami – “it’s where I started out”- or perhaps Silverstone, albeit that ice driving holds an attraction owing to the challenging low grip conditions.
Andrew’s favourite car in the Jaguar Land Rover range is the Range Rover Sport SVR as it ticks every box.
RICKY HILL - JAGUAR LAND ROVER INSTRUCTOR
If ever you need proof of the veracity of the expression “experience counts,” look no further than Ricky Hill who’s been powering around, on two wheels initially, since the age of four!
After subsequent spells in karting, Ricky took up freelance driving instructing, saying that nothing suited him better than to drive cars and to travel in order to do so. Often on the sub-Sahara Africa circuit conducting ride ‘n drives on public roads for the customers of local importers, Ricky believes that the expertise enjoyed by those customers does much to cement deals and generate brand loyalty.
With his “performance” background, Ricky admits to a Jaguar bias and says that one aspect that concerns him about inexperienced people who drive high performance cars is that they don’t fully realise just what a weapon a car can be when misused.
Impatience is a common flaw as is the inability to judge distances, especially when it comes to braking and following other cars. His advice to everyone on the road is to “leave surplus space” and look ahead to a much greater extent than is common.
These are the fundamentals of driver training which should be conducted on a regular basis to engender a greater understanding of what modern cars can do in the right hands, all the while having fun and enjoying the experience.
Despite his own attachment to speed in the right environment, Ricky also believes a car is a weapon when misused and that speeding on public roads is a pet hate as many drivers just don’t fathom the correlation between speed and distance covered or understand the destruction wrought by high speed collisions.
As for personal preference, he loves Jaguars for their character and theatre and is a fan of what he calls “SVR blue with a tan interior.” His favourite circuits are Kyalami and East London for its history and his favourite GP driver is Lewis Hamilton which doubtless doesn’t go down well with GM, Sean Renton!
Finally, Ricky believes automatic cars are better suited to everyday drivers as they make driving easier and inherently safer.
(Footnote: Every year, Jaguar Land Rover Experience instructors from around the world are invited to participate in the TREK event at Eastnor Castle in the UK – the spiritual home of Jaguar Land Rover. Teams from around the world participate in a series of challenges which promote the sharing of knowledge and experiences. The overall TREK 2019 champions were Ricky Hill and Devon Scott from South Africa.)
If ever you need proof of the veracity of the expression “experience counts,” look no further than Ricky Hill who’s been powering around, on two wheels initially, since the age of four!
After subsequent spells in karting, Ricky took up freelance driving instructing, saying that nothing suited him better than to drive cars and to travel in order to do so. Often on the sub-Sahara Africa circuit conducting ride ‘n drives on public roads for the customers of local importers, Ricky believes that the expertise enjoyed by those customers does much to cement deals and generate brand loyalty.
With his “performance” background, Ricky admits to a Jaguar bias and says that one aspect that concerns him about inexperienced people who drive high performance cars is that they don’t fully realise just what a weapon a car can be when misused.
Impatience is a common flaw as is the inability to judge distances, especially when it comes to braking and following other cars. His advice to everyone on the road is to “leave surplus space” and look ahead to a much greater extent than is common.
These are the fundamentals of driver training which should be conducted on a regular basis to engender a greater understanding of what modern cars can do in the right hands, all the while having fun and enjoying the experience.
Despite his own attachment to speed in the right environment, Ricky also believes a car is a weapon when misused and that speeding on public roads is a pet hate as many drivers just don’t fathom the correlation between speed and distance covered or understand the destruction wrought by high speed collisions.
As for personal preference, he loves Jaguars for their character and theatre and is a fan of what he calls “SVR blue with a tan interior.” His favourite circuits are Kyalami and East London for its history and his favourite GP driver is Lewis Hamilton which doubtless doesn’t go down well with GM, Sean Renton!
Finally, Ricky believes automatic cars are better suited to everyday drivers as they make driving easier and inherently safer.
(Footnote: Every year, Jaguar Land Rover Experience instructors from around the world are invited to participate in the TREK event at Eastnor Castle in the UK – the spiritual home of Jaguar Land Rover. Teams from around the world participate in a series of challenges which promote the sharing of knowledge and experiences. The overall TREK 2019 champions were Ricky Hill and Devon Scott from South Africa.)
RAINER FERENCZY - JAGUAR LAND ROVER SENIOR INSTRUCTOR
Rainer worked as a freelancer with various major manufacturers from around 2011 and included supercar driving and general driving dynamics in his portfolio. He joined Jaguar Land Rover as a freelancer in 2011 and became a permanent Experience staff member in around 2017.
Asked to identify the most commonly encountered driving problem, Rainer instantly responded with “not looking.” He expanded on that by saying that awareness and not looking far enough ahead are part of the malaise. The majority off accidents occur at speeds below 40 km/h because drivers aren’t paying attention and don’t keep a safe following distance. His function is to teach drivers what to look for and most importantly, where to look, for the simple reason that “your eyes are linked to your hands.”
Once this is achieved, it’s important to teach drivers the basics of control such as how to react if a car oversteers, understeers or slides. Going off-road into mud, Rainer advises drivers not to fight ruts and to keep the wheels pointing straight ahead as far as possible. And as for sand, momentum is king but that does not mean driving too fast for a given situation.
Asked what he enjoys most about his job, his reply was “being around cars and people and helping make better drivers.” His own preference is for manual gearboxes because they demand greater driver involvement, but he acknowledges that for most drivers, especially in off-road conditions, an auto transmission in conjunction with Terrain Response is most suitable.
As for his personal colour preference, Rainer identified metallic blue which doubtless would be applied to his favourite Jag F-PACE SVR while his favourite Land Rover is the Range Rover Sport, but he admitted to liking older models too. And for you ladies, Rainer said that “not listening” on training courses is a problem more common with men than with women who are more willing to learn!
Rainer worked as a freelancer with various major manufacturers from around 2011 and included supercar driving and general driving dynamics in his portfolio. He joined Jaguar Land Rover as a freelancer in 2011 and became a permanent Experience staff member in around 2017.
Asked to identify the most commonly encountered driving problem, Rainer instantly responded with “not looking.” He expanded on that by saying that awareness and not looking far enough ahead are part of the malaise. The majority off accidents occur at speeds below 40 km/h because drivers aren’t paying attention and don’t keep a safe following distance. His function is to teach drivers what to look for and most importantly, where to look, for the simple reason that “your eyes are linked to your hands.”
Once this is achieved, it’s important to teach drivers the basics of control such as how to react if a car oversteers, understeers or slides. Going off-road into mud, Rainer advises drivers not to fight ruts and to keep the wheels pointing straight ahead as far as possible. And as for sand, momentum is king but that does not mean driving too fast for a given situation.
Asked what he enjoys most about his job, his reply was “being around cars and people and helping make better drivers.” His own preference is for manual gearboxes because they demand greater driver involvement, but he acknowledges that for most drivers, especially in off-road conditions, an auto transmission in conjunction with Terrain Response is most suitable.
As for his personal colour preference, Rainer identified metallic blue which doubtless would be applied to his favourite Jag F-PACE SVR while his favourite Land Rover is the Range Rover Sport, but he admitted to liking older models too. And for you ladies, Rainer said that “not listening” on training courses is a problem more common with men than with women who are more willing to learn!
SHAUN TAYLOR - JAGUAR LAND ROVER SENIOR INSTRUCTOR
Shaun has practised his trade as a freelancer for five years and has spent three years with Jaguar Land Rover where he instructs on and off-roading techniques covering both brands.
And he definitely finds the ladies easier to communicate with provided they can contain their nerves ahead of practicals. The boys, by contrast, tend to exhibit symptoms of knowing the ropes before even receiving guidance and some even need calming before setting off on courses, particularly when track work is involved!
As for bad habits that surface while off-roading, Shaun cites a couple of issues led by a lack of throttle control and a lack of faith in the built-in assistance systems found in modern Jags and Land Rovers. Demonstration of the effectiveness of those driving modes, especially as found in the Terrain Response 2 programme, does allay those fears though.
On-road driving nasties include not allowing sufficient following distance allied to over-speeding and a lack of perception of developing situations.
For best control of the wheel, Shaun recommends the “quarter-to-three” position as it provides a bigger arc of movement without taking hands off the wheel, and it provides easier access to the paddle shifters.
Unlike most of his colleagues, Shaun has a preference for a brighter paint colour, that being Namib Orange. He did admit, though, to being moved by Estoril Blue as well. His favourite model across both brands is the Range Rover Sport SVR. He loves the power and performance, saying not only is this model great on-track, it can also be loaded up with passengers before heading off-road.
Shaun has practised his trade as a freelancer for five years and has spent three years with Jaguar Land Rover where he instructs on and off-roading techniques covering both brands.
And he definitely finds the ladies easier to communicate with provided they can contain their nerves ahead of practicals. The boys, by contrast, tend to exhibit symptoms of knowing the ropes before even receiving guidance and some even need calming before setting off on courses, particularly when track work is involved!
As for bad habits that surface while off-roading, Shaun cites a couple of issues led by a lack of throttle control and a lack of faith in the built-in assistance systems found in modern Jags and Land Rovers. Demonstration of the effectiveness of those driving modes, especially as found in the Terrain Response 2 programme, does allay those fears though.
On-road driving nasties include not allowing sufficient following distance allied to over-speeding and a lack of perception of developing situations.
For best control of the wheel, Shaun recommends the “quarter-to-three” position as it provides a bigger arc of movement without taking hands off the wheel, and it provides easier access to the paddle shifters.
Unlike most of his colleagues, Shaun has a preference for a brighter paint colour, that being Namib Orange. He did admit, though, to being moved by Estoril Blue as well. His favourite model across both brands is the Range Rover Sport SVR. He loves the power and performance, saying not only is this model great on-track, it can also be loaded up with passengers before heading off-road.
GARY SPENCER - LAND ROVER INSTRUCTOR
Gary’s been a permanent fixture at the Experience since 2017 having cut his teeth like so many of his colleagues in a freelance capacity with various manufacturers.
He’s always been into cars and believes that being passionate on the subject helps in passing on his knowledge to others who haven’t been brought up in the same environment.
In fact, he said that his family has had a history with Land Rover which has rubbed off on him and means he’s just a tad more off-road orientated than on-track.
Again, Gary says that when it comes to training, women are more receptive than men as they “don’t have egos.” Interestingly, here’s one instructor who loves big corporate days and enjoys seeing people having fun while their brand loyalty is being entrenched by the experience and camaraderie of the occasion.
Gary believes that the more courses drivers attend, the better, but “one is better than none.” He cites the importance of ABS brakes in terms of advancing safety but points out that instruction in the benefits is a must as few divers are aware, for example, that ABS has a major influence on steering as direction changes can be made with the pedal hard down.
He’s a great believer in promoting defensive driving, both from a theoretical and practical aspect, stating that most drivers lack vision in terms of seeing what’s ahead and that following too closely is a common problem.
Gary was unsure about a favourite colour, suggesting blue may top the palette, but he was much more definitive on another subject, stating that he would prefer a weekend at Kyalami to a weekend with a hot blonde! Nonetheless, his favourite F1 circuit is Spa …. or is it Suzuka?
When it comes to favourite cars in the Jaguar Land Rover stable, Gary had no hesitation in identifying the Defender because this was the model that made Land Rover what it is. On the other side of the coin, it’s the F-TYPE SVR that holds sway as it “has amazing theatre around it!”
Gary’s been a permanent fixture at the Experience since 2017 having cut his teeth like so many of his colleagues in a freelance capacity with various manufacturers.
He’s always been into cars and believes that being passionate on the subject helps in passing on his knowledge to others who haven’t been brought up in the same environment.
In fact, he said that his family has had a history with Land Rover which has rubbed off on him and means he’s just a tad more off-road orientated than on-track.
Again, Gary says that when it comes to training, women are more receptive than men as they “don’t have egos.” Interestingly, here’s one instructor who loves big corporate days and enjoys seeing people having fun while their brand loyalty is being entrenched by the experience and camaraderie of the occasion.
Gary believes that the more courses drivers attend, the better, but “one is better than none.” He cites the importance of ABS brakes in terms of advancing safety but points out that instruction in the benefits is a must as few divers are aware, for example, that ABS has a major influence on steering as direction changes can be made with the pedal hard down.
He’s a great believer in promoting defensive driving, both from a theoretical and practical aspect, stating that most drivers lack vision in terms of seeing what’s ahead and that following too closely is a common problem.
Gary was unsure about a favourite colour, suggesting blue may top the palette, but he was much more definitive on another subject, stating that he would prefer a weekend at Kyalami to a weekend with a hot blonde! Nonetheless, his favourite F1 circuit is Spa …. or is it Suzuka?
When it comes to favourite cars in the Jaguar Land Rover stable, Gary had no hesitation in identifying the Defender because this was the model that made Land Rover what it is. On the other side of the coin, it’s the F-TYPE SVR that holds sway as it “has amazing theatre around it!”