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our work > GM: The Drive Automotive Performance Park

Located at the Sahara Hotel & Casino, just steps from The Las Vegas Strip, ESI helped General Motors launch “The Drive,” a new way to test drive a new vehicle. Open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. seven days a week, consumers could come and drive any GM product — Hummer, Cadillac, Saab, Pontiac, Saturn and more — like they have never done before.

The performance course featured a half-mile paved route with jogs and turns, complete with chicanes, to experience the speed and handling control of a sports car. The off-road course featured two adventure trails to test out HUMMER vehicles or GM’s powerful full-size SUVs and trucks. The main trail featured a 15-foot hill, intensely sloped banks, v-ditches, moguls and obstacles to climb. A secondary trail for trucks and SUVs presented sloped banks, a dirt hill, moguls and obstacles.

A $10 ticket got a ride in a Chevy Corvette coupe and convertible, Pontiac GTO, Cadillac CTS-V, Pontiac Solstice roadster, Cadillac STS-V, Saab 9-3 convertible and Chevy SSR on the performance track, or the HUMMER H2, HUMMER H2 SUT, mid-size HUMMER H3, 2007 Cadillac Escalade, 2006 Chevy Silverado Diesel and the 2007 Chevy Tahoe on one of the two dirt tracks.

“The Drive represents a significant marketing opportunity for General Motors, allowing us to showcase our products in a unique fashion that will provide a fun-filled time for the millions of people who live in or visit Las Vegas,” said Steve Tihanyi, general director, marketing and entertainment alliances for General Motors. “This platform elevates the driving experience, without pressure to buy, to another level that has never been presented within the U.S.”

To honor the design, management and implementation of The Drive, Event Marketer magazine presented the Ex Award to ESI and GM R*Works in 2007.