BMW Canada announces new Chief Driving Instructor

BMW Canada announced the appointment of famed driving expert and former race car driver, Philippe Létourneau, as its new Chief Driving Instructor. In his new role, Philippe will lead all aspects of BMW Canada’s comprehensive Driver Training program for consumers, a fully-integrated approach to road safety which has been promoting higher standards and driving behaviours for more than 30 years.

Létourneau: No stranger to safedriving.

As a former professional race car driver with years of experience instructing at both the novice and professional levels, Philippe is a seasoned expert in all areas of driver training and is a passionate advocate for safe driving. Most recently, Philippe provided counsel to some of Canadian’s most unsafe drivers as a judge on the hit TV show “Canada’s Worst Driver.” As BMW Canada’s Chief Driving Instructor, Philippe will apply his knowledge to run all areas of BMW’s extensive Driver Training program, including curriculum development, in-classroom and in-car instruction.

“I am thrilled and proud to take on the new role of Chief Driving Instructor for BMW Canada,” says Philippe. “It is important that drivers at all levels receive fundamental training on how to drive safely. BMW has been paving the way in driver safety instruction for decades. It is one thing to build the best cars in the world, but at the end of the day, the most important decisions are made by the driver, so we work to establish the skills and approaches to driving for everyone who participates in our training programs.”

BMW Group Driving Experiences: A long heritage of responsibility and safety.

When BMW began its Driving School back in the 1970s, the objective was clear: “Establish the optimum combination of the better car and the better driver.”  To this day, that claim and commitment remain unchanged, clearly expressing the all-round responsibility assumed by the BMW Group in the area of road traffic safety.

This responsibility was taken on in recognition of the fact that apart from building particularly safe vehicles, the promotion of driving skill is also able to reduce the risk of accidents from occurring.

“As a world leader in automotive safety and driver education, BMW is committed to a fully integrated approach to road safety, no matter what Canadian road conditions you face,” says Létourneau.  “Since the inception of the Driver Training program, BMW has been offering Canadian drivers the unique opportunity to learn from highly-qualified BMW instructors, like myself, who provide approved driving skills, superior safety and a better understanding of a vehicle’s capabilities.”

BMW Driver Training is available to all Canadians who hold a valid drivers license. “You do not need to own a BMW to participate,” concluded Létourneau, “but it’s a wonderful opportunity to drive these outstanding vehicles in unique circumstances.”