Downforce Auto Events And Training
Downforce Auto Events And Training is a New Zealand-founded (2005) specialist operator delivering corporate driver training and premium automotive experiences — track, snow/ice, off-road, and road tours — for vehicle manufacturers (e.g., Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Land Rover) and corporate clients, anchored by an Adventure Mark-certified team of professional racers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersAuckland, New Zealand
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Downforce Auto Events And Training does
Downforce Auto Events And Training (legal entity: Downforce Limited) is a New Zealand privately held company founded in 2005 and headquartered in Auckland, with operational presence in Queenstown. The company specialises in two integrated service lines: driver training programs (corporate driver training and vehicle manufacturer training) and a portfolio of four premium automotive experience categories — track events, snow and ice events, off-road events, and road tours. Its core customer base comprises (a) corporate clients seeking to improve employee road safety through defensive and adverse-condition driver training, (b) global vehicle manufacturers requiring bespoke launch, press, and customer-drive event management (with documented relationships including Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, McLaren, Porsche, BMW Motorrad, Audi NZ, Land Rover, Jaguar, and Ford), and (c) affluent automotive enthusiasts participating in premium driving experiences.
The company's underlying technology is operational rather than software-based: certified motorsport expertise, safety protocols compliant with Adventure Mark audit standards and Motorsport NZ Clubsport regulations, and physical access to specialised venues including the Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds on Pisa Range in Central Otago (for snow/ice operations) and race circuits such as Hampton Downs, Taupo Motorsport Park, Ruapuna, and Woodhill Forest. Pioneered snow and ice driving experiences in Queenstown since 2008. Differentiated talent base includes professional racers with international credentials (NZ V8 championships, Porsche GT3 Cup, Australian GT, 24 Hours of Nürburgring podiums, Bathurst 12 Hour victory). No patents, software products, APIs, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.
The business model is professional services on a quote-based, project-by-project pricing model with no publicly disclosed rates. GTM is enterprise field sales targeting vehicle manufacturers for launch events and corporate buyers for driver training, supplemented by direct consumer-facing premium experiences (notably ICEDRIVE powered by Downforce in partnership with Audi NZ). The company has 9 employees, operates independently with no disclosed external funding or institutional investment, and is led by General Manager Richard Moore. Geographic reach spans New Zealand with overseas event delivery (Timaru to Nürburgring range claimed), though no formal international offices exist.
Downforce Auto Events And Training firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Downforce Auto Events And Training
- Legal name
- Downforce Limited
- Website
- https://downforce.co.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Downforce Auto Events And Training is a New Zealand-founded (2005) specialist operator delivering corporate driver training and premium automotive experiences — track, snow/ice, off-road, and road tours — for vehicle manufacturers (e.g., Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Land Rover) and corporate clients, anchored by an Adventure Mark-certified team of professional racers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Downforce Auto Events And Training industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Automotive Driver Training and Events
- NAICS
- Automobile Driving Schools (611692)
- SIC
- Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Motorsport Driver Training Schools & Racing Academies (MPAKAJAJ)
Keywords
Where Downforce Auto Events And Training is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Auckland
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices2 records
Markets served
Downforce Auto Events And Training business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Corporate Driver Training: Tailored corporate driver training programs for staff, focusing on real-world scenarios, adverse conditions, emergency maneuvers, and defensive driving techniques. Companies invest to improve road safety and reduce accident rates.
- Vehicle Manufacturer Training: Programs for automotive industry including new vehicle launches, customer drive programmes, press launches, off-road and SUV courses, road drive programmes, vehicle testing, and full event management.
- Automotive Events: Track events, off-road events, snow and ice events, and road tours for automotive enthusiasts and corporate clients. Events range from one-on-one driver coaching to all-encompassing event management.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Downforce Auto Events And Training product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Downforce delivers professional automotive driver training and event management services from its New Zealand base. Offerings include tailored corporate driver training programs, vehicle manufacturer launch and customer drive programs, and experiential driving events spanning track, snow and ice, off-road, and road tour formats, served to businesses and individual enthusiasts both domestically and overseas.
Product overview
Downforce Auto Events And Training operates as a single unified service offering centred on automotive events and driver training. The portfolio consists of two primary training programs (Corporate Driver Training and Vehicle Manufacturer Training) and four event categories (Track Events, Snow & Ice Events, Off Road Events, and Road Tours). These services are designed to work both independently and in combination, allowing the company to deliver anything from one-on-one driver coaching to all-encompassing event management for vehicle manufacturers and corporate clients worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Corporate Driver Training Tailored corporate driver training programs focused on improving staff road driving abilities, covering adverse conditions, emergency maneuvers, and defensive driving techniques to increase safety and reduce accident rates for corporate clients.
- Vehicle Manufacturer Training Customized programs for the automotive industry including new vehicle launches, customer drive programmes, press launches, off-road and SUV courses, road drive programmes, vehicle testing, and full event management.
- Track Events Tailored track programmes including corporate training, sport and performance driver training, vehicle launches, customer drive programs, press launches, and road drives with full event management at New Zealand circuits.
- Snow & Ice Events Snow and ice driving events including ICEDRIVE powered by Downforce, offering driver training, product launches, demonstrations, filming for global TVCs, and ice driving experiences at the Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds in Central Otago.
- Off Road Events Off-road driving experiences and events ranging from corporate driver training to multi-day high country tours, including product launches and tailored solutions for customer needs.
- Road Tours Road tour experiences spanning breathtaking New Zealand landscapes and iconic destinations, offering route optimisation, convoy management, navigation, and guidance solutions for automotive enthusiasts.
Quantifiable outcome
- Decades of experience since 2005 with global automotive events
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Downforce Auto Events And Training
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Downforce Auto Events And Training technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Downforce Auto Events And Training partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Adventure MarkcoreDownforce is Safety Audit Certified by Adventure Mark in compliance with The Health and Safety at Work (Adventure Activities) Regulations 2016. This certification demonstrates commitment to safety and regulatory compliance, providing peace of mind for clients and protecting businesses.
- Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds (SHPG)coreSHPG is an award-winning automotive proving ground located on the Pisa Range in Central Otago, New Zealand. It is a global leader in winter testing facilities for the automotive industry and home to Downforce's snow and ice driving events.
- AUDI NZflagshipDownforce partners with AUDI NZ to present ICEDRIVE powered by Downforce. This is a flagship partnership delivering premium ice driving experiences for Audi customers in New Zealand.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Downforce Auto Events And Training competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Exotics Racing: Las Vegas-based exotic car driving experience operator running consumer track experiences and corporate/OEM events with supercars. Comparable to Downforce's experiential driving offerings and luxury-OEM event execution.
- Skip Barber Racing School: US-based motorsport driving school delivering structured racing instruction and corporate driving experiences. Comparable to Downforce's track events and corporate driver training product lines, with similar instructor-led, venue-based delivery model.
- Bertil Roos Racing School: Long-established US racing school providing professional driving instruction and corporate events. Direct comparable to Downforce's track training and corporate driver programs in terms of curriculum structure and instructor-led delivery.
- Radford Racing School: Performance driving school in Arizona offering professional instruction, corporate programs, and experiential driving events. Operates a similar mix of paid consumer track experiences and B2B corporate/OEM training as Downforce.
- Bondurant High Performance Driving School: Commercial high-performance driving school in the US offering track training, OEM launch events, and corporate driving experiences. Closely comparable to Downforce as a third-party provider of performance driver training and event delivery for automotive brands.
Broad incumbents
- Aston Martin Track Experience: Aston Martin's official track and ice driving experiences delivered globally. Downforce delivers Aston Martin Owners Track Day and On Ice events in NZ, indicating comparable capabilities but captive to a single OEM's brand portfolio.
- Porsche Experience Center: OEM-owned brand-experience facilities (Atlanta, LA, Leipzig, etc.) offering track instruction and product launches. Overlaps with Downforce's Porsche World Roadshow and Track Experience delivery but is captive to one OEM and offers broader portfolio of experiences globally.
- Ferrari Corso Pilota: Ferrari's official track and ice driving program. Downforce delivers Ferrari experiences (296 GTB Launch, Corso Pilota Around the World) on behalf of Ferrari in NZ, making it both a service provider and a functional alternative in regions where Ferrari does not operate its own facility.
- Lamborghini Accademia: Lamborghini's branded driving experience program covering track and winter driving. Overlaps with Downforce's Lamborghini Winter Escape and Huracan STO Dynamic Launch work, but operates as an OEM-owned program rather than an independent commercial operator.
Regional players
- Winfield Racing School: French racing school at Circuit Paul Ricard delivering professional driver training and corporate programs. Comparable to Downforce in curriculum and instructor pedigree, but operates primarily in Europe rather than competing in the Southern Hemisphere.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Downforce Auto Events And Training social profiles
Digital presenceDownforce Auto Events And Training compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Downforce Auto Events And Training financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Downforce Auto Events And Training leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Downforce Auto Events And Training funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Downforce Auto Events And Training M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Downforce Auto Events And Training
What does Downforce Auto Events And Training do?
Downforce delivers professional automotive driver training and event management services from its New Zealand base. Offerings include tailored corporate driver training programs, vehicle manufacturer launch and customer drive programs, and experiential driving events spanning track, snow and ice, off-road, and road tour formats, served to businesses and individual enthusiasts both domestically and overseas.
Is Downforce Auto Events And Training a public or private company?
Downforce Auto Events And Training is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Downforce Auto Events And Training founded?
Downforce Auto Events And Training was founded in 2005. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Downforce Auto Events And Training based?
Downforce Auto Events And Training is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Downforce Auto Events And Training make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Corporate Driver Training is the primary driver. The others are vehicle Manufacturer Training and automotive Events.
Who are Downforce Auto Events And Training's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Exotics Racing, Skip Barber Racing School, Bertil Roos Racing School, Radford Racing School and Bondurant High Performance Driving School. Broad incumbents are Aston Martin Track Experience, Porsche Experience Center, Ferrari Corso Pilota and Lamborghini Accademia. Winfield Racing School is listed as a regional player.
Does Downforce Auto Events And Training have an API?
No public API is recorded for Downforce Auto Events And Training.
What industry is Downforce Auto Events And Training in?
Downforce Auto Events And Training's product category is Automotive Driver Training and Events. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKAJAJ, Motorsport Driver Training Schools & Racing Academies. Its NAICS code is 611692 and its SIC code is 7948.