Taming the bull

There is no practical reason to spend a weekend learning how to make a Lamborghini go one or two seconds faster around a racetrack. You will not become a professional. You will not win anything. And yet the sense of satisfaction — of accomplishment — is deep.

The Lamborghini Accademia takes place at a different racetrack around America every year. A very VERY YEAR, more than 60 million new cars are made. Most of them are forgettable, anonymous appliances to get us quietly from here to there. They might as well be toasters. And that’s fine. Because every year, among the 60 million, there are a handful of unforgettable cars — cars that stand out from the blur of the model-year as it rushes past.

The Year in Cars is a chance to recognize and celebrate those machines. This year they are a more diverse group than ever: supercars, of course, but electric cars too, and city cars, luxury cars, even the odd SUV. They all did it differently, but they all made getting from here to there a genuine thrill.

Ebrave professional driver sits in the passenger seat and schools you in the dark art of pushing a supercar to its limit. You think you’re there for a good time, but by lunch you are obsessed with doing the perfect lap of Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s road course in a 600 horsepower Lambo. Turn in more slowly so the rear wheels don’t slide out. Lift the throttle here to get the nose to tuck into a corner. The perfect lap is elusive, always a little faster, but the real satisfaction is in the chase. You come away from the weekend with a sore neck from straining against the G forces, but you’re that much closer to owning the track.

The Accademia runs courses for novices (Corso Intensivo, 2 days) and experts (Corso Avanzato, 3 days) priced at $9,300 and $16,000 respectively. It is unforgettable.