Drifter 'to smash world record'

An attempt to smash the world record for the longest-ever powerslide will be launched at Mercedes-Benz World this weekend.

Mercedes demo driver Mauro Calo, who has also driven for Autocar, will slide an AMG saloon – either a standard E63 or a C63 – for 12 laps around the narrow perimeter track at Brooklands in Surrey.

Calo will spend around four minutes in the 55mph, third gear drift, racking up 10,000 ft (nearly two miles) sideways to beat the existing 8000ft record by a considerable margin.

But Calo will have to be careful. With a track that's "barely as wide as a car length, there's no room for error."

Nevertheless, “I’m 100 per cent confident that I can do it,” said Calo.