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Spanish to English translations [PRO] Automotive / Cars & Trucks /
Spanish term or phrase:prueba de conducción profesional
These are instructions for the car salesman. How does a test drive work in Spain? I have never done one. This might be the issue. Is the car driven by a professional driver? Could that be? Otherwise, what in the world is the word professional doing on here?
Explanation: I am almost certain that "prueba de conducción" doesn't mean a driving test. The latter is usually called an "examen de conducir" in Spain, or sometimes "prueba de conducir", but rarely "prueba de conducción". The latter is the standard term for a test drive (in which the car, rather than the driver, is being tested):
So a "prueba de conducción profesional", logically, means a professional test drive. The obvious meaning of "professional" here is a test drive conducted by a professional test driver. There are such people:
Perhaps it's referring to people like this, whose services include Dealer Training/Formación de Concesionarios:
"Formed in 1983, Trackwork Automotive Events was the first agency of its kind to offer creative and organisational skills linked to specialist driver supply for automotive industry test drive events.
Our innovative, pioneering and technology led solutions are now acknowledged and accepted as an integral element of pan European product launch and dealer training programmes." http://www.track-work.co.uk/
"Establecida en 1983, Trackwork Automotive Events (TAE) fue la primera agencia de su modalidad en ofrecer técnicas creativas y de organización además de facilitar conductores especialistas para eventos de pruebas de conducción en la industria automotriz.
Nuestras soluciones innovadoras, pioneras e impulsadas por tecnología, están ahora reconocidas y aceptadas como un elemento integrante del lanzamiento de productos y programas de formación de concesionarios paneuropeo." http://www.track-work.com/esp/
Or perhaps, as Álvaro suggests, "professional" has just been shoved in to make it sound good. Either way, I think the translation has to be "professional test drive".
I guess it is rather ridiculous to imagine a test driver. Like I said, I have zero experience, and zero second hand experience in how things go in Spain. I am leaning towards your second explanation - i.e. they said it just to sound important.
No different to elsewhere I imagine. Generally the salesman drives it around for a bit before letting you have a go. Like you, I'm stumped as to why they'd stick 'profesional' in if it's got nothing to do with the courses I mentioned or a specially arranged test drive. I can't honestly imagine them having 'pro drivers' available on demand at every showroom. About the courses, RACE (Spanish RAC) offer all sorts: conducción segura (which I imagine could apply to all kinds of vehicles), conducción deportiva, conducción evasiva, etc. http://www.race.es/seguridad_vial/formacion_vial/cursos_cond...
I suppose there's always the chance that it was thrown in just to make it all seem more, erm, professional...wouldn't be that strange considering it's Spain. No need for a reply btw, don't want to waste any more of your time with this.
Jose, I am talking about a test drive, i.e. when you go to a car dealership and are considering buying a car, and the dealer lets you drive the car so you can see how it handles before you buy it.
In the US and other countries a Professional license is for a trucker and taxi and other paying activities, not for a regular car driver...I did not know race car drivers needed one...Please confirm.
Good guess Alvaró, but this is for all product lines (i.e. Golf or Polo size as well as 4WD, sedans, high-end and luxury), not just the sporty ones. It also clear from the context they are just talking about regular test drives which leaves me still with the question of why they put the word professional on there.
Hi S. Is this still on the topic of car sales? Recently, some car manufacturers/showrooms have thrown in free courses on what they term "conducción profesional" (SEAT and Lexus are two of them, from what I've googled) when you buy a new car. If I'm not mistaken, it basically involves going to a race track (Jarama is at least one venue), being shown around the circuit and given a few tips by a 'pro' driver, and then getting the chance to drive the wheels off your car. A nephew of mine did one of these courses earlier this year. Unfortunately, I wasn't interested enough to ask him for full details. Wouldn't know what it's termed in English either but is there any chance, given your context, that this might be what they're talking about?
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
16 mins confidence:
professional driver´s test
Explanation: or something similar
José J. Martínez Mexico Local time: 18:55 Works in field Native speaker of: English, Spanish PRO pts in category: 12
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 36 mins (2011-06-20 18:12:58 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
though the exact equiv. varies from country to country. Probably a test necessary to do racing or another type of professional driving.
Rob James Local time: 21:55 Native speaker of: English
4 hrs confidence: peer agreement (net): +2
professional test drive
Explanation: I am almost certain that "prueba de conducción" doesn't mean a driving test. The latter is usually called an "examen de conducir" in Spain, or sometimes "prueba de conducir", but rarely "prueba de conducción". The latter is the standard term for a test drive (in which the car, rather than the driver, is being tested):
So a "prueba de conducción profesional", logically, means a professional test drive. The obvious meaning of "professional" here is a test drive conducted by a professional test driver. There are such people:
Perhaps it's referring to people like this, whose services include Dealer Training/Formación de Concesionarios:
"Formed in 1983, Trackwork Automotive Events was the first agency of its kind to offer creative and organisational skills linked to specialist driver supply for automotive industry test drive events.
Our innovative, pioneering and technology led solutions are now acknowledged and accepted as an integral element of pan European product launch and dealer training programmes." http://www.track-work.co.uk/
"Establecida en 1983, Trackwork Automotive Events (TAE) fue la primera agencia de su modalidad en ofrecer técnicas creativas y de organización además de facilitar conductores especialistas para eventos de pruebas de conducción en la industria automotriz.
Nuestras soluciones innovadoras, pioneras e impulsadas por tecnología, están ahora reconocidas y aceptadas como un elemento integrante del lanzamiento de productos y programas de formación de concesionarios paneuropeo." http://www.track-work.com/esp/
Or perhaps, as Álvaro suggests, "professional" has just been shoved in to make it sound good. Either way, I think the translation has to be "professional test drive".
Charles Davis Local time: 03:55 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 36
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +2
