The testing center had their own car? Is this standard in Spain/Europe? I had to pay an instructor with a car to drive me to the testing center and let me use his car for the test while he waited around.
In Spain you usually enroll in a driving school where you have theoretical lessons (there's a theoretical exam that you must pass) and then they give you driving lessons with their adapted car.
When you're ready an official from the corresponding ministry joins you and your instructor one day for a practical test on the street/highway.
There is no US rule and the state rules vary considerably, many states have no logged practice hours requirement, and it doesn't doesn't seem like any are in hundreds of hours; I think 65 is the maximum and most with a requirement are 50 or less.
In Canada I just did 4 hours with an instructor and then went for the test and bought a car. Most people drive around with their parents for 8 months on a permit but you don't have to log anything or prove that you did it, you're just not allowed to drive by yourself.
Driving schools have their own vehicles as well. Big part of their fleets is usually same as exam vehicles so you could get used to those.