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Video: Hockenheim recreated on ice, Porsche taken out to play

Filed under: Europe, Videos, Porsche, Off-Road

tiff needell driving on ice

Tiff takes to the ice in a RWD Porsche 911 – Click above to watch video after the jump

Imagine a vast frozen plain of iced-over lakes located 50 miles from the Arctic Circle. Now imagine 500 acres of that expanse converted into a playground for cars. The region is known as Lapland, and it stretches across Norway, Finland, Sweden and Russia. Laponie Ice Driving has turned a portion of it into five icy tracks, two of which are full-scale replicas of famous racing circuits: Le Castellet and the Hockenheim Ring.

Fifth Gear’s Tiff Needell ventured out to this frozen tundra to experience the traction-deficient racing for himself. Using a Porsche 911 GT3, Tiff set out to establish a quick time around the iced Hockenheim replica. Former BTTC racer Yvan Muller is on hand to show him how it’s done. Click past the jump for the slick action.

[Source: Fifth Gear]

Continue reading Video: Hockenheim recreated on ice, Porsche taken out to play

Video: Hockenheim recreated on ice, Porsche taken out to play originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 17 Apr 2011 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokian tires claims it’s already beaten Bentley’s new ice speed record with Audi [w/video]

Filed under: Sedan, Etc., Europe, Videos, Audi

nokia tires ice speed record audi

Nokian Tires slides past Bentley’s Ice Speed Record – Click above to watch video after the jump

Nokian Tires was paying close attention to Bentley’s Ice Speed Record. If you don’t recall, Bentley used a Continental Supersports Convertible to dash across a stretch of ice last month at 205 miles per hour, 205.48 to be exact. Nokian strapped a set of its Hakkapeliitta 7 studded tires on to an Audi RS6 and decided to have its own icy blast. Thanks to the grippy rubber and aerodynamic mods (as well as a curious lack of detail regarding performance mods), the Nokian team and driver Janne Laitinen upped the ice-speed ante with a trap figure of 206.05 miles per hour.

The Nokian team previously set an Ice Speed Record using its Hakkapeliitta 5 tires. During that run, a Bentley was used, but this time Nokian preferred Four Rings, Quattro all-wheel-drive and its latest generation of studded snow tires. Click past the jump to watch the new record and Nokian’s previous 199.86 mile per hour record run. Thanks for the tip, Ville!

Gallery: Nokian Tyres sets new Ice Speed Record

[Source: Nokian Tires]

Continue reading Nokian tires claims it’s already beaten Bentley’s new ice speed record with Audi [w/video]

Nokian tires claims it’s already beaten Bentley’s new ice speed record with Audi [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bentley Supersports “Ice Speed Record” Convertible looks for warm reception in Geneva

Filed under: Motorsports, Convertible, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Bentley, Luxury

Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible 'Ice Speed Record

2011 Bentley Continental Supersports “Ice Speed Record” Convertible – Click above for high-res image gallery

To celebrate its recent ice-speed record, Bentley is rolling out a special edition of the Continental Supersports convertible at this week’s Geneva Motor Show. The record was set a mere two weeks ago by Finnish rally star Juha Kankkunen, who went 205.48 miles per hour on the frozen Baltic Sea in a Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible. Kankkunen’s run eclipsed his 2007 record of 199.83 mph, which was also set in a Bentley Continental GT.

The Bentley Continental Superspots “Ice Speed Record” Convertible sports the Flying B’s most-powerful engine ever, a 631-horsepower W12 kicking out 590 pound-feet of torque and sporting flex-fuel capability. The car Kankkunen set his record in ran exclusively on bio fuel.

Behind the impressive engine is a six-speed Quickshift automatic. The combo is good for a 3.8-second 0-60 sprint, with 100 mph coming up in just 9.5 seconds. Bentley claims that running the car on E85 will cut C02 emissions by up to 70 per cent.

Outside, the “Ice Speed Record” Supersports Convertible gets one of three unique colors: Beluga (above), Quartzite or Arctica White. Never one to stop at enough, Bentley has gone as far as to cover the soft top in a composite weave sporting its own metallic finish. Rounding out the package is a set of black 20-inch Supersports wheels. Both the special edition Supersports and Kankkunen’s actual record-breaker will be on display at the Bentley booth in Geneva, so stay tuned for live images of them both soon.

Get in line now if you want one, as Bentley says it’ll only build 100 of these worldwide.

Gallery: 2011 Bentley Continental Supersports Ice Speed Record Convertible

Bentley Ice Speed Record front Beluga Bentley Continental Ice Speed Record rear Bentley Ice Speed Record side

[Source: Bentley]

Continue reading Bentley Supersports “Ice Speed Record” Convertible looks for warm reception in Geneva

Bentley Supersports “Ice Speed Record” Convertible looks for warm reception in Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Mazda takes the MX-5 to the ice

Filed under: Motorsports, Convertible, Europe, Videos, Mazda, Racing

Mazda MX-5 Ice Drifting

Mazda MX-5 ice racing – Click above to watch video after the jump

Bentley isn’t the only company that’s been busy on the ice lately. Mazda just wrapped up a four-hour race in Åre, Sweden, that brought 20 MX-5 roadsters out on the open ice for a little fender-to-fender action.

Teams faced temperatures that dipped as low as -24 degrees Fahrenheit and stiff competition from racers from around the world. Spiked tires were standard equipment for all of the vehicles, though it’s worth noting that the talent behind the wheel wasn’t professional by any stretch of the imagination. Mazda invited fans and automotive journalists from a total of 26 countries to participate in the event.

While early on it looked as if a team from Australia would take home the checkered flag, a late-race spin allowed a Russian team to pull ahead and complete the most laps around the three-mile circuit within the four-hour time frame. Hit the jump to check out video from the event as well as the full press blast.

Gallery: Mazda MX-5 Ice Racing

[Source: Mazda]

Continue reading Video: Mazda takes the MX-5 to the ice

Video: Mazda takes the MX-5 to the ice originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Bentley Continental Supersports “Ice Speed Record” Convertible coming to Geneva

Filed under: Motorsports, Convertible, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Bentley, Luxury

Bentley Ice Speed Record Continental Supersports

Bentley “Ice Speed Record” Continental Supersports Convertible – Click above for high-res image gallery

It looks like Bentley isn’t wasting any time when it comes to capitalizing on the company’s latest feat of speed. According to Cars UK, the automaker is planning to roll out 100 special-edition models to commemorate Juha Kankkunen’s recent record-breaking ice-speed run. Officially called the Bentley Continental Supersports Ice-Speed Record Convertible, the special-edition cars will be available with one of three unique paint colors; Beluga, Quartzite and Arctic White. Red detail accents will be found all over the vehicle, and a special dark gray soft top caps off the whole shebang.

Under the hood, buyers won’t be disappointed to find a 6.0-liter W12 engine with a galactic 631 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque on tap. Those numbers are identical to the standard edition, though given that Kankkunen’s record-breaking vehicle was powered by the same lump, we can’t exactly fault Bently for not turning up the heat.

Bentley isn’t saying exactly how much the new special-edition vehicle will set you back, but we do know that the drophead is supposed to show its face at this year’s Geneva Motor Show next month. Expect to hear more then.

Gallery: Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible sets world speed record on ice

[Source: Cars UK]

Report: Bentley Continental Supersports “Ice Speed Record” Convertible coming to Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Japanese comedians don’t take well to ice drifting

Filed under: Etc., Japan, Videos, Mitsubishi, Humor

ice drifting

Drifting on ice causes facial distortion in some passengers – Click above to watch video after the jump

Drifting on ice sounds a lot more exciting than Disney on Ice. At least to us, anyway.

A back-seat full of Japanese comedians may beg to differ after going for a sideways slide in the back seat of an older Mitsubishi Evo. There really isn’t much for us to add to this clip because… well, we don’t really know what’s going on. We do know that the action is fast and furious while the comedians’ expressions are of shock and sickness. Click past the jump and see the sideways-drama unfold for yourself.

Oh, and can we just say how crazy and insane – and undeniably entertaining – Japanese game shows tend to be?

[Source: dvice.com]

Continue reading Video: Japanese comedians don’t take well to ice drifting

Video: Japanese comedians don’t take well to ice drifting originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: See Bentley’s record-setting 205 mph run on ice

Filed under: Motorsports, Convertible, Performance, Europe, Videos, Bentley, Luxury

Bentley ice speed world record

Bentley sets an ice-speed record – Click above to watch video after the jump

When we first heard that Juha Kankkunen and Bentley had managed to set a new ice-speed record off the coast of Finland, we immediately wanted to see footage of the action. The thought of watching a race-prepped Continental Supersports Convertible dash across just 20 centimeters of Baltic Sea ice is the kind of thing that haunts our daydreams. Fortunately, the automaker has been so kind as to slip the world a quick clip of the record-smashing run, complete with angles from the sky, the ice and the cockpit.

Kankkunen demolished his old ice-speed record of 199.83 mph set in 2007. At the time, the World Rally champion was shooting to cruise past the 200 mph barrier but just barely missed his mark. He had no such trouble this go-round. His drop-head clicked off a top speed of 205.48 mph.

Interestingly enough, aside from a set of winter tires, some safety kit and a couple of aero additions, the Continental Supersports Convertible that Kankkunen used as his weapon of choice was essentially a bone-stock machine. Hit the jump to check out the clip for yourself.

Gallery: Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible sets world speed record on ice

[Source: Bentley via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: See Bentley’s record-setting 205 mph run on ice

Video: See Bentley’s record-setting 205 mph run on ice originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bentley sets new land ice speed record

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Etc., Europe, Bentley, Luxury

Bentley Continental speed record on ice

Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible shatters ice speed record – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Baltic Sea, sitting off the coast of Finland, is a white wasteland of ice and snow during the winter portion of the calendar. Local hero Juha Kankkunen, a four-time World Rally Champion, looks out over that vast expanse and sees a blank slate on which he can make his mark. What exactly is that mark? It’s 200 miles per hour… on ice.

Kankkunen is no stranger to going fast over less-than-ideal driving conditions. However, his rally cars never hit 200 mph and he wasn’t driving them on 70 centimeters worth of ice, four kilometers away from the Finnish coast. This fast Fin had previously taken a shot at the 200-mph mark, back in 2007 using a Bentley Continental GT. He came up just short, but his official speed of 199.83 mph did shatter the previous ice speed record of 184 mph, which was set in 1995 in a Bugatti EB110 Supersport.

This time around, Kankkunen was piloting the Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible, which boasts 621 horsepower under the hood. The only modifications made to the car included a roll-cage, Pirelli winter tires, a rear parachute and some light aero mods to help with stability on the rather slippery surface.

His Bentley gurgling at the start line like a British school boy who just discovered Pop Rocks, Juha Kankkunen pushed the accelerator to the velvety soft carpet of his Supersports ice rocket. One thousand meters later and the world has a new record for driving quickly over ice… 205.48 mph. Onnittelut Juha ja Bentley!

Gallery: Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible sets world speed record on ice

[Source: Bentley]

Continue reading Bentley sets new ~~land~~ ice speed record

Bentley sets new ~~land~~ ice speed record originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: European cars on ice in snowy slow-motion plow pileup

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Safety, Videos

European skating rink – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Cars keep getting more advanced all the time. Traction control, anti-lock brakes, stability management… all in an effort to combat the laws of physics in adverse situations. But there are some conditions where no matter what you have at your disposal – winter tires, all-wheel drive, even a snow plow – there’s just no traction to be had. And then it gets ugly.

With record snow storms sweeping across Europe over the past couple of weeks, one camera-toting bystander, helpless to stop the icy car-carnage unfolding before him, filmed it for posterity, and set it to some comically serene music while he was at it. The footage after the jump is perfectly safe for the workplace, but the obscenities you’ll likely to spurt out in disbelief while watching it might not be. Thanks to everyone for the tips.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: European cars on ice in snowy slow-motion plow pileup

Video: European cars on ice in snowy slow-motion plow pileup originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 26 Dec 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Villeneuve heading to France to go ice racing

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Skoda

There are any number of racing series around the world that are eager to welcome former F1 drivers onto their grids – and Jacques Villeneuve has tried nearly all of them. Traditional outlets have included DTM and Le Mans, to name just two, but lately retired grand prix drivers have found their groove again in such varied series as NASCAR and the World Rally Championship.

Alain Prost, however, has found satisfaction in his post-F1 career racing in the Andros Trophy. Now the four-time World Champion (the third most successful driver in F1 history behind Fangio and Schumacher) will have some company in the French ice racing series as fellow former champion Jacques Villeneuve hits the frozen grid as well.

The French Canadian driver recently abandoned efforts to get back into F1, and was tipped to focus his energies on making it in NASCAR, but will contest at least four rounds of the Andros Trophy this winter season, driving for recently crowned IRC champions Skoda alongside Olivier Panis. A former Monaco Grand Prix winner, Panis was last teamed with Villeneuve at BAR-Honda in the 2001 and 2002 Formula One World Championships. The pair will debut on ice at the season opener on December 4 at Val Thorens.

[Source: Andros Trophy via Autosport]

Villeneuve heading to France to go ice racing originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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