BETTER PARTSFront, rear-wheel and all-wheel drive: Drifting ( almost) as Wallenwein
Saariselkä ( Finland), February 13, 2015
The North Cape is just 450 kilometers away, and if you take the wrong turn, you are damn fast on the Russian border: Saariselkä is quite secluded in the far north of Finland. Far, far above the Arctic Circle so, but freezing cold? None. Minus three, maximum minus six degrees has it, as we are testing with Michelin tires there. Not really arctic, but cold enough to be nice to drift on a frozen lake.
Drifting with front wheel drive
The tests are a few Porsche 911 Turbo front of the hut, a Jaguar F-Type S Coupe, many Subaru WRX STI and much more, what car enthusiasts can become restless. But what I get first? A civil motorized VW Golf TSI. With proper winter tires, however: Alpine 5, Michelins product for the mass market. We take a course in which " carry on " many curves, and that is optimal for this case. For what does each 0815 - car driver when he noticed that a curve is suddenly close? He goes from Gas.Bei a front-wheel drive as the Golf is just right: The front axle can feel the engine brake, thus swinging the tail around.
The ESP remains inside
After one or two rounds I have it out. With relatively much gas in the curve pure gas off, let come rear and you have mastered the curve, even with a slight drift ?? and with a front-wheel drive. The only problem is that unlike the Golf R can not turn off the ESP. Although illuminates a yellow spinner logo, but that just means that the traction control is off, the ESP brakes myself out further, so I 'm hardly out of the curve.
And now Jaguar and Porsche
As interesting as this is, Michelin has actually attracted me because of the tires on the ice. In that respect I can not complain. Thanks to 3D sipes, a type of very thin cuts in the tire lugs which rest against each other, the tire clings to the ground. Thus, the Golf is quick trips, the cornering in the curves is also not bad on ice and brakes work well. Well, no profound knowledge, I admit it. More exciting is the next stop: Porsche 911 Turbo and Jaguar F-Type S are available. Since I wanted to rear wheel drive on the ice ever want, I throw myself on the Jaguar.
Lay palm up on the steering wheel
Briefing to the seated position: The expert looks at me, and before he says something that shoots through my head, what's wrong: I 'm too far away. Put right palm up on the steering wheel, commands the man. " In the position of your arm should not yet be fully extended, otherwise you will have in the left turn out of the seat. " Now you're set. By voice instructions come from driving ahead Guide ?? Armin Schwarz. The old rally Hare says things like: Convert now to the right, this curve makes, that 's nice long as you can out accelerate nicely.
In two rounds three times across
I currently have other things to worry about than the next-curve. My Jaguar threatens to screw in each bend. If I give just a little bit too much gas, the tail is very fast and I must hastily to steer so as not to run in the snow. Much as I was rowing, the two penalty before me ever further. " The Jaguar please catch up ," comes from the voice radio. And shortly thereafter, something that sounds contradictory in my situation: " Stay away from the walls of snow ". I opt for the latter. Nevertheless, I am three times transversely in two rounds, the reverse must strive to align myself again.
Lamb Frommer 911 Turbo
No, easy to handle, is not the Jaguar. Relieved, I get into the 911 Turbo. Thank God, all-wheel drive, great! That might go easier. And indeed, the car is in spite of the higher power (520 instead of 380 hp ) is much easier to control than the Jaguar. The car, however, behaves differently than the Golf R, which I also moved on ice recently: the all-wheel drive VW can rotate with additional gas into the corner ?? because more force then is routed to the rear. Exactly the opposite during penalty, because here comes power usually more on the rear wheels on the ice at slip torque is directed to the front. Acceleration in the curve here is not a good idea too. Nevertheless, the turbo is almost meek , and satisfied I see how my colleague behind me, who now has the Jaguar on the cheek, ever remains. So to me it was not. Not even the tires: the Porsche as the Jaguar Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 is the wound, a winter tire for sports cars, again with the famous 3D sipes.
With summer tires on bare ice
At the next station I compare different tires on the same car. First, I get into a blue Subaru BRZ. Again, rear wheel drive, as in the fatal Jaguar, only worse. For here a Michelin Energy Saver is raised, a fuel-saving tires for the summer. " There is an excellent product," the press people Michelin say, grinning, " but just completely unsuitable for driving on ice. " With summer tires on black ice and then I will also turn off ESP and traction control. Well, that may be what I think. First, I want to compete against a winter tires (alpine 5) equipped GT to sprint.
The dynamics of a dune
To be fair, I get three seconds ahead, but that will not bother me: I give normal gas, turn the rear wheels, and when I deal more carefully with the pedal, I have the dynamics of a dune. The next time you attempt ?? against a GT with studded tires ?? I beg eight seconds ahead, and lo and behold, we finish that. Just the same height The 1.2-millimeter spikes are opposite the Alpine 5, however, little advantage because a light snow film is on the ice.
And so makes it the professional
To finish up, Michelin has devised a special goodie: I get to Mark Wallenwein into the car, the German Rally Champion 2012. About a tube of racing cage of time climbing I squeeze myself into a bucket seat that feels like a much too tight jeans. Someone pulls the harness tight until I can hardly breathe, then shoots the Subaru WRX STI go with his seven-millimeter - studded tires. Mark rows already like crazy on the line, deflected left-right - left-right, straight on for a second. Feels like we are traveling twice as fast as before, when I was sitting at the wheel.
Compete with the professional rally driver?
And then the braking points! As late as Mark gets into the iron, I am always sure that we pop into the snow. Spectacular and the final conclusion ride along a forest path. We jump over a crest, and the impact I know why I wear a helmet: This thing kicks vehemently left and right against the shell walls. The ride is short but revealing: Against Wallenwein I look like a novice, I have to admit to myself. Compete against him? Oh God. Well, maybe on one condition: He 's left hand is tied behind his back and he gets the GT with summer tires as I drive the rally STI with the seven-millimeter spikes ... ( sl)