OFFER: "Racing & Waiting" Ice Driving Courses 2014

Our pal Tim Hutton over at Racing & Waiting is offering another dose of Winter driving magic in Norway in early 2014. And if you don't know how much fun ice driving courses are, have a look here.

Racing & Waiting founder, Tim says: "Following on from the success of this collaboration with Classic Grand Touring this year I am very pleased to be able to offer Ice Driving to you all again. This is possibly the most fun you can have on four wheels... Thomas has been visiting the same lake for the last five winters and knows all the elements required to make the trip a very memorable one. 

"CGT will arrange the flights and hire cars to transport you up to the lake. We will have accommodation organised for three nights allowing us two full days driving on the lake. We will also get initial instruction in each of the FWD, RWD and 4WD cars to get the most out of them, then you will be free to enjoy the different cars all day long. At the end of the weekend there will be a timed stage to assess how far you have mastered the art of driving quickly on ice.
"I have been grinning all year after attending this in March, it really is great fun. There is no need to spend thousands on driving 911's or Lamborghini's on ice, this gives the same thrill at a fraction of the cost and the moose burgers aren't half bad either! Below is the full itinerary, if you are interested get in touch with Classic Grand Touring and tell Thomas I sent you!"

The dates & details are:
Thursday 30th January
Fly from Gatwick on the 0910 flight arriving at Oslo Gardemoen airport at 1220. We collect our hire cars here and drive in convoy up to the lake; expect a three hour drive. We will go straight to the lake for our briefing on the weekend’s activities, and there might even be time for a few laps before the sun goes down.

Friday 31st January
After breakfast we head to the lake to get started in the cars. We will share the time between the cars available whilst taking instruction through the day. Lunch is included here.

Saturday 1st February
Again we have a full day on the Lake with lunch included. We aim to round the day off with a timed stage. We will have a finalé evening at one of the ski resorts.

Sunday 2nd February
This morning we will use all the skills we have learned and apply them to ice karting! We then return back to Oslo airport for the 1820 flight arriving into Gatwick at 1930.

The price
£795 per person based on two persons sharing a room (single supplement £150).

What’s included:
• Return flights to Oslo International airport
from London Gatwick
• Three nights hotel accommodation on bed
and breakfast basis
• Use of Ice driving cars on lake
• Tuition
• Lunch on two of the days
• Services of an experienced tour manager

What’s not included:
• Road car hire

NEWS: Subaru BRZ Buyers Get FREE Winter Wheel & Toyo Tyres Package

We're re-testing the compact, RWD, flat four, big fun Subaru BRZ this week, after our Road Magazine racer and Travis drummer, Neil Primrose tested it earlier this year here. And, we've got to say, we LOVE it… especially for its ability to set you on an impromptu sideways session on the way to the shops. What could be more fun?
The choice to fit skinny, relatively low grip Michelin rubber, rather than fatter, stickier tyres was a masterstroke – letting the car be sliding fun, rather than top of the traction pops (which its chassis is certainly capable of). 

But, much as we love going sideways, with Winter setting in, we did get to thinking… what's the BRZ going to be like in the ice and snow?  Conclusion… a handful! 

But Subaru has the answer – offering a FREE set of Toyo winter tyres AND wheels for new Winter 2013 BRZ buyers, supplied by the dealers (who will also store customers’ standard tyre over the winter). As big supporters of the Winter tyre 'movement' here in the UK (see our Outback Alpine tyre test here), we think it's a great idea and a fabulous buying incentive… worth £1,095!
Toyo's brand new Snoprox cold weather tyres have been designed with special tread patterns to improve braking and provide more stable and predictable handling throughout the colder and wetter winter months. To accompany the 215/45 winter tyres, BRZ buyers can choose between bright Silver or Anthracite Grey 17-inch alloy wheels, which should maintain the BRZ's ace looks.
Customers qualify for the offer by purchasing a new BRZ up until the end of February 2014 and can at the same time have their standard tyre/wheel combination stored free of charge at the local dealer, ready to be re-fitted when the weather warms up.
Darren James, Subaru UK Director for Aftersales explained: “The BRZ has won plaudits from across the industry as a great driver’s car. The offer of a free set of winter tyres will mean new owners can fully appreciate the BRZ’s blend of light weight, usable power and rear-wheel drive handling, even when the weather takes a turn for the worse.”
Further information on the Subaru BRZ can be found at www.subaru.co.uk.
Great idea for a great car Subaru. Bravo! 

VIDEO: Tommi Mäkinen Testing Subaru R4 Racing 2013

Ex-WRC God and four times champion, Tommi Mäkinen may have 'retired,' but we are chuffed to see he is still busy in rallying... these days testing, building and preparing Group N and R4 rally cars via his website. Just imagine how well they go with his expertise!  And if you wanted proof, or just to see a classic "Mak attack" in action again, here is the legend out testing in the Kees Burger TMR Subaru R4 Racing 2013 model, in the Finnish snow. Still got it Tommi! Love it!

VIDEO: Lancia Delta S4 Snow Test :-)

It was the ultimate Group B supercar rally car – KKK turbocharged, Volumex supercharged, 037 style space framed with unreal aerodynamics and dynamics – that sadly never got a full chance to shine, as the group was banned not long after its launch in 1985. But it did enough to catch Peugeot and their incredible 206 T16 (that saved the car company). Weighing just 890Kg and with 450bhp made it arguably the fastest, not to mention technically advanced rally car ever (making F1 cars of the era look Luddite). Here, to celebrate the car and the first snow fall of the year, is the Group B Lancia Delta S4´s first snow test in Lapland 1985 with WRC demi-god, Markku Alén, at the helm. Enjoy!