50 Years Sideways
February 16, 2011 2:59 PM Subscribe
My intro to rally driving was a video running in the background in a bar in Amsterdam in '96. It was really entertaining until I realized that all the clips were of crashes... into crowds of people who somehow thought it was a swell idea to watch the race on the outside of a turn.
posted by Cuspidx at 3:55 PM on February 16, 2011
posted by Cuspidx at 3:55 PM on February 16, 2011
Weird music, but unbelievable footage. The onboard shots of the Audi S1 in Portugal were literally breathtaking. Reminded me of Climb Dance, only with even tighter turns and about a million people lining the course.
Great post, thanks for sharing.
posted by saladin at 4:35 PM on February 16, 2011
Great post, thanks for sharing.
posted by saladin at 4:35 PM on February 16, 2011
Not so fast there, The World Famous. Badmouth Lancia at your own peril but behold the glory that is the new Stratos. With appreciative nods from Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo.
posted by Purposeful Grimace at 4:40 PM on February 16, 2011
posted by Purposeful Grimace at 4:40 PM on February 16, 2011
The new Stratos is great. But it's not a Lancia.
I'm not sure what yardstick you're basing that statement on. The fact that the new one is a bespoke car designed by Pininfarina for German investors, featuring a Ferrari chassis and engine? So are you in the camp that says the new Bentleys, Rollers, Bugattis, Jaguars et al aren't really genuine car lines because they're now owned/assembled by different owners?
posted by Purposeful Grimace at 5:21 PM on February 16, 2011
I'm not sure what yardstick you're basing that statement on. The fact that the new one is a bespoke car designed by Pininfarina for German investors, featuring a Ferrari chassis and engine? So are you in the camp that says the new Bentleys, Rollers, Bugattis, Jaguars et al aren't really genuine car lines because they're now owned/assembled by different owners?
posted by Purposeful Grimace at 5:21 PM on February 16, 2011
As glorious as the Stratos is or was, I'd settle for a works Escort RS1800. As a wee boy I got to watch (and meet!) rally legend Ari Vatanen thrashing one in Australia in 1981. Unforgettable stuff. To this day, the sound of a worked BDA engine still raises hairs on my neck.
posted by tim_in_oz at 5:42 PM on February 16, 2011
posted by tim_in_oz at 5:42 PM on February 16, 2011
Tone is difficult to discern in print on the internet. Was that sarcasm?
Touchy, touchy. No, it wasn't. It was trying to discern the basis for your statements. You do know that Lancia isn't really Lancia anymore, by some measures, being bought by Fiat in 1969. Like that other Italian sports car firm, Ferrari. And Abarth. And now Chrysler. My point is that this new Stratos is closer to the original than anything made currently by whatever automotive conglomeration owns the rights to the name Lancia. If you parse my original post closely, I never associated the current company known as Lancia with the new Stratos. Tone, always tone. And twirling, always twirling.
posted by Purposeful Grimace at 6:30 PM on February 16, 2011
Touchy, touchy. No, it wasn't. It was trying to discern the basis for your statements. You do know that Lancia isn't really Lancia anymore, by some measures, being bought by Fiat in 1969. Like that other Italian sports car firm, Ferrari. And Abarth. And now Chrysler. My point is that this new Stratos is closer to the original than anything made currently by whatever automotive conglomeration owns the rights to the name Lancia. If you parse my original post closely, I never associated the current company known as Lancia with the new Stratos. Tone, always tone. And twirling, always twirling.
posted by Purposeful Grimace at 6:30 PM on February 16, 2011
There's just a little bit more about the video on what I think is the film makers site...
The 90-minute film is based on the extensive archives of Viennese filmmaker Helmut Deimel who, since the early seventies, has been in close contact with the sport, not only with his camera but also as co-driver. Cornerstones of this dusty journey into time are epoch-making cars, fascinating personalities, magnificent sceneries and the sport’s glorious highlights, so intense in atmosphere: Driving by night and the strain involved, full speed through Greek towns and a funeral amidst it all, onboard repair jobs and the ever-changing fashions in cars, the great adventure Africa, the Italians and their emotional exuberance, the adoration of fans, the spectacular professional errors etc.
posted by adamt at 6:50 PM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
The 90-minute film is based on the extensive archives of Viennese filmmaker Helmut Deimel who, since the early seventies, has been in close contact with the sport, not only with his camera but also as co-driver. Cornerstones of this dusty journey into time are epoch-making cars, fascinating personalities, magnificent sceneries and the sport’s glorious highlights, so intense in atmosphere: Driving by night and the strain involved, full speed through Greek towns and a funeral amidst it all, onboard repair jobs and the ever-changing fashions in cars, the great adventure Africa, the Italians and their emotional exuberance, the adoration of fans, the spectacular professional errors etc.
posted by adamt at 6:50 PM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
That was great! Thanks for posting.
posted by BeerFilter at 7:03 PM on February 16, 2011
posted by BeerFilter at 7:03 PM on February 16, 2011
Apologies as well if I'm coming off as fighty. I am in lockstep with you on Lancia's current disappointing offerings. I had hope to cheer you up with the new Stratos, outside of a Lancia build. Also just realized that Lancia doesn't own the rights to the Strato's name anymore. So if there ever is a "Lancia Stratos" ever produced again, it's going to take some wrangling on the same level as the recently resolved squabble over who owns the name Lotus Racing/Team Lotus.
posted by Purposeful Grimace at 7:56 PM on February 16, 2011
posted by Purposeful Grimace at 7:56 PM on February 16, 2011
That. Was. Awesome!
I wanna be a rally driver when I grow up.
What do you mean I'm already grown up!?!
posted by inparticularity at 12:40 AM on February 17, 2011
I wanna be a rally driver when I grow up.
What do you mean I'm already grown up!?!
posted by inparticularity at 12:40 AM on February 17, 2011
After watching this I felt I needed to touch base with WRC. I haven't tried to keep up since they stopped showing it on my TV about 5 years ago. What a disappointment! The only manufacturers currently competing are Ford and Citroen. Subaru and Mitsubishi pulled out in 2008. Sebastien Loeb has won every year since I quit watching. I guess it's always had it's surges and wanes in popularity. Hopefully the sport will bounce back or find new ways forward.
posted by BeerFilter at 6:15 AM on February 17, 2011
posted by BeerFilter at 6:15 AM on February 17, 2011
thank you HLD, you just totally made me and mr. lfr's totally boring workdays liveable :D
posted by lonefrontranger at 10:32 AM on February 17, 2011
posted by lonefrontranger at 10:32 AM on February 17, 2011
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posted by chavenet at 3:03 PM on February 16, 2011