Motorsports

Porsche's winter fantasy camp, Part 2

The Porsche Camp4 racetrack is perched more than 9,000 feet above sea level. So if the sight of the new Porsche 911 Carrera S to which I was assigned didn't take my breath away, the elevation certainly did. But armed with water, aspirin, and special acupressure wristbands to prevent motion sickness, I was ready to start my engine.

The one-day program was divided into four specific exercises: The skid pad, an obstacle-avoidance course, a slalom course, and the full track. The skid pad was a large circle cut into the snow. The goal wasn't to just drive … Read more

Winter driving tips from Porsche

Here are some winter driving tips straight from the Porsche Camp4 Colorado curriculum:

Cars respond more slowly on slippery surfaces. Always wait a moment after steering, braking, or accelerating to see how the car behaves before giving it more input. Visibility is greatly reduced in bad weather. Make sure you can see clearly, and turn on your headlights. Brake carefully and accelerate more gently. Get the car pointed where you want to go before getting on the gas. Be aware of reduced grip. Take corners at lower speeds. Brake sooner and longer than on dry surfaces. Apex later. Look for … Read more

Porsche's winter fantasy camp

When the weather turns cold, scores of well-to-do winter sports enthusiasts flock to the high slopes of Vail valley in Colorado for world-class skiing and snowboarding. But about 20 miles west of Vail Village, high upon a privately owned mountain, sits a secret winter wonderland: a racetrack made of snow and ice.

The twisty road course, built on top of a golf course, is the training ground for Camp4 Colorado, a winter driving school hosted by the Porsche Travel Club, an offshoot of the Porsche Sport Driving School. Here, with professional instruction, participants drive the Porsche 911 Carrera 4, the … Read more

Guinness names fastest car in the world

Shelby SuperCars' (SSC) Ultimate Aero was officially named the Fastest Production Car today by the Guinness Book of World Records. It's the first American-made car to hold the title since the Ford GT40 in 1967.

The 71-year-old driver of the Ultimate Aero, Chuck Bigelow, reached an average top speed of 256.19 miles per hour on two passes--one in each direction--on a two-lane road in rural Washington state. It broke the current official record held by the Koenigsegg CCR by 15.09 miles per hour, and the Bugatti Veyron's unofficial speed by 3.63 miles per hour. And … Read more

2008 Cadillac CTS: Race ready?

The word "performance" seems to be thrown around a lot in the automotive world these days. With increasing expansion and competition within the luxury sport sedan category, manufacturers are eager to drop statistics about horsepower, torque, zero-to-60 speeds, and other numbers to woo (and maybe even slightly intimidate) potential buyers. But specifications alone can't convey the true spirit of a car; as Aristotle said, the whole is more than the sum of its parts. So it makes sense that the ideal road test subjects the car to a wide range of variables: twisty turns of varying camber, … Read more

Racing legend: Today's F1 cars 'staggering'

Formula 1 has long been considered the pinnacle of automotive and motorsport technology. Many advancements on road cars, including paddle shifters, traction control and improved tire technology, have come out of the development of these engineering marvels.

Sir Stirling Moss, who drove in 66 Grand Prix races between 1955 and 1961, was an honorary judge at this year's Concours d'Elegance at Pebble Beach. While he was carefully studying the lines and mechanics of this year's competitors, we had a chance to ask Moss, now 77, a few questions about his role in racing and how today's … Read more