{"id":24816,"date":"2020-02-20T14:37:21","date_gmt":"2020-02-20T18:37:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=24816"},"modified":"2020-02-20T14:37:21","modified_gmt":"2020-02-20T18:37:21","slug":"payne-perfecting-the-four-wheel-drift-in-a-subaru-sti-on-ice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2020\/02\/payne-perfecting-the-four-wheel-drift-in-a-subaru-sti-on-ice","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Perfecting the four-wheel drift in a Subaru STI on ice"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/02\/17\/PDTN\/85b23d81-be46-47e3-b526-9877d64907dc-subaru_sandell-rooster-tail.JPG?width=520&amp;height=390&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"A Subaru WRX STI at full chat across the ice on Wisconsin's Dollar Lake. Though still based on the Impreza's last-gen chassis (new bones should come in 2021), the STI is one of the most capable compact cars on the planet.  \" \/><\/p>\n<\/div><p class=\"speakable-p-1 p-text\">The thing about ice racing is the quiet.<\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable-p-2 p-text\">No squalling tires. No road noise. No full-throttle engine wail as I drifted a Subaru WRX STI from turn to turn across a frozen course. It\u2019s magical.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I was in Eagle Lake,\u00a0Wisconsin, the self-proclaimed Snowmobile Capital of the World.\u00a0Located\u00a065 miles west of\u00a0the state line of Michigan&#8217;s Upper Peninsula, it\u2019s a snow globe where temperatures reach 20-below, drifts pile four feet on either side of the road, and hockey is played on frozen lakes. One of those bodies of water, Dollar Lake, was for years\u00a0home to the World Championship Snowmobile Derby before the event moved to\u00a0a permanent oval track.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">These days, Dollar Lake plays host to Swedish rally star Patrik Sandell and his Subaru Winter Experience.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Each year, Sandell shows off the Subaru WRX STI off-road beast on the ultimate off-road surface. Some 200-plus adventure seekers and Subaru fanatics join his team here to explore the limits of grip in one of the most capable off-road machines ever made.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Subaru has carved out a unique space with the STI, the most extreme version of its performance WRX trim. If the Jeep Wrangler owns\u00a0rock-crawling and the Ford Raptor is king of the desert, then the STI defines off-road speed. I\u2019m\u00a0a race-licensed track guy and have thrilled at the $38,000\u00a0STI\u2019s ability to hang with $80,000\u00a0BMW M3s and Mercedes AMG athletes on the race track.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">But the Subaru\u00a0rules America\u2019s off-road courses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">As the industry has moved to SUVs, compact sedans have been sidelined in the U.S. market, taking their steroid-enhanced, all-wheel drive Tasmanian Devil versions with them. The Mitsubishi Evo? Gone. Ford Focus RS? Toast. Fiesta ST? Hasta la vista.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-Sfuu1MUZ5yM\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/02\/17\/PDTN\/9e13e465-1d0a-4784-91b6-9f075858f4ae-subaru_sandell-90-degrees.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Thanks to its all-wheel-drive system and studded winter tires, the Subaru WRX STI negotiates turns at lurid 90-degree angles. \" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/02\/17\/PDTN\/9e13e465-1d0a-4784-91b6-9f075858f4ae-subaru_sandell-90-degrees.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/02\/17\/PDTN\/9e13e465-1d0a-4784-91b6-9f075858f4ae-subaru_sandell-90-degrees.JPG\" \/>Thanks to its all-wheel-drive system and studded winter tires, the Subaru WRX STI negotiates turns at lurid 90-degree angles.\u00a0\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Subaru)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">But the Subie STI \u2014 based on the compact Impreza \u2014 remains. It\u2019s the essence of Subaru&#8217;s rugged brand. Like Mazda\u2019s Miata, the STI\u2019s scrappy DNA is in every Subaru, whether sedan or ute.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Off-road driving schools like Seattle\u2019s DirtFish \u2014 which provides instructors for Sandell\u2019s winter camp \u2014 use Subarus as school cars.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Sandell, 37,\u00a0has dreamed of racing Subarus\u00a0since he was a speed-addled kid growing up in northern Sweden. Subaru dominated the World Rally Championship in the late \u201990s to early 2000s, establishing the WRX legend.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ad-position-70\" class=\"partner-placement partner-spike partner-placement-visible\" data-ad-placement=\"native-article_link\" data-ad-sizes=\"[&quot;fluid&quot;,[3,3], [2,6]]\" data-monetization-id=\"native-article_link\" data-monetization-sizes=\"fluid,3,3,2,6\">While other Swedes bore holes in lake ice to fish, Sandell used the holes to measure surface thickness so he could race on the ice like his childhood rally heroes Colin McRae and Petter Solberg. Pushing the edge of the icy envelope made Sandell into one of the world\u2019s premier rally drivers \u2014 and he\u2019s realized his hopes by earning a spot as a U.S. Rallycross driver on Subaru\u2019s team.\u00a0Beats driving Zambonis.<\/div>\n<div id=\"ad-position-73\" class=\"partner-placement partner-spike partner-placement-visible\" data-ad-placement=\"native-article_link\" data-ad-sizes=\"[&quot;fluid&quot;,[3,3], [2,6]]\" data-monetization-id=\"native-article_link\" data-monetization-sizes=\"fluid,3,3,2,6\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-news-opinion-8\" class=\"ad-slot\" data-google-query-id=\"CMGTo-jh4OcCFUiPaQodYckNHA\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_7103\/mi-detroit-C1561\/native-article_link\/news\/opinion_1__container__\">\n<div class=\"mediavoice-native-ad\" data-mediavoice-render-injection-id=\"83a00912-dbea-4006-bc02-a5d94d856d8e\">He\u2019s brought his Swedish method to Dollar Lake to train ice-driver wannabes. Measuring ice thickness at a healthy 17 inches with his instruments, Sandell designed a series of Winter Experience autocross courses \u2014 call it ice-cross \u2014 then handed over the cars\u00a0to a small group of speed-hungry journalists.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The STI is a four-wheeled Apolo Ohno on ice. Credit deep-grooved, Swedish-made Lappi winter tires, encrusted with 400\u00a03-millimeter studs (compared to a standard studded tire\u2019s 150 1.5-millimeter treads). Like Michelin slicks on an asphalt racing surface, the $425-apiece Lappis enhance the STI\u2019s inherent all-wheel drive grip to create astonishing ice traction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I\u2019m talking serious slick ice here. When I stepped out of the Subaru\u00a0I had to take baby steps to keep from landing on my keister. But unleash STI\u2019s 310 ponies out of a corner, and the rowdy \u2019Ru explodes like a stealth rocket.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">As I hurtled toward\u00a0the next apex, the Lappis were equally adept at slowing with those studs clawing at the ice as I stomped the big\u00a0Brembo brakes. Try this on normal tires and the Subaru wouldn\u2019t stop until Green Bay.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Turning is another story. Modern traction-control systems (more on them later), will choke the STI\u2019s power, so the first rule of ice racing is to turn off the nannies lest the car crawl on its knees like, well \u2014 a human.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Ice and side g-loads make for tricky physics, and drifting the 3,450-pound greyhound across apexes requires skill and patience.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">In the hands of a pro like Sandell, it is a sight to behold. Executing what the Swedes call the \u201cScandinavian flick,\u201d the ice-cross master simultaneously brakes, backs off throttle\u00a0and flicks the steering wheel to rotate the car at obscene, 45-degree angles to the corner. Then he flings the car the opposite way \u2014 the so-called \u201cpendulum turn\u201d \u2014 to complete an ess curve.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Ice courses are also teachers of smart electronics.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-Sfuu1MVyXU8\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/02\/17\/PDTN\/85b23d81-be46-47e3-b526-9877d64907dc-subaru_sandell-rooster-tail.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"A Subaru WRX STI at full chat across the ice on Wisconsin's Dollar Lake. Though still based on the Impreza's last-gen chassis (new bones should come in 2021), the STI is one of the most capable compact cars on the planet.  \" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/02\/17\/PDTN\/85b23d81-be46-47e3-b526-9877d64907dc-subaru_sandell-rooster-tail.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/02\/17\/PDTN\/85b23d81-be46-47e3-b526-9877d64907dc-subaru_sandell-rooster-tail.JPG\" \/>A Subaru WRX STI at full chat across the ice on Wisconsin&#8217;s Dollar Lake. Though still based on the Impreza&#8217;s last-gen chassis (new bones should come in 2021), the STI is one of the most capable compact cars on the planet.\u00a0\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Subaru)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">In addition to the STI, Sandell\u2019s school deploys a squadron of Subaru BRZs \u2014 a species of rear-wheel drive, track-focused sports car that is usually stored in garages this time of year waiting for the spring thaw.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">While the STI shows off the raw power of all-wheel drive, the BRZ on ice is a showcase for modern safety systems.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">\u201cTurn on traction control and keep it floored all the way around the course,\u201d said instructor Michelle Miller. She laughed as I shot her a skeptical look.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">But I did. And, astonishingly, it worked.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">So good is BRZ\u2019s electronic brain \u2014 managing power and slip angles \u2014 that it kept the Subaru from swapping ends through iced twisties even as my lead foot was screwed to the floor. Again, the tires show their mettle, allowing enough grip to claw the car forward.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">It\u2019s why manufacturers regularly come to the northern Great Lakes \u2014 not just to test how fast they can propel you, but also how they can save you.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Naturally, I turned the BRZ\u2019s traction control off once the lesson was learned, so I could get back to ice-crossing. Though the BRZ can\u2019t match the STI\u2019s muscle, it did prove a wonderful ice racer in its own right. While sharing the STI\u2019s low center of gravity thanks to Subaru&#8217;s flat-4 cylinder engine design, the BRZ is 550 pounds lighter.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">That means less mass to manage across the ice, so the BRZ is quicker to change direction. The physics lessons, it occurred to me, would be useful for young drivers \u2014 might I suggest required snow training to gain a license?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">In an age of homogenous SUVs, Subaru\u2019s free spirit is a breath of fresh (cold) air. And in an age of mega auto-mergers, it\u2019s a reminder of how a small brand can still speak loudly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Even on the quiet ice of the northern Midwest.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-Sfuu1MUaxnY\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/02\/17\/PDTN\/d51173ca-4e24-41bc-82a7-812f56d80a3c-subaru_brz-int.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The tidy cockpit of the 2+2 Subaru BRZ sports car.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/02\/17\/PDTN\/d51173ca-4e24-41bc-82a7-812f56d80a3c-subaru_brz-int.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/02\/17\/PDTN\/d51173ca-4e24-41bc-82a7-812f56d80a3c-subaru_brz-int.JPG\" \/>The tidy cockpit of the 2+2 Subaru BRZ sports car.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"presto-h3\"><strong>2020 Subaru WRX STI<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Vehicle type: Front-engine, all-wheel drive, five-passenger performance compact<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Price: $37,895, including $900 destination charge ($39,727 as tested with four $425 Lappi tires)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Powerplant: 2.5-liter\u00a0turbocharged boxer\u00a04-cylinder<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Power: 310 horsepower, 290 pound-feet torque<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Transmission: 6-speed\u00a0manual<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Performance: 0-60 mph, 5.3 seconds (Car and Driver);\u00a0top speed, 159 mph<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Weight: 3,450 lbs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Fuel economy: EPA\u00a016 city\/22 highway\/19 combined<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Report card<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Highs: Tight shifter; AWD traction from the gods<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Lows: Sopwith Camel wing not for everyone<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Overall: 4\u00a0stars<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"presto-h3\"><strong>2020 Subaru BRZ<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Vehicle type: Front-engine, rear-wheel drive, four-passenger sports car<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Price: $30,845, including $900 destination charge ($32,545 as tested with as tested with four $425 Lappi tires)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Powerplant: 2.0-liter boxer\u00a04-cylinder<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Power: 205 horsepower, 156 pound-feet torque<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Transmission: 6-speed\u00a0manual<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Performance: 0-60 mph, 6.3 seconds (Car and Driver);\u00a0top speed, 134 mph<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Weight: 2,798 lbs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Fuel economy: EPA\u00a021 city\/29 highway\/24 combined<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Report card<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Highs: Playful handling; has backseat room compared to two-seat sports cars<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Lows: Engine lacks punch<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Overall: 3\u00a0stars<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The thing about ice racing is the quiet. No squalling tires. No road noise. No full-throttle engine wail as I drifted a Subaru WRX STI from turn to turn across a frozen course. It\u2019s magical. I was in Eagle Lake,\u00a0Wisconsin, the self-proclaimed Snowmobile Capital of the World.\u00a0Located\u00a065 miles west of\u00a0the state line of Michigan&#8217;s Upper [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24816"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24816"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24816\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24817,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24816\/revisions\/24817"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24816"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24816"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24816"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}