Why Fast Will Never Go Out Of Fashion

The best reason to do something automotive is often for no reason at all.

How else could you end up with a situation like this where two drift cars, an RX Supercar and, er, a big truck can line up against each other? Logic, sometimes, just doesn’t need to come into it.

We’re lucky enough that in the automotive industry, most people involved are still very much real car people at heart. So, while they might still chase performance and improvement on a day-to-day basis, it doesn’t mean that they’ve forgotten why they do what they do.

I, for one, would have loved to have been in the pitch meeting when this idea was proposed at Bilstein’s HQ. No doubt it was one of those ‘if you don’t ask, you don’t get’ moments but someone was definitely pinching themselves afterwards when it was approved.

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The vehicles themselves are as impressive as they are varied. Anton Marklund’s championship winning Polo Supercar is the one I’m immediately drawn to. With 550+hp, carbon fibre bodywork, sequential gearbox and all of the anti-lag helping it to 60mph in less than two seconds, these things are absolute rocket-ships regardless of surface or conditions.

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With a combined 1400+hp between them, the Red Bull Drift Brothers (or Joe and Elias Hountondji as they’re actually known) tick every box on the pro drift car bucket list. 700+hp LSX swaps each? Check. Sequentials? Check. Quick change differentials? Check. Ability to hold borderline comical angles while still accelerating forward? Also, check.

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The literal elephant in the room, however, is maybe the most impressive. Perfect for when you need to tow a trailer or win multiple European Truck Racing Championships, Jochen Hahn’s Iveco Strallis 440E 56 XP features a 13-litre turbocharged engine outputting over 1150hp through a 16-speed transmission. Yes, sixteen. It does weigh in excess of five tonnes, but I think we’ll overlook that considering how much time it spends sideways.

Perhaps Joe and Elias need a new tandem partner?

Forget your sensibilities for a moment, what are you jumping behind the wheel of? I think I’d feel most at home in a Volkswagen, if I’m being honest…

If you want to see all of this is about, you can check out the video on the Speedhunters Instagram account now.

Paddy McGrath
Instagram: pmcgphotos
Twitter: pmcgphotos
paddy@speedhunters.com

Photography by Mark Riccioni
Instagram: mark_scenemedia
Twitter: markriccioni
mark@scene-media.com

This post is brought to you by BILSTEIN Suspension, an official Speedhunters Supplier

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18 comments

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1

The Article says "video" but no videos to be found.
Now I feel sad. I thought I would have a sweet video to watch while procrastinating before studying for my Thermodynamics Final in a few hours.

Author2

Sorry about that, just had some technical issues, but should be sorted now.

3

I also cannot see the video not sure if just me or a bigger issue?

4

Ignore me, was an idiot and didn't see the link. Was searching for the video at the top of the page sorry!

5

It does not matter what style of driving you like
All it matters is that we all want to go fast

6

I don't wanna sound stupid, but is the 16 speed transmission on the Iveco Strallis 440E 56 XP an automatic or a manual, or possibly even a sequential? I don't know too much about big trucks, but I know that semi trucks are usually manuals so I assume that this is also a manual, but I just want to know for sure. Sick cars too!

7

Most modern European trucks have automated manual transmission - computer change gears and operate the clutch. From the cockpit photo, it looks to me like manual. I only drove 12 speed, so not sure about this one. Probably reverse+crawl+6 forward with splitter for total of 16. You don't need all of them when empty (or with 1100hp :D). You could take off in 4th or 6th and skip every other gear.

8

Is Bilstein the new suspension sponsor? What happened with KW?

Author9

Yes, Bilstein are one of our new official suppliers.

Our time with KW came to an amicable and mutual conclusion, and we still have a lot of love for them and all the things we worked on over the years together. However, we're very much looking forward to bringing you the new and exciting things we're already working on with Bilstein.

10

The three year old in my soul is shouting, “Truck! Truck! Truck!”

11

Sure 1,150 hp, but how much torque?

12

I believe somewhere in the region of 5000 Nm, or just short of 3700 lb-ft, for all you imperials out there

13

All of it...

14

I wanna learn how to drift and I like drifting in all my games

15

How can I learn how to drift like the pro’s

Author16

It depends where you live, but plenty of places offer drift tuition and practice days. You just got to get out there and drive!

17

The wrap on that VW is soooo sexy.

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