ICE IS SLIPPERY. FAMOUSLY SO. JUST A FEW MINUTES ago I almost dislodged internal organs attempting to remain upright on a surface with the frictional properties of a greased banana skin in a bath of Teflon eels. But my hands, via leather hula-hoop and 10-inch tyres, are picking up a different message. There’s grip, and a lot of it.
Old Minis are known for their tenacity, but the secret of this particular battle-worn 1275GT is savage metal studs bursting from the tread blocks. Static they look like something a Bond villain might end up minced by, but in motion they claw through the ice like whirling crampons. On a surface you’d struggle to stand on, 650-or-so kilos of Mini can be thrown around like the road is dry.
It takes commitment to finally unstick it, geed on with typical Scandinavian understatement by owner Hans-Åke Söderqvist. He stays calm as I encourage his Mini to greater angles, brushing the brakes to get the front hooked up and the rear unstuck, and working the A-series for all it’s worth to drag the nose straight again.
This story is from the December 2019 edition of evo India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 2019 edition of evo India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
FAST STEAD
This Skoda Octavia RS 230 is fast enough to blow your mind but not its engine
Ford Fusion
Practical, great engine and dynamics, but weird styling ensured buyers stayed well away
Mahindra Bolero Neo
Armed with an iconic badge, a fresh face and a mechanically locking differential, the Bolero Neo could just be the compact SUV you’ve been looking for
RISING FROM THE ASHES
The third generation Suzuki Hayabusa is one of the fastest production motorcycles in the world, and a bike that truly deserves to be ridden flat out at the High Speed Track at NATRAX
BIJOY KUMAR Y
Bijoy is quite looking forward to what the recent space launches could mean
DOA: HSV HRT 427
This racing-inspired 7-litre Holden Monaro garnered more than enough interest for its limited production run to sell out. But sadly the sums didn’t add up
Mini Cooper S Convertible
Mini gives the Convertible a more modern front end, more technology on the inside and a very bright paint scheme
VW Taigun GT
Good news! With two GT variants, Volkswagen are set to make the 1.5 TSI motor even more accessible to us enthusiasts
THE DOCTOR CHECKS OUT
As Rossi decides to hang up his boots after 26 seasons, we take a look back at his journey through MotoGP
“IF THE RATING IS DONE, NATRAX COULD BE ONE OF THE TOP THREE PROVING GROUNDS IN THE WORLD”
Speaking to Dr N Karuppaiah, additional director and centre head, NATRAX
