03.12.2004 Fiat will be hitting the ice this winter when a purpose-built four wheel drive 350bhp 3.0-LITRE V6 silhouette Stilo crashes onto the ice racing scene in France
Fiat will be hitting the ice this winter when a purpose-built four wheel drive 350bhp 3.0-litre V6 silhouette Stilo crashes onto the ice racing scene in France.
The Stilo, with the full backing and input of Fiat France, will be taking part in the 2005 Andros Trophée, a series which kicks off its annual programme this weekend on the 805 metre long, all-ice course at Val-Thorens, situated 1803 metres above sea level.
Ice racing is a highly popular winter racing activity in France and the Andros Trophée has grown from strength to strength since its inception in 1985, when it was set up by a pair of motor racing drivers seeking a winter activity.
In the intervening nineteen years it has found its way into the hearts of French motorsport enthusiasts with its combination of style, excitement, required scientific precision and an array of stars that have been drawn by its allure. These include Ari Vatanen, Jacques Laffite, Bernard Darniche, Partick Tambay, Jean-Louis Schlesser and Alain Prost, who will in fact be back this winter for a second helping of the series.
Fiat's arrival on the Andros Trophée scene is down to Christian Petit, who through his team 'Sport Garage' planned and developed the Stilo concept, and the outfit's lead driver Philippe de Korsak, who has previously shared ice driving with Alain Prost. These two experienced people persuaded Fiat France to back the venture.
The racing car itself uses a
lightweight Stilo 'silhouette'. Underneath is a tubular spaceframe chassis
developed by the highly regarded Tork Engineering concern, using the latest
computer aided design methods.
A 24-valve 3.0-litre V6 engine, mated to a competition 6-speed sequential
gearbox and four wheel drive, pumps out 350bhp, all of which has to be put down
through narrow 16-inch 'knobbly' tyres onto a surface of pure ice! The whole
package, the body is made from weight-saving composite materials, weighs in at
the series limit of 950kgs.
Fourteen cars will actually compete in the 'Elite' class of the Andros Trophée this winter. Ranged up against the new Stilo, which counts on no less than three entries, will be an array of ice 'specials', numbering offerings from Citroen, SEAT, Kia, Alfa Romeo, MINI, Peugeot, Renault and Toyota.
Big rivals will include the Kia Rio, pedalled by touring car ace Yvan Muller, who has won more Andros races than any other driver, national hero and former French F1 World Champion Alain Prost in a Toyota Corolla, while another ex-F1 star, Martin Brundle, will pedal a specially built MINI.
For the 2005 Andros Trophée, Philippe de Korsak will be joined, in the two-tone blue Sport Garage Stilo, by French racing star Franck Lagorce. Th other Stilos competing in the 'Elite' class this weekend include an example driven by Laurent Fouquet and Laurent Brechet, which is entered by Team AMV-Sofinco, and a third car is in the hands of Jean Philippe Dayraut and Steve Stievenart, from Team As Events/LG.
The Italian flavour doesn't end there are there will also be two Alfa Romeo 147-based racers hitting the ice at at Val-Thorens this weekend. Experienced pairing Christian Beroujon and Claude Millet will share a car entered by the latter's Claude Millet Auto Rallye team, while Jean Noël Lanctuit and Joël Stere are schedule to drive a second car from this team.
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