Volvo Advanced Driver Training - Boxberg 17 Jul 05 (Lots of video and pics)

[R Kelly]

Well hot damn today was fun. 3 of us R gang members got slots for this Volvo sponsored event -- thank you Otis and Sandy at Capitol Motors in Kaiserslautern.

Gerry, Jeff:

and I:

Got to flog the hell out of every kind of Volvo (XC90 V8, XC70, V50 T5, S60/V70R, S60 D5, S80 etc)...

in all sorts of different situations at the Bosch Proving Grounds in Boxberg:

Events included slalom,

wet slalom,

high speed oval,

(full 32 degrees of bank, we stopped at top, felt sorry for guy in XC90)

high speed wet understeer/oversteer, high speed brake with obstacle avoidance, handling course (think mini Nurburgring), varied surface transistion, and the most dramatic, aquaplaning...

Special thanks to our 3 instructors, Axel, Guido and Viktor:

And now the videos, reccomend you right click and save as:

No hands required on high speed oval if you are at correct speed...
http://ss.otheron.com/rkelly/video/R_no-hands.MOV
http://ss.otheron.com/rkelly/v...l.MOV

The understeer/oversteer course, DSTC rocks...
http://ss.otheron.com/rkelly/v...r.MOV

Jim Lill driving V70R on slalom course...
http://ss.otheron.com/rkelly/video/V70R_slalom.MOV

And the most fun, wet slalom. Yes you CAN drift in the R (in the rain on cobblestone at anyrate) , Guido drifted too much...
http://ss.otheron.com/rkelly/v...o.MOV

But redeemed himself:
http://ss.otheron.com/rkelly/v...2.MOV

You are supposed to exit through these cones like I did:
http://ss.otheron.com/rkelly/v...y.MOV

Andrew did it backwards...
http://ss.otheron.com/rkelly/v...w.MOV

Bonus video of yet another option not available in US:
http://ss.otheron.com/rkelly/v...s.MOV

Bonus video of Maserati and Porsche GT-3RS on high speed oval:
http://ss.otheron.com/rkelly/v...l.MOV

All I can say is wow, Volvo braking, DSTC and handling were amazing all day. Had fun in everything, XC90 V-8 was sweet, V50 T-5 was a blast to drive especially on handling course, sliding the rear out on the S-80 on wet slalom was even fun, XC-70 was VERY stable on high speed oval. Fortunately, I got to spend a lot of time in S60R, so I now know what my car will do in extreme situtations.

Also, got to practice launching the S60R for 0-60 runs about 12 times. Interestingly, wasn't much bog at all in test car. Did repeated 4K rpm clutch drops, tires chirped a little and car just launched. Tried it in my car on the way home, and no go, BOG big time. Maybe I have too much rubber with 245s...

well, hope you enjoyed post, feel free to comment, ask questions.

Modified by "R" Kelly at 11:17 AM 7-18-2005


Modified by "R" Kelly at 11:20 AM 7-18-2005

[lax01]

wow you guys have way too much fun over there...I seriously must go to Europe

[dp810]

R Kelly, thanks for posting pics and video. Looks like a blast. I would die for the oppurtunity to do that for a day.........

[Warpedcow]

Quote, originally posted by "R" Kelly »

Also, got to practice launching the S60R for 0-60 runs about 12 times. Interestingly, wasn't much bog at all in test car. Did repeated 4K rpm clutch drops, tires chirped a little and car just launched. Tried it in my car on the way home, and no go, BOG big time. Maybe I have too much rubber with 245s...

Were the test cars 2006 models? Maybe it's the precharged Haldex that helps?

[Hi Alt R]

HMM, wonder why Volvo can't do this in the Denver area?

[R Kelly]

Quote, originally posted by Warpedcow »

Were the test cars 2006 models? Maybe it's the precharged Haldex that helps?

No, all the cars were 2005s. The R had done a lot of time at Nurburgring in the hands of a professional driver, so it was well broken in. In fact, instructors mentioned the brakes and rotors were going to be replaced after that day, which is a good thing, they were gone by the time we got to high speed brake with obstacle avoidance. XC90 and S80 stopped shorter. But damn if that DSTC didn't keep the car under control no matter what I threw at it.

[Bavaria R]

Must have been a cool day, hope it will be repeated at Nurburgring or Salzburgring (closer to me)...

Thanks for sharing all the stuff...

he he.. I have those fancy electric flipping mirrors, I is great in thigh parking spots or if you park along the road as you have chances finding back your car with the mirrors on it. There is no need in the states for such a gaget as their is plenty of space every where

[MWH]

Interesting that most of those cars do not have DRLs on....

[R Kelly]

You will also notice the Rs don't have ugly Amber reflectors.

Boxberg is in Germany, hence these cars are European spec with no DRLs or amber reflectors (on most). Some of them do have little 5 watt "city lights" in the turn signal enclosures.