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We are #UnitedByHorsepower.
@andy_lilienthal & @mercedes_lilienthal
Our rigs: #TravelTractor, #TerraTractor, and 2022 Crosstrek
#crankshaftculture

If you're in the market for a new all-wheel-drive

If you're in the market for a new all-wheel-drive hybrid, check out @mercedes_lilienthal's latest via @ovrmag. She tested the 2025 @subaru_usa Forester Hybrid in California last week, including off-roading at Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area. The embargo lifted this morning, link below to read it! 📸: @mercedes_lilienthal

Story link: https://shorturl.at/60JCw

Great two days with @bfgoodrichtires and @skipbarb

Great two days with @bfgoodrichtires and @skipbarberracing at @racesonoma to learn about the new g-Force Phenom T/A tires, get some driving education, and drive Ford Mustang GTs around a fantastic racetrack.

Testing the new @bfgoodrichtires g-Force Phenom T/

Testing the new @bfgoodrichtires g-Force Phenom T/A at Sonoma Raceway with @skipbarberracing. Some wet, some dry, but lots of learning and fun.

Our 2025 @subaru_usa Forester Hybrid first drive r

Our 2025 @subaru_usa Forester Hybrid first drive recap reel is LIVE! We put on many miles with our Limited trim tester, both on- and off-road adventuring. Impressions after the embargo lifts via @ovrmag! 🎥: @mercedes_lilienthal, photo of Mercedes by @tanyagazdik.

.@subaru_usa joins the hybrid CUV market alongside

Article alert: The next @ovrmag print issue (April

Article alert: The next @ovrmag print issue (April/May) is dropping on newsstands on March 25th. Our seven-page feature talks about how we prepared our Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear 4x4 van for a winter off-roading trip in central Oregon. What happened, how we worked together for getting folks unstuck, a midnight fuel run, and how awesome the car community is to ensure a successful trip. Pick up your copy and read this plus many other awesome articles by talented writers! 📸📝: @mercedes_lilienthal

Part 3 of our video reels coverage is now LIVE. La

Part 3 of our video reels coverage is now LIVE. Last June/July, we, @andy_lilienthal, as the driver and @mercedes_lilienthal, as the navigator, embarked on a trip of a lifetime: visiting 10 countries in about 5 weeks to celebrate our 20-year wedding anniversary—9 of those being Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland for the 2024 Superlative Adventure Club Baltic Sea Circle Rally. The BSCR is the northernmost rally in the world: nine countries, 16 days, and nearly 5,000 miles. We were the only EV team this year (driving an early-gen 2024 German-market Volkswagen ID. Buzz van). We were also the first non-European team to compete in and successfully finish the BSCR with an all-electric vehicle.

This story (link in bio) is the third of four installments of @CrankshaftCulture coverage, sharing what happens. We start heading south after making it to Nordkapp, Norway, crossing over our fourth Arctic Circle in Finland (second of the rally). We also spent a day in Helsinki, sang karaoke until it got light out, and made our way through Tallinn, Estonia, before reaching another rally party. Mercedes documents Days 9-12 via verbiage as well as reel videos. Part 1 and 2 are also on our website, and Part 4 will come soon!

Our latest article via @ovrmag is LIVE (link in bi

Our latest article via @ovrmag is LIVE (link in bio)! What is time-speed-distance (or TSD) rally, how do you do it, and what happened during the 2025 Thunderbird Rally in Canada?

Twenty-eight teams vied for top spots in Novice, Paper, Calculator, and Unlimited classes. This rally org allows Novices to run unlimited equipment (like rally computers, apps, or any other type of aid) compared to other rally circuits. This allows new teams the ability to learn as they go, honing skills with real-time help that tell them if they're early or late as they go through the competition. We were told most Novice teams ran this way.

We, @andy_lilienthal as the driver and @mercedes_lilienthal as the navigator, ran the Calculator Class, using only a kid's calculator, a pencil, and long-form equations to win our class for the snow-filled 560-mile road rally that boasted 72 checkpoints and 8 TSD regularities.

HUGE congrats to all winners and finishers. It was no easy competition. Thanks to all the rally volunteers, sweeps, and the org. This was our first time competing with this rally circuit, Rally BC/West Coast Rally Association. Can't wait for the next one. Action Crosstrek 📸: @epicbphotograhy, 📝: @mercedes_lilienthal

Partners:
@bfgoodrichtires
@reikawheels
@primitiveracing
@rallyinnovations
@_lightforce
@namelessperformance
@ecohitch_usa
@packasport
@factor55
@cravenspeed

Official AROO Rally Cup #1 results posted: We took

Official AROO Rally Cup #1 results posted: We took 2nd place in Standard Class! 👊 @andy_lilienthal was the driver, and @mercedes_lilienthal was the navigator.

The Mint 400 had some awesome race cars and equall

The Mint 400 had some awesome race cars and equally cool cars on display. We put together a gallery of some of faves. Link to story in bio.

We spent part of last week at our first Mint 400 d

We spent part of last week at our first Mint 400 desert race. Andy was there to cover Chad Hall's run in the @chevrolet Silverado EV ZR2 race truck. It was a great experience, and you can see his coverage at @thegearjunkie with link to story in bio. Photo by @andy_lilienthal

Happy International Women's Day! We're celebrating

Happy International Women's Day! We're celebrating all the women out there, especially those breaking boundaries. If someone says you can't do something, prove them wrong.

The Chevrolet Silverado EV race truck at the Mint

The Chevrolet Silverado EV race truck at the Mint 400. It's got all the chops to go racing, but is almost a production truck. Rolls on 37" BFG KM3s, Method wheels, lots of KC lights, and a roll cage are among its mods, not to mention a lifted suspension and Multimatic shocks. Race day is tomorrow!

You know, just a other day in Las Vegas. OK, OK, t

You know, just a other day in Las Vegas. OK, OK, these two "cars" were right at the beginning of the Mint 400 parade down the strip. Chewbacca looks to be having a good time though.

MAJOR NEWS: We're partnering with @subaru_usa to c

MAJOR NEWS: We're partnering with @subaru_usa to conquer the TransAmerica Trail! This will be another endurance-based endeavor, but a much different one than the 2022 @alcan5000 rally with the manufacturer.

The TransAmerica Trail, or TAT for short, is a cross-country trail system spanning appr. 4,253 miles across the United States—primarily off-road. We’re in the process of modifying a 2025 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness with the automaker, including key upgrades and specific gear to help make our month-long effort a successful one.

We've been working behind the scenes on TAT for multiple months, and we're excited to finally share the news! @andy_lilienthal will be the driver, and @mercedes_lilienthal will be the navigator.

Check out @mercedes_lilienthal's latest feature via @ovrmag as we share tons of TAT details (link in bio)! Lots more coming via social media and more as we explain more about the TransAmerica Trail, how we plan to navigate it, the Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness and why we chose it, and what products/upgrades we're doing to it so it's ready for our self-supported mission. Things kick off in just over three months! 📸: @mercedes_lilienthal

@subaru_usa
@bfgoodrichtires
@bajadesigns
@rallyinnovations
@primitiveracing
@arb4x4usa
@rigdsupply
@ecoflowtech
@reikawheels
@maxtraxhq
@factor55

A few snaps from today's @portlandcarsandcoffee --

A few snaps from today's @portlandcarsandcoffee -- do you have a fave?

The 2025 @oregonautoshow is NOW! Catch it in actio

The 2025 @oregonautoshow is NOW! Catch it in action this weekend as the latest vehicles and unique rides are showcased. It's at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland and ends today.

Part 2 is LIVE. Just over seven months ago, we, @a

Part 2 is LIVE. Just over seven months ago, we, @andy_lilienthal, as the driver and @mercedes_lilienthal, as the navigator, embarked on an insane trip: visiting 10 countries in about 5 weeks—9 of those being Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland for the 2024 Superlative Adventure Club Baltic Sea Circle Rally. The BSCR is the northernmost rally in the world: nine countries, 16 days, and nearly 5,000 miles. And, we were the only EV team this year (driving an early-gen 2024 German-market Volkswagen ID. Buzz van) and the first non-European team to compete in and successfully finish the BSCR with one. This is Part 2 depicting daily happenings. This story (link in bio) is the second of four installments of Crankshaft Culture coverage, sharing what happens. We roll north in Norway to Nordkapp (the North Cape), the northernmost point you can drive to in Europe. We almost didn't make it! Mercedes documents Days 5-8 via verbiage as well as reel videos. Part 1 is also on our website, and Parts 3 and 4 will come later.

RALLY RECAP: After two challenging days driving in

RALLY RECAP: After two challenging days driving in the Canadian snow, darkness, ice, and more, we, @andy_lilienthal as the driver and @mercedes_lilienthal as the navigator, came from behind to win the 2025 Thunderbird Rally Calculator Class! We also finished near the top teams that only used a calculator or paper to figure out incremental times to complete the 560-mile road rally boasting 72 checkpoints and 8 TSD regularities.

Twenty-eight talented teams vied for top spots in Novice, Paper, Calculator, and Unlimited classes. We learned this rally circuit allows Novices to run unlimited equipment (i.e. rally computers, apps, or anything else they want) compared to other rally organizations. This allows new teams the chance to learn as they go, honing skills with real-time aids that tell them if they're early or late as they drive. We were told most of the novice teams ran unlimited equipment.

After Day 1, we were behind by only 14 points but made up the difference and then some to get gold. This was our first time competing with this rally circuit, Rally BC/West Coast Rally Association. Can't wait for the next one!

BIG congrats to all winners and finishers. It was no easy competition! Also, thanks to all the rally volunteers, sweeps, and the organization. It was well-run and fun, creating unlimited wintertime memories.

Partners:
@bfgoodrichtires
@reikawheels
@primitiveracing
@rallyinnovations
@_lightforce
@namelessperformance
@ecohitch_usa
@packasport
@factor55
@cravenspeed

RALLY RECAP: It's Day 1 of the 2025 Thunderbird Ra

RALLY RECAP: It's Day 1 of the 2025 Thunderbird Rally in Canada! This time-speed-distance competition is a fast-paced snow road rally. Today's run consists of 4 TSD regularities with transits in between, totaling 320 miles (515 km) if you stay on course.

As car #8 of 28 total vehicles, we, @andy_lilienthal and @mercedes_lilienthal, left before 10:38 am so we could calibrate our odometer. We wanted to arrive within time to start our first TSD rally at our 11:38 am out time.

We encountered a little dry pavement, lots of gravel, and increasing amounts of slippery snow-packed roads. We toured through stunning scenery as I called out incremental times and route directions Andy had to hit perfectly (not early and not late). Who knew there'd be so many CGs (cattle guards)?

The sun waned into darkness, and we, along with the entire rally group, faced our toughest challenge of the event: the Headwaters regularity. This nighttime TSD stage gave us heavy snowfall, with several inches of soft snow already on the ground. We fought hard to keep pace, but conditions were too treacherous to do so.

I started taking time allowances for lost time. Then we started seeing stuck rally cars. Vehicles with more ground clearance pressed on, and we made it just over eight miles in before our vehicle slid into a snowbank.

Thankfully, our @primitiveracing skid plates proved their worth, keeping snow out of the engine bay and protecting our underside. We used @maxtraxhq recovery boards and a shovel, and along with our @factor55 HitchLink 2.0 recovery point and @warnindustries Epic hard shackle and the kindness of a fellow competitor in a Jeep Wrangler, we got unstuck and continued on as 1 of 6 rigs that made it through. The other vehicles were turned around, and all but the first checkpoint of that regularity was scrapped. That's rally.

It's about car culture and the rally community. People helped each other get unstuck and checked on one another. It's one of the many reasons why we love TSD rally so much. After nearly 11 challenging hours on the road, we made it back, unpacked, and made it in time for a quick dinner and a beer. Stay tuned for Day 2 and the rally finish!

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Recent Posts

Owning A JDM Vehicle Is Not Like Owning A New Vehicle
Part 3: Days 9–12 of the 2024 Baltic Sea Circle Rally with a Volkswagen ID. Buzz EV
The Cars of the 2025 Mint 400
We’re Running the TransAmerica Trail in a 2025 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness
Part 2: Days 5–8 of the 2024 Baltic Sea Circle Rally with a Volkswagen ID. Buzz EV

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