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

Our month-long cross-country off-road drive is hap

Our month-long cross-country off-road drive is happening soon! We're piloting a slightly modified 2025 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness for the month-long (plus) trek. @andy_lilienthal will be the driver, and @mercedes_lilienthal will be the navigator. In addition to reputable rubber, beefy skid plates, and top-quality LED auxiliary lights mounted on a stout front light bar, we're also doing the following:

•@arb4x4usa: vehicle fridge, awning, and single portable air compressor
•@rigdsupply: rear spare tire carrier and MAXTRAX/fuel can holder
•@reikawheels: wheels plus full-size spare
•@ecoflowtech: power station and alternator charger
•@maxtraxhq: four XTREME vehicle recovery boards (their new LITE boards would also work for AWDs)
•@factor55 rear hitch-mounted recovery point

These upgrades and key gear items will help us complete the cross-continent TransAmerica Trail. More to come via @crankshaftculture as we near our time to dive into the dirt.

We expect to encounter many challenging obstacles

We expect to encounter many challenging obstacles during our TransAmerica Trail (TAT) off-road effort—spanning appr. 7,100 miles from North Carolina to Oregon. For this reason, we'll be using beefy skid plates from @primitiveracing to help protect vital underbody components on our 2025 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness. Each skid plate (front, transmission, and rear) is made in the U.S. from rugged 3/16 thick aluminum. 🇺🇲 They're easy to install with direct bolts, no drilling, cutting, or modifying required. They'll maximize ground clearance while keeping optimal approach, break-over, and departure angles. Plus, they'll add jack-up points if we need them! We run Primitive skid plates on our personal 2022 Subaru Crosstrek and have rallied in the dirt, gravel, snow, and ice with them without a flinch. So we're putting them up for the ultimate off-road adventure: TAT.

Our coast-to-coast TransAmerica Trail off-road dri

Our coast-to-coast TransAmerica Trail off-road drive will be long and tough. This month-long (plus) self-supported effort in a 2025 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness will cover over 7,000 miles of varied terrain, so having high-quality auxiliary lights to illuminate our surroundings is essential. We'll have @bajadesigns XL Pro LED lights mounted on a Rally Innovations light bar mount. These aux lights are waterproof, rainproof, and submersible. They'll feature amber combo lenses that'll cut through dust, offering maximum trail coverage with driving and spot optics while using next-generation LED technology. (These lights are shown on a Subaru Outback.)

Next to tires, seeing clearly when conditions are

Next to tires, seeing clearly when conditions are dusty or dark is critical when driving in remote conditions. Our TransAmerica Trail effort will take us through 15 states and appr. 7,100 miles from the East Coast to the West Coast—mostly off-road. Proven by its durability and toughness in extreme conditions (like the 2022 Alcan 5000 Rally with a Subaru Outback Wilderness or the 2025 Thunderbird Rally class win and more with our personal 2022 Crosstrek 2.0i Premium 6MT), we once again will use a @rallyinnovations light bar mount to house two Baja Designs aux lights. This will be up front on a modified 2025 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness. Rally Innovations is based in SoCal, and their light bar mounts are designed, manufactured, and tested there. Bolt on and go!

We're busy planning for our TransAmericaTrail effo

We're busy planning for our TransAmericaTrail effort! Not long before we head out for this 7,100-mile (plus or minus) off-roading adventure. We're piloting a slightly modified 2025 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness that will be running @bfgoodrichtires KO2 all-terrain tires. We've run BFGs on many off-road vehicles and have KO2s on two of our personal rigs (a 1994 Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear 4x4 and 2022 Subaru Crosstrek 2.0i Premium 6MT). Especially where the rubber meets the (off) road, you'll need top quality and durable tires. Much more to come!

This AWD @chevrolet BrightDrop 600 EV work van has

This AWD @chevrolet BrightDrop 600 EV work van has been turned into an RV by @groundedrvs and has over 270 miles of range and all the comforts of home. #rv #ev #chevy #chevrolet #crankshaftculture

Subaru debuted the 2026 Trailseeker and revised So

Subaru debuted the 2026 Trailseeker and revised Solterra EVs at the 2025 New York International Auto Show. What do you think of them? #subaru #solterra #trailseeker #nyias #crankshaftculture

The @genesis_usa X Gran Equator Concept showcases

A smattering of vehicles--new and old--from the 20

A smattering of vehicles--new and old--from the 2025 New York International Auto Show.

Latest blog drop: Our final Baltic Sea Circle Rall

Latest blog drop: Our final Baltic Sea Circle Rally video reels installment, Part 4, is now LIVE. Last June/July, we, @andy_lilienthal, as the driver and @mercedes_lilienthal, as the navigator, embarked on an insane overseas trip: 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 and videos conclude @CrankshaftCulture coverage, sharing what happens (until we make our YouTube video!). Link in bio.

After making our way through Tallinn, Estonia, and attending another rally party, we pushed through the rest of Estonia and into Riga, Latvia, with its insane driving challenges. We stayed at an Airbnb that ended up not having hot water (no showers for grimy ralliers/campers), and drove through the rest of Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and the rest of Germany before crossing the finish line back in Hamburg (not far from where the rally started). We compiled 4,771 EV-driven miles and 36 total charges during the rally!

Mercedes documents Days 13-16 via verbiage as well as reel videos. Parts 1, 2, and 3 are also on our website. You can now experience the 50,000-foot view of the entire competition! 📸: of finish line by Katha of @peugeot_106_rallyteam

Spent the last few days in Savannah, GA driving th

Spent the last few days in Savannah, GA driving the 2025 MINI John Cooper Works models. This included 2DR Hardtop, Convertible, and Countryman. I'll have a full report on these speedy small cars via @thegearjunkie soon.

Latest blog drop: Before you buy a JDM vehicle, th

Latest blog drop: Before you buy a JDM vehicle, there are a few things you should know. First and foremost, those in the U.S. are all 25+ years old. But there's more to it than just old car things. Link in our bio to read the latest from @andy_lilienthal and Crankshaft Culture!

This is how we, @andy_lilienthal, as the driver an

This is how we, @andy_lilienthal, as the driver and @mercedes_lilienthal as the navigator, are prepping for our cross-country off-road trail effort. We're slated to cover approximately 7,100 miles, driving primarily on dirt. Our self-supported mission is in FULL SWING! More to come. 📸: @mercedes_lilienthal

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

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!

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Recent Posts

Mitsubishi Delica Deep Dive FAQs
Part 4: Days 13–16 of the 2024 Baltic Sea Circle Rally with a Volkswagen ID. Buzz EV
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

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