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Tag: Rally

EV Adventuring: Nine Countries and 16 Days in a Volkswagen ID. Buzz Van

October 12, 2025 / Mercedes Lilienthal / Leave a comment
2024 German-market Volkswagen ID. Buzz below a classic Beetle on exterior wall

Some people’s idea of adventure is trying Starbucks’ newest coffee drink. Others may venture out and visit little-known towns, like Gold Hill, Utah, or Sargents, Colorado. But what if you take your sense of exploration and multiply it by a million? My husband, Andy Lilienthal, and I celebrated our 20-year wedding anniversary in 2024 by…

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We Won Our Alcan 5000 Rally Class (And Took 2nd Overall)

September 30, 2025 / Andy & Mercedes Lilienthal / 1 Comment
Mercedes and Andy Lilienthal with a 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport at the Arctic Circle in the Yukon Territory on the 2025 Alcan 5000 Rally. Photo by Shane Bowman

We did it! Team Crankshaft Culture won the 2S class (trucks/SUVs, “seat of pants”) again at this year’s Alcan 5000 Summer Rally! We won this class in 2024 at the Alcan 5000 Winter Rally in an INEOS Grenadier, and we did it again this year in a 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport!

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

April 14, 2025 / Mercedes Lilienthal / 1 Comment
BSCR Latvia, Lithuania, Poland 04e_credit Katharina Muller

Andy and I finished the 2024 Baltic Sea Circle Rally, the northernmost rally in the world, from June 22 to July 7. We rallied through nine countries and nearly 5,000 miles in just over two weeks. We became the first non-European EV team to compete in and finish the Baltic Sea Circle Rally and were also the…

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Part 3: Days 9–12 of the 2024 Baltic Sea Circle Rally with a Volkswagen ID. Buzz EV

March 20, 2025 / Mercedes Lilienthal / Leave a comment
Mint green 2024 German market Volkswagen ID. Buzz EV van

Andy and I competed in the 2024 Baltic Sea Circle Rally, the northernmost rally in the world. It started June 22 and ended July 7. In our third article installment, we’re giving you a video sneak peek of rally days 9-12 with our 2024 German-spec short wheelbase Volkswagen ID. Buzz EV van.

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Part 2: Days 5–8 of the 2024 Baltic Sea Circle Rally with a Volkswagen ID. Buzz EV

February 5, 2025 / Mercedes Lilienthal / 1 Comment

Andy and I competed in the 2024 Baltic Sea Circle Rally, the northernmost rally in the world, from June 22 to July 7. In our second article installment, we’re giving you a video sneak peek of rally days 5-8 with our 2024 all-electric German-spec short wheelbase Volkswagen ID. Buzz van.

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Part 1: Days 1-4 of the 2024 Baltic Sea Circle Rally with a Volkswagen ID. Buzz EV

January 7, 2025 / Mercedes Lilienthal / 1 Comment

Rally Recap Time It’s been six months since we competed in the 2024 Baltic Sea Circle Rally, conquering the northernmost rally in the world! We raised over $3,200 dollars for The Jessi Combs Foundation as this was a charity rally, and we wanted to give you a sneak peek of our vehicle prep as well…

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Rally Racing in America Goes Big Time; Hopes To Advance The Sport In North America

December 18, 2024 / Andy Lilienthal / Leave a comment
Classic Mitsubishi Rally car at Oregon Trail Rally

We’re huge fans of rally racing. From stage rally to time-speed-distance rally, we love everything about this form of motorsports competition. However, in the U.S., rally has never been as popular as other forms of motorsports. But now the American Rally Association (ARA) is taking steps to grow stage rally in North America.

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Europe Bound: We’ve Entered Superlative Adventure Club’s Baltic Sea Circle Rally

April 29, 2024 / Mercedes Lilienthal / 4 Comments

We’re going global! Andy and I are competing in the 2024 Baltic Sea Circle Rally, the northernmost rally in the world. It spans nine countries, 16 days, and 7,500 kilometers! And, we’re doing it in an all-electric Volkswagen ID. Buzz van.️

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Alcan 5000 Update: We Won Our Class In the INEOS Grenadier!

March 5, 2024 / Andy Lilienthal / 2 Comments
INEOS Grenadier on the winter Alcan 5000 Rally.

As you may know, we took an INEOS Grenadier on the winter 2024 Alcan 5000 Rally. Well, we won our class in the INEOS, edging out 16 other trucks and SUVs to take the top spot in the 2S class.

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The Winter 2024 Alcan 5000 Rally is Almost Here

February 16, 2024 / Andy Lilienthal / 1 Comment
The Alcan 5000 INEOS Grenadier ready to go!

You know the song “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas”? Well, it’s mid-February in our house and you can change that title to “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Alcan.” The Winter 2024 Alcan 5000 Rally is almost here.

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  • EV Adventuring: Nine Countries and 16 Days in a Volkswagen ID. Buzz Van

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