Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[We ride shotgun as Marcus Grönholm practices for X Games 17 [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/29/we-ride-shotgun-as-marcus-gronholm-practices-for-x-games-17-w-v/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/29/we-ride-shotgun-as-marcus-gronholm-practices-for-x-games-17-w-v/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/29/we-ride-shotgun-as-marcus-gronholm-practices-for-x-games-17-w-v/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Ford Fiesta RallyCross

The El Toro Marine Base in Irvine, CA has become somewhat of a quasi West Coast testing ground for the automotive industry in the past several years. Currently, it's perhaps best known for being the site of the Top Gear USA test track, but we've attended media events, learned how to drift, and watched a variety of manufacturers test out their wares on the military compound's abandoned runways.

Most recently, Ford turned the strips of tarmac into a replica of the X Games 17 RallyCross course and brought out two-time WRC champ Marcus Grönholm and Moto-X-legend-turned-rally-driver Brian Deegan for a practice session ahead of this weekend's main event. Lucky for us, they also asked us to tag along with the enticing offer of a shotgun seat in a 575-horsepower all-wheel drive Fiesta racecar. Count us in.

Click through the jump to continue reading...

Continue reading We ride shotgun as Marcus Grönholm practices for X Games 17 [w/video]

We ride shotgun as Marcus Grönholm practices for X Games 17 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brian deeganespn x gamesfeaturedfiestafordgrönholmgronholmmarcus gronholmrallycrosstanner foustvideox gamesx games 17x games rallycrossFri, 29 Jul 2011 19:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20002878/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/07/29/we-ride-shotgun-as-marcus-gronholm-practices-for-x-games-17-w-v/20002878/article-detail.xml 20002878 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/07/x-games-rallycross-preview-2011_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/07/x-games-rallycross-preview-2011.jpg <![CDATA[Spoiler Alert: Global RallyCross Championship starts with a bang [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/28/spoiler-alert-global-rallycross-championship-starts-with-a-bang/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/28/spoiler-alert-global-rallycross-championship-starts-with-a-bang/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/28/spoiler-alert-global-rallycross-championship-starts-with-a-bang/#commentsFiled under: ,

Global RallyCross Championship at Irwindale Speedway
Global RallyCross Championship at Irwindale Speedway - Click above for high-res image gallery

Former World Rally Championship title-holder Marcus Grönholm dominated the first-ever Global RallyCross Championship event this past weekend at Irwindale Speedway, first winning the head-to-head SuperRally competition on Friday and following it up with a dominating performance in the multi-car RallyCross event on Saturday.

Formula Drift retiree and Top Gear USA host Tanner Foust also had a strong performance, finishing in second behind Grönholm in both events with the same Ford Fiesta that he drove to a double gold medal in the X Games 16.

Complete event coverage of the Global RallyCross Championship is set to air on ESPN2 on April 17, but until then you can check out our gallery of Friday's action below or follow the jump to watch a video of Grönholm's victory in the final SuperRally race.


Gallery: Global RallyCross Championship at Irwindale Speedway


Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

Continue reading Spoiler Alert: Global RallyCross Championship starts with a bang [w/video]

Spoiler Alert: Global RallyCross Championship starts with a bang [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fiestaford fiestaglobal rallycross championshipmarcus gronholmrallyrally carrallycrosssuperrallytanner foustMon, 28 Mar 2011 10:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19893399/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/03/28/spoiler-alert-global-rallycross-championship-starts-with-a-bang/19893399/article-detail.xml 19893399 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/03/global-rallycross-irwindale_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/03/global-rallycross-irwindale.jpg <![CDATA[Video: Two-time WRC champ Gronholm takes day one victory at Global Rally Cross]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/27/video-two-time-wrc-champ-gronholm-takes-day-one-victory-at-glob/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/27/video-two-time-wrc-champ-gronholm-takes-day-one-victory-at-glob/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/27/video-two-time-wrc-champ-gronholm-takes-day-one-victory-at-glob/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Global Rallyy Cross
Global Rally Cross at Irwindale Speedway - Click above to watch video after the jump

Global Rally Cross kicked off its inaugural even yesterday at Irwindale Speedway. Drivers raced in bracket-style competition on a mixture of dirt and gravel stages. Competitors each ran events in two and four-wheel-drive cars.

Marcus Gronholm sealed victory at the wheel of a 550-horsepower Ford Fiesta in the all-wheel-drive round, beating out Swedish star Michael Jernberg in second and Formula Drift superstar (and U.S. Top Gear host) Tanner Faust in third.

Gronholm's victory shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who watched him drive WRC cars in the early 2000s. For his part, Gronholm wasn't too shocked either, and attributed his victory in part to experience with motocross. Check out video of the event after the jump.

[Source: Rally Buzz via Jalopnik]

Continue reading Video: Two-time WRC champ Gronholm takes day one victory at Global Rally Cross

Video: Two-time WRC champ Gronholm takes day one victory at Global Rally Cross originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>faustfiestafordford fiestaglobal rally crossgronholmmarcusmarcus gronholmtannertanner faustSun, 27 Mar 2011 09:33:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19892936/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/03/27/video-two-time-wrc-champ-gronholm-takes-day-one-victory-at-glob/19892936/article-detail.xml 19892936 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/03/gronholmgrc_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/03/gronholmgrc.jpg <![CDATA[VIDEO: On board with Marcus Gronholm's Ford Fiesta at Pikes Peak]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/24/video-on-board-with-marcus-gronholms-ford-fiesta-at-pikes-peak/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/24/video-on-board-with-marcus-gronholms-ford-fiesta-at-pikes-peak/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/24/video-on-board-with-marcus-gronholms-ford-fiesta-at-pikes-peak/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Ford Fiesta RallyCross "Peak Performance" - click above to watch video after the jump

As an homage to rallying's legendary Climb Dance video, the blokes at Motor Trend have teamed up with Ford and Marcus Gronholm to concoct a gorgeous new short film chronicling the rally champion's 2009 ascent of Pikes Peak in the Blue Oval's new Fiesta RallyCross. In the interest of clarity, this is not the same car that crashed earlier in practice - that was the #5 car of Andrea Ericksson, this is Gronholm's #3 - a car that looks to have made it to the top just fine, thank you.

Check out the 9+ minute Peak Performance film after the jump, with its breathtaking footage from various in and on-car cameras, it's a high-definition gem with great audio. Just for fun, we've also included its inspiration, the original Climb Dance film of Ari Vatanen's 1988 record-breaking Pikes Peak Hill Climb run in his Peugeot 405. Thanks to everyone for the tips!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: On board with Marcus Gronholm's Ford Fiesta at Pikes Peak

VIDEO: On board with Marcus Gronholm's Ford Fiesta at Pikes Peak originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Ari VatanenAriVatanenblue ovalBlueOvalclimb danceClimbDancefiestafiesta rallycrossFiestaRallycrossfordford fiestaFordFiestahill climbHillClimbMarcus GronholmMarcusGronholmmotor trendMotorTrendpeak performancePeakPerformancepikes peakpikes peak hill climbPikesPeakPikesPeakHillClimbFri, 24 Jul 2009 12:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19106995/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/07/24/video-on-board-with-marcus-gronholms-ford-fiesta-at-pikes-peak/19106995/article-detail.xml 19106995 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/gronholm-pikes-peak-drift-630_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/gronholm-pikes-peak-drift-630.jpg <![CDATA[Marcus Grönholm: Master of sign language]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/11/marcus-gronholm-master-of-sign-lanuage/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/11/marcus-gronholm-master-of-sign-lanuage/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/11/marcus-gronholm-master-of-sign-lanuage/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The vid embedded after the jump is an older one, dating back to Marcus Grönholm's days as WRC factory driver for Peugeot (he's with BP-Ford now). It's brief, but well worth your time, as it details the story of an in-car mishap involving a stone and co-driver Timo Rautiainen. The payoff comes at the end, when Grönholm explains in very simple language what happened, and then backs it up with a descriptive gesture just in case you didn't understand. Classic.

Note: Possibly NSFW for a little bit of language. Or because you'll laugh so hard that everyone'll walk over to see what you're watching.

[Source: Break.com]

Continue reading Marcus Grönholm: Master of sign language

Marcus Grönholm: Master of sign language originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Jun 2007 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gronholmmarcus gronholmMarcusGronholmrockMon, 11 Jun 2007 16:33:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/915066/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/06/11/marcus-gronholm-master-of-sign-lanuage/915066/article-detail.xml 915066 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/06/gronholmrockincidet_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/06/gronholmrockincidet.jpg <![CDATA[Ford bringing Gurney, GT40 to Goodwood]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/05/ford-bringing-gurney-gt40-to-goodwood/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/05/ford-bringing-gurney-gt40-to-goodwood/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/05/ford-bringing-gurney-gt40-to-goodwood/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



With less than a week to go before the 2006 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the announcements from participating marques continue to roll in. Ford will celebrate the 40th anniversary of its 1-2-3 finish at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans and its 4-year win streak at Circuit de la Sarthe by sending one of its original GT40 racing cars prepared for Goodwood in the 1966 winning livery.

Le Mans winners Dan Gurney (1967) and Jackie Oliver (1969) will drive the black #2 GT40 up the hill next weekend. To reiterate, attendees at Goodwood will get to see Dan Gurney, American motorsports icon of the first order, drive a GT40 up the Goodwood hill. Really, the only way it could be better is if he was driving a Mk IV from 1967, but that's probably being greedy.

While the GT40 is the star attraction from the Blue Oval, they're also sending a modern Ford GT for the hillclimb and a 2006 BP Ford Focus RS WRC (currently second in the WRC manufacturer standings). The Focus will be driven on both the hillclimb and the forest rally stage at Goodwood by its regular pilots, Marcus Gronholm and Mikko Hirvonen.

A number of privately-owned Fords and Ford-powered cars are also entered in the festival.

(Press releases, photos after the jump)

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford bringing Gurney, GT40 to Goodwood

Ford bringing Gurney, GT40 to Goodwood originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Jul 2006 08:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BP focusBpFocusdan gurneyDanGurneyfocus rs wrcFocusRsWrcford gtford gt40FordGtFordGt40goodwoodgoodwood festival of speedGoodwoodFestivalOfSpeedgt40jackie oliverJackieOlivermarcus gronholmMarcusGronholmmikko hirvonenMikkoHirvonenWed, 05 Jul 2006 08:52:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/639393/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2006/07/05/ford-bringing-gurney-gt40-to-goodwood/639393/article-detail.xml 639393 http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/07/gt401_thumbnail.jpg http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/07/gt401.jpg -1 2