Autoblog

click the pic to view a video about the Q Celsius tire

Studded snow tires can be a godsend when the going is on glare ice. When roads have been cleared, though, they chew up pavement and can produce some exciting though unanticipated handling characteristics. Japan's ban on studded tires led directly to a new generation of snow tire technology like Bridgestone's Blizzak line. Q Tires, taking its name from James Bond's high-tech quartermaster, has developed a new set of tires called Celsius with studs that can be deployed or retracted with a dashboard switch. Two air chambers in the tires allow the studs to extend or retract without leaking off much inflation. Q Tires is preparing to send its product out into testing soon, and part of that process involves making sure that it doesn't run afoul of any state regulations that prohibit studded tires of any sort for all or part of the year. If the tests prove successful, the tires will likely command a 30-percent premium over other black, round and rolly-things. The increased cost is mitigated by the fact that a separate set of winter tires, and the attendant seasonal mounting chores, are eliminated. Of course, none of this will matter to that knucklehead trying to climb hills in the middle of a blizzard with low-profile summer tires.

[Source: Detroit News]

We can think of a lot of places where we'd love to drive the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera. On ice and in the snow would not be one of those places. But that's precisely the point of the Lamborghini Winter Academy. The inaugural event took place a couple of weeks ago in Italy's Auronzo di Cadore ski resort, where a dozen participants shared time behind the wheel of six Lamborghinis. The wintry driving conditions bring the limits of adhesion closer, so instructors could help their pupils improve their driving skills.

If this sounds like your idea of a winter wonderland, don't worry about having missed the first round: Lamborghini will be holding another session next month at the Livigno's "Ice Autodrom" in the Italian Alps. And while dates have yet to be set, the Lamborghini Academy is preparing a similar program for North America. Check out LamborghiniAcademy.com for more information.

UPDATE: Motor Trend reports that Lamborghini has already held its Winter Driving Academy in the U.S. at least once. Last March the one-day course costing $2,500 a pop was held over the course of a week during March in snowy New Hampshire.