In the words of Jeremy Clarkson “Now for something a little bit different”

A sled pulled by six Alaskan and Siberian huskies just took on the Seat Leon CUPRA, driven by racer Jordi Gené, on a frozen lake in Lapland!  Before you read on, don’t head off to the nearest direct lender and pull out a loan for a Cupra and a few hounds.  This is one of those “Don’t try this at home” situations

Power and endurance

While the Leon CUPRA is characterised by its performance, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds, huskies are known for their endurance, although they are considered among the 20 fastest dog breeds. They make five-day journeys, reach a maximum speed of 40 km/h and each pull their own weight of around 30 kilos.  

1 metre thick ice beneath the wheels

Nearly a metre of ice blankets Lake Pikku-Nissi, one of the 188,000 there are in Finland, and enables cars and dogsleds to cross it without any problems, from the end of the year until well into April.

Leader mentality

Mamba and Mustys are the two lead dogs that guide the team while sledding. Their trainer, Susi Normand, claims that they become leaders of the pack instinctively: “They have to be mentally strong and brave”. “Just like race drivers,” smiles Jordi.

On any surface

The grip of their paws enables them to run over ice or snow at the same speed. Gené also takes full advantage of the Leon CUPRA’s 4Drive and snow tyres with special studs for extreme driving on ice.  You get a different kind of drift experience on snow!

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25 ºC below zero

For the huskies, the -5 ºC displayed on the thermometer is typical of a balmy day; the ideal temperature for them is between -10 and -25 degrees. The same way their fur enables them to withstand the cold, cars can also endure very low temperatures. In fact, they are tested at temperatures ranging from -40 ºC to 110 ºC to guarantee their quality remains the same no matter what the weather conditions are like.

Brakes to match their power

Just as the CUPRA features four-pot Brembo brake callipers, the sled is equipped with a clawed metal bar. Both require a brake to match their performance. In fact, the dogs pull so hard that the musher has to step on the brake with both feet to prevent an excited team from taking off before the order is given. While on the move, it stabilises the seat and prevents the sled from swinging when taking curves. “We both take bends in a similar way: we brake before the curve to position the vehicle and ride it out correctly,” says Jordi.

Purebred champions

Huskies participate in several dogsled competitions all over the world, such as the European Championship or the End of the World Race in Argentina. On the other hand, the CUPRA have also achieved impressive successes in their lifetime, especially two record times on the Nürburgring, where both the Leon ST and the 5-door Leon set a lap time of under 8 minutes.

Image Credit : Newspress