SPIRIT OF SPEED 2026

Antonio Melegari from Audrain Automobile Museum (USA) visited Spirit of Speed and that was “The best driving experience he had ever had” – the comment we hear quite often from the customers and media. Watch the VIDEO.

“I travelled all the way from Newport to the Arctic. KALMAR invited me out to test a fleet of cars at the Spirit of Speed—an event unlike any other. There are over 20 tracks: some on frozen lakes, others through forests like rally stages. I have driven on ice several times in Saint Moritz, but what makes this experience unique is that all of the cars run on WRC-spec tires with purposeful spikes sticking out about seven millimeters. The level of grip while driving is immense—so is the braking power.

I don’t think you’ve ever seen a 996 with a livery like this. I absolutely loved the Cayman R. What’s interesting is that while there are events where you can drive on frozen lakes, nothing quite compares to this setup.

In the morning, I jumped into a 964 just to get adjusted:

Drifting around cones.
Coming out of slides at full throttle.
Bringing the car to a complete stop from full speed—around 40 to 50 mph.

Once I “passed,” I headed out onto the tracks and took instructions from the company’s founder, Jan. He’s not only hilarious over the radio, but also a fantastic coach. “You’re going to be sweaty by the end of the day. Remember, you have a brake pedal—you must use it.”

I immediately felt at home in the 964. The light steering and confident front end made sliding effortless and controllable. I put in plenty of laps and seat time, and even in Arctic conditions, I managed to work up a sweat.

We then swapped cars, and I took my seat in the 993. This track was far more challenging than the others. Surprisingly, the car itself was also more demanding. The steering felt tighter, while the rear end was more eager to rotate. I found myself cutting into snowbanks but keeping my foot on the throttle and rotating the car properly. Wow… I think I actually preferred the 993 over the 964 here.

After a quick coffee break, we switched from air-cooled to water-cooled cars:

A 996

A Cayman R

We moved off the frozen lake onto a more traditional rally-style course with elevation changes and a section through the woods. I immediately fell in love with the 996—it felt incredibly balanced. I hit “flow state,” especially under braking. Honestly, I was speechless. I could have cried.

The Cayman R, on the other hand, was more challenging. It felt sharper, more reactive—almost snappy. This was also my first time driving in these conditions with PDK. As the day went on, my pace increased along with my confidence. When the car starts to step out, you have to commit and keep your foot in it.

In the evening, we headed back onto the frozen lake in the RS-7, a modified 997 4S. It was incredibly comfortable, easy to drive, and had effortless power. After that, we experienced some wild passenger rides in the KALMAR 9X9 and the 7-97 Evo—a truly insane rally build. Watching the professionals at work made me realize just how much faster they are, but it only motivated me to improve.

To wrap up the weekend, I had two final sessions in the 996 and the Cayman R. Everything I had learned throughout the day finally came together.

After driving, I headed to the garage to speak with KALMAR’s head mechanic, Morten. Experiencing these cars was incredible—but what does it actually take to turn a 993, 964, or similar car into a proper rally machine?

The main focus is the suspension:

Longer shock absorbers with a revised spring setup
A limited-slip differential
Subframe spacers to increase ride height
Thick aluminum underbody protection to withstand extreme conditions

These cars run the Spirit of Speed in Finland and can also be used in Africa—the same car, just with different tires. That’s why underbody protection is so critical; without it, the cars simply wouldn’t survive harsh terrain.

Back at KALMAR’s base camp, I also got to see their latest model: the 7-97 Turbo Edition—a wild 650-horsepower machine.

What a weekend—an unforgettable experience with some truly incredible cars.

Over the years, this job has given me access to some amazing automotive moments. But this, without a doubt, stands as the best automotive experience I’ve ever had.

The KALMAR team was incredibly generous to invite me and let me be part of this. It truly is unlike any other automotive event. At most events, you might get 20 to 30 minutes behind the wheel. Here, I spent roughly four to five hours driving in a single day. And for customers, there’s even more time—and more tracks to explore than I experienced on media day.

This was something special. And it’s an experience I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

Watch the VIDEO.

* The Audrain Automobile Museum (located in Newport, Rhode Island, USA) is a renowned automotive museum that showcases rare, historically significant vehicles. Focused on cars as rolling art rather than just transportation, it alters its exhibitions seasonally to reflect design and societal impact. They actively produce a massive library of video content. Through the Audrain Museum Network, they release high-quality digital programming that includes automotive documentaries, interviews with famous car figures (like Jay Leno), historical spotlights, and footage of their flagship Audrain Newport Concours & Motor Week.

Antonio Melegari is the Media Production Manager at Audrain Automobile Museum & Collections.

Here it is!

SPIRIT OF SPEED 2026 in 16 minutes

SPIRIT OF SPEED 2026