It’s a new world record! Mini have claimed the world’s first ever successful back-flip in a car, totally without assistance.
The driver is none other than French Rally Raid world champion Guerlain Chicherit, who has spent four years planning this incredible stunt. The car is a heavily modified Mini Cooper Countryman, which has been given a suitably buoyant suspension setup for that heavy landing.
The stunt uses a static ramp which is why it can officially be labeled as unassisted. Other brave drivers like Rhys Millen have completed backflips in cars before, but with the help of special ramps with moving elements to give the car’s rotational movement a boost. In the past, even with these moving ramps, the landing hasn’t been clean, as shown in this video from 2008.
It all took place in French ski resort of Tignes, and you can see the action in the video below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry-ofJHatGs&feature=player_embedded
