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Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show |
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Written by Louis A. Mongello
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 Lights, Motors, Action Extreme Stunt Show Trivia
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The interiors of the Opels used in a 40-vehicle stunt show at Disney
MGM Studios were gutted to reduce the car weight to 1,300 pounds.
Motorcycle engines were installed so the lightweight cars accelerate
faster. One of the most difficult driver skills turned out to be
learning how to burn enough rubber to make the show exciting without
enveloping the show in an acrid cloud. Disney also installed lots of
fans. |
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Construction
on the stunt arena began in February 2003. It features a Mediterranean
village façade, stunt ramps, pyrotechnic equipment and a man-made canal.
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The arena for "Lights, Motors, Action!" is a 177,000-square-foot facility
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The stadium seats 5,000 Guests
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The
show features more than 40 vehicles on stage and inside the garage
area.The cars featured in "Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show"
are custom-built in Europe.
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The cars are equipped with a 1,300 cc, 150-horsepower motor built inside a custom racing chassis.
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Show
cars weigh just 600 kilograms (approximately 1,322 pounds) and consume
one liter (approximately one quart) of fuel per show. The cars weigh
less than half what a standard production car does. (An average
mid-size car weighs approximately 3,500 pounds.)
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"Herbie the Love Bug," the loveable "car star" from several Disney films, also makes a special cameo appearance.
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Vehicles are designated by color so the audience will always know which is the "hero" vehicle and which is the "chase" vehicle
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In
addition to four forward speeds, the cars are equipped with a
custom-designed transmission gearbox that also allows four reverse
speeds. This enables the cars to go as fast in reverse gears as they do
in forward gears.
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Design
components in the cars include the latest in safety and technology.
Among the features: a NASCAR-style fire-suppression system, speed
sensors and an on-board computer that assists drivers with maintaining
proper speeds for precision stunt jumps
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On-stage pyrotechnics during the show include fireballs that billow 40 feet in diameter
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Drivers wear the same driving suits as professional racecar drivers.
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Guests
aboard the Disney-MGM Studios Backlot Tour can sometimes get a glimpse
of "Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show." The recently
redesigned backlot tram tour route passes right by the stunt show arena.
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Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show officially opened May 5, 2005.
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