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NEWS
New Range Rover Sport claims Pikes Peak record
Second-generation all-terrainer sets a new benchmark for production SUVs at the iconic Colorado hillclimbSebastien Loeb is yet to have a crack at the outright Pikes Peak hillclimb record in his wild Peugeot 208 T16, but Land Rover has already set a benchmark by posting the fastest time for production-ready SUVs.
American competition and stunt driver Paul Dallenbach punted the new 5.0-litre supercharged Range Rover Sport up the 19.99km ascent in 12 minutes 35.61 seconds – an average speed of 95.23km/h through the course’s 156 corners (many of which have perilous drop-offs).
The time attack starts just beyond the treeline at 2860m above sea level and culminates at the 4300m high finish line, where the air contains just 58 per cent of the oxygen it does at sea level, diminishing engine performance and blunting human physical and mental performance.
“There’s no margin for error at Pikes Pike – you only need to misjudge one of those 156 turns and you’re into the trees or over the edge of the mountain,” said
Dallenbach.
“To take on this place the way I did today, you need complete confidence in your vehicle, and the Range Rover Sport sure gave me that – it’s fast, responsive and agile.
“I was able to place the car exactly where I wanted it on the road to keep to the optimum high-speed lines through corners. This is a hugely capable vehicle and I’m proud to have been part of demonstrating that by setting a new Pikes Peak record.”
According to Land Rover’s press bumpf, the record was independently timed and sanctioned by PPIHC (Pikes Peak International Hill Climb), organisers of the annual competition at the Colorado venue.
The 375kW Range Rover Sport used for the record-setting climb was allegedly bog-standard, with the exception of a roll cage and harness seatbelts to meet racing safety requirements.
Taking inspiration from Peugeot’s legendary Climbdance video, which vividly documents Ari Vatanen’s 1988 record in the 405 T16, Land Rover also plans to release a short documentary film – said to be the first in the so-called ‘The Driven Challenges’ series.
First run in 1916, Pikes Peak is the USA’s second-oldest motorsport event, with some of America’s most famous racing drivers – Mario Andretti, Bobby Unser, Rick Mears, and Al Unser – having won the competition.
Internationally acclaimed rally drivers such as Michele Mouton, Ari Vatanen, Per Eklund and Stig Blomqvist have also succumbed to the lure of Pikes Peak.
The current outright course record is 9 minutes 46.164 seconds, set by Rhys Millen last year in the Time Attack division in a production-based but radically modified Hyundai Genesis Coupe.
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Written byGautam Sharma
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