Preview: 2013 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

One of the world's most challenging and dangerous motor races kicks off next week with the 91st running of the 2013 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb over June 24 and 30.

Toyota, Mitsubishi, Hyundai and Honda are all fielding big-budget factory-backed cars as they seek to win one of America's oldest and most prestigious motorsport events.

Open to motorcycles, cars and even quads across 17 categories, many varied and interesting vehicles will compete in 2013, including the return of Mitsubishi's AWD Evolution electric race car, a 367kW-plus turbo V6-powered Honda Odyssey people-mover and even a 1965 Ford Falcon.

But it's the arrival of a 643kW Red Bull-backed Peugeot in 2013 that is set to explode the event's coverage beyond the US and attract significantly more global coverage.

Indeed, the major battle will be fought between newcomer Peugeot and last year's winner Hyundai in the Unlimited car class, with Hyundai setting an all-time record in 2012 (nine minutes and 46 seconds) on the 20km point-to-point course.

While New Zealand-born Hyundai driver Rhys Millen will be looking to defend his crown with a 671kW prototype Genesis Coupe, Peugeot has built a stunning 208 T16 Pikes Peak special for nine-time WRC champion Sebastien Loeb.

Check out all the specs and stats on the Peugeot versus Hyundai Pikes Peak show down here.

Toyota and Mitsubishi will be vying for victory in the Electric car class, with Toyota seeking to defend its 2012 win (10:15) with the 400kW twin electric motor TMG EV P002 racecar driven by American Rod Millen.

The sole battery-powered Toyota racecar will face a pair of Mitsubishi MiEV II Evolution cars -- 400kW machines with quad batteries -- driven by Japanese Dakar Rally champion Hiroshi Masuoka and six-times Pikes Peak motorcycle champ Greg Tracy.

Mitsubishi is confident of not only wresting the electric car crown from Toyota, but says its upgraded MiEV II Evolution 4WD racecars are aiming to topple Peugeot and Hyundai "for overall first place".

While Honda isn't contesting any of the super-fast categories, it's likely to get plenty of social media attention for its out-there 367kW-plus Odyssey people-mover. Entered in the Exhibition class, the 3.5-litre turbo V6 minivan will be piloted by IndyCar winner Simon Pagenaud.

"Our entry will be unique, to say the least!" said Pagenaud, who explained that the tyre-shredding people-mover has "power similar to an IndyCar" and "will raise some eyebrows for sure!"

The oldest vehicle contesting the race is a 1965 American-built Ford Falcon, driven by John ‘Jack’ Rogers in the Vintage car category, while there are dozens of modern cars too: Subaru STIs, Porsche 911s, Audi A4s, MINI Cooper Ss, Mitsubishi Lancer Evos.

One of the many factors that makes the Pikes Peak International Hill climb, aka 'race to the clouds', so special is its location.

Pikes Peak is situated in the US state of Colorado, near Colorado Springs in the Rocky Mountains, and is (in)famous for its high altitude finish of 4300 metres (14,110 feet) that tests man and machine.

The drive can be a dangerous one -- too much understeer and it's a long way down -- but the high altitude also means that vehicles need to be specially designed to cope with the lack of oxygen.

The front-runners in the Unlimited class make use of turbochargers to ensure they can generate power at high altitude, but even the best machines still lose up to 30 per cent of their power by the time they reach the 4km-plus-high finish line.

Throw in multiple hairpins, 156 corners in total and no room for error and you're looking at a race that is not for the faint of heart. If you thought the Nurburgring was a gruelling 20km drive, you ain't seen nothin' yet...

The 91st running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 2013 is expected to see the record books rewritten thanks to bigger budgets and a fully sealed course for the first time.