Wednesday, July 1, 2015

With Nürburgring Records Dead, Automakers Begin Pikes Peak Chest-Thumping

C 250 d 4MATIC sets record at Pikes Peak

At the conclusion of this year's Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Mercedes-Benz issued a release claiming a new record: the Mercedes-Benz C250d 4MATIC was the fastest production diesel to ever make it from base camp to summit. Driven by Uwe Nittel, the compression-ignition, tri-star sedan navigated the mountain's 156 corners in 11 minutes 22 seconds.

Since the manufacturer-favorite Nürburgring has imposed speed restrictions at certain high speed sections and outright banned hot lap record attempts, a new battleground is needed.

Will that frontline be in Colorado?

Like the public toll road in Germany, Pikes Peak is a public road every other weekend out of the year. However, unlike the 'Ring, there is a speed limit and – when pushing to find the elusive 11/10ths – an increased chance of death.

This year saw loss of life with motorcycle rider Carl Sorensen and last year was marred by the death of another two-wheeled racer, Bobby Goodin. In all, including Sorensen and Goodin, six racers have succumbed to injuries as a result of crashes at the PPIHC – four of those in the last 15 years as speeds have skyrocketed and the road has transformed from gravel thoroughfare to mountain-scarring ribbon of tarmac thanks to a lawsuit by the Sierra Club.

It's against this backdrop of danger manufacturers of two- and four-wheeled machines now find renewed interest in Pikes Peak. Recently, it was the only American thing to catch the interest of Peugeot. Piloted by 9-time world rally champion Sébastien Loeb, the French brand brought their Peugeot 208 T16 race car to Pikes Peak in an effort to take the overall course record.

They succeeded.

But, it isn't these Unlimited Class specials that will be of interest in the future at PPIHC.

The road, now completely paved, can offer conditions much more applicable to daily road car use. For their part, Mercedes-Benz has attempted to capitalize by sending a car to Colorado that fills a very small niche – diesel-powered cars – favorable to their successful record-claiming endeavor.

Other alternative drivetrains are showing up in Colorado, as well. With output decreasing for internal combustion engines as the air gets thinner, electric vehicles can show their worth as they torque their way to the top.

Conventional engines still have a future in the automotive market. However, with a shorter distance to climb and a variety of corners to navigate, Pikes Peak may become home to many new auditory delights, even if it's interspersed with corporate chest-thumping.

The post With Nürburgring Records Dead, Automakers Begin Pikes Peak Chest-Thumping appeared first on The Truth About Cars.



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