The long-standing world record for the fastest production-ready SUV at the Pikes Peak Hill Climb was shattered this week by the 2014 Range Rover Sport. The treacherous 20-kilometre course was blitzed in just 12 minutes 35.61 seconds, which equates to an average speed of 95.22km/h.
At the wheel was Pikes Peak veteran and stunt driver, Paul Dallenbach; who has taken first place in his class no less than six times and has claimed three overall victories at the International Pikes Peak Hill Climb event. His world record was aided in no doubt by the 5.0-litre supercharged petrol V8 engine under the bonnet, which sends a substantial 500hp to all four wheels. The car used was left entirely factory standard too apart from the addition of a roll cage and seatbelt harnesses to comply with safety requirements.
To give some indication of the enormity of the challenge at Pikes Peak, you have to look at some figures. The 156-turn course winds up the side of the mountain, with killer rocks one side and an even more deadly drop on the other. Starting at 2,860m above sea level, the trail reaches the summit at 4,300m - where the air loses more than 40 per cent of the oxygen it has at sea level. This drop in oxygen not only stunts engine performance, it affects both mental and physical actions of the driver as well.
"There's no margin for error at Pikes Peak," commented Dallenbach. "Misjudge one of those turns and you're into the trees or over the edge of the mountain." He goes on to commend the new Range Rover Sport by saying, "To take on this place you need complete confidence in your vehicle; and the Range Rover Sport sure gave me that. This is a hugely capable vehicle."
Land Rover says that the Pikes Peak record is the first in a line of driving challenges it has lined up for the new model; all of which are designed to push the car to its limits and show what it can really do.