Volkswagen crushes Pike's Peak record


2112

Blue/white 06'
Mark II Lifetime
Shaved a minute off the previous record held by an ICE Peugeot. 😳

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http://www.foxnews.com/auto/2018/06/25/vw-id-r-electric-racer-smashes-pikes-peak-record.html
 

Specracer

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Nov 28, 2005
7,081
MA
While this is a testament to the driver, this seems to remove a MAJOR element of success, which is the tuning of the IC engine to work over such a broad atmospheric range. Really this is a completely different race. Seems like the "gun to a knife fight".
 

TO AWSUM

Ford GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 4, 2007
1,506
Niceville FL
While this is a testament to the driver, this seems to remove a MAJOR element of success, which is the tuning of the IC engine to work over such a broad atmospheric range. Really this is a completely different race. Seems like the "gun to a knife fight".

According to the article, he was in the electric car class and crushed the electric car record in addition to the IC class record. So, there really wasn't a MAJOR element to overcome since electric cars had competed routinely.
 

2112

Blue/white 06'
Mark II Lifetime
While this is a testament to the driver, this seems to remove a MAJOR element of success, which is the tuning of the IC engine to work over such a broad atmospheric range. Really this is a completely different race. Seems like the "gun to a knife fight".

Yeah, but they love the earth.
 

twobjshelbys

GT Owner
Jul 26, 2010
6,053
Las Vegas, NV
All of the previous records were set before the entire road was paved. It's really hard to separate just how much of the advantage came from the electric power (although the instant torque out of turns certainly helps) vs the additional advantage of being able to adequately use that power on pavement instead of gravel.
 

2112

Blue/white 06'
Mark II Lifetime
It was still gravel with the Peugeot record just a few years ago?
 

BIGFOOT

GT Owner
Jan 18, 2012
739
Northeast
The Peugeot looked like a car.