28 May 2009 - 11:00
800bhp Fiesta hits Pikes Peak
Remember that awesome Fiesta Rallycross we showed you a few weeks back? The 550bhp one?
Good news. Ford has announced that its little turbo nutter will tackle the Pikes Peak hillclimb this July... and with a retune to over 800bhp they're out to set a new course record.
That record is currently held by hillclimbing legend Nobuhiro 'Monster' Tajima at 10:01.408 over the 12.4-mile course, but Ford reckons the Rallycross can break the 10 minute barrier.
Watch Tajima break the record in 2007:
Last year, the Pikes Peak organisers put up a $25,000 purse for anyone who could go under 10 minutes, and since no one secured the cash, expect a similar prize this year.
Two Fiestas will tackle the Colorado hillclimb, driven by Swedish racer Andreas Eriksson and rally legend Marcus Gronholm.
Will they set a new hill record? Rest assured that Monster - who has dominated the event for the last few years in his astonishing 1,000bhp Suzuki Grand Vitara - will push the Fords all the way.
Roll on July 19...
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wow...just wow
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Wow! I want that engine in a road car, really, despite the fact that it's hideously unroad-legal. But i really don't think it can beat those competitors, driven by that fella.
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Where's the Grand Vitara? :)
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ford. please make that car for the road. i have always liked fords and this looks positively brilliant. woohoo! go ford!
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Wow. 700 bhp in a Fiesta. Can things get any crazier? I want Gronholm to beat that record. He can! He's one of the best drivers ever!
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700bhp doesn't sound any wilder than the Metro 6r4 and Ford RS200s of the Group B rally days which were 25 years ago.
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I really don't think a 700bhp Fiesta will beat Monster Tajima in his 1000bhp Escudo (it might be called something else now, but that's what it really is). It might be close - the Ford will be lighter because of its size - but Tajima will do it. I'm sure he will.
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Ari Vatanen did the most impressive hill climb at pikes peak, and he did it in a peugeot 405. I don't intend to to dis Tajima or Gronholm but Vatanen was the business, and there were'nt any paved roads on pikes peak back then, it was all dirt....... that's impressive!
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AlKim commented on this article
28 May 2009
Holy mother of God. And I thought 550bhp was awesome.
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