Thursday, July 16, 2009
1,150-hp Ford RS200 going after Pikes Peak
It took 13 years for Rod Millen's 1994 Pikes Peak run to be toppled by Nobuhiro Tajima in 2007. And when Tajima set a new record of 10:01.408 in the Suzuki XL7 Hill Climb Special, there were doubts that time could ever be eclipsed.
This weekend, those doubts could be put to rest by Mach 2 Racing and its specially-prepared Ford RS200. Partnering with Avon Tires, the Essex-based motorsports firm has created the ultimate rally-bred Ford, packing a new turbo that boosts output to 950 hp, and then, for good measure, includes a 70-liter nitrous oxide tank to deliver another 200 hp for a total of 1,150 hp.