New Range Rover Sport takes on Pikes Peak - and wins

Photo 2014 Range Rover Sport on Pikes Peak

The new Range Rover Sport takes on the Pikes Peak Hillclimb

Land Rover has taken the new (2014) Range Rover Sport to Pikes Peak and set a new record time for a production SUV at an average speed of almost 60mph.

Pikes Peak is an unforgiving Hill Climb, spanning 12.42 miles and 156 corners, rising to 4,300 meters above sea level with oxygen levels at the top down to just 58 per cent of those at sea level, making it incredibly hard for both man and machinery to function.

But despite the challenge, Land Rover has taken the new Range Rover Sport up Pikes Peak in a new record time for a production SUV, covering the 12.42 mile course of twists and turns in just 12m 35.61s at an average speed of 59.17mph.

You won’t be surprised to learn that Land Rover choose to use the new RRS with the 5.0 litre Supercharged engine for the record run, but apart from fitting a roll cage and harness seatbelts, the Sport had no modifications at all.

The RRS was driven by American Paul Dallenbach, a Pikes Peak specialist from Basalt, Colorado, and the whole adventure was independently timed and sanctioned by PPIHC (Pikes Peak International Hill Climb) to make sure it was done properly.

Dallenbach said:

There’s no margin for error at Pikes Pike – you only need to misjudge one of those 156 turns and you’re into the trees or over the edge of the mountain. To take on this place the way I did today, you need complete confidence in your vehicle, and the Range Rover Sport sure gave me that – it’s fast, responsive and agile.
I was able to place the car exactly where I wanted it on the road to keep to the optimum high-speed lines through corners. This is a hugely capable vehicle and I’m proud to have been part of demonstrating that by setting a new Pikes Peak record.

It’s a great feather in the cap for Land Rover, and a great way to demonstrate that the new Range Rover Sport has the ability to take on just about anything you can throw at it.

The new Range Rover Sport, which costs from £51,550, is now on sale. Oh, and Land Rover are promising us a video of the new RRS taking on Pikes Peak soon. More then.