Alex Nishimoto, Associate Online Editor,
Motor Trend, April 23, 2013
The competition is heating up for the 2013 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, with major manufacturers gunning for the course record this year. Now that the entire mountain road has been paved, last year’s winner and current record-holder Rhys Millen will have to fight to defend the title. With just over a month before the June 30 race, Hyundai has released a series of videos chronicling its preparation.
Hyundai released the first two videos of a 12-episode series titled “Defending the Crown.” The first installment covers Millen’s history with the event, and how the Australian driver captured the all-time record last year in a modified Hyundai Genesis coupe. Millen himself then explains how the paving of Pikes Peak led him to build the PM-580T, with the “T” standing for tarmac. Millen says the rear-drive vehicle is powered by a Hyundai Lambda V-6. The second video delves deeper into Millen’s 2013 Pikes Peak contender, revealing that the car is underpinned by a Crawford Race Cars chassis and will utilize lightweight titanium and carbon fiber. In the next episode, the RMR team will explain how it plans to get 900 hp from the Genesis’ production V-6.
Meanwhile, Honda plans to increase its presence at Pikes Peak, becoming a partnering sponsor and bringing more vehicles. Last year, Honda Performance Development (HPD) entered an NSX boasting a twin-turbo V-6 borrowed from one of its LMP2-class prototypes, along with a Le Mans-spec wide body. For 2013, Honda will field entries in nine categories, including cars such as a first-generation Acura NSX, TL SH-AWD, Honda CR-Z, and Fit EV.
In other rally news, Subaru has released the first video in a series about its two teams, Subaru Rally Team USA and the Subaru-Puma Rallycross Team. The video explains what the teams went through last season, and shows the cars being prepared for next season. Among the biggest challenges Subaru faces is its limited experience in rallycross, a sport that teams in Europe have dominated for years. Though progress has been made since its inaugural season, the Subaru-Puma Rallycross Team still has a long way to go.
Check out all the videos below.
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