Tuesday 24th July 2012

Mad 850hp NSX to take on Pikes Peak

Nope, we wouldn't have known it was an NSX unless someone had told us either...

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If you thought that this year's Unlimited class in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb was in danger of becoming dull now that Nobuhiro 'Monster' Tajima - the hill climb's record holder - had gone all eco-friendly with an electric car, we would humbly suggest that you are wrong.

For a start, you're forgetting the Brit-backed RS200 entries of Mark Rennison and Liam Doran, and secondly you might be interested to have a wee butcher's at this entry from the Gloriously American-sounding Cody Loveland.

Cody's Michigan-based firm, LoveFab, is a tuning specialist for NSXes, which is how his Pikes Peak entry began life - as an Acura NSX. Now it's been turned into a barely recognisable 850hp beast, and should be quite a sight whistling its way up the famous Colorado mountain.

In fact, with this year being the first that Pikes Peak is an all-asphalt event, not having four-wheel drive might not even be that much of a disadvantage anymore.

The 90th running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb takes place on 12th August, having been postponed earlier in the year due to wildfires.

Oh, and if you miss the gravelly bits of the old PPIHC, have a look below at the LoveFab NSX, in a less extreme state of tune, terrorising the Michigan backwoods...

 

 

[Mattygooner]

Wedgetastic!

Love it.

[leonkehoe]

It looks silly :-(

[addlepated]

impressive piece of kit indeed - brave cameraman esp. in second clip. I was lucky enough to drive up pikes peak many years ago - just as a tourist in an old subaru forester but it was a truly awesome climb.

[DanDC5]

Holy Santa Claus st!!

[NRS]

Pity about the chav wing on the back,

[Mini1275]

[ManOpener]

HRE Wheels advert on the side, and what look to be Grams Lights or Volks under the arches?

[markCSC]

So is it still a V6 (with bloody great turbos)?

[DanDC5]

ManOpener said:

HRE Wheels advert on the side, and what look to be Grams Lights or Volks under the arches?

They're HRE's, they do a spoke style similar to TE37's but the wheels are a split rim.

[Paperboy]

One word. Fugly.

[GingerPixel]

I like it. Its got a bit of a Group B vibe about it.

[Dave^]

Love it!!!

[garypotter]

having problems getting the power down on the dust, it will be interesting to see this on the tarmac section when i hope he can get all hte power down.

Not the best looking but it does not say in the rulles the cars need to look good!

[DanDC5]

garypotter said:

having problems getting the power down on the dust, it will be interesting to see this on the tarmac section when i hope he can get all hte power down.

Not the best looking but it does not say in the rulles the cars need to look good!

The whole hill track is now tarmac at Pikes Peak. Traction shouldn't be as much of an issue as it was.

[michaelg1001]

Liam Doran isn't competing at Pikes Peak anymore. Because it was postponed it now clashes with the Dutch round of the European Rallycross Championship, which he's competing in. His dad Pat is now going to Pikes Peak instead.

[danielhodgkiss]

Maybe a naive question but why do Pikes Peak cars tend (please don't list exceptions) to be based on older generation cars? Is it that the subtleties of performance don't matter as much or that this event is just more culturally 'grass roots' than other forms of motorsport?

[danielhodgkiss]

So funny - to increase the angle of the rear spoiler they just opened the boot. I wonder if Pagini considered this whilst developing its current active aerodynamics?

[DanDC5]

danielhodgkiss said:

Maybe a naive question but why do Pikes Peak cars tend (please don't list exceptions) to be based on older generation cars? Is it that the subtleties of performance don't matter as much or that this event is just more culturally 'grass roots' than other forms of motorsport?

Think it's because it's mostly 'home-built' creations rather than big money sponsorship. Plus a lot of competitors seem to spend years developing their existing cars rather than build new ones.

[anonymous-user]

Porkyrider200 said:

Banned!

GingerPixel said:

I like it. Its got a bit of a Group B vibe about it.

I think its great, has got a bit of Group B vibe about it.

Edited by Big Al. on Tuesday 24th July 20:26

[Swifty Stig]

I think its cool. Bit of group B vibe to it.