RE: Toyota Super 86 to climb Pikes Peak
Friday 26th April 2013
Pikes Peak veteran and all-round top chap Nobuhiro ‘Monster’ Tajima has unveiled his weapon of choice for this year’s event – and it’s based on a Toyota GT86.
Super 86 isn't exactly heavily related to GT86Well, we say ‘based’ – apart from a smattering of nods to the styling of the original car in its livery, the Super 86 racer that Tajima will be driving is likely to bear little relation to the road-going GT86, and indeed, looks to be a revamp of the Suzuki SX4-esque machine in which Tajima became the first man to break the Pikes Peak 10-minute barrier back in 2011. No technical details have been announced as yet, but reports suggest that the car will be based around a space-frame chassis that’ll house four-wheel drive and a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 - all of which would tally with the SX4 comparison. Power estimates come in at around the 670hp mark. Well, they said the GT86 needed more...
Tajima does have previous with them, thoughThat’s not to mention the fact that, in his time, Tajima’s already managed to take the course record not once, but twice, the second time being that history-making 9:51.278. Rhys Millen, son of Tajima’s long-time Pikes Peak rival Rod, bested that record last year with a 9:46.164, when the electric prototype Tajima was racing overheated and retired in a smoky mess. No doubt his switch back to fossil fuels will mean Tajima will be aiming to re-take his crown with a vengeance. So watch out, Seb – there’s a Monster on your back...
Toyota Super 86 to climb Pikes Peak
'Monster' Tajima to pilot mad GT86 silhouette racer
Super 86 isn't exactly heavily related to GT86
He'll have stiff competition in the form of Seb Loeb, making his Pikes Peak debut in a factory-backed Peugeot 208 T16, but Tajima has experience on his side, his first-ever Pikes Peak having been way back in 1992, when Loeb was still at school. What’s more, one of his many business concerns, Monster Sport, develops and sells performance parts for a whole range of cars, among them the GT86; Monster Sport can also count race and rally conversion packs for the model within its repertoire.
Tajima does have previous with them, though
Catch Tajima's Super 86 in action in the videos he's released here and here:
Discussion
I was lucky enough to spend a long time in Colorado before they upgraded the Pikes Peak Highway, and once you got past the tarmac section, that road became really interesting. To drive up in a normal car, or even a pretty fast one was an exercise in fear and wonder.
As you watched the rocks on one side, then the long falloff on the other, with no barriers or way of stopping, you began to see the point of the rangers checking your brake temps about halfway down.
Met a group of Australians at the summit who then proceeded to throw their Jeep Commander down the road at a vast pace, looking very precarious. Got halfway down and were pulled over by the ranger, with severely smoking brakes and a bad case of fade.
To drive to the summit in 10 minutes is just incredible, and if you are lucky enough to get there, you get an idea of just how long a distance it is, with so little room for error.
As you watched the rocks on one side, then the long falloff on the other, with no barriers or way of stopping, you began to see the point of the rangers checking your brake temps about halfway down.
Met a group of Australians at the summit who then proceeded to throw their Jeep Commander down the road at a vast pace, looking very precarious. Got halfway down and were pulled over by the ranger, with severely smoking brakes and a bad case of fade.
To drive to the summit in 10 minutes is just incredible, and if you are lucky enough to get there, you get an idea of just how long a distance it is, with so little room for error.
I obviously know little about the internals, but as far as builds go I prefer Loebs car to this. This looks curious to me ...Loebs car just inspires awe. But Tajima has the experience and his car is probably better overall for all I know. But then again, this is Loeb we are talking about ...I wish I could see this event!
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30...
I prefer this one abit more in common ...
I prefer this one abit more in common ...
Edited by yahtzee on Sunday 28th April 09:53
Edited by yahtzee on Sunday 28th April 09:54
Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff