Tuesday 12th July 2011

Video: 911 GT2 From California To Pikes Peak

Jeff Zwart shows how proper chaps go about the business of motorsport

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Arrive...

This is the way to do motorsport. Not only did seven-time Pikes Peak class winner and Porsche guru Jeff Zwart demolish the production car record at this year's Pikes Peak by a full 24 seconds, he also did so having driven the car, a Porsche 911 GT2 RS all the way from Santa Ana in California, a distance of 1132 miles.

Zwart's time of 11mins 07.869secs (less than three seconds off the time set by Rod Millen in his competition-spec Hyundai Genesis) is all the more incredible given that the car is as production-spec as they come, right down to the sat-nav and air conditioning.

...and drive

Okay, so the 911 GT2 is a road car that just happens to have a roll cage and 620hp engine, but let's not take anything away from what is an awesome achievement.

Drive from California to Colorado, stop at the closest Porsche dealers to Pikes Peak to give the car a once-over and to bung on some stickers, and go racing (well, sprinting). Genius.

 

 

 

[anonymous-user]

Only 3 seconds slower than a car purpose built to tackle this course? So much of that has to be down to his driving

[Oddball RS]

Superb automobile

[HurryUpAndWait]

Awesome videos, thanks.

[Dagnut]

Even more impressive in a RWD car

[A Scotsman]

I'm sure we could set one of these up in Scotland.

[rhinochopig]

Wonder if the GPS gave him pace notes

It would be interesting to see him run it the Turbo S too. Would the 4WD have made it any faster - 100bhp down, but more chance to use it

[anonymous-user]

Like, totally awesome, dude.......... ;-)

[Jakdaw]

"Apply a few stickers" my arse - they've clearly replaced the doors, I wonder what else they've done.

Perhaps it's a bit much to expect a manufacturer not to be full of st.

[mat205125]

Article said:

Drive from California to Colorado, stop at the closest Porsche dealers to Pikes Peak to give the car a once-over and to bung on some stickers, and go racing (well, sprinting). Genius

How standard / factory was the car?

In the pictures, it's certainly not wearing the same wheels (and therefore tyres) as he drove there on.

Still an awesome acheivement of course.

Will the completion of the sealed surface all the way up the hill actually transform the venue in a good way. Sure, the Ari Vatenan Peugeot 405 videos will never be replicated, and pass into folklore, but could the venue become the American Nordschleife for race and road cars, where "Pikes" times are as important as 0-60 and cubes?

[The Danimal]

I can't believe it was still there when he stepped back out of that dodgey motel room in the morning!!!

[The Stiglet]

Nice, but did they put a diesel in there or something?

Sounds

Underwhelmed

[soad]

Nice going, made decent watching!

[custardkid]

good effort... if a bit artistic

i can see different windows, wing mirrors, steering wheel, wheels..... what else has changed??

[Else]

3 seconds off Rod Millens time with a GT2, sounds a bit fishy to me.

[k-ink]

Great car and idea. However totally ruined by stopping at the dealers for "stickers". Yeah ok.

So he didn't drive it straight to the track at all. EPIC FAIL

[RiccardoG]

Loved the video and the concept (makes me want to go out and buy a 911 for my Euro roadtrip departing this weekend) but dissapointing that they stress what is not a fact, as the others have pointed out the actual Pikes car is as a minimum modified and at worst a different car altogether.

[Kazlet]

Mostly looked like he was out for a Sunday drive, thoroughly unimpressive.

[dbanes]

Well seems fishy to me, not like us in 1999, 2000 and 2001.

We drove from Sydney to Melbourne (10 hours), ferry to Tasmania, 5 days doing 2500k of tarmac rallying in Targa Tasmania and then ferry back to Melbourne, drive back to Sydney.

And that WAS the same car, stickers applied in Sydney.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Usdg9W1Cnt8

[suffolk009]

Great stuff. The way club motorsport should be.

I recall Gordon Murray saying that the F1 winning at Le Mans was the happiest moment of his working life. And not being allowed to drive the same car home was the saddest.

Hope I got the quote right(ish) - but the sentiment is quite right.

[jimjim150]

I was hoping for hardcore driving or proper art movie. This was neither really, just a Porsche going up a hill.