Chileans top Jeep altitude record...with modded Suzuki Samurai
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Earlier this month, we posted a story about how German adventurer Matthias Jeschke set the Guinness World Record for highest altitude attained by a four-wheeled vehicle. To recap, the Wrangler Unlimited reached a height of 6,646 meters on the Ojos del Salado volcano in Chile.
That record has already been broken, pending official verification from Guinness.
On April 21, the Chilean duo of Gonzalo Bravo and Eduardo Canales drove their modified Suzuki Samurai ( SJ413) past the Jeep's high point and stopped at 6,688 meters. In addition to the obvious wheel, tire, and suspension changes evident in the photos, the Samurai also packed a supercharged G16A 4-cylinder underhood. It was the third attempt for the pair, who encountered weather difficulties the first time and an engine fire the second time. Repairs were made, and the third try, as the saying goes, was the charm. One of the things Jeschke's team did when they arrived at their high point was to leave a sign that read, "Jeep Parking Only: All others don't make it up here anyway." In a cheeky move, Bravo and Gonzalo came down the volcano with a little extra souvineur.
Assuming the feat gets certified, it's impressive. Jeschke's Extrem Events team had big-time backing and financing, with two Jeeps and several support vehicles provided by DCX, plus a full team of people assisting the effort on-site. Bravo and Canales had no such support, and it looks for all the world like they did it anyway. We'll hoist pisco sours in their honor.
[Source: TwistedAndes (Trans.) via Autoblog Spanish (Trans.)]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
jasons 9:39PM (6/14/2008)
Mike your a ....... idiot, bone stock wrangler, rubicon unlimited did you just hear what you said, last I checked thats a well modified 6 cylinder, with a $5 grand locker amongst other things, I haven't looked it up but that jeep new cost some where near 30 grand, I own a 87 samaurai and it set me back 4700 brand new in 87, how do you figure the jeep was over matched, I think its highly impressive, not to mention that sammy gets 30 plus on the highway, you no talent assbag, no your .... before you sit down to take one.
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Shawn 11:13AM (4/27/2007)
You can modify a Vette to rock climb...so what?
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JPFreek 11:30PM (5/30/2007)
The official response from Mattias Jeschke on the Suzuki team, whose Extrem Events German team made the ascent up the Ojos mountain to set the Jeep world record, will be in the upcoming issue of JPFreek Adventure Magazine which can be downloaded from the following website early next week (June 4 or 5):
www.jpfreek.com
Elwood 1:01AM (2/11/2009)
Check the facts!! The Jeep was a $31,840, 3.8 liter V6 with fuel injection, 202 hp, 237 ft lb. torque. Not exactly a lightweight!! Fuel injection takes care of the thin air by adjusting for it. It may be stock but stock puts it at a distinct advantage to a 20+ year old carbed 4 cylinder. Obviously, they changed the engine. I KNOW that they did not have anywhere near $31,840 in that Suzuki.
It is kinda like 4 guys fighting one guy with a bat. The bat just evens the odds!!
Travis 12:45PM (4/27/2007)
Wasn't the Jeep Unlimited unmodified? That's more impressive I would say.
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upirons 11:30AM (4/27/2007)
They should have left the Jeep sign where it was. Even if they had beaten the record, that sign marked where the record was FIRST broken... Taking it down is in bad taste.
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Paul Murray 1:04PM (4/27/2007)
Hat's off to these two guys.
However, when it comes to the vehicle, I'm more impressed that a virtually stock Wrangler could do it than this Frankenstein modified Samurai.
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brimg87 11:35AM (4/27/2007)
I agree with #2, removing the sign was just disrespectful.
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Mike 11:36AM (4/27/2007)
It is still apples and oranges. Take a factory sammy up there and then you accomplished something.
That said... nice work on that sammy.
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Will 12:00PM (4/27/2007)
Psh, they were right to take that sign down. I could get up there with a bunch of funding and a team of vehicles, but two guys and a sammy doing it is much more impressive.
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CJ 12:05PM (4/27/2007)
I agree, taking down the sign was poor sportsmanship. They should have put their own sign higher.
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Mike 12:11PM (4/27/2007)
Will, go to Pirate4x4.com... there are hunderds upon hundreds (if not thousands) of people there (of 50,000+ members) with HIGHLY, HIGHLY modified 4x4's and full custom buggy's who could do what these two guys did.
What made the Jeep team special is not that there was a chase vehicle, but that it was accomplished with a showroom stock wrangler.
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Joe 8:35AM (1/29/2008)
Building a Zuke like that in Chile is pretty impressive no matter how you cut it. Those tires aren't cheap to ship!
Tons of $$$, two truck and a full team vs. two mechanics, a cheap Zuke and no support team. I'd say they are a wash, except the Zuke made it higher.
Justin 12:22PM (4/27/2007)
So what part of the Suzuki was still Suzuki? How does that even count?
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PiCASSO 12:31PM (4/27/2007)
Agree with removing and breaking the sign... bad taste. Additionally, what is impressive is that the Jeep was all stock... unlike the modified Suzuki which may have all original body, but mechinically it's modified.
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Nick 12:44PM (4/27/2007)
Would love to see the Samurai do it bone stock.
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Avinash machado 1:01PM (4/27/2007)
Believe it or not, the Suzuki Samurai is still in production in India. Here is a review.
http://www.autocarindia.com/new/RoadTestDetails.asp?ID=1061
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wally 1:09PM (4/27/2007)
They had to tow that modified Samurai there. The Stock Jeep could be driven!!!!!!!
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Chris MacMillan 10:47PM (4/27/2007)
Taking the sign was crass . . . mark you spot and label it not Jeeps allowed.
The only mod on the Jeep was the tires, that impressed me. This impresses me also but it isn't stock and took three attempts. Still an impressive feat.
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Mike 1:10PM (4/27/2007)
WAY TO GO TO THE CHILEANS AND EVERYONE ELSE FOR MISSING THE POINT!!!!
I could modify a f*cking lawn tractor and set the altitude record if I wanted to, the Jeep was a bone stock Rubicon Unlimited...STOCK...THAT IS THE POINT!
Take the Jeep sign and record for what? To prove with enough money and mods to anything you can do it? Way to go you no class sh*t bags...the Suzuki Samurai is a joke.
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