Filed under: SUVs, Etc., Suzuki
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 2 of 3)
rgseidl 1:15PM (4/27/2007)
The Jeep was apparently factory stock and naturally aspirated. This Suzuki has a supercharger and, forced induction helps to minimize power loss due to the lower density of the ambient air at high altitude.
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jjpg2000 1:43PM (4/27/2007)
#7 That artical was written 7 years ago. Are you sure they are still making them?
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mj 2:30PM (4/27/2007)
Isn't the moon buggy the official holder for this record? How does that not count?
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TS 2:54PM (4/27/2007)
So someone post the specs of the stock Rubicon Unilimited and compare them to the specs of the modded Sammi. Tire size differences, axles, lockers, gearing...etc.
Comparing the Jeep stock to the Sammi stock is apples to oranges. To get apples to apples, you have to compare the specs of each including all mods.
And for what it's worth - I've seen SPUA Sammis with thirties, a virtual lift, and a locker go places most Jeepers would only look at.
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The Anti-Paul 3:19PM (4/27/2007)
A Suzuki with an engine fire? What are the odds...
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Mike 3:29PM (4/27/2007)
TS, I can understand your affliction for sammy's, but in no way, shape, or form does a modded sammy compare to a stock unlimited.
Wheelbase, approach and departure angles, gearing, weight, COG, suspension dynamics (roll center, ackerman, anti-lift, anti-squat, etc), components (leaf vs coil vs coilover vs air shock vs nitrogen charged vs airbag vs eliptical vs etc) the vehicles are different in every possible way, and there is no comparison.
Jeep can fly some desert runners down there, or a sponsored nurock, werock, or other competition buggy down there and park on top of the sammy on top of the mountain... but that is not what this record was about, and THAT is the point you are missing.
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George 4:51PM (4/27/2007)
First off, yes the Samurai is still made, its called SJ413, Jimney, and some others I forgot. The Samurai is bad ass and who cares a crappy Jeep made it. The fact is that built Samurai is still ALLOOOOOOOOT less $$$$$$$ than the crappy Heep! DUH!!!!! And good for them on ripping down the sign, Samurai owners are always being pissed on by the Heep crowed even though they out preform them all the time. Take your $25,000 stock POS Heep and spend $5k on a Samurai with some parts and you will do allot more than a stupid Heep. Spend $50,000 on a Heep and $12,000 on a Samurai and it will run circles around that POS Heep. Its about damn time for the Samurai to get some props!
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Barney 5:56PM (4/27/2007)
Who says the Jeep was stock?
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Barney 6:01PM (4/27/2007)
"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."
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Barney 6:06PM (4/27/2007)
re 26: Sorry I didn't read it through enough. However the Jeep did have assistance, stock or not.
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bub 10:13PM (4/27/2007)
i own both jeeps and sammys. love them both . but do the comparison like someone said earlier ,,,
a "stock" rubicon unlimited already has a 4to1 tcase, e lockers, longer wheelbase, wider trackwidth,larger tires, more ground clearance. compared to a stock sammy. and with a supercharger it probably still had less horsepower. about the sign theres the difference in the jeepers and the zukers. the zukers did it with out a smart a** sign , the jeepers did it yes . but with a snied commentand a thumb to the nose
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bathtub gin 10:42PM (4/27/2007)
29) about the sign theres the difference in the jeepers and the zukers. the zukers did it with out a smart a** sign , the jeepers did it yes . but with a snied commentand a thumb to the nose
The "zukers" pulled down the sign and broke it in half. That's not smart-ass at all, is it?
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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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titan 11:17PM (4/27/2007)
Where does it say they took the sign?? The link in the article http://www.autoblog.com/gallery/chilean-team-sets-altitude-record/226171/ shows they took the part that said "ALL OTHERS DON'T MAKE IT UP HERE ANYWAY" and doesn't indicate they took the sign down. Their samurai made it up there, so they simply corrected the sign. That's fair.
BTW the Jeeps weren't stock, they had different, presumably bigger tires, and most importantly had a winch. With a winch you can drag anything up there.
I hope Jeep tries to out do these guys now :)
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titan 11:26PM (4/27/2007)
I translated it the post through
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.twistedandes.com%2Fforo%2Fshowthread.php%3Ft%3D34944%26page%3D1%26pp%3D10&langpair=es%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF8
and it looks like Jeep's attempt cost 500,000 Euros, had 19 people, and SEVEN vehicles. It took five modified trucks to tow the two jeeps up??
Pretty impressive for two guys in one vehicle. Maybe a bit stupid? It's a long walk home when you're almost 7km high!)
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Shniz 1:14AM (4/28/2007)
Jeep is packing a 4.0L straight six with 190HP and buttload of torque. Sammy is packing a 1.3L stock.... how about they take a 4 cylinder Wranger vs stock Sammy and do the same thing. Record is broken, go cry a river somewhere else.
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Barney 2:29AM (4/28/2007)
The winner takes all and the Jeep sign should go. The Chilean duo of Gonzalo Bravo and Eduardo Canales deserve the prize.
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Rodrigo 4:03PM (4/28/2007)
they have to take back the sign because the wind take it off and that place is a National Park, so blow away sign = litter, waste.. etc.
they've cleaned the place.
They also said that if they had all the support that jeep team had, they will set the record with a stock samurai...
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jock 9:36PM (4/28/2007)
Rubicon jeep standard? Factory fitted lockers front and rear, reduction gearing in the gearbox and transfer case standard and off road tyres standard. This isn't a "standard car" The suzuki had the same options fitted as the jeep comes with standard. That way they are both the same car. Maybe research some facts about what you are posting please people.
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ben 8:37AM (4/29/2007)
I bet the Jeep Unlimited JK MSRP is 4 times what money was put into Samurai MSRP plus mods. Jeeps are overpriced for a reason, because they come stock with all the mods already. The jeep had stronger running gear and more HP than the modded Samurai yet the Samurai out did the Jeep. BTW the sign was just trash on the landscape, I applaud the team for cleaning up trash left behind by the Corporate Sponsered Jeep team. Too many Jeep owners are ruining the pristine landscape with trashy signs and stickers.
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