You won't see this SUV in the parking lot at your local grocery store, although Gran Turismo fans should recognize it. It's the unlimited hillclimb version of the Suzuki Escudo (Grand Vitara), driven by Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima, the Chairman of Suzuki Sport, the motorsports arm of Suzuki Motor Corp. This past weekend, Monster Tajima drove the Suzuki Batmobile to a record seventh win in New Zealand's "Race to the Sky" hillclimb, setting a new course record in the process.
Monster's ride has some impressive specs:
- 2.7-liter V6 twin-turbo, producing 995 hp at 8,100 rpm
- steel space frame
- carbon/kevlar body
- sequential six-speed gearbox
- all-wheel drive
- mammoth downforce-generating aerodynamic aids, including supersized front splitter, rear wing and underbody diffuser
- all-up weight (including driver and fuel) of only 2,244 lb!
[Sources: Suzuki Sport via gizmag.com]
