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]
