The 11 Coolest Cars of the 2023 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
Pikes Peak always attracts wild purpose-built race cars, and this year had a bumper crop.
Pikes Peak is a race unlike any other. Yes, there are other hill climbs out there, but no other race starts at 9,390 feet of elevation and ends at 14,115 feet. No other gains 4,725 feet of elevation between start and finish, all within just 12.42 miles. Competing at Pikes Peak takes a purpose-built race car able to make big power even in the thin air at the top of the mountain, able to carry high speeds through the less twisty sections, and able to handle bumpy, winter-ravaged roads at triple-digit speeds. With all those requirements and relatively few rules about how to meet them, it's no wonder the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb attracts some of the most interesting race cars in the world; here's an exciting selection from the 2023 race.
2023 Ford E-Transit Supervan 4.2 | Driver: Romain Dumas
Even for Pikes Peak, the Supervan is unusual. Nominally based on a Ford E-Transit electric delivery van, it's been heavily modified into an electric race van. Originally a 1,973-hp four-motor EV racer, version 4.2 has seen it reduced to three motors (one in front, two in the rear) for a total somewhere north of 1,400 hp. Further modifications for Pikes Peak included the distinctly un-van-like body work and massive aerodynamic elements said to produce 4,400 pounds of downforce at 150 mph. Word around the paddock on race morning was Ford engineers weren't sure the 50 kWh battery would make it all the way to the top of the mountain based on consumption data from practice and qualifying (practice and qualifying are done on three segments of the mountain on different days; no team makes a complete run until race day), but all-time Pikes Peak record holder Romain Dumas got it there.
2023 Ford E-Transit Supervan 4.2 | Driver: Romain Dumas
Despite Ford's unlimited budget, though, it was only good enough for second place overall and first in class. When he reached the top of the mountain, Dumas' first question was about his time. His second was about defending champion Robin Shute's time. Informed he was seven seconds slower, Dumas reportedly threw his gloves.
2018 Alpine A110 GT4 Evo Pikes Peak | Driver: Raphael Astier
Alpine is best known in most of the world for its Formula 1 team, which it took over naming rights to from parent company Renault. The A110 sports car is only sold in certain countries, most of them in Europe, but that didn't stop them from taking on "America's Mountain."
2018 Alpine A110 GT4 Evo Pikes Peak | Driver: Raphael Astier
Longtime partner Signatech built the car by mashing together its A110 GT4 Evo cup car and A110 R-GT rally car, using the chassis of the former with the suspension and brakes of the latter. Sprinkle in some Pikes Peak-specific aerodynamic elements, a roughly 500-hp 1.8-liter turbo four-cylinder from fellow racecar builder Oreca, and top-tier driving from Raphael Astier and the little French sports car came in third overall ahead of vehicles with multiple times the power.
2023 Radford Type 62-2 | Driver: Tanner Foust
If you've been following the post-racing career of past Formula 1 champ Jenson Button, you've likely heard about Radford. He, along with TV host and car builder Ant Anstead and lawyer Roger Belhe, revived the Radford name a few years back by purchasing and renaming the former Bob Bondurant Racing School in Arizona and building the Lotus-inspired Radford Type 62-2 sports car. For this year's Pikes Peak event, they've built a racing version that shares nothing but the name and look with the street car.
2023 Radford Type 62-2 | Driver: Tanner Foust
We mean it. The aluminum chassis has been replaced with a carbon-fiber monocoque, the engine has been completely rebuilt with race parts (except the block) and now makes 700 hp, and the car's carbon-fiber body work is a fully nine-inches wider than stock. All the lightweight materials make for a car that weighs less than 1,900 pounds. This thing is the definition of purpose-built.
It worked. Racer, stunt driver, and TV host Tanner Foust flew up the mountain in 9:37.326 and handily won the Exhibition Class while placing seventh overall.
Hoonipigasus Porsche 911 | Driver: Lia Block
Lia Block, daughter of famed racer and stunt driver Ken Block, drove a touching tribute run up Pikes Peak in her recently departed father's last race car. Though untimed, the younger Block's run was the highlight of the event and especially impressive given the car.
Hoonipigasus Porsche 911 | Driver: Lia Block
The Hoonipigasus is a Porsche 911-shaped tribute to the famous "Pink Pig" Porsche 917/20 race car. Within its tube frame lies a mid-mounted 1,400-hp twin-turbo flat-six driving all four wheels. The elder Block entered it in last year's race but ran out of time tuning the car, causing handling problems and eventually an engine failure that forced him to withdraw from the race. After his sudden and tragic death last winter, his 16-year-old daughter and fellow racer Lia announced she would drive the car at this year's race in his honor.
2021 Tesla Model S Plaid “Dark Helmet” | Driver: Randy Pobst
It was a redemption run for longtime MotorTrend contributor Randy Pobst and the Unplugged Performance Tesla Model S Plaid named "Dark Helmet" (a Spaceballs movie reference to complement the Plaid reference). On the third attempt, Pobst finally had a full length, full speed run to the top of the mountain after the race was shortened in 2021 due to weather and Pobst had to slow down in 2022, again due to weather (and the inability to activate the windshield defogger mid-race). This year, the weather was perfect and Pobst placed 10th overall and second in the Exhibition class with a blistering time of 9:54.901. Doing so made the Tesla the quickest production-based EV in race history (purpose-built EV race cars have gone faster, including the Supervan this year).
2021 Tesla Model S Plaid “Dark Helmet” | Driver: Randy Pobst
"Dark Helmet" is a mostly stock Model S Plaid modified with bolt-on racing suspension, additional battery and powertrain cooling, and massive aerodynamic elements. The battery and motors are completely stock.
2022 Mazda 3 4-Rotor | Driver: Michael “Mad Mike” Whiddett
Professional drifter Mad Mike has been a Mazda man most of his career and a rotor head for much of that time. It's no surprise, then, his first Pikes Peak car is a rotary-powered Mazda, but this is no ordinary RX coupe. In fact, it's not an RX car at all, but instead a Mazda 3 hatchback stuffed with a custom-built twin-turbo four-rotor engine making 1,200 hp. Whiddett was supposed to compete in this car last year, but the New Zealander wasn't able to get it finished in time.
2022 Mazda 3 4-Rotor | Driver: Michael “Mad Mike” Whiddett
This year, though, he made up for it. Brap-ing his way up the mountain, Mad Mike set a new rotary record with a 10:34.980 run, capped off with a dramatic finish as the car hit a bumpy patch just short of the finish line and crossed it in a fishtail that Whiddett thankfully saved.
2010 Nissan Powerstroke GT-R | Driver: Cole Powelson
Yes, Powerstroke as in the Ford diesel engine. In a Nissan GT-R. Owner, builder, and driver Cole Powelson swapped out the flood salvage GT-R's original twin-turbo V-6 for a 6.0-liter turbo diesel V-8 and set his sights on Pikes Peak glory last year, only to be knocked out of the race by an engine failure partway up the mountain.
2010 Nissan Powerstroke GT-R | Driver: Cole Powelson
Another year of tuning made all the difference. Powelson not only made it to the top of the mountain this year, but he broke the diesel engine record with a run of 11:06.535, good enough for 37th overall and 8th in the Unlimited Division.
2022 Rivian R1T | Driver: Gardner Nichols
Typically when we see a newer street vehicle competing at Pikes Peak, it's a factory-backed effort aimed at earning some bragging rights and marketing fodder. That's not the case with Gardner Nichols and his Rivian R1T. Nichols is just an enthusiastic customer who decided to build a race truck. Nichols and his wife, Darby (who designed the livery), found their own sponsors, raised their own money, and set about building their own truck. Rivian did lend some expertise on the roll cage, but otherwise it was a privateer effort all the way. Along with the cage, racing brake pads were installed and Pirelli P Zero Trofeo tires from the Lamborghini Urus were mounted, but the truck is otherwise stock. The power tonneau cover and onboard air compressor are both installed and functional.
2022 Rivian R1T | Driver: Gardner Nichols
Come race day, Nichols had to be very strategic about how he drove the truck. At roughly 7,100 pounds, it was by far the heaviest vehicle in the race and that required certain adaptations. Nichols couldn't use all of the power exiting tight hairpin corners as it would spike the battery temperature and had to brake earlier and lighter than he otherwise would in order to keep the brakes cool. His efforts paid off, as he reported reaching the peak with the battery temperature a tenth of a degree below the protection mode cutoff that would've significantly reduced motor output.
1990 Toyota Starlet EP82 | Driver: Satoshi Yagi
Somewhat surprisingly, Pikes Peak is far more popular globally than it is in the US, so much so a number of teams and drivers fly themselves and their cars around the world to compete. Japanese driver Satoshi Yagi brought his 1990 Toyota Starlet racecar all the way from Japan just to fulfil a dream. Short on funds and connections, Yagi reached out to a local Mitsubishi Evo tuning shop and convinced the owners to help him set up his car for the race.
1990 Toyota Starlet EP82 | Driver: Satoshi Yagi
The Starlet was a subcompact hatchback sold globally by Toyota from 1973 to 1999, and in North America from 1981 to 1984. Yagi's car is a fourth-generation model, specifically the GT Turbo model in front-wheel drive (all-wheel drive was available). While the Starlet was raced back in its day, it made all of 135 hp but weighed just under 2,000 lbs. Yagi's car was one of the slowest in the race, but it finished and that's more than nine other competitors can say.
1949 Ford F-1 “Ol’ Smokey” | Driver: Scott Birdsall
"Ol' Smokey" is a Pikes Peak favorite and former Hot Rod Magazine cover car. It's competed multiple times and held the diesel engine record with a time of 11:24.065 set in 2020. Powered by a 1,400-hp twin-turbo 6.7-liter Cummins I-6, it started life as a $225 Craigslist find before being reborn as a race truck.
1949 Ford F-1 “Ol’ Smokey” | Driver: Scott Birdsall
Unfortunately, 2023 was Ol' Smokey's last race. Nearing the top of the mountain, the truck experienced complete brake failure approaching a high-speed corner. Birdsall was unable to slow enough and the truck flew off the side of the mountain. Birdsall estimates the truck flew 175 feet off a cliff before landing on its roof and rolling eight or nine times. He walked away unscathed thanks to a stout roll cage and proper safety equipment, but the truck was wrecked beyond repair.
2005 Honda S2000 | Driver: Dai Yoshihara
Past Formula Drift champion Dai Yoshihara and builder Evasive Motorsports have had a great run together at Pikes Peak. First, it was a class-win in a 2JZ-powered Toyota 86, then a now-broken production EV record in a Tesla Model 3. This year, the team came back with a heavily modified Honda S2000. Called the Evasive S2000 RS, its calling card is a bored, stroked, and turbocharged 2.4-liter F20C I-4 making 650 hp. Along with major suspension, braking, and aerodynamic updates, the car and driver seemed poised for another big result.
2005 Honda S2000 | Driver: Dai Yoshihara
Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be. The S2000 RS suffered gearbox trouble during the race and Yoshihara was forced to drop out halfway up the mountain. Maybe we'll see a return next year.
Were you one of those kids who taught themselves to identify cars at night by their headlights and taillights? I was. I was also one of those kids with a huge box of Hot Wheels and impressive collection of home-made Lego hot rods. I asked my parents for a Power Wheels Porsche 911 for Christmas for years, though the best I got was a pedal-powered tractor. I drove the wheels off it. I used to tell my friends I’d own a “slug bug” one day. When I was 15, my dad told me he would get me a car on the condition that I had to maintain it. He came back with a rough-around-the-edges 1967 Volkswagen Beetle he’d picked up for something like $600. I drove the wheels off that thing, too, even though it was only slightly faster than the tractor. When I got tired of chasing electrical gremlins (none of which were related to my bitchin’ self-installed stereo, thank you very much), I thought I’d move on to something more sensible. I bought a 1986 Pontiac Fiero GT and got my first speeding ticket in that car during the test drive. Not my first-ever ticket, mind you. That came behind the wheel of a Geo Metro hatchback I delivered pizza in during high school. I never planned to have this job. I was actually an aerospace engineering major in college, but calculus and I had a bad breakup. Considering how much better my English grades were than my calculus grades, I decided to stick to my strengths and write instead. When I made the switch, people kept asking me what I wanted to do with my life. I told them I’d like to write for a car magazine someday, not expecting it to actually happen. I figured I’d be in newspapers, maybe a magazine if I was lucky. Then this happened, which was slightly awkward because I grew up reading Car & Driver, but convenient since I don’t live in Michigan. Now I just try to make it through the day without adding any more names to the list of people who want to kill me and take my job.
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