Mercedes-Benz has set a new record for production diesel cars at the Pikes Peak hill-climb race with a C 250d 4Matic driven by Uwe Nittel.
The near-production car completed the 12.4-mile-long (19.9-km) route, which includes more than 150 bends at a range in altitude of nearly 5,000 feet (1,524 meters), in just 11 minutes 22 seconds. The previous record of 14 minutes 3.320 seconds was set in 2007 by a 2000 Volkswagen Golf TDI.
“Shoving a series-production diesel sedan with an automatic transmission up Pikes Peak sounds like a crazy idea, but it was a lot of fun. It shows that the preconceived notions about diesel engines are no longer relevant,” said Nittel.
The 201hp C 250d 4Matic, fitted with a 7G-Tronic Plus automatic transmission, competed in the famous hill-climb race in largely series-production configuration. There were some modifications, though. These included the disassembly of the interior (typical for racing cars) as well as regulation safety modifications, including a rollover cage, racing tank, fire extinguishing system, enhanced brakes and ultra-high-performance (UHP) tires.
The four-cylinder diesel engine was not touched. Thanks to an effective emission control system, the C 250d is the first diesel model to surpass US ULEV 70 emissions requirements, which are among the strictest in the world. With a combined rating of 34 mpg (6.9 l/100 km) , the C 250d’s fuel economy surpasses that of most hybrid vehicles sold in the US.
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