Jean-Philippe Dayraut, the driver chosen to manhandle the car up the track, managed to finish the course in 10 minutes, 17 seconds and 7 tenths. Unfortunately, the result was overshadowed by the results of Nobuhiro Tajima, at the wheel of his Suzuki SX4. The Japanese driver beat the 10-minute track record with a new record of 9 minutes, 51 seconds and 2 tenths.
He was followed closely by Rhys Millen and his RMR Hyundai PM580, who was 18 seconds slower.
"The Pikes Peak Hill Climb is the only event where you get to keep a monster like this in check while drifting at speeds of 200kph on a course which features a mix of asphalt and dirt," notes Jean-Philippe Dayraut, the man behind the wheel at the Colorado event. "I can't think of any other form of motorsport where such cars are authorized."
Dacia Duster 'No Limit' complies with the specific regulations of the American competition's 'Unlimited' class which sets no upper limit on the size or power output of the engine. There is no minimum weight, any tires may be used and there are no restrictions concerning either the transmission system or aerodynamics.
The all-important power for the climb came from a unit specially built by Sodemo and based on the Nissan GT-R's NISSAN VR 38 DETT block. The 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6 has been tuned to deliver a monumental 850 horsepower. The engine is mated to a sequential six-speed Sadev box specially developed to cope with so much power, while at the same time ensuring quick, precise gearshifts.
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