Key facts
- A 1,250 hp hybrid Corvette ZR1X set a new production car record at Pikes Peak.
- The Corvette completed the 12.4-mile course in nine and a half minutes.
- The previous production car record was 9 minutes and 53 seconds, set by a 2022 Porsche 911 Turbo S.
- The hybrid Corvette combines a 5.5 L twin-turbocharged V8 with a front electric motor.
- The car is a modified development mule with a roll cage and fuel cell.
A 1,250 hp hybrid Corvette ZR1X, driven by professional racer JR Hildebrand, has shattered the production car record at the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb. The vehicle completed the challenging 12.4-mile, 156-corner course in just nine and a half minutes, significantly beating the previous record of 9 minutes and 53 seconds set by a 2022 Porsche 911 Turbo S.
The Pikes Peak International Hillclimb, in its 104th running, is renowned for its extreme altitude, with the summit reaching 14,115 feet, which severely impacts engine performance. The hybrid Corvette combines a 5.5 L twin-turbocharged V8 engine with an electric motor on the front axle, producing its immense power output. According to Stefan Frick, an energy performance engineer on the team, the car still produces around 700 hp at the summit, with turbochargers aiding performance.
GM Executive Chief Engineer Tony Roma confirmed that the car, while modified with a mandatory roll cage and fuel cell mounted in the trunk, is a representative vehicle. Hildebrand utilized the car's "Race 1" traction setting to minimize wheelspin during his record-setting run.
The overall course record remains with the electric Volkswagen I.D. R Pikes Peak, which set a time of 7:57 in 2018. This year also saw Romain Dumas competing in an upgraded, three-motor, 1,400-horsepower Ford Super Mustang Mach-E, aiming for overall honors.