It’s Christmas for motorsport fans during this time of the year! Three weeks ago was the Indy 500, earlier this month was the Isle of Man TT, this past weekend was the 24 Heures du Mans, and this coming weekend is the 2018 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
As we previously reported, Bentley Motors are aiming to claim the record of fastest production SUV to compete at the gruelling 20km race. The Crewe-based luxury manufacturer is set to use a stripped-out Bentley Bentayga - dropping 300kgs - for the attempt, in a bit to take the record currently held by Land Rover's Range- Rover Sport.
The primary changes to the Bentayga are the addition of racing seats, a roll cage, an on-board fire suppression system, carbon ceramic brakes and a custom Akrapovic Exhaust System. The 6.0-litre bi-turbo W12 is untouched and produces 447kw and 900nm, and it will even run on ‘production’ Pirelli tyres.
Drift-God Rhys Millen will pilot the Bentayga for the 156-corner hillclimb. Rhys is a two-time winner of the event, a respected stuntman (having done most of the drift work in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift), as well as one of the prolific drifters in the world. His most recent work includes drifting a BMW M4 CS in the 2018 Pennzoil video, entitled "Escaping the Nürburgring'.
The record attempt is planned for Sunday.
