In our continuing exploration of the world of hillclimb race cars we present a new mighty, maniacal machine for your enjoyment. This time around we're working with a Lotus Elise. This is a car built on the idea of added lightness, but this one also has a V-8 engine.
This particular V-8 isn't a massive chunk of iron, though. Instead, it's very much in keeping with the theme of a Lotus. Rather than some monster mill, we have a Hartley V-8, which is made by joining together the 1,299-cc inline-4-cylinder engines from a pair of Suzuki Hyabusa motorcycles to create a power-producing bit of excellence.
CHECK OUT: V-8-powered Alfa Romeo 4C hill climb car is a serious machine
The description in the YouTube video states that the this engine is good for 450 horsepower and can rev to 10,000 rpm. It's also good for producing tremendous noise and furious acceleration. Couple that powertrain with the standard hillclimb aero aggression and a 1,650-pound curb weight, and you have a vehicle that's supremely focused on accomplishing the task of running up a mountain as quickly as possibly.
This is just another example of the exciting engineering that results from the world of the hillclimb. We can't stress enough that we need more events like this here in the States. Pikes Peak and The Climb to the Clouds are good, but we can do more and we should do more.
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