Revealed: 1,150hp Ford RS racer

[RickT]

Revealed: 1,150hp Ford RS racer

It's not every day that the 1,001hp Bugatti Veyron is shown up by a Ford.

But this British-built RS is packing a ridiculous 1,150hp - enough to rocket from zero to 60 in less than two seconds.

That enormous rear wing isn't for show. This is Mach 2 Racing's Ford RS200 Evolution, built to take the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb record in under 10 minutes. Incredibly, the underlying design of this car is now over 20 years old - testimony to the original Group B rallying design and the remarkable application of cutting-edge technology.

At the heart of this mid-engined, four-wheel drive monster lies an extra-special version of the RS200 BDT-E Ford/Cosworth motor. Assembled by Geoff Page - the man that built most of the RS200 Evolution race engines in the first place - it displaces a mildly increased 2.4-litres.










More photos here....

http://cars.uk.msn.com/Photo_Gallery...photo-number=1


2.4-litres to make 1,150hp
Given the prodigious 1,150hp output, that's still tiny - resulting in an amazing 479hp per litre. But what's really clever is that it compensates for the increasingly heady altitudes of the Pikes Peak hillclimb, which famously runs 12.42 miles up the side of a mountain in Colorado Springs.

The startline is 9,440 feet above sea level, the finish at 14,110 feet, some 156 corners later. The average incline is 7% - and it's much steeper in places - while the cars typically lose around 40% of their power at the top due to the drop in atmospheric pressure.


The current course record is 10 minutes 1 second, set by Nobuhiro Tajima driving a Suzuki Hillclimb Special in 2007; the previous record stood for 13 years at 10 minutes 4 seconds, so breaking it again is no easy task.

Sadly for the team, the RS200 didn't crack the record this time round, achieving a time of 12 minutes 11 seconds at the event on July 19 2009.

Boosting the engine performance at high altitude is key. Mach 2 Racing knows this from previous Pikes Peak attempts in 2002 and 2004, when the car was driven by Stig Blomqvist. So this time the RS200 is packing a prototype Garratt turbocharger and new engine management, capable of adjusting to the increasingly challenging conditions as the car screams higher.

Prototype turbo and nitrous oxide
Together they create a staggering 950hp when running on 116 octane race fuel - way more potent than even the very best super unleaded you can get on your local forecourt. Since 950hp clearly isn't enough, the car also carries an enormous 70-litre nitrous bottle - injecting another 200hp when needed.

Further helping the car's performance, race engineer Adam Bennett from MDV Specialist Engineering has put it through an extreme weight reduction program. In now weighs-in at just over 1,000kg, fully fueled with the driver on board. Bringing us neatly to the next vital component: the man behind the steering wheel.


Piloting the Mach 2 Racing RS200E for the 2009 record attempt was former British Rallycross Champion Mark Rennison. He has plenty of experience with this kind of car - he won all seven rounds of 1987 championship in an RS200. A clean sweep of victories that has never been repeated.

That rallycross experience came in handy on Pikes Peak as well. Since about halfway up the course the road turns from tarmac to gravel. The United State's second oldest racing event, Pikes Peak Hillclimb is also one of the most challenging motor races in the entire world.

Mach 2 Racing reckons it has built the fastest off-road racer ever, so with more practice we could see a new record in years to come. Skipping back to the Bugatti Veyron, the Ford's top speed is nothing to fear. The RS200 is geared for just 140mph - but the acceleration is so ferocious it takes just six seconds to get there.

[ImCammers]

Doesn't look/ nor sound as pratical in comparison to a Veyron, cant imagine VW will be taking this one on the chin.

And in fairness the car is carrying Nitrious Oxide, atleast the Veyron doesn't need any extra/additives!

Prototype turbo and nitrous oxide
Together they create a staggering 950hp when running on 116 octane race fuel - way more potent than even the very best super unleaded you can get on your local forecourt. Since 950hp clearly isn't enough, the car also carries an enormous 70-litre nitrous bottle - injecting another 200hp when needed.

[hongkongstuey]

veyron? practical, are you sure? go get an insurance quote on one too, they are totally different purposeful cars but hey, the rs200 has it licked to140mph definately using an engine from the early 80's, it has been reworked but tvr did that and i presume still use the rover v8 that goes back decades, if that rs200 breaks it'll cost a bit rather than 50-60k to fix if something goes wrong, gimme an rs200 anyday

[zollaf]

0-140 in 6 seconds. that really is rather quick dont you think.