David Donner managed a category win and got here in second total on the 2022 Pikes Peak Worldwide Hill Climb (PPIHC) in June, driving a 2022 Porsche 911 Turbo S, although he nonetheless did not obtain the outcome he was on the lookout for.
Moist climate throughout this yr’s one hundredth operating of the PPIHC meant Donner may solely handle a time of 10:34.053, which was quicker than many race vehicles on the day, due to the Porsche’s all-wheel-drive system, however nonetheless slower than the 10:18.488 set in 2019 by Rhys Millen in a Bentley Continental GT, the report for manufacturing vehicles Donner was eager to say.
Donner is a Colorado Springs native and has gained total at Pikes Peak on three events (1991, 2002, and 2005). He is additionally set quite a few class data, together with the report for manufacturing vehicles, which he set in 2014 with a previous-generation 911 Turbo S. That report stood till Millen claimed it with the Bentley in 2019.
Thankfully for Donner, one other try on the report was doable in September due to a brand new program run by organizers of the PPIHC to carry sanctioned runs outdoors of the same old race day. The primary operating of this system, often called Pikes Peak Licensed Course Occasions, ran Sept. 26-27.
Driving the identical 911 Turbo S from the June run, owned by Porsche collector Jim Edwards, Donner managed a time of 9:53.541, which is a brand new report at Pikes Peak for manufacturing vehicles. The automotive wore particular livery highlighting the quarterly Porsche fanatic journal “000,” which helped convey the events collectively to facilitate the run.
Equally, a Lamborghini Urus Performante in August was pushed to a report for manufacturing SUVs, with a time of 10:32.064.
Donner’s automotive was fitted with a contemporary set of street-legal Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires, and was fully inventory, other than the ECU tuning and exhaust modifications allowed on the PPIHC to account for the excessive altitude. The course begins at 9,390 toes and climbs to 14,115 toes.
The 911 Turbo S is powered by a twin-turbo 3.8-liter flat-6 mated to an 8-speed dual-clutch computerized transmission and all-wheel-drive system. Peak output is 640 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, or sufficient for 0-60 mph acceleration in 2.6 seconds and a prime pace of 205 mph. Donner’s automotive was additionally fitted with the accessible Light-weight Package deal supplied by Porsche. The bundle saves round 80 lb from the curb weight by both eradicating parts or swapping in lighter alternate options.
