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Ford ups the ante with a new Mustang dedicated to conquering Pikes Peak
Pikes Peak is an exceptional motorsports event where brands and privateers build some of the craziest race cars in the world, all in the spirit of being the fastest up the hill. But the Pikes Peak Hill Climb is no short patch of tar with a couple of bends; it’s a 21.7-kilometre stretch of road with 156 turns along the way. It’s a road that needs to be studied extensively before you even think about driving it. But there are more than just a couple of factors when tackling Pikes Peak, and Ford's new proposed build, the Mustang Mach-E Pikes Peak, looks to be a serious contender.
One factor that makes Pikes Peak unique is its altitude gain. Starting at 2,255 metres above sea level and finishing at 4,302 metres, it reveals a new issue that cars face. Air intake. Whether racing at altitude or not, most racing teams tune their engines to operate at their maximum capacity for the air's density. But with over 2,000 metres of an altitude increase, ICE-powered cars struggle for power towards the end of the run. This led to the development of inventions such as the Volkswagen I.D. R.
Electric power doesn’t need air, so it maintains its power delivery whether you are at sea level or space... traction in space may be a different issue... So it comes as no surprise that electrically powered cars are becoming increasingly popular at these events. In fact, the I.D. R was the first to break eight minutes on the hill, so it became immediately apparent that EVs were the way forward in this event.
So, last year Ford decided to bring its already impressive 1,000+kW EV racing Ford F-150 Lightning SuperTruck, and it was a giant success, taking first place. So to ensure Ford rides this wave of successful publicity, they have yet another new and obscure electric race car. One that is arguably less cool than a rocket ship in the shape of a bakkie but still pretty cool. It's a Mustang Mach-E with enough downforce to make Adrian Newey froth and enough power to spin the globe.
At this moment in time, Ford has yet to release any specific information on its new Mach-E, but the media world has a few speculations. Firstly, it's not just a showpiece, and we are expecting Ford to gun for the top spot again. With that being said, it will also likely come with a similar 1,000+kW to the F-150 Lightning and produce a similar 2,000-2,750kg of downforce, which surpasses that of F1 numbers.
A peek of the images that Ford Performance supplied shows a rear wing size that dwarfs most other race cars, and the addition of an intricate front wing levels the car’s road-hugging ability. It's bold and brutish, and I like its look. Although the Mach-E has a very distinct SUV characteristic, this model is as slim as they come. It may be a touch obscure in the looks department, but if a purpose-built race car doesn’t look a bit out-there, then you are doing something wrong.
It's clear that with an event like Pikes Peak, electric power is the way to go and to ensure Ford retains its title as king of this hill, the Mach-E is sure to be devastating on arrival. I look forward to seeing it in action, as Pikes Peak has no shortage of serious competition.
