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A Porsche is now the highest-driving car on the planet. A Porsche 911, with racer Romain Dumas behind the wheel, drove to new heights. Dumas reached 22,093 toes up the aspect of a volcano and beat the outdated file set by a Mercedes Unimog only a few years in the past.
On December 2, 2023, Romain Dumas ran his extremely modified Porsche 911 to the height of the west ridge of Chile’s Ojos del Salado volcano. It was on that very same volcano in 2020 {that a} group drove a Unimog to the earlier four-wheel file of 20,013 toes as a part of an expedition to set the file whereas putting in emergency radios alongside the way in which.
12-Hour Summit Try
Dumas headed for the summit at 3:30 a.m. and reached the highest simply over 12 hours later. Porsche didn’t say how lengthy it took to get again down, however we’re guessing it was a faster journey.
The Porsche 911 Dumas used (there have been two 911s on the climb, however just one will get credit score for the file) was extensively modified for the occasion. It began life as a 443-horsepower turbocharged Carrera 4S mannequin. Then, Porsche fitted portal axles and a raised suspension.
With the brand new bits, the record-setting 911 had 13.7 inches of floor clearance. That’s greater than a Ford Raptor gives. For additional security from volcanic rocks, Porsche fitted aramid-composite skid plates, and the motive force received a carbon fiber seat and a five-point harness.
Whereas the gearing within the portal axles helped the motive force make extra exact inputs (and possibly helped acceleration), there have been few efficiency modifications made. The automotive nonetheless used its manufacturing facility engine, letting the unique engine administration system compensate for the altitude.
Porsche did fill the engine with its eFuels. The eFuels artificial gasoline is carbon impartial. Additionally it is made at an HIF International plant in Chile co-owned by the automaker.
Porsche’s Second Journey to New Heights in Chile
This was Porsche’s second journey up the volcano. The corporate tried in 2022 with the identical vehicles, making it to 19,708 toes above sea stage. Porsche calls that an “exploratory” try. It was additionally meant to construct hype for the 911 Dakar off-roader launched a couple of months later. However the try was hampered by snow and ice. This time, snow wasn’t a difficulty.
It took the group 2 weeks to make it excessive sufficient up the volcano to make the summit try. They gained altitude slowly every day to assist be sure that the motive force and crew didn’t endure from altitude illness. The skinny air and chilly temperatures can shortly flip lethal, and two medical doctors have been a part of the group.
Will a Car Ever Drive Larger?
This file might stand for fairly a while. The file it broke was set on the identical volcano, as was the one which file topped. The Guinness World Information for each vehicles and bikes have been set right here as nicely. The motorbike file was set in 2020 at 21,476 toes, nicely wanting the Porsche. For reference, the tallest mountain within the U.S. is Denali, and this file run climbed 1,783 toes larger in altitude.
The difficulty is that Porsche reached the summit of the best volcano on the planet. Any taller mountains will probably be rather more tough for a automotive to ascend than the largely pyramid-like volcano. Not that we’re calling this a simple climb.
A brand new file try must discover a extra favorable mountain, look forward to Ojos del Salado to erupt and get taller, or carry their very own grime to climb. None of that are seemingly.
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