Mercedes C 300d 4Matic sets a new record for a diesel at Pikes Peak

Pikes Peak 2015
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Mercedes has set a new record for the diesels in the legendary Pikes Peak hill climb race with a C 300 d 4Matic very close to series production. Test driver Uwe Nittel completed the 19.99 km route with 156 bends and a range in altitude of 1,400 meters in just 11.37 minutes.

The C 300 d 4Matic with 204 HP (known in Europe as C 250 d) and 7G-Tronic Plus automatic transmission competed at Pikes peak in a very close configuration with series production car. The only modifications include a more spartan interior and the the safety measures required by the regulations such as roll-over cage, racing tank, fire extinguishing system, modified brakes and ultra high performance tyres.

Competing in the extreme Pikes Peak race knowing as the “Race to the Clouds”, Mercedes want to demonstrate how well the 2.1 litre diesel is adapted to the special requirements of the US market which include extreme climatic conditions.

The race begins at 2,862 metres above the sea and the finishing point is at 4,301 metres, where the air is very thin.

Test driver Uwe Nittel declared: “Shoving a series diesel saloon with automatic transmission up Pikes Peak sounds like a crazy idea, but it was a lot of fun. And it showed that all the prejudices regarding diesel cars are well out of time”.