Remember that Suzuki Escudo in Gran Turismo 2 that was just about the most batshit-insane vehicle in the game? The man behind that machine (at least outside of virtual reality) was Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima, professional rally driver, workshop owner, hill climber and now, King of Pikes Peak.

On Saturday, Tajima-san soared to the top of Pikes Peak at the wheel of a highly-modified Suzuki XL7, which featured a twin-turbocharged 3.6 litre V6 boasting 750kW and a mammoth 1000Nm of torque. Tajima-san steered the XL7 through all 156 turns and reached the finish line in 10:01.04, surpassing the time of previous record holder Rod Millen by less than three seconds.

This isn’t the first time a Japanese car has claimed the mantle of world’s best hill-climber. Rod Millen set his long-standing Pikes Peak record in a modified Toyota Celica back in 1994. Coincidentally, “Monster” Tajima came in second behind Millen that year, driving that Suzuki Escudo.

[Source: Autoblog]
[Photo courtesy of Australian Car Advice]