Suzuki Sport XL7 Hill-Climb Special Breaks Record at Pikes Peak

It took Nobuhiro Tajima 10 minutes, 1.408 seconds in the Suzuki Sport XL7 Hill Climb Special to sprint up 14,100-foot Pikes Peak, winning the 85th-anniversary run of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Tajima broke the record previously held by Australian Rod Millen driving a Toyota 13 years ago. The new record will be included in the 2007 edition of Guinness World Records.

"Monster" Tajima was driving a new car, which is based on the 2007 Suzuki XL7, the company's flagship SUV in the United States. It is equipped with a 3.6-liter engine that has been outfitted with twin turbochargers. It churns out 993 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. Aerodynamics were tweaked, and the downforce achieved is up by more than 35 percent compared to the previous Pikes Peak car, the company said.

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, a brutal event on a 156-turn course, is the country's second oldest car race after the Indianapolis 500. As you might expect, Tajima set a new goal upon exiting the winning car and being swarmed by spectators. In 2008, he wants to "break the 10-minute barrier."