The Goodwood Pageant of Pace occurred this weekend, and Ford’s electrical SuperTruck managed to beat each different car, gasoline or electrical, to the highest of the hill.
The Goodwood Pageant of Pace is a yearly occasion on the grounds of Goodwood Home, a historic property in West Sussex, England. The occasion began in 1993, and has change into one of many largest motorsports festivals on the earth.
Many firms attend Goodwood to debut new fashions, and lovers or race groups will showcase uncommon or personalized autos or race distinctive vehicles.
One of many central options of the occasion is the Goodwood hillclimb, a brief one-way race up a small hill on the property. The observe is only one.17mi/1.89km lengthy, with a 304ft/92.7m uphill climb. It’s not a very taxing occasion – merely a enjoyable strategy to showcase some basic or distinctive racing autos.
As is commonly the case, firms introduced out a number of fascinating EVs to the occasion, together with Honda’s Tremendous EV idea, the recently-unveiled Hyundai Ioniq 6N, and the upcoming Porsche Cayenne EV, nonetheless in camouflage after just lately setting an SUV report at one other UK hillclimb.
Many of those vehicles got here simply to indicate off, to do an illustration run up the hill and be part of the corporate of the world’s most unique hypercars.
However some vehicles present up for the glory, and be part of “the shootout,” the dash up the hill for the perfect time.
And Ford didn’t come to indicate off, it got here to win. And as a way to win, it introduced…. a truck.
Ford’s SuperTruck is a one-off, 1,400+ horsepower prototype electrical car, supposedly based mostly on the F-150 Lightning, however in truth bearing nearly no similarity and even resemblance.
It’s been festooned with aerodynamic components all about, lowered, outfitted with race tires, and energy output has been boosted to the aforementioned 1,400hp. It was pushed by Romain Dumas, who Ford have been utilizing since 2022 to drive their electrical prototypes.
For the needs of a hillclimb, maybe an important side is the Ford’s electrical drive. Hillclimbs are a preferred type of racing in Britain, and infrequently encompass a brief dash up a small hill, showcasing acceleration and nimbleness greater than something.
Electrical vehicles do nicely on this type of racing because of their on the spot low-end torque, with the ability to bounce off the road sooner than the gasoline competitors. In addition they are likely to have loads of torque, which helps with carrying them up the hills concerned.
EVs do nicely on longer hillclimbs too, as a result of as races attain larger and better altitudes, gasoline vehicles undergo from diminished energy because of much less oxygen being obtainable for combustion. EVs don’t undergo from this, so they have an inclination to do nicely at, say, Pike’s Peak hillclimb – which, by the way, Ford additionally introduced its SuperTruck to, and additionally beat all people at.
This 12 months was not the primary time Ford has introduced a ridiculous electrical chonker to Goodwood. Final 12 months, it introduced the SuperVan, which has the same powertrain to the SuperTruck, and in addition beat all people.
The SuperVan’s important competitors final 12 months was Subaru’s 670hp “Challenge Midnight” WRX, piloted by Scott Pace, who Dumas handily defeated by over two seconds, 43.98 to 46.07. And this 12 months, the SuperTruck’s important competitors was… the identical Subaru, piloted by Pace, who Dumas handily defeated by just below two seconds, 43.23 to 45.03.
Ford didn’t, nonetheless, set an all-time report with the SuperTruck, in truth coming in fifth on the listing of quickest runs ever. In entrance of it are two gasoline vehicles and two electrical – the gas-powered Gould GR51, a tiny open-wheel race automotive, with a 42.90; an F1 automotive pushed by Nick Heidfeld that set a 41.6 in 1999; the electrical VW ID.R, additionally piloted by Dumas with a 39.90 (which broke Heidfeld’s 20-year report); and the all-time report holder the electrical McMurtry Spierling “fan automotive,” with a mind-blowing 39.08 in 2019.
You’ll discover one thing comparable about all of those – they’re all small racecars which are really constructed for pace, whereas the truck is… a giant truck. And but, Ford nonetheless managed to beat each single challenger this 12 months, with its large honker of an EV, as a result of EVs are simply higher.
Watch the run in full under, beginning at 9:34. Blink and also you’ll miss it.
And now, if Ford continues its sample, we’re wanting ahead to seeing the Tremendous Mustang Mach-E at Goodwood subsequent 12 months, which did nicely this 12 months at a troublesome Pike’s Peak, getting first in its class and second general, seemingly because of inclement circumstances that restricted operating to the decrease portion of the course, limiting the EV’s high-altitude benefits.
Given the Tremendous Mustang is an actual racecar, and never a chonky truck, it would even give VW’s ID.R time a run for its cash (however, frankly, actually has no shot on the general report, as a result of the Spierling’s “followers” give it an absurdly unbeatable quantity of downforce).
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