Lexus has finished second in class in its first attempt at the notorious Pikes Peak hill climb in Colorado with its Lexus IS F CCSR.
US racer Ken Gushi piloted the highly modified Lexus IS F over the gruelling 20-kilometre course in a time of 11 minutes, 35.17 seconds – to finish second in the Exhibition class, behind a lightweight V12 racing car.
Based on the V8-powered Lexus IS F road car, the IS F CCSR-Concept was first shown at the Tokyo Auto Salon in 2010 and features various performance and safety modifications to enable it to run at the Pikes Peak event.
However, under the bonnet is the same 5.0-litre V8 from the IS F road car that develops 311kW and 505Nm of torque, mated to the same eight-speed sport direct shift automatic transmission, also found in the standard Lexus IS F sedan.
The Pikes Peak summit towers 4300.728 metres above see level, which accounts for a 30 per cent reduction in engine power due to the thinner air at that height.
In order to compensate for the reduced engine power, the Lexus IS F CCSR-Concept gained carbonfibre body panels and interior trim, along with super-light polycarbonate windows that reduced the standard car’s weight by 314 kilograms.
The car also gained a reinforced monocoque with roll cage and a number of high-performance components including a racing brake package, race exhaust system and race suspension.
Watch the Lexus IS F CSSR on its final shakedown at Pikes Peak.