Rising Sun Legend

17 August 2015 Redazione Racing Cars

There are so many Japanese cars that have become true icons. Unfortunately, some have only achieved glory in motorsport, without transferring such luck in their street legal versions. This is the case of the Suzuki Escudo, monstrous creation of the Japanese brand, produced in 1996 for taking part in one of the most dangerous and hard competitions on the planet: the Pikes Peak Hillclimb. Based on the Grand Escudo, with which it shares some (a little) parts of the body, we’re talking about a war machine, conceived, designed and built to go as fast as possible centimeters away from the cliffs that frame the most famous hill climb in the world. Under a ridiculously large body, with a striking front spoiler and an exaggerated rear wing, lies a 2.5 V6 engine, equipped with two turbochargers and capable of delivering 985 hp at 8,100 rpm. So, weighing about 800 kg, the Escudo has a power/weight ratio of less than 1 and a torque of 932Nm, being capable of traveling at speeds unthinkable for its street version. It accelerates from 0 to 100 kph in just 2.7 seconds and can reach 270 per hour, maximum speed where aerodynamics intervenes not allowing it to go even further.
In addition to the many emotions that has given us over the years, this Suzuki with attributes allowed Nobuhiro Tajima, sixty years old racing driver, but still with the need to get on the top step of the podium, to score the race record of 10’01″408, also establishing the maximum speed of 205 kph. Before being sent into retirement two years later, the Escudo ended its career by winning the 2008 edition: that’s why we call it “unstoppable”.