Pikes Peak Racecar with history and legacy From the GM Heritage Collection Pikes Peak "Race to the Clouds" time of 13:46 in 1997 Placed second in the High Performance Showroom Stock 2WD class. Full roll cage Halon fire suppression system Raced by Car & Driver editor Larry Webster Sparco Evo seats Sabelt harnesses MotoeXotica is pleased to present this 1995 Saab 900 Pikes Peak Rally car. This car recently left the GM Heritage Collection, it was sold at auction in January along with a larger collection of historical GM concepts and test vehicles.Its sad that this was the one GM let go, because the NG, or New Generation 900 was the foundation of the GM era at Saab. Money was tight when the company was working on this successor to the 99/900 throne, and had GM not cut in and taken ownership, the 900 and the company as a whole may have folded in 1989.This car was the Talladega 9000 of its decade, used in the same manner to demonstrate the toughness and reliability of another new Saab. Using the tried-and-true turbo 4 cylinder rather than the new V-6, the 900 Pikes Peak pulled its way up to the top of Colorados meanest peak. Basically stock, the car was modified only with a roll cage, racing seats, and at least 10 hp worth of go-fast add ons. Saab 900 Turbo Races to the Clouds in 75th Annual Pikes Peak Hill Climb From Saabhistory.com The high-altitude thin air, dizzying drop-offs and 156 curves snaking up to the summit of Pikes Peak proved to be no obstacle for a 1995 Saab 900 Turbo five-door Talladega edition driven at high speeds by Car & Driver technical editor Larry Webster. On the Fourth of July, Webster raced the Saab to the 14,110-ft. mountain summit in 14 minutes, 13.46 seconds at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The second oldest motorsports race in the United States is one of the most spectacular and most challenging. Only the Indy 500 has a longer history than the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, held on July 4 near Colorado Springs, Colo. This year-the 75th annual running of the race-Saab placed second in the High Performance Showroom Stock 2WD class. Saab conquered the mountain with a 900 Turbo that is virtually identical to one thats available right off the showroom floor, right down to the leather-lined interior and optional walnut dashboard trim. Rules allow very few modifications to the car other than a racing seat, five-point safety belts, B.F. Goodrich racing tires, roll cage and other safety equipment. The 185-hp 2.0L four-cylinder engine is turbocharged and intercooled, matched with a five-speed manual transmission. High altitudes zap the power from most engines, but turbocharging helps to overcome the effects of the mountains thin air. This years weather on Pikes Peak was clear and beautiful for the entire week of practice and qualifying. Race day was splendidly sunny, enjoyed by thousands of spectators along the race course. There are 156 turns on the unpaved road racing course that starts at about 9,400 feet and reaches the finish line at the 14,110-ft. mountain summit. There isnt a guard rail on the 12.42-mile course, which means the margin for error is almost zero! Although Webster is an experienced racer, he was a rookie driver at Pikes Peak, he later wrote about his racing adventure in an article for Car & Driver magazines September issue. Driving the Saab up the mountain was awesome. Given my limited experience on Pikes Peak, I felt I drove as fast as I could, Webster commented after the race. We had plenty of power-in fact, full throttle coming out of corners would produce too much wheelspin, Webster added. Thinking about the drop-offs can be more than a little intimidating though. Webster noted that the changing road surfaces make this type of racing especially challenging. The road ranges from loose gravel to rutted hard-pack to even a short section of paved surface. Speeds on the course can reach in excess of 100 mph on the few short straightaways, although 42 percent of the course is curves, including many first- and second-gear switchbacks. The Pikes Peak record is 10:04.06 minutes, held by Rod Millen in a 750-hp specially prepared 4WD race car in the Unlimited class. Although Millen was driving hard to beat the elusive 10-minute barrier, his time up the mountain (10:04.54) was a split-second slower than his 1994 record. Millens son, Rhys, competed for the sixth consecutive year at Pikes Peak, claiming first place and a new record in the Saabs class with a 320-hp turbocharged Toyota Supra. There were 105 cars & trucks entered in this years race, and 105 motorcycles & quads-the largest field ever. The Vin is YS3DC55NXS2049233 and mileage shows 34,120. This car is ready for the track. This is a modified vehicle. Neither GM nor MotoXotica make any warranty or representation of any kind, express or implied, concerning the vehicle, including no warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular Purpose. The vehicle is not certified to comply with any Federal, State, or local laws, rules or regulations and may not be driven on public roads. Sold on bill of sale only, NO TITLE.