The Porsche 911 has set a new record for climbing to an altitude of 6,734m after climbing up the west ridge of the Ojos del Salado volcano in Chile.
The record was set by Racing Driver Romain Dumas, who was supported by an international team consisting of members from Chile, France, Germany, the U.S.A, Canada and Switzerland, all of whom piloted two heavily modified Porsche 911s.
This team is said to have faced extreme conditions including air that was only half as dense as compared to sea level, alongside temperatures as low as -20 degrees Celsius.
The two modified Porsche 911s, nicknamed 'Doris' and 'Edith', meanwhile, are both based on the 911 Carrera 4S. The cars accomplished the climb with their 444bhp 3.0-litre engines unmodified and paired to a standard seven-speed manual transmission. They did, however, get portal axles to increase their available ground clearance (to a total of 350mm). Also aiding the off-road adventure in both cars is the use of tough Aramid fibre underbody protection, to allow them to slide over rocks.
Both cars also completed the record running on HIF eFuels created in Chile. Made from water and carbon dioxide using renewable energy, this eFuel enables a potential near net CO2 neutral use of combustion engines.
The record itself was achieved by Dumas in the lighter and more agile 'Edith' variant. This car is also said to sport a special steer by wire technology that enable it to offer the needed durability alongside the precision and detailed feedback that allowed Romain Dumas to place the car precisely where he needed it.
The team also comprised of two doctors, needed due to the risk of altitude sickness and the remoteness of the location. Also supporting the team was a set of Connected smart watches, provided by Tag Heuer, from which the team were able to monitor their altitude, as well as their heartrate, sleeping patterns and calorie burn.
