hillclimb a Prius

On Saturday the Sporting Car Club of South Australia conducted a "Come And Try Hillclimb day. I have been meaning to enter the Prius in this event for some time and finally my rosters allowed it.

I tell you I had a ball.

My first run was a bit tough after just one look at the track. I went in too hard, braked too late and found the car got light on a few corners which were over crests, but I didn't do too bad posting a mid field time of 45.64 seconds with the fastest time for the day being 37.89 seconds and the slowest 56.76

My times fell through the day apart from my second run until my last run (5th) I recorded a time of 44.54 seconds against the fastest of 35.31 seconds and slowest of 53.06!

I was very happy with the Prius in this environment. I hope to post a video soon, as soon as I get the file from my son's friend.

Run 1 45.64 seconds
Run 2 45.64 seconds
Run 3 44.68 seconds
Run 4 44.55 seconds
Run 5 44.54 seconds

The track itself is 750 metres of challenging asphalt, climbing nearly 70 metres from the start line to the finish. Track width is 3.3 metres, (one highway traffic lane)

 

No photos as I was a little busy driving. As soon as I get the video I'll post it on youtube and a link on here.
At the end of the day, after driving to the track, an observation run and 5 speed runs up the hill I was still sitting on 5L/100km. I did the runs with over 3/4 of a tank of fuel but all loose items and spare wheel removed. I weigh about 120kg so no lightweight.

Driving out and back I had 3 in the car and luggage for an overnight stay.

 

Motor sport is where most of the "green" technology in your car was developed and tested.
And besides, I am spreading the Prius word to a wider audience, isn't that a good thing?
If a Prius being hammered through the twisty stuff gets 7 litres per 100 kilometres isn't that better than a 3.5 litre BMW that gets 15 L/100km under similar driving conditions?

 

Just went through the timing sheet and made a note of some of the cars I returned a better best time than.

Holden (GM-H) Commodore, 3.8 litre
Mitsubishi Magna 2.6 litre
Ford Escort 1.6 litre
BMW 835 3.5 litre
Holden Commodore 3.3. litre
Suzuki Swift 0.993 litre
Holden Torana 5 litre
Peugot 205 1.6 litre
Clubman 1.6 litre

Times are only published on a sheet which is pinned to a notice board. I have photos of the time sheets on my phone but I can't get them off the phone onto the computer for some reason.

 

Motor sport was where the technology in your car was tested. Seat-belts were first used in racing, deformable parts of a vehicle to reduce impact energy on occupants, fuel injection, electronic engine management, variable valve timing, traction control, stability control, rollover protection, all sorts of stuff in your car was primarily developed to give a manufacturer an edge in motor-sport and was then put into production cars.

I came from a 1990 Camry to the Prius, I know where you are coming from.
I think you might find Australian Prius have different suspension calibration to US Prius and they handle a lot better but have harsher ride. You might note that one of the cars that was slower than my Prius was a BMW, but that would most likely be the driver not the car, but who knows.

I had fun, I pushed my car as hard as I dare 5 times for under 50 seconds each time. Under 4.5 minutes in total. You likely do more harm to the environment driving to a a movie theatre than I did at Collingrove on Saturday. And if it makes it any better I had 3 in the car going out and coming back.

Do you like playing golf? Very harmful to the environment all the chemicals and fertiliser that gets used on the fairways and greens. Plus the machinery that cuts the grass, stinky!!

 

Had a ball Rene'

 

Nether can I, I wonder where it is?

 

My son's friend was going to email it to me, I just want to post it up.