Aurobay achieves top qualifying position at Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
Aurobay, a HORSE Powertrain company, has got off to a remarkable start at the prestigious Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Competition. On Wednesday 19 June, Aurobay's exceptional engineering prowess was on full display as Christian Merli, behind the wheel of Wolf Racing’s cutting-edge vehicle, clinched the number one qualifying position in the Unlimited division.
Merli's extraordinary drive clocked in at 3:42:689 minutes, securing Aurobay’s starting position for the upcoming race on Sunday in the Unlimited division.
“Driving the Aurobay-powered Wolf Racing car at Pikes Peak has been an exhilarating experience. The car’s performance was outstanding, and the team’s hard work truly paid off. Qualifying first in the Unlimited division is a testament to the fine-tuning and improvements that we did last week. I’m eager to see what we can achieve in the race on Sunday”, said Christian Merli.
Having completed all qualifying sessions, Aurobay achieved the second fastest time overall, beaten only by the 2024 Ford F-150 LIGHTNING SUPERTRUCK, which recorded a time of 3:32:831 on Tuesday 18 June. Aurobay’s impressive performance confirms its competitive edge as the quickest rookie and the quickest combustion engine.
The Pikes Peak qualification process is unique, with each car’s best run on the lower section (from the starting line to Glenn Cove) during the practice week serving as its qualifying time. Given that different divisions set their lower section times on different days, varying weather conditions play a crucial role in the final standings.
“We set our time on Wednesday 19 June, under less than ideal weather conditions, which hindered us during the run. Our focus now shifts entirely to Sunday’s race, where we aim to demonstrate the full potential of the engine, running on 70% renewable fuel. This achievement is a testament to our dedication to excellent engineering”, said Michael Fleiss, CEO of Aurobay Sweden.
Aurobay’s qualification for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb comes less than a month after the company joined HORSE Powertrain Limited on 31 May, creating a new global leader in powertrain solutions, with 19,000 employees on three continents.
Motor enthusiasts and supporters can catch Aurobay’s performance on the official livestream. The highly anticipated race is scheduled to commence on Sunday 23 June at 7.30 Colorado time (13.30 CET).
About Horse Powertrain Limited
HORSE Powertrain is a new global leader in powertrain solutions, with 19,000 employees on three continents. It partners with automotive OEMs worldwide to enable a faster transition to cleaner mobility. Each year, its subgroups, Horse and Aurobay, produce c. 5 million next-generation powertrain solutions, including engines, transmissions and hybrid systems. The company has 17 global plants and 5 R&D centres around the world, serving multiple OEMs including Renault Group, Geely Auto, Volvo Cars, Proton, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors Company. HORSE Powertrain is headquartered in London, UK, and has €15 billion in yearly revenues.
About Aurobay, a HORSE Powertrain company
Aurobay develops and manufactures world-class next-generation powertrain solutions to meet the global demand for cleaner mobility. With a heritage of more than 100 years of continuous powertrain innovation, its 10,000 employees work across research and development, engineering and manufacturing. In 2023, Aurobay had revenues of EUR 4.6 billion from producing 2,650,000 hybrid engines, electric motors, and transmissions in its state-of-the-art manufacturing sites in Sweden and China. Aurobay is part of HORSE Powertrain Limited, a newly formed company with a heritage from Geely, Volvo Cars and Renault Group. HORSE Powertrain Limited has been created as a global leader in hybrid and combustion powertrain components and systems.