The 101st running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is in the books, and for most competitors, it was a good day. Weather conditions were ideal and the course was fast, but BMW wasn’t able to capitalize on the situation to nab a record time.
The German brand had eyes on claiming a production SUV record with its high-performance XM Label Red, the first M-specific vehicle to emerge from Munich since the M1 in 1981. Fortunately, driver Matt Mullins was uninjured but as the Pikes Peak livestream video (above) shows, the Bimmer wasn’t nearly as lucky.
As for exactly what happened, that’s unknown. The livestream didn’t capture footage of the crash and we’ve yet to see any other video clips about it. Motor1.com contacted BMW asking for more information; it’s unknown if BMW had on-board cameras rolling but for now at least, the automaker isn’t commenting on what went wrong. A company spokesperson offered us the following statement in an email:
Unfortunately, our hopes for a record run with the BMW XM today ended with a race incident. Driver Matt Mullins is disappointed but unhurt. The focus now is on re-preparing the vehicle and planning for another record attempt later this summer.
For now, the Lamborghini Urus Performante is still the king of the hill for SUVs at the iconic event. In 2022, the 666-horsepower Lambo zipped up the 12.4-mile stage in 10 minutes, 32.06 seconds. It made the ascent on Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires and relied solely on the turbos to keep the engine chugging hard at the 14,115-foot finish line.
Unlike the XM, the Urus doesn’t utilize an electrified powertrain and that could’ve been a significant advantage for BMW had the crash not occurred. Unaffected by altitude, the 194 hp generated by the XM’s electric motor would’ve stayed consistent during the climb, contributing to the XM Label Red’s total output of 738 hp. The day wasn’t a total wash for BMW, however. Pikes Peak veteran Rhys Millen achieved a new personal best for production cars, driving a BMW M8 to the top in 10:12.
For that matter, several class records were broken as drivers enjoyed sunny skies and clear roads with cool air temperatures. Robin Shute in the Unlimited category scored the overall best time at 8:40, and for those who watched the livestream to the very end, Lia Block brought the 2023 event to a rousing close driving the Hoonipigasus Porsche in a non-timed pass with Ken Block’s name and iconic no. 43 finally crossing the line, a year after his attempt at the hill ended with an engine failure.
