This year's Pikes Peak International Hill Climb may have been devoid of eight-minute runs, which left Peugeot's->ke68 record from 2013 untouched, but that's not to say it went into the history books without new benchmarks. Not only did Rhys Millen set a new EV->ke1030 record and become the first driver to win the race in a battery-powered car, but there's also a new record for diesels to talk about. This one was established by Mercedes-Benz,->ke187 which brought a diesel-powered C-Class->ke1593 to race up the mountain.

Specifically, the Germans prepared "a near-production" C 250 d 4MATIC for the Exhibition class and completed the "Race to the Clouds" in 11 minutes and 22 seconds. While that may be more than two minutes off the 9:07-minute run of this year's winner, it's quite an achievement for a vehicle using a standard production engine, and a record->ke1948 for a diesel-powered car.

"Shoving a series-production diesel sedan with an automatic transmission up Pikes Peak sounds like a crazy idea, but it was a lot of fun," said Uwe Nittel, Mercedes' driver for the race. "It shows that the preconceived notions about diesel engines are no longer relevant."

According to the company, the C 250 d 4MATIC used its stock 201-horsepower, four-cylinder engine and seven-speed automatic transmission. The only modifications included a stripped out interior and the addition of the obligatory safety features such as a roll cage, racing fuel tank, fire extinguishing system, updated brakes and high-performance tires.

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Why it matters

While the record is far from impressive when compared to runs posted by highly modified gasoline-powered cars and EVs, it is proof that Mercedes' diesel powertrains can cope with the thin air at more than 14,000 feet above sea level and with a nearly 5,000-foot range in altitude in only a few minutes. The Pikes Peak run also demonstrates that the said engine was adapted to the requirements of the U.S. market, which include extreme climatic conditions in certain areas. What's more, it will probably spark a new race for records in the diesel department with more carmakers to join in on the fun in the future.

2015 Mercedes C-Class

Find out more about the Mercedes-Benz C-Class in our detailed review here.