Craziest cars of the 2026 SHC

The 2026 Simola Hillclimb was, once again, a showcase of speed. Among the countless classics, sports-, super- and racecars were the custom-built race machines. These wild cars are made specifically for hillclimbing. Most are seen in competition only once or twice a year. Here we take a look at some of the wildest flame-spitting, limiter-bashing, tyre-shredding machines to compete at the 2026 SHC.

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Special thanks to CW Media and Motor Mouth for the images.

Radical

The first car on our list is also the smallest and least powerful. Radical is known for producing lightweight track weapons. This particular car wears a full carbon-fibre suit. It is powered by a 1 308 cm³ Suzuki Hayabusa engine that revs to 11 000 r/min. Thanks to some nitrous oxide the engine develops 194 kW/240 N.m. That doesn’t sound like a lot, until you learn it weighs just 550 kg ready to run. Those stats helped Devin Robertson set a blistering 39,07 sec run at this year’s event.

BMW Z4-V8

The BMW Z4 of Mike Verrier may look like a modded M-car, but it is a proper Frankenstein. The M-coupe has a Chevy V8 under the bonnet. The 7,0-litre motor was destined for use in a Dakar Rally truck, but now finds itself in this hillclimb machine. The LS7 revs to 7 000 r/min, in the process producing 470 kW and 810 N.m, all of sent to the rear axle through a six-speed manual. A Ligier prototype wing forces the rear slicks into the tar. The sound of its angry V8 is something to behold. Speaking of of mad-sounding cars…

Nissan Skyline GT-R R34

This R34 GT-R was one of, if not the loudest car at an event that was full of really loud cars. It still has an inline-six, although very far from the original engine. The yellow missile has a custom, billet block mated with a Nissan RB26 head. Displacement has been bumped up from 2,6- to 3,2-litres. The fully forged motor revs to an incredible 10 000 r/min (yeah, TEN!). The engine makes in excess of 1 000 bhp (750 kW) and is harnessed, in part, by over a ton of downforce. Even with set-up and tyre issues Wade van Zummeren set a quickest time of 40,6 seconds.

Audi TT

The Audi TT of Aldo Scribante is a relative newcomer to the SA hillclimbing scene, having its debut competitive outing in Knysna. The first-gen TT features trick, in-board suspension a massive rear wing and another on the nose, just for good measure. A five-pot Audi engine features a massive turbo’ that helps it rev to 8 300 r/min. In the process it develops about 750 kW (1 000 bhp) handled by an AWD system. On debut the 1,3-ton coupe managed a best time of 40,2 sec. This car is going to be a regular frontrunner at future events.

Nissan GT-R R35

Franco Scribante’s military green machine is a regular feature of hillclimb events and a firm crowd favourite. The GT-R has a wild aero kit with an active drag-reduction system (DRS) on the YUUUGGGEE front and rear wings. The twin-turbocharged V6 develops a whopping 1 200 kW, (1 600 bhp) at 8 000 r/min, fed to all four wheels through a custom transmission. Trick Ohlins dampers handle the massive downforce which helped it achieve a best time of 38,2 sec.

Toyota MR2 ‘Super GT’

The red Toyota MR2 is another that fans scramble to get trackside when it is about to run. The red rocket has a Toyota engine, but the original inline four has made way for a 3,5-litre V6 that one may normally find in a humdrum Camry. The 2GR-FE is fed a great deal of forced air by a turbocharger, which helps it develop 1 000 bhp and 1 000 N.m of torque. A Super GT body kit helps it generate 2,5 tons of downforce. That massive pressure on a 1 050 kg car allowed Pieter Zeelie to fling the rear-wheel-drive MR2 up the course in a blistering 37,2 seconds, which is average speed of 182 km/h. Zeelie was returning champion at the 2026 SHC, a title which he successfully defended.