Porsche 911 Carrera sets altitude record on a Chilean volcano

A modified Porsche 911 driven by three-times Le Mans champion Romain Dumas set a new world record at the Ojos del Salado volcano in Chile, ascending to a higher altitude that any earthbound vehicle had climbed previously.

The feat, accomplished December 2 in a current 911 Carrera 4S named “Edith,” used a special blend of eFuels to cope with the thin air. The fuel was produced at the HIF pilot plant “Haru Oni” in Punta Arenas, a project initiated by Porsche. Dumas’ climb eclipsed the previous record set in 2020 on a run up Mont Blanc.

The 443-horsepower 3.0 liter six cylinder boxer engine remained in stock form and was paired with the standard seven-speed manual transmission in the cars.

A pair of Porsches were sent on the mission, equipped with portal axles for increased ground clearance, Aramid fiber underbody protection, and carbon fiber seats. The project marked a return for the car and the team to the Ojos del Salado volcano, having visited in 2022 and achieved an exploratory run exceeding 6,000 meters.