1,200-Horsepower Mazda 3 Wagon Headed To Pikes Peak

Four-rotor power, four-seat cabin.

Professional drifter Michael "Mad Mike" Whiddett is reinforcing his nickname with the announcement of a new 1,200-horsepower Mazda 3 wagon set to scorch the perpetually terrifying Pikes Peak Hill Climb.

The New Zealand-born driver announced the new Mazda race car on social media, and although the full specs are still forthcoming, we do know that the 1,200 horsepower will come from a four-rotor engine, and will feed the rear wheels exclusively. We also know that the cabin will have four seats, suggesting that this thing could be some kind of new "drift taxi" for those brave enough to take a ride.

Debuting this insane new Mazda racer at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIH) is gutsy, to say the least. With 156 corners and 4,720-feet of elevation change laid out across nearly 12-and-a-half miles of two-lane blacktop, the PPIH is extremely dangerous, and any mistakes are punished by potentially fatal drop-offs - not exactly the best place to be testing out the limits of a new 1,200-horsepower drift machine.

Unless, of course, you're a pro like Mad Mike. With a career in professional motorsport stretching back well over a decade, Whiddett has a made a habit of wheeling high-powered Mazdas to success, and holds a particular fondness for the triangle-shaped Mazda specialty known as the rotary engine.

Naturally, we wouldn't expect this new quad-rotor Mazda 3 to be shooting for any records. Considering the body style and seating, we think this will likely be some sort of "experience" vehicle, showing off Whiddett's skills while promoting sponsors Mazda and Red Bull.

Even so, this is one build we definitely want to keep an eye on. Gotta love those wagons, right? We can't wait to see what it'll do in Colorado. Stay tuned.