Enlarge / This is the first image of Volkswagen's purpose-built Pikes Peak electric hill climb car. (credit: Volkswagen) The annual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is one of the oldest races in the world, having celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016. For much of its history, the 12.4-mile (19.9km) course was a dirt road that played host to rally-bred machines, but since the route was fully paved over in 2012, slick tires and stiff suspension have become the order of the day.