Oshkosh Corporation puts concept vehicle to the test

Oshkosh Corporation announced today its first participation in the 43rd Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race Nov. 18-20 in Mexico. The Oshkosh Extreme Racing team will run its Light Concept Vehicles (LCV) through the rugged 1,061-mile desert course from Ensenada to La Paz.

Oshkosh engineers have designed the LCV to incorporate the company's latest advancements in off-road suspension and diesel-electric powertrain performance. The Oshkosh Extreme Racing team will be racing two vehicles in the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 as part of its rigorous testing protocol.

"Oshkosh engineers are dedicated to producing the most advanced vehicle technologies for a variety of highly-specialized industries," said Chris Yakes, Oshkosh Corporation vice president of Advanced Products Engineering and Oshkosh Extreme Racing team member. "In pursuit of next-generation technologies for future fleets, we've been testing our concept vehicles in remote locations in the United States, and we are now competing in the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 - our most intense challenge to date. We are excited about this opportunity."

The LCV includes the next-generation of TAK-4 independent suspension systems. The new system expands on the Oshkosh patented TAK-4 suspension by increasing off-road mobility, improving vehicle maneuverability and providing a smoother ride. The Oshkosh ProPulse diesel-electric powertrain design delivers improved fuel economy and can export significant levels of electrical power.

"Oshkosh got its start as a developer of severe-duty four-wheel drive trucks, so it is only fitting that it competes its latest concept vehicle in the most extreme off-road race - the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000," said Sal Fish, SCORE International's president and CEO, which has sanctioned and produced the event since 1975. "We've created a new class for the Oshkosh Extreme Racing Team based on their vehicle's unique capabilities, weight and dimensions, and look forward to seeing it perform."

The two Oshkosh Extreme Racing vehicles, numbered M1 and M2 for the race, will be driven by members of California Gold Racing (CGR), led by legendary race mogul Glenn Harris. As a member of the Oshkosh Extreme Racing team, CGR will also provide logistics support, while Oshkosh engineers will manage the pit crews and technical support for the race.

"We're looking forward to the race and its inherent ability to push our team and the vehicle technologies we've developed," Yakes said. "We expect to learn a lot from this event and will apply those learnings to our ongoing research and development efforts."

Source: Oshkosh

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