Australian Couple Breaks Own Guinness World Record For Fuel Economy

AUSTRALIAN COUPLE Helen and John Taylor, on a tour across the continental United States, have broken their own Guinness record for fuel economy.

Achieving a fuel consumption figure of just 3.46 l/100km (67.9mpg), the Taylors completed a three-week, 14,483km lap of the lower 48 states, starting and finishing their trip in Virginia.

Guinness required that the duo pass through 14 specific checkpoints along the way, and that all speed limits be obeyed.

The previous record, set by the couple last year, was 3.9 l/100km (58.82mpg). Both records, old and new, were set in a US-market 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI.

Perhaps more astounding than the back-to-back record trips is that the Taylors hold more than 80 fuel-economy and driving world records.

The couple said that the Jetta's EPA-tested fuel economy rating - 7.8 l/100km for city driving and 5.7 l/100km on the highway - along with low rolling resistance Goodyear tyres, contributed to the record-breaking journey.

“We hope our record-breaking journey helps educate the driving public that decisions such as choosing the right tires, using the right fuel and adopting fuel-saving driving techniques can help anyone save money and fuel, and reduce carbon emissions,” Helen Taylor said.