The Australians may be a little annoyed at finishing behind Great Britain in the Beijing Olympics medal table, but they are firing back with a record breaking attempt of their own – with a distinctly green theme.
John and Helen Taylor are setting their sights on a new fuel efficiency record by touring the US in a clean-diesel VW Jetta TDi. They have already covered more than 2,700 miles and averaged a whopping 59.78mpg – smashing the existing record for a nationwide drive, which stands at 51.58mpg, albeit they still have a long way to go.
The record-breaking attempt began in Chantilly, West Virginia, and will end in Beckley, West Virginia on September 26 – some 16 days after their travelling began. Along the way, the Taylors will take in everywhere from Vermont and Montana to California and Louisiana.
To assist their cause, the Taylors are employing a number of fuel-saving tactics such as carefully planning their route and ensuring their tyres are inflated to the correct levels.
However, record breaking is nothing new for the Taylors who hold 46 speed driving world records and 36 fuel economy world records. If you’d like more information on their efforts, check out their website here.
