Peugeot 308 HDi Sets Two Fuel Economy Guinness World Records (AU)

Peugeot 308 HDi Sets Two New Fuel Economy Guinness World Records

25 DAY ROUND AUSTRALIA DRIVE CONCLUDES

? Super Fuel Efficient Peugeot 308 HDi arrives back in Melbourne with two new World Records under its belt (Subject to final Guinness World Record confirmation)
? Averaging 1919km’s per 60-litre tank, the Peugeot 308 breaks the record set by the previous model in 2004
? John and Helen Taylor have battled the elements to break their own record, encountering rain, storms and even a cyclone as they drove 14,580km around the country
? Final fuel consumption figure of only 3.13 litres per 100km or 90.75 mpg!! Breaks the previous record belonging to a Peugeot 307 of 3.49 litres per 100km
? Only 90.3* grams of CO2 produced per km (includes fuel supply chain) which compares to a national vehicle average of 285* grams per km (*according to figures from the Department of Climate Change and the Australian Bureau of Statistics).
? Fast Facts - Only 7.59 (60 litre) tanks used, 453.94 litres of diesel consumed, total cost only $703.93, best tank achieved 1988km from 58.98 litres, giving a theoretical range of 2020km if all 60 litres were used

John and Helen Taylor, driving a brand new Peugeot 308 HDi, have completed a 25 day ‘Round Australia’ journey and set two new fuel economy Guinness World Records.

Driving around the coast of Australia, the Taylors and the just released 308 are the new owners of the Round Australia Diesel Economy World Record and the overall Round Australia World Fuel Economy Record.

“The Peugeot 308 has performed magnificently. Without a doubt, it is the most practical, comfortable and stylish car Helen and I have driven on an economy drive” John said. “The trip has been more like a holiday drive than a record attempt; the car is packed with great features and is an absolute pleasure to drive.”

Guinness World Records requirements have been strictly adhered to for the test, under the direction of Detective Inspector Philip Swindells of the Victorian Police Force. The Detective Inspector, as Chief Scrutineer has ensured Guiness World Records regulations were met and all stipulations for setting the record were followed. In particular, nothing at all was removed from the car to save weight in order to save fuel. Indeed, along with Helen and John were their two large suitcases with clothes for the the entire 25 day trip.

You may recall a Peugeot 307 HDi set two world records in 2004, driven by John who is a multiple fuel economy world record holder, when it travelled around Australia using only 3.49 litres per 100km – setting 2 world records in the process. The 2 records that the new model has just broken.

For this latest drive, Helen who also holds multiple world records joined her husband to form a formidable team, “We knew that the Peugeot 308 had been designed to improve on the great car that the 307 was, and we were confident right from the start that we would have a great chance to break the records with the new model.”

The adventurous couple faced extremely challenging conditions on the 14,580km drive, with rain chasing them most of the way around the country - tropical storms in Queensland and the Northern Territory and the cyclonic conditions in Western Australia, which included endless water hazards – conditions not in favour of economical driving.

Shell diesel was used exclusively during the drive, at John’s insistence “We decided to undertake the drive using only Shell diesel, as I truly believe they make the best fuels in the world. If you are looking to achieve extra distance in your driving, Shell is the perfect choice and also helps to ensure your vehicle runs nice and smoothly.”

The 308 was fitted with Michelin Energy XM1+ Tyres, which offer a lower rolling resistance via innovative technology that actually reduces fuel consumption, without sacrificing performance. Helen was clearly impressed with the tyres, especially given the terrible wether conditions, “We know that the 308 has fantastic handling, but it was also comforting to feel safe on the road with the excellent traction the Michelin’s provided in very wet and windy conditions, without sacrificing on fuel economy at any stage.”

Peugeot Automobiles Australia’s Managing Director, Mr. Rob Dommerson was clearly impressed with John and Helen’s achievements, “One of the most pleasing aspects of this fantastic result with the Peugeot 308 was the fact that we achieved it in a ‘real world’ situation. They drove via the normal highways that people would use when heading around the country, in a fashion that most Australians would be completely familiar with when they take their annual holidays. Too often, long distance driving attempts are made on closed test tracks, or in the empty country side along vast stretches of long straight roads.”

Mr. Dommerson continued, “Peugeot has a long and proud history in this country, beginning with the famous Peugeot victory in the first round Australia Redex Reliability Trial in 1953. With the affinity of our diesel models with our rural, and now increasingly our city customers, traveling vast distances is not something new for Peugeot. The two new world records that have been set in the 308 are fantastic achievements, and we congratulate them wholeheartedly”.

Editors note – The Peugeot 308 has just been released in Australia, featuring a range of diesel and petrol engines in a very safe, stylish and well equipped car.

The Taylor’s drove a 308 XS HDi, manual which has an RRP of $29,990. Featuring a 1.6 litre turbo-diesel engine, it produces 80kW of power and 240Nm of tourque. With a combined fuel consumption figure of just 4.9 litres per 100km (and 130 grams of CO2 per km) the 308 HDi represents a safe, stylish and practical alternative to the traditional ‘family’ car. More and more Australians are following the increasing trend of vehicle downsizing into more economoical models, without compromising on performance or useable interior space.