Honda sets new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for fuel efficiency, averaging 100.31 miles per gallon.

Honda sets new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for fuel efficiency, averaging 100.31 miles per gallon in 8,387 mile drive across 24 EU countries

Honda has set a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for ‘Lowest fuel consumption – all 24 contiguous EU countries (all cars)’, recording an average 100.31 miles per gallon over 8,387 miles, in a 25 day drive across all 24 EU contiguous countries.

Behind the wheel of a Honda Civic Tourer 1.6 i-DTEC for the entire journey were two members of Honda’s European Research & Development (R&D) team, Fergal McGrath and Julian Warren, who took on the challenge to further demonstrate the impressive real-world fuel economy of the Tourer.

The remarkable distance travelled is similar to the team driving to Australia from their home in the UK, stopping just nine times to refuel. The car achieved an incredible average 932 miles on each tank of fuel, at a total fuel cost for the whole journey of just £459*.

The team set out on their epic road trip from Aalst, Belgium, on Monday June 1^st, navigating the continent in a clockwise direction. They returned to their start point on Thursday June 25^th, recording the incredible fuel economy figures which exceed the Tourer’s quoted efficiency of 74.3mpg by more than 25%.

Fergal McGrath comments: “It was tough, but we really enjoyed it, and setting this new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title has made all of the hard work worthwhile. This was a huge team effort so I’d like to thank everyone involved for all of their commitment and support. After spending so much time behind the wheel Julian and I are just happy to be back behind our desks for a while!”

The official GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title is ‘Lowest Fuel Consumption – all 24 contiguous EU countries’, measured in litres per 100km and miles per gallon calculated over the entire journey.

Under the rules the same two drivers must be in the car for the whole journey, giving Fergal and Julian, Honda R&D colleagues of some 18 years and based in the UK, the challenge of driving an average of approximately 380 miles, taking around 7.5 hours, each day.

Based on strict and rigorous guidelines, the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title attempt required the car to enter each of the 24 countries specified, collecting a range of evidence including a fuel/mileage logbook, GPS readings, video and photographs and independent witness signatures to prove that it has done so. To ensure accurate monitoring of the route, journey time and distance driven, the record car was fitted with a tracking device, provided by fleet telematics and stolen vehicle recovery expert, TRACKER (part of the Tantalum Corporation).

Under the rules of the record title attempt the car must be a standard model in every respect, with no modifications to create an advantage, to replicate ‘real world’ conditions. This was judged by independent witnesses at the beginning and end of the attempt. Fuelling was carried out at regular filling stations, with the tank filled to the maximum at each stop to ensure no weight advantage. Additionally, tyres were inflated to the recommended pressures and the wheel alignment set to factory specification to represent the experience of the regular customer.

The team, both amateur drivers, were also keen to show that through adopting some simple but very effective driving techniques, anybody could achieve such remarkable fuel economy. They simply used some very logical methods including careful and sensible route planning, driving smoothly and consistently without harsh acceleration or braking, anticipating the road conditions ahead, carrying no unnecessary weight, and ensuring that the car was correctly maintained at all times. Driving speed was always within the law and keeping up with traffic conditions.

Leon Brannan, Head of Cars for Honda (UK) comments: "This is an incredible achievement and the team should all be very proud of the efforts that they have put in to set this new GUINNESS WORLD RECORD. Driving the equivalent distance from their home in the UK to Australia in just 25 days is a huge challenge very few would take on. The fuel economy figures are remarkable – particularly when you consider that this is not a small car, but an estate with class-leading load space and vast practicality.”

USA - Ford Motor Company and Hot Wheels® break world record for biggest loop the loop.

• To help children cultivate an interest in science and engineering, Ford attempted to set a new world record for building the largest Hot  car track loop as part of this year’s Take Your Child to Work Day
• Ford Mustang Hot Wheels car started at more than three stories high inside Ford Research and Innovation Center
• Old record loop stood at nine feet, nine inches tall

Ford ran circles around the old Hot Wheels^® record loop as part of this year’s Take Your Child to Work Day. When the effort was complete, Ford had made a world record attempt with a Hot Wheels car track loop that exceeded 12 feet tall.

The world record attempt was the brainchild of Ford dynamometer technician Matt West, who had built increasingly large Hot Wheels loops with his six-year-old son Blade at their home in Monroe, Michigan.

The attempt took place in the three-story atrium of the company’s Research and Innovation Center in Dearborn in support of Ford’s participation in national Take Your Child to Work Day.

“It started as part-fun, part-physics lesson with my son at home,” said West. “We built one in our playroom, and then built a five-foot-tall loop in our backyard. When people at Ford heard what we were up to, everyone thought it would be a great way to get young people excited about science and engineering by trying to break the world record on Take Your Child to Work Day.”

The current record of nine feet, nine inches tall was set in Ohio. West and his friends at Ford successfully made a Mustang Hot Wheels car complete a 12-foot, six-inch loop.

“On a track, a Hot Wheels car can only go so fast, so carrying the momentum of the vehicle through an entire loop is harder than you might think,” said West. “In a world where kids are inundated with TVs and tablets, I thought teaching my son with actual moving vehicle models would be so much more rewarding, and then it took on a life of its own.”

Early on, West and Blade went to work dreaming up the world record-breaking loop. With the help of others at Ford, including John Jaranson, technical expert in interior systems, and Grant Compton, computer-aided design engineer, they created the loop using computer-aided design software called CATIA, which is often used for car design.

Knowing they had to create the super structure out of four-by-eight-foot sheets of plywood, they designed the loop into sections that would get bolted together.

Once designed, the team enlisted the help of Will Brick, general manager of TechShop Detroit, a membership-based, do-it-yourself workshop and fabrication studio, to bring the digital design files to life. Jaranson is a member of TechShop, thanks to Ford’s innovative relationship with the company, a part-time instructor who helps other members utilize the available tools. The team cut the sheets of plywood using a water jet cutter.

“At TechShop, we like to say, ‘Build your dreams here,’” said Brick. “It was great to help Matt and to work with the Ford team to bring his son’s idea to reality.”

“It’s an honor for Hot Wheels to have inspired Matt West and the Ford team to embark on such an epic world record attempt,” said Chris Down, senior vice president and general manager, Hot Wheels. “Ford and Mattel have a history going back more than four decades. We both have tremendous passion for pushing the limits of design, and we’re happy to be involved in trying to generate enthusiasm for science and technology for kids everywhere.” 

With its signature 1:64-scale models, Hot Wheels has created hundreds of Ford Motor Company vehicles, including many of the original 16 Hot Wheels models released in 1968 – a custom Mustang, Thunderbird and Cougar.

USA - RAM trucks break Guinness world record for largest parade of pick-ups.

• 451 Ram truck owners from seven U.S. states and Canada help set new world record, Saturday, April 18, 2015
• Ram Truck 'Round-up’ held in conjunction with 50th Academy of Country Music Awards weekend in Arlington, Texas, April 17-19
• ACM Awards to be broadcast for the first time ever LIVE from AT&T Stadium in Arlington this Sunday, April 19 on CBS

Ram truck owners from seven U.S states and Canada helped the Ram Truck brand set a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the largest parade of pickup trucks, Saturday, April 18, in Arlington, Texas. 451 Ram trucks participated in the “Ram Truck Round-up,” breaking the previous world record of  438 trucks.

Ram, the “Official Truck” of the Academy of Country Music Awards, invited its customers to help break the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS in honor the 50th anniversary of the ACM Awards, which will be broadcast live for the first time ever from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, April 19, at 8 p.m. live Eastern time/8 p.m. delayed Pacific time on CBS Television Network.

“Our hard-working Ram truck owners are passionate and loyal, and today they proved once again that everything is always bigger in Texas,” said Robert Hegbloom, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ram Truck Brand, FCA – North America. 

“Ram is the fastest growing truck brand in Texas, where trucks are king, and it was great to see 451 Ram owners travel far and wide for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a part of a special record-breaking rally and pickup parade.”

The Ram Truck Round-up parade route started on the east side of AT&T Stadium in Arlington and traveled approximately 3.2 miles around the stadium and neighboring Globe Life Park grounds.

Participants in the Ram Truck Round-up parade were treated to a special morning of activities including car-crushing appearances by the Raminator monster truck, music performances by the Austin, Texas-based Midnight Social, appearances by country music artists Kix Brooks, Thomas Rhett and Easton Corbin, and giveaways from Ram brand partners.  Participants also received free tickets for the ACM Party for a Cause Festival, taking place at Globe Life Park.

Ram Trucks in Texas Facts

More Texans drive pickup trucks than any other state (20 percent of motor vehicle registrations versus 12 percent national average) and Ram is the fastest growing truck brand in Texas. Ram’s current market share of 20 percent has risen 2.52 points (15 percent) in the past five years and the brand sells two-and-a-half times as many pickup trucks in Texas as it does in the next highest volume state.

ACM Party for a Cause Festival

Ram Truck Round-up participants received tickets for Saturday’s ACM Party for a Cause Festival. The two-day outdoor music event, taking place Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18, at Globe Life Park in Arlington, which includes multiple stages for ongoing live country music performances, interactive experiences, a family-friendly country marketplace with vendors from around the country and much more. Country music icons, including many 2015 ACM Award nominees, are set to perform. 

The festival also will be taped for a two-hour special “ACM Presents: Superstar Duets!,” which will air on Friday, May 15, on CBS. Additional information on the event is available at ACMcountry.com.

This is the sixth consecutive year that the Ram Truck brand has partnered with, and been, the "Official Truck" of the ACM Awards. Ram Trucks' involvement has evolved over the years. 

This year, Ram is the sponsor of the Ram Lone Star Stage at the ACM Party for a Cause Festival and is running a national radio promotion where winners receive trips to Dallas for the ultimate ACM weekend experience. 

In addition, Ram promotes the ACM Awards and ACM Party for a Cause Festival through social media, as well as television and digital advertising.

About the Academy of Country Music Awards

The 50th Academy of Country Music Awards is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in the country music industry. The show is produced for television by Dick Clark Productions, Inc. and will broadcast from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Sunday, April 19, at 8 p.m. live Eastern time/delayed 8 p.m. Pacific time on CBS. Allen Shapiro, Mike Mahan, R.A. Clark and Barry Adelman are executive producers. Bob Romeo is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music.

About GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS

Guinness World Records (GWR) is the universally recognized global authority on record-breaking achievement. First published in 1955, more than 132 million copies, and 3 million e-books, have been sold in 20 languages, in more than 100 countries. 

Since then, the internationally renowned brand also is available across a number of platforms; Guinness World Records global television shows are watched by more than 750 million viewers annually, more than half a million subscribe to the GWR YouTube channel, the global website receives 14 million viewers annually and has more than 8 million fans on Facebook.

About Ram Truck Brand

Since its launch as a stand-alone division in 2009, the Ram Truck Brand has steadily emerged as an industry leader with one goal: to build the best pickup trucks and commercial vehicles in the industry.

Creating a distinct identity for Ram Trucks has allowed the brand to concentrate on core customers and features they find valuable. Whether focusing on a family that uses a Ram 1500 day in and day out, a hard-working Ram 3500 Heavy Duty owner or a business that depends on its Ram ProMaster commercial van every day for deliveries, Ram has the truck market covered.

In order to be the best, it takes a commitment to innovation, capability, efficiency and durability. Ram Truck invests substantially in its products, infusing them with great looks, refined interiors, durable engines and exclusive features that further enhance their capabilities.

Moving into the 2015 model year, Ram continues to beat the competition in the two most sought-after titles, fuel economy and towing capacity:

• Best-in-class fuel economy with exclusive EcoDiesel – 29 mpg with Ram 1500
• Best-in-class towing capability – 30,000 pounds with Ram 3500 
• Best-in-class payload – 7,390 pounds with Ram 3500
• Best-in-class torque – 865 lb.-ft. with Ram 3500 equipped with Cummins 

Truck customers, from half-ton to commercial, have a demanding range of needs and require their vehicles to provide high levels of capability. Ram trucks are designed to deliver a total package.

Goodwood plays host to a different sort of world record.

Goodwood Motor Circuit will play host to an ambitious World Record attempt this weekend as disabled motor sport Marshal Steve Tarrant bids to go further in 24 hours than anybody else in history – on a Mobility Scooter!

Tarrant, 53, from Poole in Dorset, lost a leg in an accident while marshalling 14 years ago, but has maintained his passion for motor sport by regularly donning his orange overalls at some of the world’s greatest circuits – including Goodwood – in the seasons since then.

In addition to his motor sport exploits, Tarrant was a medal-bearing gamesmaker at the London Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 and was presented with a Big Society Award from Prime Minister David Cameron afterwards.

Attempting to secure a place in history is nothing new for Tarrant. He previously succeeded in breaking the existing 170-mile distance record for the distance covered in 24 hours, only to see his effort unratified for official purposes on a technicality.

This time he is aiming to complete 200 miles of a specially-devised Tarmac circuit at Goodwood while at the same time raising money for MacMillan Cancer Support. His vehicle will be a TGA Breeze S4 GT Mobility Scooter, capable of 10 miles per hour.

Tarrant’s will begin his world record attempt at 1800 on Saturday, 17 May and is scheduled to finish at 1800 on Sunday, 18 May. Spectators are welcome to come along and show their support from 1800-1900 on Saturday and after 0800 on Sunday.

Steve Tarrant said: “It’s fantastic to have such an historic location as Goodwood to make this record attempt. The course I’ll be using is a hard Tarmac surface, which will provide a consistent level of grip throughout the day and night and should put me in good shape to break the record. In theory, 215 miles is the maximum distance possible on a 10mph vehicle, so 200 is quite ambitious. Reliability permitting, however, I’d say I’m in good shape.”

World Record price for Aston Martin DB4 GT

A unique Aston Martin DB4GT fetched a world record price of £3,249,500, the highest ever price paid for an Aston Martin at auction, when it went under the hammer as part of the Aston Martin Centenary Sale at Aston Martin Works on 18 May 2013. The sale itself also realised a record total of over £10 million, with every lot sold.

The annual Bonhams auction of Aston Martin and Lagonda cars, the 14th to be held at Aston Martin Works, celebrated 100 years of the marque and had the distinction of being the first major event to make use of the new Heritage Showroom, the final stage of the major redevelopment of the historic Aston Martin Works site.

The DB4GT, nicknamed ‘The Jet’, was the last DB4GT to be built. It is the only one of its kind, with coachwork by Italian design house Bertone, and made its debut at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show. It was one of the first design commissions for Giorgetto Giugiaro, who would go on to become one of the most celebrated automotive designers of our time.

The previous owner commissioned Aston Martin Works to restore the DB4GT to concours condition, which went on to win 12 awards, including first in class at Pebble Beach and the Hurlingham Club, and best in show at Villa d’Este.

Other lots sold included several ‘barn find’ Aston Martin models, including a 1964 DB5 coupe in original condition and with fewer than 48,000 miles on the clock. In need of restoration after 30 years off the road, the DB5 fetched £320,700.

Kingsley Riding-Felce, Managing Director of Aston Martin Works, said: “This year’s Bonhams sale was a great success, with 197 lots finding new buyers and more than 2,000 customers and enthusiasts taking part. It was the first event to make use of the fully refurbished Olympia Building which now houses our Heritage Showroom, and that made the day all the more special.

“The Heritage Showroom allows customers to take advantage of the vast knowledge and experience of the Aston Martin Works team, whether for sales, service or our world-renowned restoration division. We can now provide the unique experience of being able to view and compare cars from every era of Aston Martin’s 100 years.”

Jamie Knight, Bonhams Group Motoring Director commented: “As ever the day was tremendous, with both Bonhams and Aston Martin Works contributing much to ensure this was once again one of the highlight sales on the global auction calendar. ‘The Jet’ realising the highest price ever achieved for an Aston Martin here at Newport Pagnell was a fitting tribute in the marque’s Centenary Year.”