Volkswagen Passat Sets New Cross Canada Mileage Record!
Posted Jul 13th 2012 12:44PM
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With summer now upon us, many Canadians will soon set out on their own "road trip" and Volkswagen Canada and Shell recently teamed up to make the drive more enjoyable, more economical, and easier on the environment. Fuel consumption is a big factor for most of us these days, and changing the way you drive (or what you drive) can go a long way to impact the environment and your wallet.
In order to promote their eco-conscience efforts, Volkswagen and Shell created what they call the Smarter Driver Event. This unique event spread over 6,300 kms across Canada from Halifax to Vancouver, as this fuel efficient road trip was aimed to set a gas mileage record in a 2012 VW Passat.
Click here for the full press release and video on the event.
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Volkswagen and Shell Team Up With Record-Setting Couple
AJAX, ON – July 12, 2012 –– Halifax to Vancouver. A total of 6,340 kilometers across
Canada. Eight drivers. One car. With summer now upon us, many Canadians will soon set out
on their own "road trip" and Volkswagen Canada and Shell recently teamed up to make the drive
more enjoyable, more economical, and easier on the environment.
Dubbed the "Smarter Driver Event", the team of drivers were not going to do this alone. John
and Helen Taylor, who recently completed a world-record-setting drive of over 2,600 km on one
tank in a factory-stock 2012 Passat TDI Clean Diesel, would serve as the mentors on this drive.
Their plan was to share their fuel-saving driving techniques and showcase how a few simple
changes to one's driving habits can make a big difference. The Taylors would ride in the
Passat's passenger seat next to one of the drivers, with the other team members following closely in two Volkswagen Touareg support vehicles.
The car was a 2012 Volkswagen Passat equipped with a 2.5L five-cylinder engine and a sixspeed
automatic transmission. No modifications were made to the vehicle other than a thorough
pre-trip mechanical inspection.
With room for five and a healthy 170 horsepower on tap, the Passat was well-equipped for the
journey. Automatic climate control, satellite radio and generous room for five ensured maximum
passenger comfort.
The only question: Could eight average Canadians make the journey on just six tanks of fuel?
Setting out from Halifax, the team encountered all driving conditions that a normal Canadian family would on their own summer vacation: sun, wind, rain, and traffic jams were all part of the adventure.
Only Shell Bronze gasoline was used throughout the journey, as this remains the company's top-selling blend. The results? After arriving in Vancouver on Friday, June 22nd, all of the facts and figures were certified and the Passat, along with the Taylors and their team of drivers came out on top. A new Canadian record for fuel efficiency was established as the Passat completed the trip with an average fuel consumption of just 5.59 L/100 km. This resulted in a range of 1,352 km per tank, meaning a grand total of just 4.69 tankfuls. These totals far exceeded pre-event estimates and resulted in a total fuel cost of just $452.90.
Volkswagen has a worldwide initiative called Think Blue. This program was developed with energy savings in mind. The Taylor's methods of fuel conservation fall right in step with the Think Blue philosophy. Think Blue, however, is about more than saving fuel. Small lifestyle changes outside of the vehicle can have significant impact on energy consumption, and it is these changes that Volkswagen is eager to encourage. The company has committed billions of dollars towards energy conservation, and hopes to "spread the word" wherever possible.
For more information on the "Smarter Driver Event", follow the links to: YouTube.com/VolkswagenCanada and on VW.ca.
News Source: YouTube via VW Canada
