2011 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Sets New Record On World's Longest Highway
On July 13, Rainer Zietlow and his team set a new world record for driving the length of the Pan-American Highway covering nearly 16,000 miles through 14 countries in a 2011 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Clean Diesel SUV.
The team set off on this journey to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the legendary Pan-American Highway. The team began their adventure on July 2 at the southern-most tip of Argentina where the Pan-American Highway begins, then travelling through Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, the United States and Canada. The team drove day and night, taking five hour shifts throughout the trip.
Zietlow chose the Toureg TDI Clean Diesel for its durability, high-performance and long-range fuel efficiency. The Touareg features a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 TDI engine that produces 225-hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. The clean diesel SUV consumes 30 percent less fuel and produces up to 25 percent lower CO2 emissions than comparable gasoline vehicles.
The journey was to benefit charity organizations that work in 48 developing countries. Zietlow will donate 10 Euro cents for each kilometer that was driven to two villages in Latin America managed by Plan International.
Zietlow will travel to VW dealerships across the U.S from August 1-30 with the record setting Touareg so the public can learn about the record setting journey.
GALLERY: 2011 Volkswagen Touraeg TDI
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