|
June 16, 2009
This Week:
© 1998 - 2009
Copyright &
Disclaimer
Automotive Intelligence,
www.autointell.com
All Rights Reserved .
For questions please contact
editor@autointell.net
|
|
A new record ahead with the Audi A3:
three continents in three days
|
The 1,5 million Chevrolet Corvette among its proud
producers |
Covering over 4,900 kilometers (3,044
miles) in three days, driving specialist Gerhard Plattner is
gearing up for his next record-breaking attempt as the first
driver to reach three continents in just three days. On June 8,
Plattner and his co-pilot Franz Doppler will depart from Rabat,
Morocco, in an Audi A3 1.9 TDI e with the goal of reaching the
Asian side of Istanbul no more than 72 hours later. Today’s
presentation of the vehicle at the Audi Forum Ingolstadt marks
the beginning of a phase of intense preparation for the team of
drivers.
Gerhard Plattner has already circled
the globe seven times in attempts to set new records. Now the
passionate motorist is seeking to set his latest world record by
reaching three continents in just three days, covering over
4,900 kilometers (3,044 miles) from the Moroccan capital of
Rabat to the Asian side of Istanbul, crossing Europe and a total
of 13 countries – in just 72 hours. The route will present an
enormous challenge to the team’s endurance, driving skill and
physical fitness. |
|
|
|
Extreme conditions on the
record-breaking drive will also serve as a tough test of the
vehicle’s safety, efficiency and comfort on long-distance
routes.
Plattner and his co-pilot Franz Doppler
therefore chose a standard Audi A3 1.9 TDI e with an output of
77 kW (105 hp) to help them successfully complete the difficult
journey. “The A3 has ideal characteristics for all three
continents. Nevertheless, any attempt to break a record also
requires a lot of good luck, especially regarding the weather
and traffic,” said Gerhard Plattner during the presentation of
the vehicle at the Audi Forum Ingolstadt.
The two driving specialists plan to
start their journey on June 8 from the royal mausoleum in Rabat,
later crossing to Tarifa in Spain with the high-speed ferry.
Plattner and Doppler will then drive along the Mediterranean
coast of Spain, France and Italy. After crossing the Alps and a
brief stop in Munich, Plattner will pilot the A3 through the
Balkan States, arriving in Istanbul and crossing the Bosporus to
reach the finish line in Asia on June 11, after no more than 72
hours of total driving time. |
However, the driving specialist is not just
interested in a new entry in the record books. Plattner plans on
returning to Ingolstadt with a photographic document containing
precisely 100 commemorative photos – the passionate driver’s way of
wishing the Audi brand a happy 100th birthday.
|
 |
Car handover: „three continents in
three days“ Stephan Öri, head of Audi Communications Product and
Technology, hands over the Audi A3 1.9 TDI e to the
record-breaking drivers Gerhard Plattner and Franz Doppler (from
right) at the Audi Forum Ingolstadt. |
The Guinness Book of World Records has dubbed
Gerhard Plattner “the most versatile driver in the world.” To date, the
journalist from Tyrol has covered just under 7 million kilometers (4.3
million miles) by car, setting numerous world records for speed,
efficiency and endurance in the process. In 1991, Plattner completed the
fastest round-the-world drive in an Audi S2, a record that still stands
today. Plattner also set a record for the most efficient round-the-world
journey in a car from the brand with the four rings, an Audi 80 TDI. In
1992, the record-breaking driver piloted an Audi duo, the world’s first
standard hybrid vehicle, from Ingolstadt to the World’s Fair in Seville.
Photos: Audi AG
(May 29, 2009)
|
