A 2015 Volkswagen Golf TDI Clean Diesel recently set a new Guinness World Record for the “lowest fuel consumption for a non-hybrid car” averaging just 2.9 l/100 km!
Traveling 13,250,5 km around America in 16 days on RM1123.05 of Shell Diesel fuel, the Golf beat the previous mark of 3 l/100 km and also beat the hybrid vehicle record of 3.16 l/100 km.
The record-setting Golf TDI, sporting Volkswagen of America’s 60th anniversary emblem, as well as logos from sponsors Shell, Goodyear, LG, Garmin and Linear-Logic, departed from the Volkswagen of America’s headquarters in Herndon, Va., on Monday, June 22. It returned on Tuesday, July 7, having visited all 48 contiguous states.
The Golf TDI was driven by Wayne Gerdes, automotive journalist and founder of cleanmpg.com. His co-driver was Bob Winger, an electronics engineer long involved in energy and conservation projects. Gerdes is an expert hypermiler who has set mileage records in more than 100 vehicles. In 2013, Gerdes set the Guinness World Records title for “lowest fuel consumption—48 U.S. states for a non-hybrid car” in a 2013 Volkswagen Passat TDI, with an outstanding 3 l/100 km.
The 2015 Golf TDI uses Volkswagen’s advanced turbocharged and direct-injection Clean Diesel engine to achieve an EPA estimated highway fuel economy of 5.23l/100km when equipped with the 6-speed manual transmission. The Golf TDI joins 5 other models in Volkswagen’s TDI lineup that achieve an EPA estimated fuel economy rating of 5.23l/100km or better on the highway.
According to VW, for the attempt, the Golf TDI used Shell ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel and Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max tyres which feature a fuel-saving tread compound to help increase fuel efficiency and offer confident all-season traction. The record-setting Golf TDI was also equipped with a Linear Logic ScanGauge II to precisely measure fuel economy, G4 smartphones by LG and a Garmin nüvi 57 LM GPS navigator to meet Guinness World Records tracking requirements.
