If You Want to Be a Record Breaker…

Car designer and customiser, Andy Saunders is back on Guinness World Record breaking form with his latest project. The Turner-prize nominated artist (or should that be Cartist?) aims to retake his own record for building the World’s lowest car as part of the forthcoming celebrations at Beaulieu’s International Autojumble. The prestigious event, now celebrating its fortieth year is held annually at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, Hampshire, this year on the 9th and 10th September.

Saunders, From Poole in Dorset is no stranger to the record books. His previous crazy creation, ‘Claustrophobia’ was a heavily chopped and re-styled Mini that captured global attention back in 1985. Since then, the record has been taken by fellow Englishman Perry Watkins, who managed to shave another unsuspecting Mini down to a mere 23.6 inches from road to roof. This car took over a year to build.

Never one to make life easy for himself – and ever the showman, Saunders not only plans to slash a hefty chunk from the record, but build the entire car from start to finish, including full painting and detailing over just three days, live to the estimated 30,000 visitors expected to attend the Autojumble. Drawing heavily on experience gained from tight production schedules on TV shows such as BBC’s ‘Panic Mechanic’ and C4’s ‘Monster Garage’, Saunders will start chopping and cutting on Friday’s set up day, hoping to drive straight into the record books as the fitting finale on the Sunday afternoon.

With over 2,000 trade stands to choose from – the largest gathering of it’s kind outside of the US, Saunders and his long-suffering sidekick Jim Chalmers, will scour the eclectic range of rare and unusual parts on offer to create a truly unique car. All under the intense pressure of a watchful crowd – and the clock!

So can he do it? Has the World’s greatest metal magician set the bar too high? …or too low? ‘Well, I’m not going to get much sleep, am I?’ jokes Saunders. ‘This will certainly be the most intensive project I’ve ever attempted… and the lowest, hence the project title, ‘Flat Out’. Just keep the tea coming, and I’ll have it finished for Sunday.’

With media attention already buzzing around this record attempt, the car looks to embark on a long life in the public eye. After completing a promotional tour, it is planned for ‘Flat Out’ to spend the next year as a star attraction in Beaulieu’s hallowed halls.