Michelin Men Take Part in MPG Marathon

This year’s MPG Marathon took place on Wednesday September 30 and Thursday October 1, and Michelin’s Stoke-on-Trent headquarters fielded two teams in the event. Factory manager Peter Marsh and environmental manager Ian Cowie and Michelin Purchasing staff Charlie Watts and Mick Underhill took part in the 360 mile marathon, driving Peugeot 308 HDi cars – the vehicle used to set a world record of 126 miles per gallon in the UK – and fitted with Michelin Energy Saver tyres. The two teams finished in 9th and 11th place in the overall standings.

“The MPG Marathon is an excellent way to showcase the importance of how a few simple changes to driving style coupled with the right technology can vastly improve the fuel efficiency performance of a vehicle,” said Peter Marsh, Michelin Stoke’s Factory manager. “Both the Peugeot 308s drove well, with Charlie and Mick doing very well to achieve a top ten finish. It was an excellent event and we were very pleased to have taken part in it.” 

The FleetWorld magazine organised MPG Marathon, now in its ninth year, sets a number of fuel and performance efficiency challenges to drivers including improving upon the published “combined cycle” fuel consumption figures of their vehicles. Participants also compete for the best outright fuel consumption and the best percentage improvement prizes, which are aimed at showing that even the less fuel efficient vehicles can return an improved fuel performance if driven smartly. The MPG Marathon is both open to cars and light commercial vehicles.