What Car?’s True MPG testing has revealed that new official fuel economy tests introduced late last year are providing more accurate results than ever before – with some cars even beating the official figures in the real world.
Audi and the RAC have officially set a new Guinness World Records title by driving to 14 countries on a single tank of fuel. The unmodified Audi A6 TDI ultra chosen for the challenge comfortably exceeded its official 67mpg-plus potential by averaging a remarkable 75.9mpg and completing a total of 1158.9 miles without the need for a fuel-stop. Motoring journalist Andrew Frankel and racing driver Rebecca Jackson drove the A6 TDI ultra almost non-stop for nearly 28 hours from the Netherlands to Hungary, passing through Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Austria, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia – 14 countries in all.
Mile-devouring fuel economy is likely to be a key consideration for most drivers of the 67mpg Audi A6 TDI ultra, but on this occasion it is nothing short of crucial, because a Guinness World Records title attempt depends on it.
Late last month a 1.6-litre BlueHDi 100 S&S Peugeot 208 set a new long-distance fuel consumption record at PSA Peugeot Citroën’s test circuit in Belchamp, France. In the 38 hours that the standard production, 5-speed manual Peugeot was on the track it covered a total of 1,337.19 miles (2,152 kilometres) and used just 43 litres (9.45 gallons) of diesel, achieving an average fuel consumption of 141.2 mpg (2.0 l/100km). The tyres on the record-breaking vehicle were the new model’s standard fitment – Michelin’s Energy Saver +.
Toyota may well have broken two records at the Nürburgring circuit in Germany, and is keen to share details of one of them. A modified, Goodyear-shod Prius has recorded the most fuel-efficient lap of the Nordschliefe. It was perhaps also the slowest lap officially recorded by a vehicle manufacturer.
According to Emissions Analytics, ratings printed on the European tyre label do not tell the “full story”. The Winchester-based company, which specialises in supplying real-world fuel consumption and emissions data based on tailpipe measurements, states that tyres with an F-rating for fuel economy perform as well as B-rated tyres at mid-range speeds.
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