A team driving a Volkswagen Touareg has crossed the 16,000-mile Pan-American Highway in 11 days 17 hours and 22 minutes.
During the non-stop drive, the team of Rainier Zietlow beat the previous best time by a full three days to set a new world record. Their journey also marked the 75th anniversary of the opening of the highway that stretches from the southern-most tip of Argentina all the way to Deadhorse, Alaska.
A standard 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel Touareg was used for the journey with only a minimal number of safety modifications. Zietlow said at the end of the trip: "We were able to overcome every weather challenge along the way, and our fueling and transportation stops ran like clockwork. We were outfitted with a vehicle that could handle the demanding driving schedule and challenging conditions, and had amazing technical and driver support along the way."
The team of three drove in five-hour stints, stopping only for fuel. The trip has also raised money for Plan International, a charity promoting children's rights.
