The journey will commence at 10:00 AM in London at Waterloo Place, passing by The Reform Club — where the legendary Phileas Fogg began his fictional journey “Around the World in 80 Days.” The Taylors are expected to arrive in Perth for the Australian leg of the Guinness World Record attempt in mid-February. They will then travel through locations such as Port Hedland, Broome, Katherine, Alice Springs, Adelaide and Melbourne, departing from Sydney for New Zealand to continue their record attempt. To see daily statistics on mileage and fuel consumption along the Taylors’ journey  http://www.fuelchallenge.com/ will provide the most up-to-date information, as well as daily blogs by the Taylors and crew, photographs, highlights and tips on fuel efficiency. John and Helen are — unquestionably — the world’s most economical drivers. Holders of thirty-four notable fuel economy driving achievements (more than any other couple in the world), the Taylors’ global venture will be their biggest challenge ever. By the time they return to London in late March, they will have traveled across Europe, Asia, Australia and America. For this challenge, the Taylors approached Shell to be their exclusive fuel provider after testing several commercially-available fuels. To further demonstrate their commitment to helping people around the world achieve better fuel efficiency, Shell will be road testing their newest Fuel Economy petrol formulation for the challenge, which Shell plans to introduce to the public in the future. The Taylors’ journey will provide Shell researchers with a unique opportunity to assess the performance and effectiveness of its new formulation, and will also enable them to further develop fuel efficient driving practices appropriate to widely differing road conditions. These learnings will be added to Shell’s “FuelStretch” principles — a set of tips developed to help drivers around the world achieve better fuel economy. “This is a lifetime’s ambition for Helen and me. It’s the toughest economy record attempt we’ve undertaken, and given the huge variety of terrain we’ll be crossing, it’s the ultimate test of our ability to drive economically,” says John. “Helen and I are confident that by implementing some simple driving tips for fuel efficiency and using Shell’s most advanced fuel, we will be successful in setting a strong record.” John and Helen will be driving a Volkswagen Golf FSI 1.6. This is VW’s standard Golf model which is representative of cars you can find on the road today. The Taylors’ car will be accompanied by a crew trailing in two Volkswagen Passat Estates. The crew will include an independent witness, a videographer to document the journey, a writer to help chronicle the Taylors’ adventures, and two Volkswagen support personnel. For the attempt to qualify as an official Guinness World Record, John and Helen must travel in one direction only, covering a distance of at least 28,970 kms, but no more than the full length of the Equator. The car needs to be a standard production model. There are eighteen other strict rules and regulations covering antipodal points, East/West co-ordinates, independent adjudication, log books, witnesses, pre-travel engineering checks, and driving times. The Taylors and crew will spend up to fourteen hours a day on the road, driving both day and night, while adhering to strict health and safety guidelines. They will also follow a strict and limited eating regime to minimize the risk of illness that could affect achieving the record. One break for the couple, however, will come mid-journey, when they will stop at home in Melbourne, Australia to attend their daughter’s wedding. Says Helen, “After raising three children, we see this record attempt as a chance to find some peace on the road and spend some serious quality time together.” "This is an exciting and dynamic undertaking for the Taylors, and Shell is proud to be part of it," says Bruce Rosengarten, Shell's Vice President of Global Retail Marketing. "It is a chance to show people how they can move better around the world, while also putting the new Fuel Economy formulation to the ultimate road test. We are determined to bring all the learnings of economical driving to our customers as well as the new shell Fuel Economy formulation as soon as possible." "We're excited about this new challenge as it represents the most ambitious global fuel efficiency record attempt to date," says Craig Glenday, editor of Guinness World Records. "It's a timely representation of what attempting a Guinness World Record is all about — pushing the boundaries of human and technological achievement while carrying along with it some helpful tips to demonstrate how every driver can save money on fuel." So don’t expect the Taylors to depart London on their extraordinary adventure in a blaze of burning rubber. Their gentle departure with an easy foot on the pedal will ensure that they cruise around the world at a comfortable speed to achieve their goal — not least because just one small mishap or traffic infringement could invalidate the entire record attempt.
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