Goodyear rolls into fuel efficient world record

July 8, 2015

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has rolled into the Guinness World Records as a partner with Volkswagen of America Inc. to put the car company in the record books.

The tire manufacturer outfitted a Volkswagen Golf TDI with Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max tires as the two companies set the record for "lowest fuel consumption—48 U.S. contiguous states for a non-hybrid car" with 81.17 mpg.

Wayne Gerdes, automotive journalist and founder of www.cleanmpg.com, and co-driver, Bob Winger hit the road June 22, 2015, from Volkswagen of America’s headquarters in and returned on July 7, after covering 8,233.5 miles on just 101.43 gallons of fuel.

The duo's record beat the previous mark of 77.99 mpg by more than 3 mpg, and also beat the hybrid vehicle record of 74.34 mpg by more than 6 mpg.

“Working with an industry leader like Volkswagen to set this record was a great opportunity for us to showcase the superior performance of our low rolling resistance Assurance Fuel Max tires,” says Paul Raymondo, Goodyear brand manager. “Many consumers want their tires to offer confident handling in changing weather conditions, but also want to save money at the pump. This record drive has proven that our Fuel Max tires excel at both.”

During their cross-country drive, the duo encountered a wide range of terrain and changing weather conditions—including extreme heat and heavy rains. The team stopped at Goodyear headquarters June 24 during its cross-country trek.

“In my experience, the Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max has some of the best wet weather traction of any fuel efficient tire,” says Gerdes. “It’s why I’ve chosen them for all my personal vehicles.”

Goodyear says its Assurance Fuel Max tires are designed with a fuel-saving tread compound that can save drivers up to 2,600 miles of gas over the life of the tires.

Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max tires are available in more than 60 sizes, fitting many of today’s most popular sedans, coupes, minivans and crossover vehicles.

For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com.