A Tennessee couple recently broke the record for most miles driven on one tank of gas in their Volkswagen Passat TDI. John and Helen Taylor have dedicated their lives to efficient driving, and have gone around the world to learn about and teach good fuel economy practices. They hold more than 90 different records for driving and fuel conservation, and the title of longest drive on a single tank of gas is the latest to be added to their list. The Taylors chose a Passat with a 2.0-liter TDI clean diesel inline four-cylinder engine as it has an estimated fuel economy of 43 miles per gallon.

The three-day trip took place across nine states from Houston, Texas, to Sterling, Virginia. The couple drove their Passat along a standard route during normal driving hours to ensure they would encounter real life situations like traffic. They even includes 120 pounds of luggage on their journey to show drivers it is possible to get more out of a gallon of gas. The car averaged about 84.1 miles per gallon.

"We're excited to have broken the record for longest distance driven on one tank of fuel," said John Taylor. "The Passat TDI was the perfect car for the trip. It offers plenty of interior and cargo space, yet it is frugal enough to help us achieve this record."

To ensure the Taylors did not cheat, the speedometer and odometer were calibrated at a certified testing station in Texas. Houston police oversaw this as well as the initial fill-up and the sealing of the gas tank before the couple embarked on their journey.They beat the previous record of 1,526.6 miles set by a different diesel-run Passat in Europe.

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