Monday 14th October 2013

London to Cape Town record broken

Discovery beats record set by Fiat Panda. If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing properly...

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You may remember Philip Young and Paul Brace set a new Cape Town to London record back in February. 10,000 miles in 10 days was a stunning achievement, particularly in a largely unmodified Fiat Panda.

Was letting him overtake wise?

But their record stands no longer. Another pair of intrepid British explorers, Robert Belcher and Stephen Cooper, took ten hours less to complete the journey from Britain to South Africa; their time was 10 days, three hours and 16 minutes.

However, you will have noticed the distinct advantage held by these two over the Panda pair. They did the journey in a Land Rover Discovery, a vehicle rather more suited to this sort of expedition than the Panda. Again not far removed from production spec, the Discovery was fitted with larger fuel tanks, sump guards, off-road tyres and extra driving lamps.

Of course, there are plentiful tales of tribulations overcome. Libya was a tad tricky to get into, there were fuel shortages in Egypt and some fairly atrocious surfaces in Ethiopia. But our chaps persevered in the best British tradition to make it to Cape Town.

Belcher (L) and Cooper (R) evidently chuffed

Again the journey has been undertaken to benefit charity. Belcher and Cooper were raising funds for Farm Africa, and donations can still be made at their website.

Surprisingly, the duo also received sponsorship from Warranty Direct. This quote from Warranty Direct's MD Donald McClure sums up our shared concern beautifully: "When we were first approached for sponsorship and realised that they would be driving a Land Rover we were somewhat sceptical.  Our Reliability Index shows the Land Rover Discovery as one of the more unreliable vehicles covered by Warranty Direct".

But the only issue throughout was a brake warning light and alarm that cured itself. So a marketing crisis averted and a new record set; well done lads!

[[AJ]]

Well done chaps. Great to see Brits flying the flag in the record books. Top job.

[WMP]

Well done!

The Warranty Direct chap obviously isn't on the Land Rover payroll, what a brilliant quote!!!

[Gnome]

¥100 says it's beaten by a Land Cruiser...

[fjord]

Just do it in a Veyron.

[Oddball RS]

Probably a lot tougher job in the Panda.

[GuyWMD]

Well done chaps!

[TransverseTight]

fjord said:

Just do it in a Veyron.

Er and the bits with gaps in the tarmac? Even with some bigger tyres I don't think the ground clearance on the veryon will mean you can catch up the lost time when you get to the black stuff as you won't get to the black stuff.

This is one of those trips I've been dying to make. Literally ;-) I was gonna do the west coast - the old dakar route, as my Mrs is from down that way. But shes has stated categorically if I don't get killed on the way she'd kill me when I get back.

[Mikebentley]

On June 19th this year I purchased a brand new "off road" Panda and true to form it just spent a week back with the dealer with a faulty DPF sensor. The words Fiat and Off Road go together perfectly in my experience...or was I unlucky?

[budrover]

Meet these 2 characters on a couple of occasions on the Tuareg Rally once in X5 [which they broke in Sahara] and last time in a early V8 Discovery ...they will of been stopping for a G&T when the sun went down every evening.

Good one chaps !!!

[British Beef]

Great achievement.

I was just looking at a map thinking how it could be done without passing through the middle of some of the must dangerous & impoverished 3rd world countries in the world - there is no way!

Driving 10000 miles on bad roads is one thing, doing it through some of those countries is something else. Big respect!!!!

[Bill]

WMP said:

Well done!

The Warranty Direct chap obviously isn't on the Land Rover payroll, what a brilliant quote!!!

I do wonder whether the attempt would have been quietly forgotten about if it had gone wrong.

[fivetenben]

Fantastic achievement - even if it is cheating driving a 4x4...

[Truckosaurus]

Looks like the high speed African Vehicle of choice is still a Toyota Hiace/Quantum.

Stick a bed and kitchen in the back - tea and kip whilst on the move.

[sisu]

10 hours quicker over 10,000 miles isn't exactly fantastic is it?

In fact I have more admiration for the guys who did it in the Panda now.

[rallycross]

Sounds too easy now days!
Try reading this amazing book to see just how difficult it used to be.

The original record holders had a much more difficult trip including getting held up and shot at, no bridges so had to cross rivers on tiny rafts and drove for miles on rough surfaces, a true adventure.

There is a great book I'd recommend anyone interested in driving to read; about the original record holder Eric Jackson in the 60's .

Petrol in my Blood by Eric Jackson
Take a peek here

http://damnlongway.com

[Reavenger]

Any link to the route or the charity website?

Sounds like a great adventure that most PH'ers would enjoy I think.

[boxedin]

sisu said:

10 hours quicker over 10,000 miles isn't exactly fantastic is it?

In fact I have more admiration for the guys who did it in the Panda now.

10 hours, that was it?

Have to agree, +10 for the Panda.

[rallycross]

The record was 42 days in the 60's.

[The Moose]

One also has to wonder how much support they had too - obviously some as there's a photograph of them either overtaking or being overtaken...

Quite frankly, it all comes down to the borders and clearing them fast. I've been stuck at the Libya border for quite a while and I've also been through within half an hour also. So variable.

Edited by The Moose on Monday 14th October 20:11

[dc2rr07]

'Was letting him overtake wise?'

Looking at the picture surely it is the Land Rover that is doing the overtaking !

Well done though.