AUTONEWS

German man drives 2,400 km on one tank of fuel in old VW Passat B5 1.9 TDI

Diesel engines have become almost "unwanted" in Europe today, they are referred to as a relic of the past. However, they were popular for decades because of their practicality and efficiency. Recently, a German decided to remind us of the unreal economy of older diesels and tried to drive 2,400 km on one full tank of fuel in a 1998 Volkswagen Passat B5 1.9 TDI.

His goal was to beat his own record from the previous year, when he drove 1,913 km on one tank of fuel. At that time, he wanted to reach 2,000 km, but he failed.

He planned the trip from Hildesheim in central Germany to Juoksengi in Sweden, near the Arctic Circle, a distance of 2,359 km.

To achieve this range, he had to reduce fuel consumption to around 3.0 l/100 km. That's why he "lightened" the car as much as possible: he removed the roof racks and all unnecessary things from the cabin. He replaced the fuel filter, installed LED lights for lower power consumption, and even removed the timing belt, which turned off the air conditioning and power steering.

He also used fuel additives, low-viscosity engine oil (0W-30), "eco" tires with lower rolling resistance, aerodynamic wheel covers, and inflated the tires to as much as 4.0 bar to reduce drag.

At first, the tank (capacity 62 liters) held around 53 liters, but with various "tricks" and topping up, he managed to put in around 67 liters of fuel in total. The drive was carefully planned, with a speed of around 80 km/h, with frequent driving in the lee behind the truck to reduce air resistance.

The results were impressive: after 345 km the tank needle barely moved, and after 1,000 km it was still above half. At one point he even slept in the car to continue the journey without interruption.

It ended up covering 2,398 km, just 2 km short of the target of 2,400 km, with an average consumption of under 3.0 l/100 km.

This surpassed the previous record of British drivers of 2,463 km, set in 2010 in a Passat B6 between England and France, but not the record of Croatian journalists from AMS, who traveled 2,545 kilometers in 2011 with a Passat B7 1.6 TDI. However, it should be borne in mind that the German was driving an almost 30-year-old Passat.

Factory code: 3B/3BG (B5) Saloon / type 3B/3BG (B5) Estate...In the summer of 1996, the time has come: the Passat B5 is unveiled, a completely new development and an outstanding car in terms of technology, appearance, and quality.

The design is remarkably striking, balanced, and characterised by understated elegance. “Beautiful to the point of arrogance,” is how one press quote puts it. The saloon has a very distinctive look thanks to its front arch, known as the “Warkuß arch” – named after Volkswagen’s chief designer Hartmut Warkuß. For the first time, a Passat generation also boasts "business genes" and, as the Variant TDI, is a trendsetter for frequent business drivers. A drag coefficient of just 0.27 allows economical driving even at higher speeds.

With the fifth generation, Volkswagen returns to close cooperation with its Group partner Audi. The new Passat shares its platform and powertrain with the Audi A4. The engines are therefore once again installed longitudinally, the front axle is a four-link design for fine suspension, and the rear features a twist-beam design with separate springs and shock absorbers – resulting in a larger load compartment width.

There is one tiny area where the B5 falls short of its predecessor: its level of interior comfort remains unmatched, and the interior is slightly shorter. The build quality is noticeably high, the body is fully galvanised, and the minimal gaps enhance the visual quality. The high-quality feel is topped off by silicone-damped grab handles.

The Passat B5 is manufactured in Emden and at the new production facility in Mosel near Zwickau in Saxony.

The equipment lines are Trendline, Comfortline, and Highline.

The engine range initially includes the petrol engines 1.6 litre 8V (74 kW/100 PS), 1.8 litre 20V (92 kW/125 PS or 110 kW/150 PS), 2.3 litre VR 5 (110 kW/150 PS), and, as a diesel, the 1.9 TDI (66 kW/90 PS and 81 kW/110 PS).

In 2000, the VW Passat B5 undergoes a major product upgrade, featuring extensive visual changes to the front and rear. In 2001, the top-of-the-range Passat W8 is launched with a completely new engine design. Its key data are 4.0 litres displacement, 275 PS maximum power, 250 km/h top speed, and top-of-the-range equipment.