The Austrian distance driver had a more ambitious journey in his sights – to drive a car on three different continents within three days, a tour that would take him through thirteen countries. Accompanying Plattner, co-driver Franz Doppler and their Audi was a set of Hankook’s Ventus tyres – OE on numerous A3 models.
“Our Audi A3 1.9 TDI e and our Hankook tyres provide the best conditions for top performance, dependability, and fuel economy under all road conditions on all three continents,” commented Gerhard Plattner. “We chose the high-performance Hankook Ventus S1 evo tyres, which Audi also uses as original equipment on various A3 models, because, in spite of their exceptionally good traction, these tyres have proven that they are also highly durable and have low rolling resistance.”
Less than 72 hours after pulling out of Rabat, Morocco, Plattner and Doppler rolled into the Turkish city of Istanbul. “Everything ran wonderfully and according to plan,” commented Plattner. “Without the various traffic jams encountered we would have arrived even earlier. We made exactly the right choice with our equipment, a standard Audi A.3 1.9 TDI e and the Hankook Ventus S1 evo high performance tyres. The tyres are quiet and comfortable, yet precise. Their low rolling resistance benefited us considerably, as we didn’t want to lose any time making unnecessary fuel stops. Furthermore, the tyres possess very high safety margins and grip in the wet, such as the torrential rains of Central Europe that we could have encountered.”
Before his latest adventure, Plattner had already circled the globe some seven times on his quest to set new records. These efforts have led to the Guinness Book of Records dubbing him the “most versatile driver in the world.” The three-day tour began in front of the mausoleum of King Hassan in Rabat, Morocco. From there, an express ferry took the team to Tarifa, in Europe, where they then drove along the Mediterranean coast, through Spain, France, Monaco and Italy. After crossing the Alps, the route continued through Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Bulgaria until reaching Turkey. In Istanbul, the team crossed the Bosphorus on 11th June, reaching the finish line on the Asian side of the city.
To mark the 100th anniversary of the Audi brand, Plattner, with support from Hankook Tire, has brought back 100 souvenir photos from the trip and present them to the car manufacturer as a folding album 30 metres long. “We are very pleased to be supporting Audi and Gerhard Plattner with our tyres, especially for the anniversary of the Audi brand,” says Jin-Wook Choi, executive vice president and European head of Hankook Tire. “Audi is one of the leading vehicle manufacturers in the world in terms of technology, and we are proud to be a partner in this record-setting trip with our high quality product.” (Tyres & Accessories/Staffordshire, U.K.)
