Jaguar South Africa will make a slightly out-of-the-ordinary attempt this weekend. On Sunday 1st July, a Jaguar XF 2.2 –litre four cylinder diesel will depart from the Union Buildings in Pretoria and attempt to drive to the Durban Beachfront and back – a distance of approximately 1 242 km – on a single tank of diesel. This is a little unusual in that it’s not the traditional Johannesburg to Cape Town dash, and all the more challenging as a result.
Seasoned economy run expert Roger Rouessart will be driving the frugal luxury sedan under the watchful eye of Richard Carstens from Motorsport South Africa. No special preparations will be made to the Jaguar XF 2.2.
Over and above the sheer distance of the trip, the route will also lay down the challenges of forced stops through the N3’s multiple toll gates – which increase fuel consumption due to accelerating back to speed – as well as the city driving elements in and out of Pretoria and Durban.
“This will be a real test for the Jaguar XF and the drivers in that it is a realistic trip,” says David Barns, Jaguar Brand Manager and organiser of the attempt. “We’ll be making it even more relevant by running a second XF with an ‘ordinary’ driver behind the wheel to see just how much of a difference driving technique can make.”
The ‘ordinary’ driver will be none other than Ignition TV presenter, Marius Roberts. The motoring channel will document the two Jaguars’ efforts for broadcast during July.
Jaguar’s acclaimed 2,2-litre diesel engine delivers 140kW and 450Nm of torque to allow 8,5-second acceleration to 100km/h and a top speed of 225km/h. Yet the luxury sedan also returns just 5l/100km on the open road, which should theoretically allow a cruising range of 1 280km, a fairly critical number to complete the route without filling up.
The team will depart the Union Buildings on Sunday 1st July at 9am, stopping at the Caltex garage in Harrismith, before arriving in Durban for an overnight rest and the return trip on Monday.
