Jaguar XF circumnavigates Tasmania in a single tank of diesel

Can you do a round of Tasmania in a diesel-powered Jaguar XF sedan with just one tank of fuel? Fuel economy champions Helen and John Taylor have proved just that.

The diesel-engined Jaguar XF Prestige 20d covered more than 1100 km on a tank of Caltex Vortex Premium Diesel which costed just $50.64.

The epic drive started at Devonport’s William Street Caltex service station on April 20 and finished there the next day after covering 1,136 km, using only 42.59 litres of Caltex Vortex Premium Diesel and averaging 3.75 L/100 km. The all-new Jaguar XF has a 66 litre fuel tank.

The around-Tasmania drive went from Devonport to Deloraine then onto Launceston, Scottsdale, Derby, St Helens, Swansea, Triabunna, Sorell, Hobart, Hamilton, Derwent Bridge, Queenstown, Rosebery and Burnie before heading to the Devonport finish.

The entire drive, Tasmania’s first fuel efficiency circumnavigation record run, was witnessed by Australian Book of Records representative Phillip Swindells and was carried out in realistic driving conditions with the Taylors obeying all speeds limit and traffic laws.

Commenting on the record-breaking run, Helen Taylor said Tasmania’s challenging terrain made for an interesting drive that demonstrated the need for using good quality fuel and proven safe driving techniques.

“We kept our vehicle performing at its best by using Caltex Vortex Premium Diesel, a premium product that is designed to help clean the critical parts of the engine, as we drove.
“This record-setting project will demonstrate that by driving safer and smarter and using good quality fuel it is possible for the everyday driver to save fuel, save money and reduce vehicle emissions,” she said.

The Taylors chose Jaguar’s all-new XF Prestige sedan, powered by JLR’s new Ingenium 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine, for the record-setting drive. The engine, coupled to a standard eight-speed automatic transmission, delivers 132kW and 430Nm of torque to the rear wheels.

Caltex Australia Executive General Manager Commercial, Bruce Rosengarten, said the company partnered with the Taylors to help educate, assist and empower people to make informed choices when it comes to driving and fuel efficiency.

“We wanted to show how fuel-efficient driving techniques combined with vehicle maintenance and Caltex Vortex Premium Fuel, which is designed to clean (engines) for better performance, can help people get more out of a tank while reducing emissions”, Mr Rosengarten added.