London to Cape Town Record Breaking Drive

On the 16th of October 2010 Mac MacKenney, Chris Rawlings & Steve MacKenney set out to break the driving record from London to Cape Town of 13 Days, 8 Hours and 48 minutes set in 1963 by Eric Jackson and Ken Chambers in a Ford Cortina.

[Update: Video interviews with Mac, Chris and Steve available here ]

Incredibly this record has stood for 47 years. I'm amazed the Cortina managed the trip, let alone setting a record that has stood for nearly half a century.

London-to-Cape-Town-Record-Breaking-Drive

That record stood until today, when at 12:39 (GMT +2) the Max Adventure Team crossed the finish line at the AA South Africa House in Cape Town.

Max-Adventure-London-to-Cape-Town

10,000 miles, 21 countries, 3 continents in a record time of 11 Days, 14 Hours and 11 Minutes, breaking the 1963 record by 1 Day, 18 Hours and 37 Minutes.

A remarkable feat managed by three fantastic human beings chasing their dreams and in the process raising money for the Help for Heros Charity.

Max-Adventure-Crossing-the-Finish-Line

I had a chance to speak to the team on their arrival and although thoroughly exhausted the team was in high spirits, humble and delighted by the support shown to them by a convoy of 20 Land Rovers escorting them along the final yards of their epic journey and a crowd of supporters and journalists assembled at the AA House.

I'll include some video clips of the guys arriving and chatting to Drive South Africa tomorrow morning, in the meantime here are some photos taken at the finish line.

London-to-Cape-Town-Record-Breaking-Drive-Team-Photo

Well done Mac, Chris and Steve, inspirational!

  • Share this page  
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • StumbleUpon
  • LinkedIn
  • Newsvine
  • E-mail
  • Tumblr
  • Yahoo! Bookmarks
Connect with us on Facebook or Twitter

3 Responses on this page.Add your own

  1. Gravatar Mike Boyd says:

    If I am not mistaken, from memory, it was a Ford Corsair and it raced the mail boat to Southampton just beating it.

  2. Gravatar Andrew Arnott says:

    Hi Mike,

    The 1963 vehicle was a Ford Cortina. Details here: http://www.maxadventure.co.uk/news_detail.php?newsid=174

  3. Gravatar Sandy says:

    Wow, that?‘s a really clever way of thinking about it!

Leave a Comment

  • Please enter the word you see in the image below:

Other Recent Posts…

May 18 20124x4 track: Taking the Sani Pass from KZN to Lesotho by Stan Rogers
Basotho herd boy by Stan Rogers

Few tracks are as exciting as the 4x4 track of Sani Pass which leads up to Drakensberg mountains into Lesotho! Read how the Roger's couple experienced it.

May 15 2012I Do Africa - On the road again from Livingstone by Dorette Marais
Finally in Dar Es Salaam by Dorette  Marais

Read yet another funny and interesting blog on the couple that said yes to Africa. Travelling from Livingstone to Dar Es Salaam was not as easy as they thought.

May 14 2012Driving the Garden Route: 5 Must-see Stops Along The Way by Guest Blogger
Hiking trail along the Garden Route by Roger Gordon

Nothing beats driving the Garden Route and admiring the gorgeous landscapes. Here are some must-see stops along the way.

May 10 2012Botswana Travel Guide by Corlia Goosen
Male Lion by Amhuxham

A Travel Guide about Botswana with more information on top attractions, 4x4 travel options and airport information.

May 09 2012Namibia Travel Guide by Corlia Goosen
Namibia Travel Guide

A quick travel guide to Namibia. More information on Namibia's Airports, Namibia's roads and top tourist attractions.

April 24 20124x4 Hire South Africa - Toyota Hilux Review by Dalene Ingham-Brown
Toyota Hilux by Drive South Africa

4x4 Hire in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana offers the Toyota Hilux in its fleet. Watch this Toyota Hilux review for an inside peek at what this vehicle is equipped with.

April 23 20122012 Driving Tips for Tourists in South Africa by Cheréne Pienaar
Driving Tips for Tourists in South Africa by Koffiemetkoek

Are you exploring South Africa for the first time? Get the facts on the driving rules and regulations for tourists in South Africa

April 23 2012Rolling through the Garden Route and Wild Coast by Stan Rogers
The seaside village of Coffee Bay by Stan Rogers

Stan and Marianne takes off from the Garden Route and explores this part of South Africa with their trusted Tin Can.

April 23 2012I Do Africa - The quest to Victoria Falls in Zambia by Dorette Marais
Dorette waits by Guillaume

Heading down to Livingstone was not as easy our I Do Africa couple thought.

April 16 2012Walvis Bay Airport travel information by Corlia Goosen
Road from Swakopmund to Walvis Bay by pegash

Here is complete travel distance information from Walvis Bay Airport to various other destinations you might want to visit in Namibia.