Three Range Rover Hybrid prototypes have completed the 10,472 mile Silk Trail.
In total, the trip took 53 days and crossed 13 counties and two continents.
The cars originally left Land Rover's West Midlands HQ two months ago, having been set the challenge of following the 2000-year-old trading route to Mumbai, India.
Land Rover sees the mammoth endurance drive as the final development test drive for its new Range Rover Hybrid. In total, the journey is expected to take seven weeks and see the team travel through 14 countries.
The route is treacherous, however, and saw the team conquer rough terrain, mountains and temperatures of up to 43 degrees.
Now at the end of the journey, the team reports that the only things to have slowed them down so far are some lengthy border crossings, 15 punctures, four damaged wheels and four cracked windscreens.
Indeed, the Range Rover Hybrids, which are each powered by 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 engine in conjunction with an electric motor, have scarcely missed a beat. The cars each have a peak power output of 335bhp and 516lb ft of torque, which enables the team to make swift progress.
During the latter stages of the trip the expedition spent several days at altitudes betwen 11,000 and 17,648 feet, before then descending into China and eventually into India.
JLR electric vehicles boss Peter Richings said, "The world’s first diesel hybrid expedition along the Silk Trail pioneered an ambitious route across Europe and Asia that would have been impassable to most other types of vehicle – but no matter how hostile the conditions, the Range Rover Hybrid prototypes took it all in their stride."
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"have scarcely missed a beat" - means it broke down
Range Rover drives 10,000 miles and almost doesn't break down - wow that really is news.
soldi wrote: "have scarcely
This refers to an over-ambitious river crossing where the wading depth was breached and the car ingested water. It's in the article in the magazine.
Ray60
I haven't seen Ray but if his diatribe is reflected in his persona I bet he's ugly. Sounds like an iconoclast to me.
Silk Trail?
Given the car's natural terrain is the leafy lanes of Prestbury, perhaps a more appropriate Silk Trail would be driving around Macclesfield's ring road?