At the end of 2019, Arne Toman and Doug Tabutt drove the journey from New York to Los Angeles that has been evocative of the imagination since the automobile’s inception in record time. The record did not last long, but is now back in the hands of Toman and Tabutt.
In November, the gentlemen drove their Mercedes E 63 AMG in 27 hours and 25 minutes from New York’s ‘Red Ball Garage’, the traditional starting point of a Cannonball Run, to the equally traditional Portofino Inn-Hotel In Los Angeles.
Bizarrely fast, but that was before the corona pandemic. This also ensures exceptionally quiet roads in the US, so the record was soon set. In April, we reported an Audi A8 driving the same journey in 26 hours and 38 minutes. In between, there was also a daredevil who managed to complete the ride on his own in a rented Mustang in less than 26 hours. If you want to hear that story, all you have to do is entrust the name ‘Fred Ashmore’ to Google.
Toman and Tabutt did not drive the ride in a fat Mercedes, but got together with third man Dunadel Daryoush in an Audi S6 from 2016. That car, like the Mercedes, was somewhat camouflaged, in an attempt to throw sand in the eyes of the authorities and angry bystanders. Attempts have been made to make the car look like a Ford Taurus police car at least at a quick glance. Technical adjustments included extra fuel tanks, so that the entire trip could be completed with just five refueling stops.
The result of the ‘corona ride’ in May: 2,816.4 miles, a good 4,532 km, in 25 hours and 39 minutes. The average speed was an incredible 110 miles per hour, or 177 km / h, including fuel stops. Such a ride always yields nice anecdotes, so for those who are interested in this matter, the Vinwiki video below is certainly worthwhile.