Škoda Superb Sets Fuel-Efficiency World Record: 2,831 Kilometres on a Single Tank
Škoda’s flagship saloon has just proven that diesel isn’t done yet. A standard Superb covered 2,831 kilometres on one 66-litre tank of fuel, setting a new Guinness World Record for fuel efficiency. Behind the wheel was Miko Marczyk, the reigning European rally champion.
The record-breaking journey began in Łódź, Poland, and passed through Germany, France, the Netherlands and Belgium. Average speed hovered around 80 km/h — ordinary motorway pace rather than hypermiling extremism. Fuel consumption was measured at an astonishing 2.61 litres per 100 kilometres, well below the official factory figure of 4.8. At one point in France, with a helpful tailwind, the Superb dipped as low as 2.2 litres per 100 km, a figure many hybrids would envy.
Ordinary car, extraordinary distance
The vehicle itself was a standard Superb 2.0 TDI with 148 horsepower and 360 newton metres of torque, paired with a seven-speed DSG gearbox and front-wheel drive. No exotic modifications were made, only tyres with lower rolling resistance and a Sportline-derived suspension setup that sits 15 millimetres lower for reduced drag.
What the record really means
For Škoda, this achievement is both a technical triumph and a symbolic gesture. Diesel engines, now often regarded as outdated or politically inconvenient, still demonstrate a level of efficiency and range that electric cars have yet to match. Covering nearly 2,900 kilometres on a single tank means the Superb could cross much of Europe with only one brief stop — more for coffee than refuelling.
The timing is striking. As Europe moves toward banning combustion engines by 2035, Škoda’s record highlights how much untapped potential remains in traditional powertrains. The TDI engine may soon belong to history books, but before bowing out, it delivered a parting statement worthy of the century’s fuel debates: 2,831 kilometres on one tank, proof that efficiency isn’t the sole preserve of electricity.
