The Mazda3 test drive is to finish at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt.
Most manufacturers are confident in the abilities of the new cars they produce, but one carmaker is so sure of its latest release's quality and reliability that it has organised a test drive with a difference.
Mazda is to send eight of its new Mazda3 vehicles on a 9,300-mile endurance test that will see the motors making their way from the production facility in Hiroshima, Japan to the 2013 International Motor Show, which is being staged in Frankfurt, Germany between September 10th and 22nd.
The mammoth adventure is set to underline the car's robustness and will take in nine time zones, five countries and two continents. Among those keeping an eye on the Mazda Route3 – Hiroshima to Frankfurt Challenger Tour 2013 are likely to be buyers checking out the latest Mazda deals.
Drivers involved in the feat include journalists, bloggers and Mazda dealers – and fans of the brand can keep track of their progress through a trip diary that will be shown on the Mazda website.
The thinking behind the project is that those at the wheel will have ample opportunity to get to grips with the car and to see just how good it really is. This model has been designed to perform well on all manner of surfaces and in different driving conditions – and this trip will certainly require it to do so.
Mazda said of the car: "Enhancing traditional Mazda strengths, new Mazda3 delivers uncompromising handling, safety and build quality."
"In the UK, there will be a choice of two body styles (hatchback and fastback), three SKYACTIV-G petrol engines and one SKYACTIV-D diesel – all offering an unbeatable combination of performance, fuel economy and low emissions."
It is not the first time Mazda has embarked on such a daring excursion, however. German reporters drove two Mazda 323 hatchbacks from Japan to Frankfurt in 1977, while four Mazda 626s successfully made their way across the former Soviet Union 13 years later in 1990.
Posted by Emma Grange