Mazda has shattered 20 FIA speed records, setting a new 24-hour distance-speed record for diesel-powered cars, averaging 221.07km/h.

MAZDA HAS SHATTERED 20 FIA speed records (subject to FIA homologation, of course) including several distance-speed records. At the ATP test oval in Papenburg, Germany Mazda set three Mazda6 SKYACTIV-D 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinders the task of completing a 24-hour marathon run on the high-speed track.

According to Mazda, the lead car achieved an average speed of 137.37mph or 221.07km/h. The current 24-hour distance-speed record for diesel-powered cars between 2.0-2.5 litre displacement is 130.37mph or 209.824km/h. The following two cars also set distance-speed records over various distances.

The three cars covered more than 5300km in the 24 hour period with 23 drivers rotating through for 1.5 hour stints at a time. The rules for the drivers were strict, they weren’t allowed to slipstream the preceding car and needed to be exceptionally careful in the steeply banked curves at each end of the oval to avoid losing speed. Nevertheless, only 0.88km/h of average speed separated the three Mazda6s after 24 hours.