British team, trusty Fiat Panda set new Africa run record

The Fiat Panda driving team consisting of British rally drivers Philip Young and Paul Brace arrived in London today, setting a new record time for the 10,000-mile Cape Town, South Africa to London run in the process.

With their time of 10 days, 13 hours and 30 minutes, the team managed to break two records: one for the Cape Town to London run and one for the run between the two cities (in either direction). The former previously stood at 14 days, 19 hours and 26 minutes, while the latter was 11 days, 14 hours and 11 minutes.

When the crew kicked off their quest on Feb. 1, their vehicle -- a lightly modified sub-1.0-liter Fiat Panda city car -- seemed an unlikely choice. Yet the tiny hatch proved to be extremely reliable over rugged roads and through a wide range of climatic conditions. The one thing it couldn't cruise past was red tape: Delays at border crossings and checkpoints idled the team for hours.

In addition to smashing the pair of endurance records, the team's run also supported a good cause: Farm Africa, an agricultural charity. Their original fundraising goal of

By Graham Kozak