Honda aims to set a new Guinness World Record for fuel efficiency

On June 1 two Honda R&D employees will be getting into a 1.6-liter diesel Honda Civic Tourer and embarking on a 13,600km circular drive leaving from Aalst, Belgium, taking in each of continental Europe's 24 contiguous countries and then arriving back in Aalst.

The idea behind the challenge is simple -- to set new record for fuel efficiency based on 25 days of constant driving -- hence Honda has called in the people at Guinness to verify it.

In order for the record to be recognized, the car will need to be totally stock, the same two drivers will have to complete the entire journey and evidence will be needed to prove that the car really has passed through each of the EU states connected by land and roadways.

However if Honda succeeds and posts a time and a fuel economy rating, the Civic Tourer will be recognized as the world's most fuel-efficient car over that distance, until another company picks up the gauntlet.