J.F. Musial and his team are usually behind the camera, creating automotive films and TV shows.
They’re also close friends and travel addicts – always exploring and scouting new locations, even when the cameras aren’t rolling.
Now, this interest has taken them to new heights – literally.
Motivated by curiosity, they’ve driven the Taycan 4S Cross Turismo on a record-breaking journey from deep underground to the top of a mountain.
In a little over a day, they navigated from the lowest point they could access in America by car, to one of the highest – a vertical distance of nearly five kilometres – travelling more than 2,250 kilometres between the two, pausing only for both humans and the car to momentarily re-charge.
The feat involved driving the Porsche from Eagle Mine in Michigan to Pikes Peak in Colorado. The nickel and copper mine is located 540.8 metres below sea level. while the summit of Pikes Peak is 4,302 metres from sea level.
In total, three groups of drivers working in tandem took on the driving duties. They conducted the whole attempt by the book, with separate, sealed GPS devices monitoring their route and altitude throughout – along with an analogue altimeter and witness logs to satisfy the strict Guinness World Records requirements.
The journey was among the most demanding the car and team had ever experienced. It would take them across six states, and would ascend 4,842.967 metres, or just over three miles, without ever leaving the ground.
The oxygen available to them at the start of the journey fell by 40 per cent by the time they reached the top of the mountain. Along the way they encountered sun, rain, snow and ice, fatigue and the ever present threat that the mountain road – and the path to their record – could close due to the weather conditions.
Their achievement has been recognised by Guinness World Records – setting a new benchmark for the greatest altitude change ever achieved by an electric car.
