A LONG car journey can drive an otherwise loving relationship on to the rocks — he criticises her driving while she scorns his choice of music; she calls him reckless while he questions her map-reading skills.

But one couple has succeeded not only in driving across the world without bickering, but also in setting a world record in the process.

Yesterday, after crossing 25 countries in 4 continents, John and Helen Taylor drove into London, breaking the record for the most fuel-efficient circumnavigation of the world in a standard car. They completed their 18,500-mile (30,000-km) drive using 24 tanks — 1,303 litres — of fuel, less than half of the 50 that they had expected to get through.

Using a new formula that Shell is testing for fuel economy, the Taylors, who hold 34 other fuel-economy records, drove a standard Volkswagen Golf 1.6 from London to France, across Europe and into Asia. They crossed Australia and New Zealand before heading for the USA and Canada and returning to Europe. To cross seas, the couple travelled via air, while their car was transported on cargo planes. They also used ferry services.

“We still can’t believe we’ve covered so many miles using so little petrol — it’s a dream come true,” Mrs Taylor, 50, said.

Their road trip began at Waterloo Place, in Central London, on January 17, passing by the Reform Club, where Phileas Fogg’s fictional journey began in Jules Verne’s novel Around the World in Eighty Days. The couple, who said they were motivated by concerns about energy, were accompanied by a crew in two VW Passat estate cars, including an independent witness, a videographer, a writer and two mechanics. Equipment included a GPS tracking system, satellite phones and computer equipment, with which the Taylors updated their website. “One of the other cars looked like an office,” said Mr Taylor, 45, originally from Northumberland. “In our car it was just us and 180lb (82kg) of luggage as heavier loads use more fuel.”

The pair increased their fuel efficiency by adhering to strict rules including using higher gears and avoiding over-revving. Despite their success, they encountered a number of obstacles, including a tropical storm and cyclone in Australia. The chaotic roads and rough terrain of Pakistan and India also posed a challenge, as did freezing weather in Eastern Europe.

Mrs Taylor, an office manager, said that her toughest moment was a brief stop in Melbourne, where they now live, to attend their daughter’s wedding. “It was really difficult as we only got to see her for a few hours before driving off again, but soon we were back on track,” Mrs Taylor said.

Despite spending 14 hours a day on the road, the pair insist that they never got bored of each other’s company and did not bicker. “We were always seeing new things, and besides, we had a good selection of CDs to keep us going,” Mrs Taylor said. Their favourite driving songs were We Are The Champions and Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen.

Mr Taylor, a football coach, said: “I actually think female drivers are better — they don’t have the huge egos that often accompany getting behind the wheel.”

The Taylors said that they now wanted to spread their message. After a meeting with Helen Clark, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, they said that they planned to conduct a series of workshops to encourage fuel efficiency, and hoped to be able to do the same in Britain.

Asked about the high levels of fuel that were used on their flights across seas, Mr Taylor said: “It is true that planes use an astronomical amount of fuel but unfortunately we had limited time to undertake our journey and had no choice but to do it this way.”

HOW SMOOTH DRIVING CAN GET YOU FURTHER

Keep tyres at the correct pressure