Peking to Paris in a Mercedes-Benz 219
"I'll probably never drive on Mars or the moon, but if I had to paint a picture of those places, then I imagine they would look like Mongolia does." - Dirk de Groen
The Peking to Paris transcontinental classic car rally is one of the most grueling drives on the planet. Spanning a length of over 12,247 kilometers over a period of 33 days, contestants find themselves and their vehicles pushed to the limit.
There are no modern conveniences here, no overnight stays at fancy hotels or stops for caramel macchiatos along the way. Actually, not even a map. All you'll get here is a road book, a compass and a GPS device to guide you on your way.
Married couple Alexandra de Lespinasse and Dirk de Groen from Florida spent over a year and a half preparing their Mercedes-Benz 219 "Ponton" for the expedition. Choosing the classic Benz because of it's tested rugged ability through African safaris, Dirk and Alexandra removed the back seat to make room for some extra parts, strapped in a couple of Go-Pro's to document the journey and were off! Dirk describes the experience simply by saying,"I'll probably never drive on Mars or the moon, but if I had to paint a picture of those places, then I imagine they would look like Mongolia does."
Source and Images
Mercedes-benz.com
Youtube.com