Aston Martin Asia Highway –
Trail-blazing Brits Richard Meredith and Phil Colley set off from Tokyo today (June 25) at the wheel of an Aston Martin V8 Vantage, with their sat-nav set for London’s Trafalgar Square.
They are aiming to become the first people in the world to cross the full extent of the Asia-Pacific Highway, whilst bringing attention to road safety and raising money to increase road safety awareness among children in developing countries.
Their 10,000-mile journey in the factory-prepared V8 Vantage will take them through 16 countries, including South Korea and China. At times they will face inhospitable terrain, intransigent bureaucracy, intense heat, and a variety of other difficulties which will test them and their near-standard car to the limit.
Dr Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Richard, Phil and the V8 Vantage face a tough journey, but I have every confidence all three will succeed.”
Richard, a 58-year-old teacher who lives in Newport Pagnell, Bucks., said: “I have dreamed of making this journey for two years, and in Aston Martin I found a partner with the confidence and enthusiasm to subject its car to a very public trial in the name of road safety.”
Londoner Phil, 42, a travel specialist and tour operator, said: “We are proud, in our small way, to be joining in the effort of focusing attention on road safety among the young.”
The trip has attracted the support of the regional commission of the United Nations and a variety of international companies, and a team based in the UK has been set up to monitor progress and organise help if it is needed.
Richard and Phil are scheduled to arrive in Trafalgar Square on August 13.
-ends-
Supported by:
Bridgestone –
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts -
E2V –
I.M. Kelly Automotive -
Ontime Automotive –
Autotext -
Eurowatch –
Notes to Editors:
The whole project can be tracked from the 22nd June through a dedicated micro-site available at www.astonmartin.com. The site updates the position of the car, provides images and a regular diary will also be available.
For further information on Make Roads Safe and Road Safety is no Accident:
Presentations will be held at points throughout the journey. A send-off conference will be held on the 25th June 2007 at the ANA InterContinental Tokyo followed by:
6th July - InterContinental Beijing Financial Street
6th August - Ceylan InterContinental Istanbul
10th August - InterContinental Paris Le Grand
13th August - InterContinental London Park Lane
The presentations will provide an insight into how the project is progressing and allow questions to be asked of the drivers. It is hoped that the Beijing presentation will address wider issues of Child Injury Prevention.