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From Motor Trend:
Driver Clocks Two Million Miles in Same Volvo, Sets Record
February 21, 2002
On March 27, Long Island native and retired science teacher Irv Gordon is
scheduled to reach a milestone no other individual has accomplished in the
more than 100 years of the automobile: driving two million miles in the same vehicle.
To mark the occasion, Gordon plans to drive his shiny red 1966 Volvo P1800
through the heart of New York City on Broadway, cruising up to 44th Street
in Times Square, where he'll be the honored guest at Volvo Cars of North
America's 75th anniversary party. The Swedish automaker's celebration will
be held from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. (EST) at Times Square Studios, home of
ABC-TV's "Good Morning America."
"Of the 260 million vehicles on the road in the United States, only a handful have accumulated one million miles, and until now, none have made it to two million," says Dan Werbin, president and chief executive officer for Volvo Cars of North America. "We like to say that `there are cars, and then there are Volvos,' but there is more involved here than the wisdom of our engineers in developing a car that could last so long and travel so far. Irv's meticulous care of his Volvo over the years has played a significant role.
"Irv's dedication to his P1800 reflects the loyalty Volvo owners have to their cars, and the longevity of his P1800 represents the reliability of the entire Volvo brand," Werbin adds. "It's only fitting that Irv celebrate his amazing milestone the same day Volvo honors its 75th anniversary, and what better location is there to do it than in the heart of New York City?"
Gordon bought his P1800 on June 30, 1966, at a neighborhood Volvo dealership for $4150. "I was replacing a new car I had just purchased from
another manufacturer that broke down on my drive home from the dealer,"
Gordon said. "I love driving, and I put 1500 miles on the P1800 during the
first 48 hours I owned it. I just loved the way it drove."
Gordon's long commute to work (a 125-mile daily round trip) and his passion
for driving enabled him to log his first 250,000 miles in five years. "The car never gave me any problems -- didn't overheat, never failed to start. At about half a million miles, the car was driving better than ever, and that's when I was sure this is an extraordinary car."
In October 1987, Gordon celebrated his one-millionth mile by driving a loop
around the Tavern on the Green in New York's Central Park. Following his
retirement a few years later, he made driving his pastime, going to Cincinnati for coffee or to Denver for lunch. "I'd ask a woman out for a lunch date. When she agreed, I'd say, `Fine, I'll pick you up at nine o'clock.' When she asked, `Why so early?' I'd reply, `Because we're having lunch in Montreal.'"
In 1998, The Guinness Book of World Records honored Gordon's Volvo P1800 as the vehicle with the "the highest certified mileage driven by the original owner in non-commercial service." Today, Gordon is breaking his own world record every time he drives his celebrated car.
In the weeks leading up to Gordon's scheduled two-million milestone, he will visit a variety of automobile shows, dealerships, and car clubs throughout the nation. At Volvo's 75th anniversary party, he'll cross over the two-million mile mark by driving onto Times Square Studio's street-level stage.
posted by 12.40.175...
, Tue, 23 Apr 2002 11:44:18, Tue, 23 Apr 2002 15:15:26
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