It was the first journey to be recognized by Guinness World Records™ as the highest altitude reached at Ojos del Salado in Chile: Rainer Zietlow's journey to the snow-covered summit of the world's highest volcano, which rises 6,893 meters into the sky.
Between January 15 and 29, 2005, Rainer Zietlow, Ronald Bormann, and six other team members climbed the world's highest volcano in a Volkswagen Touareg “Expedition.”
Neither the ground clearance, the chassis, nor the engine were modified from the standard production model. The Touareg was set to prove that its off-road capabilities and engine performance were sufficient for such a demanding journey.
The extinct volcano was a real challenge for man and machine. The team had to battle for a week to get the Touareg onto a plateau 200 meters above the 6,000-meter mark.
With the differential lock activated and the reduction gear engaged, the vehicle finally reached the final record height of 6,081 meters on the western side of the volcano. Melting glacier ice and deep sand prevented Rainer Zietlow and his team from reaching even greater heights.
After the successful record-breaking journey and his return to the Chilean capital, Rainer Zietlow donated about 50 euro cents per meter of altitude to an SOS Children's Village in Santiago de Chile.
