Mahindra Scorpio sets Guinness World Record for fastest Simpson Desert crossing

An SUV made in India has set the inaugural world record for shortest trip of a production vehicle across Australia’s Simpson Desert.

The Mahindra Scorpio completed the 385 kilometre journey from Birdsville, Queensland, to the Alka Seltzer Bore in South Australia in 13 hours, 21 minutes and five seconds – for an average speed of approximately 30km/h.

For the safety-minded, it's important to note that the record was set without exceeding any speed limits along the desert tracks, which are officially public roads and generally limited to 40km/h.

The drivers were Gene Corbett and Ben Robinson, and the record attempt took place on March 16, 2023.

“I am proud to be a part of history by setting this record and have enjoyed every bit of it,” Corbett said. “Scorpio’s journey … truly captures the essence of global motoring.”

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Corbett and Robinson had to traverse more than 1100 sand dunes and treacherously soft salt flats as temperatures regularly soared beyond 50 degrees Celsius.

The Mahindra Scorpio was a factory-specification vehicle, save for the fitment of all-terrain tyres.

The time was verified by Guinness World Records. It is the first time a production vehicle has officially set a time for crossing the Simpson Desert with Guinness World Records.

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Other Guinness World Records for the Simpson Desert include fastest crossing by foot (Pat Farmer in 1998, in three days and eight hours) and by solar-powered vehicle (Mark French and Denny French in 2017, in four days and 21 hours, using an electric Suzuki Sierra).

Spanning the Northern Territory, Queensland and South Australia, the Simpson Desert is the fourth-largest Australian desert and contains the world’s longest parallel sand dunes ranging in height from three metres to 30 metres.

Made in Maharashtra, India, the Mahindra Scorpio is an all-wheel-drive, body-on-frame SUV powered by a 2.2-litre turbo diesel inline-4 producing 129kW/400Nm. It’s priced in Australia from $41,990 drive-away.