Don’t like the weather where you are? Just do what Rainer Zietlow and team did: hop in a Volkswagen Touareg TDI Clean Diesel and drive until the seasons change. The TDI-Panamericana Challenge started as a wintry affair, but now the crew is enjoying much warmer weather in the northern half of the planet. As of this morning, they were well into Nicaragua.

Here’s the latest from Rainer:

Days 4-7, July 5th to 8th, Chile to Nicaragua

After getting through the snow and crossing the Chilean border, we quickly headed into Peru. Crossing Peru was a breeze, and even with Lima’s traffic, we had no problem sticking to our timeline. The weather along the coast is dry and good for driving. When we arrived in Quito, Ecuador, we encountered heavy rain and fog. The weather is very different from that in Peru. Thanks to the Carnet de Passage, which is like a passport for a car, we’ve had very smooth border crossings so far. When we arrived in Colombia, we found the terrain to be very challenging, as Colombia is divided by three major mountain ranges at an elevation of 2000 meters. Despite that, we got through okay. After almost a week in the car, the team is starting to show the first signs of fatigue. We have not had many opportunities to freshen up—we only were able to take a quick shower in Quito.

In Colombia, we found a 1968 727 cargo plane waiting for us. In order to cross the Panama Canal, we had to charter a flight from Cartagena, Colombia to Panama. Even though the flight is very short, it took about six hours to load, fly and unload the car. Thanks to the excellent preparations of Kuehne & Nagel, this was a smooth operation.

After arriving in Panama City, we drove through Panama in a day and successfully entered into Nicaragua on July 8th. We have now been driving for six days and eight hours—we’re almost at the halfway point.

- Rainer

The team had their first fuel stop in Lima, Peru, where they refueled the Touareg’s tank as well as their additional 300-liter fuel tank using an electric pump.

Tell us: do you have a funny story about running out of fuel?

Be sure to check back Tuesday, July 12th for his next update from the Pan-American Highway. And remember: you can follow Rainer’s adventures online at www.tdi-panamericana.com , where you’ll find a map and live streaming video to show the Touareg’s real-time progress on the route, as well as photos and videos documenting the journey from start to finish.

Rainer’s team is driving a 2011 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Clean Diesel. The Touareg’s 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 TDI® Clean Diesel engine and 4MOTION® all wheel drive (AWD) system deliver the performance and durability required to tackle the many twists and turns of the Pan-American Highway. The engine provides an impressive maximum torque of 406 lbs.-ft. at 1,750 to 2,250 rpm while producing 225 horsepower at 3,500 to 4,000 rpm.

In order to account for the demands of the TDI-Panamericana Endurance Challenge, Rainer’s Touareg has been modified to include:

• Innovative Inmarsat satellite technology for live communication, even in the most remote areas
• The largest tires that fit the Touareg to better address bumpy roads throughout South America
• An additional 300-liter fuel tank to extend the distance the vehicle can travel between refueling

RELATED POSTS

And they’re off! Rainer and team cover serious ground in South America

It’s always winter somewhere: Continued snow pushes start time back another 48 hours

The best laid plans…Weather conditions delay start of the TDI-Panamericana Endurance Challenge