The Crittenden Automotive Library

Three Million Mile Volvo

Topics: Volvo P1800

Three Million Mile Volvo

Geoff Maxted
DriveWrite
September 18, 2013

Today, 74-year-old Long Island native and retired science teacher Irv Gordon will reach a milestone no other individual has accomplished in more than 100 years of automobile manufacturing: driving three million miles in the same vehicle – a shiny, cherry red 1966 Volvo P1800. To mark the occasion, Gordon will drive his three millionth mile today on the Seward Highway – Alaska Highway 1 – along the Turnagain Arm. The “Last Frontier” is one of two U.S. states Gordon has never visited and a fitting backdrop for this historic, record-breaking achievement.

“It’s not about getting to the three million miles; it’s about the trips that got me to the three million miles,” Gordon said. “I never had a goal to get to one million, to two million. I just enjoyed driving and experiencing life through my Volvo.”

“We at Volvo applaud Irv and his Volvo. The spirited red P1800 represents an extraordinary demonstration of reliability, durability, safety and intelligent design that honours all Volvos past and present,” said John Maloney, president and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America. “His P1800 is the living embodiment that Volvos are designed around you.”

As a celebration of Gordon’s achievement, Volvo Cars of North America (VCNA) launched a special campaign called “3 Million Reasons to Believe,” that invites people around the world to visit 3MillionReasons.com to follow Irv’s remarkable journey, explore his favourite road trips and share their own reason to believe.

“The best way to explore America is by car,” Gordon added. “I challenge everyone to go out and see as much as possible. Find your own journey and reason to believe because you only have one life to live. No matter how many roads I’ve been on, there’s always one I haven’t taken. That’s what makes it exciting.”

“I bought my Volvo P1800 on a Friday and immediately fell in love,” Gordon recalled. “I couldn’t stop driving the car. It was a holiday weekend, and I brought the car back to the dealership the following Monday for its 1,500-mile service.”

With a 125-mile round-trip daily commute, a fanatical dedication to vehicle maintenance and a passion for driving, Gordon logged 500,000 miles in 10 years. In 1987, he celebrated his one-millionth mile driving a loop around the Tavern on the Green in Central Park. In 1998 with 1.69 million miles, Gordon made the Guinness Book of World Records for most miles driven by a single owner in a non-commercial vehicle. In 2002, he drove the car's two-millionth mile down Times Square to international media attention. Since then, Gordon has broken is record every time he drives his celebrated car.

As Gordon rolls to his three-millionth mile, he notes, “I’m realizing this will be a record that no one will surpass and I’ve been feeling especially sentimental with these last few drives in beautiful Alaska. I’ve enjoyed the expansive landscape, a drive through the long tunnel to Prince William Sound/Whittier and a visit to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Centre. The folks at Continental Volvo in Anchorage were kind enough to throw me a wonderful reception on Saturday.”

“Everyone asks, what’s next? Well, I’ll keep driving my Volvo P1800 to auto shows and taking trips across the country. Not much will change. But whether I drive four million miles is more up to me than it is the car. The car may be able to take it, but I’m not so sure about me.”