Rainer Zietlow is a German world record holder and long-distance driver with Volkswagen cars, best known for his extraordinary automotive expeditions and the planning of international record-breaking tours through his agency, Challenge4 GmbH, based inMannheim, Germany. He holds six long-distance and two altitude world records officially recognized by Guinness World Records.
Zietlow’s career as an adventure driver began in 1988 when he crossed the Sahara to Niger in a Mercedes 230—with a mere six-week-old driver’s license in his pocket. He repeated a similar feat in 1990, this time reaching Cameroon in a Toyota Land Cruiser. In 1996, he completed a round-the-world trip in a Land Rover Defender 110 in just six months. In 2004, he founded Challenge4 GmbH, which has since successfully completed over 20 major projects with Volkswagen cars, specializing in the organization and execution of long-distance and record-breaking drives. Almost all of these projects have supported SOS Children’s Villages, with Zietlow making donations to the organization during village visits on his tours.
Rainer Zietlow continues to push the limits of automotive endurance und innovation, cementing his reputation as one of the world’s most accomplished long-distance drivers.