German Achieves 1,000,000 km in Mini Cooper D in 12 Years

Peter Kirchhoff, who previously reached one million kilometers with a Škoda Fabia 1.9 TDI, has now accomplished the same feat with a Mini Cooper D. He bought the Mini in the summer of 2014 as a replacement for his legendary Fabia. From day one, his goal was clear: to reach one million kilometers. To document the journey, he created the social media project “Project One M – 1.000.000 im MINI,” recording every trip, refueling, and service visit with scientific precision.

After one year, the odometer showed 100,000 kilometers, and in the following years Kirchhoff averaged 80,000–90,000 kilometers per year. His Mini’s average fuel consumption over nearly a million kilometers was just 2.95 liters per 100 kilometers – significantly lower than the manufacturer’s stated figure. In one of his last posts before reaching the milestone, he noted that his 26th refueling after 1,277 kilometers had an average consumption of 3.36 L/100 km, with fuel at €2.02 per liter and a remaining reserve of about 17 kilometers.

In total, Kirchhoff made 716 refuelings, used 29,506 liters of diesel, and achieved an overall average consumption of 2.951 L/100 km. On average, he covered nearly 1,397 kilometers per tank. Symbolically, the one-million-kilometer mark was reached on June 20, 2026 – exactly 12 years after his first drive in the car. The milestone was celebrated at a special location: the Mini factory in Oxford, where the car was welcomed in a festive atmosphere.

Interestingly, when the odometer hit 999,994 kilometers, it stopped counting, just like his Škoda Fabia did years ago. Fortunately, the trip odometer continued working. Since the Mini still has its original engine, Kirchhoff has already set his next goal: to reach one million miles (over 1.6 million kilometers). His first record car, the Škoda Fabia, is still on the road with more than a quarter-million additional kilometers since its historic record.