Alastair Moffatt, a world-renowned stunt driver, earned back his Tightest Parallel Park Guinness World Record at the 2015 Autosport International Racing Car Show in Birmingham. Moffatt drove a Fiat 500C 1.2 Cult and parked it perfectly between a Fiat 500C Colour Therapy TwinAir 85hp and a Fiat 500S TwinAir 105hp with a gap of only 7.5cm.
The official confirmation of the new world record is still pending. If the measurement is accurate, it would break the record that was set in November last year by a Chinese stunt driver which was at 8cm.
"It's wonderful to have my record back!" said Moffatt.
Moffatt added that since the gap gets smaller in every challenge, it is important to find the right vehicle. For him, the Fiat 500 is perfect because of its agility, light weight, dimensions and unique shape that is parking-friendly. It's a perfect vehicle to park at the tightest parking situation.
Moffatt is a Master Stunt Driving Instructor at Stunt Drive UK. He had previously held other Guinness World Records such as the Tightest Parallel Park at 8.6cm, the Tightest Double Parallel and Triple Parallel Park.
All the cars used during Moffatt's tight parallel parking stunt at the Performance Car Show are completely standard. This means that no modifications are made to the engines, chassis, gearboxes, or brakes. In order for the Fiat 500 to be controlled by the handbrake, the vehicle's ESC had to be disconnected. The pressure of the tires was also increased as a way to handle the rough surface where the car is supposed to run. Lastly, an additional steering knob was installed to allow Moffatt in performing an extreme driving maneuver.
"We're delighted that Alastair chose the FIAT 500 to reclaim his parking crown!" said Kate McLaren of Fiat UK.
People should be warned not to attempt the same maneuver in public. In the video, it showed the words "professional driver," "secure environment," and "please do not attempt."
The Fiat 500 is popular for its quirky looks and flexible engines. It also undercuts the competition because of its impressive pricing. The stunt shows that it is one of the few cars that are highly maneuverable. Moreover, the car is one of the safest superminis in the world to date. It is the best-selling vehicle in its genre in Europe. Specs include the new TwinAir 105hp engine coupled with six-speed transmission, segment-first TFT instruments, new Cult trim level and enhanced safety features. Prices start at around $15,800.
