15 days, 12 countries, 10,640 kilometres – in a Mercedes-Benz G-Class the adventurer and extreme sportsman Mike Horn has driven from Switzerland right through inhospitable regions in eastern Europe and central Asia to Pakistan. In the city of Skardu the second part of the expedition “Drive 2 Climb 2 Ski K2” begins: The Mercedes-Benz Brand Ambassador and his team, the Alpinists Fred Roux and Köbi Reichen, will climb the 8611-metre mountain K2. The trio plan to be the world’s first Alpinists to complete the subsequent descent from the world’s second-highest mountain mainly on skis. The aim of the expedition is to draw attention to the most remote regions of the world and the beauty of this planet. The entire journey can be followed on the digital and social media channels of Mike Horn and Mercedes-Benz.
Mike Horn Mercedes-Benz G-Class
“Everybody should know what the world looks like, so that the desire arises to protect it. Accordingly I could hardly wait to set off on this new challenge. Normally I do not use vehicles on my adventures. But this time the Mercedes-Benz G-Class made it possible for me to reach even the remotest areas. The off-road capability and innovative technology of this car are simply unbelievable. The car is my perfect, motorised alter ego,” says Mike Horn. On 14 May 2015 he started off on his K2 expedition from Château-d’Oex in Switzerland. On the way to the Hindu Kush the extreme sportsman took the cult vehicle amongst off-roaders through Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kirgizistan, China and Pakistan. The G-Class has been an ongoing success story for over 35 years, as it allows mobility at the very limits. Its compactness, ground clearance and off-road performance are unrivalled. It even remains undeterred by 100% gradients, 54 percent inclines and water up to 60 centimetres deep.
Follow the journey online
At #DrivenToExplore Mike Horn continuously reports on the progress of his adventure, his experiences in the different countries and how the G-Class performs at the very limits. With the help of an interactive map, fans of Mike Horn and Mercedes-Benz can see at any time where the adventurer is presently located and what he is currently experiencing. The adventure can be followed by anybody who posts a photo of his/her best DrivenToExplore moments under the hashtag #DrivenToExplore #GWagon on Twitter or Instagram. The best photo will receive a prize.
Mike Horn Mercedes-Benz G-Class
Mercedes-Benz and Mike Horn have been partners for many years. “We admire and support the mission of Mike Horn to raising people’s awareness to the most remote regions of our planet. With the G-class we provided Mike Horn with the ideal partner for this expedition” says Dr. Jens Thiemer, Vice President Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars. Most recently Mercedes-Benz gave its support to the PANGAEA expedition. From 2008 to 2012 Mike Horn sailed around the world, initiating ecological and social projects together with young people at various stages under the guiding theme of “Explore. Learn. Act.” More than 100 follow-up projects have meanwhile been generated.
