FROM 1936 through 1967, Mobil Oil held a fuel-efficiency rally, called the Mobile Economy Run. It was largely a publicity tool, but one not without merit. It began as a one-day event covering a route from Los Angeles to Yosemite and ultimately became a week-long cross-country trek. At first, the Run was for American cars only, but a separate Run was later created for foreign brands. This photo, taken at the finish line of the 1965 Run at Times Square in Manhattan, gives a sense of the ceremony that accompanied participation. The 49 entrants achieved a combined average of 20.3472 mpg over the 3266-mile route, the longest up to that time. We bet that mileage number could be doubled today, but shudder at the cost of blocking off Time Square…
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MotorTrend (Digital) - 1 Issue, January 2006