[SS-Traveller]

We talked about how 4x4 works. We've talked about small cars, and we've talked about big cars. We've seen Gypsies and M&Ms perform off the road, and we've seen some Fortuners and Pajeros too. We had driven powerful SUVs with huge V8s too.

But what happens when we find a shiny black Porsche Cayenne sitting next to a shiny black Volvo XC90 V8, neither having been dirtied in their lives, and the owner looks forward to finding out how they perform off-road? What happens when an Endeavour 4x2 automatic also needs to have a test report prepared? And what happens when a 3.0L DiCOR Safari needs to stretch its legs a bit after a suspension overhaul?

This happens...

[fazalaliadil]

Dr. Shom,

Also, what happens is expensive damages.

If I owned one, definitely,would not enter them in a 4X4 event like the one in Hyderabad, where a Porsche Cayenne landed itself on its belly and needed to be winched out, a Mitsubishi Pajero did a perfect encore.
The Audi Q5 thumped her twin exhausts loud and mercilessly (in spite of these machines skipping some obstacles).

These are great machines meant for soft off-roading like in your thread but the real 4X4 territory belongs to Jeeps and not SUV's.

Regards,

[SS-Traveller]

The trip happened at rather short notice. The gentleman who owns the Porsche and the Volvo, had not really taken them off road, ever. During casual discussions about cars, he mentioned his preference for the Volvo over the Cayenne, apparently because it's got a "more powerful engine". He was not particularly aware of what the 3.6L 300bhp Cayenne can do, with it's Tiptronic transmission and low range transfer case. It was time to put the two cars to a short test.

I am not an OTR person as such, and it was easier for me to seek help from other BHPians to select the track and guide us. sudev was travelling, recce'ing somewhere in RJ. Roshun was available, and the best part was, he had an Endeavour 4x2 Automatic that needed to have its legs stretched. Suman was free for the afternoon, but the trip plan changed to the morning, so he could join in for a short while only. And there was rideon, leading a forced bachelor's life, with free time.

And there we were, the diverse group, gathered on the Gurgaon-Faridabad Road at 10 in the morning, ready to combine a car test with a picnic.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by fazalaliadil

Also, what happens is expensive damages.
If I owned one, definitely,would not enter them in a 4X4 event...

Fazalbhai: An OTR event, with multiple entrants out to have fun at other people's expense, is not where expensive cars ought to be tried out - I fully agree with you there. Though I drive a 4x4 too, I do not enter competitive (or even non-competitive large-scale) events just because the crowd has a tendency to force you to do things you don't really want to.

However, in an environment of relaxed camaraderie such as we had, one is not pushing that barrier and trying to egg on the other to do things with a car which are not justified, or can do damage. I do not like incurring unnecassary repair bills for the sake of adventure, and therefore we carefully avoided extreme stuff like deep water fording, attempting extremely steep climbs, etc.

OT: You never clarified about the cleanup required to your Rubicon replica after the swim.

[SS-Traveller]

The Cayenne can.

It can outrun pretty much any other car on the smooth and straight tarmac. And it can do the same on rough twisty roads too. There's hardly any body roll, and the car feels solidly planted.

Off the road, it does not have the ground clearance one wishes for. On paper, there's just over 200mm. This one is a base model, without the option of air suspension to raise the car further. But 200 mm is not enough, with the long overhangs and long wheelbase. Despite all care, the underbody did scrape on a couple of occasions - but it is well protected, and there was no damage.

The vehicle is a full-time 4WD, with automatic transmission, and Tiptronic control buttons on the steering wheel. Overtaking is bliss with a quick shift down, not waiting for the gears to kick down on their own in response to the throttle. There's an electronic toggle switch next to the gear lever, allowing one to switch to "reduction" and "long. diff lock", effectively locking the centre diff. I could not figure out how to lock the rear diff, and the owner's manual was missing from the car.

So what didn't I like? Ride comfort is good, but rear seat comfort is not as much as one would expect. And I join my daughter in agreeing about the dashboard colour - frankly, we would have preferred something else.

However, I fell in love with the very ergonomically placed grab handles placed on the sides of the front seats.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

I do not like incurring unnecassary repair bills for the sake of adventure, and therefore we carefully avoided extreme stuff like deep water fording, attempting extremely steep climbs, etc.

You have to do it at least once, to be able to say 'been there, done that'.

Regards
Sutripta

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

You have to do it at least once, to be able to say 'been there, done that'.

Already been there & done that. Drowned cars, repaired them again, broken axles and replaced them too; plenty of other things that I haven't done for the sake of adventure, though. Not paradropped, never deep sea dived, never had impacted third molar surgery performed on me, and haven't broken any bones on my skeleton yet. Not that I am desperately looking forward to do the last two just to report here: "Been there, done that"!

[Sutripta]

^^^^
Drowning cars:- Calcutta weather and drainage?
Broken axle shafts: Ambassador?
No broken bones: Luck.
No dental surgery: Genetics?

Ok. So 'been there, done that proactively'.

Bungee jumping?

Regards
Sutripta

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

Drowning cars:- Calcutta weather and drainage?
Broken axle shafts: Ambassador?
Ok. So 'been there, done that proactively'.

Bungee jumping?

Drowning cars: Ambassador. When crossing the Sone River over a fair weather causeway after Robertsganj, on our way to Ranchi. Also floods in Calcutta.
Broken axle: Ambassador a well.

Bungee jumping: Why tempt fate with a bad back?

[jkdas]

Nice. Hope you have more pix and report.

Suman looks like a hero from a Hindi film

[suman]

Originally Posted by jkdas

Suman looks like a hero from a Hindi film

LOL! Doc, where are the other two pics taken at the top with all the T-bhp heroes ?

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

However, in an environment of relaxed camaraderie such as we had, one is not pushing that barrier and trying to egg on the other to do things with a car which are not justified, or can do damage. I do not like incurring unnecassary repair bills for the sake of adventure, and therefore we carefully avoided extreme stuff like deep water fording, attempting extremely steep climbs, etc.

And there, in a nutshell, you've outlined our philosophy very well Doc. Thanks to you for setting this up, we must do it again soon, now that winter is setting in & the days are pleasant.

A few pics, taken from my 6700 -

[SS-Traveller]

Our trail


After going along a trail and negotiating a steep descent (where I had the ooportunity to demonstrate the "reduction" function on the Cayenne to its owner), we came out on to an open meadow, and a hill to climb.

















First up the hill was suman in his Safari. 4L and a breeze. No surprise that he appears pleased.













Time to reverse up and go down. "Ready to do a Cinderella", says suman, and he has to leave on urgent work.

[phamilyman]

Now get on and show some real mud. The pedalyatris do much more than that on our cycles only - that's just the dirt track pics

[SS-Traveller]

Next up is the Volvo. Did we say this one doesn't have a low range gearbox? Who cares! The gigantic 4.2L engine pulls up the car like it's driving to the local market. Up. Down. Done. The owner can't believe this hill could be climbed so effortlessly.





Suman bids goodbye from far away.





Roshun was hesitant to bring the Endy up, but it had to be tried once. Surprise, surprise. The 3L machine twitched and spun its wheels a little initially, but happily made it up the slope.



But now Roshun's worried! His car needs pics taken of it, and he sets about cleaning the dust.



@Roshun: Please post more of those pics!

[v&v]

Doc,
I missed it !
Nice pics. Seems a nice place. Lets do it again soon.
How did to volvo perform ?