[Coooolcat21]

Wow 'Yeh Leh" is a totally new and refreshing experience. Liked the narration and pictures totally except that u could not get your fortuner to look like this.
Regards

[motionfreak]

Originally Posted by Guderian

Yeh Leh !

First by climbing small bushes and then medium sized trees.
Admiral performed brilliantly while coming up the gradient but no HL/LL mode/s was/were required. The instant ave FE indicator on the MID showed 10 KMPL while climbing up the gradient.
Not sure whether the road is maintained by BRO or CRO (City Roads Organisation):

Fab scenery no doubt but filled with danger. Chinese designs !
Somewhere next to the Cosmos Monastery is a Chinese, yes Chinese, joint...

Eating anything from there could lay you up for 3 weeks minimum. Who needs cross border incursions ?

Admiral taking in the view from top after a most strenuous run ! Almost 100 meters of sharp, unpaved, rocky trail. No fuel pumps either on the 100 meter stretch. So carry fuel if you are coming up.


Our bravehearts:

A lot of young couples drive here to...errr...get close to the line of control or cross it. My salute to them for bravely facing hostile stares, hostility of the local population and never thinking of the families they have left behind.

Another shot of the glorious scenery:


Ahhh...such a beautiful break:


And time to rush back to the plains.

(PS: If there is any resemblance in the above snaps to a spot in Thane the same is purely coincidental and is no way intentional by the force of nature. The author very strongly believes that as of now this is Leh or something close to it and possibly reflects his frustration of not being able to push off to Leh right away !)

hhahahqhahahahahaha

BTW was "Yeh Leh ! " like " ye le (, tere ko Thane mein Leh dikhaata hu mamu) ! "

being from thane, I visualise the place differently now. for atleast couple of months, I'll have a smile on my face whenever I'll go to Gawand baug.

[subodh]

Its perfect example of "beauty lies in the eyes of beholder" If we just look around, we can see a lot of these kind of examples of beauty around us. HG what are the plans for Admiral to go to laddakh?

[Monaro CV8]

Hi HG,

How are your adventures with the Admiral treating you ?

Been wanting to share this with you.
Last week (Dusshera day), my brother's Father in law bought the Land Rover - FL2.

I got to lay my hands on it (a small 20 min TD), a couple of days ago..

Even though the Fortuner and the Freelander 2 fall under different categories, I couldn't stop comparing the two

What I absolutely adored in the Freelander :
1. Top notch finish - inside/ outside
2. The dash - very neat MID; integrated with the ICE, Navigation, dual zone climate control, et al.
3. Zero cabin noise with the engine running! No engine vibrations too - zilch! (A very refined 2.2 Litre TDi heart)
4. Very torquey Auto Gear Box.
5. Easy handler - butter smooth steering feedback
6. Key fob loads into the dash like a cassette - then push the start/stop button to bring the beast to life. 007!
7. Two Sun/Moon roofs - one above the driver's seat, the other above the 2nd row. Classy!
8. AWD with differential lock options for a variety of road conditions.
9. Another true blue SUV.

Could only notice ONE major 'miss out' by the Land Rover guys, which I thought could have been a major feature in a premium SUV - no electronics for the driver seat adjustment..

Areas where (I thought) the Fortuner may excel :
1. Manual Gear Box, with options to lock the diffs.
2. Ride height
3. High GC
4. 3 litre D4D
5. Less of a Guzzler
6. Economies of maintenance

Didn't get a chance to photoshoot these great SUVs together, but here are a few pics for you to get an idea of what I'm yapping about

There's a picture of my truck in there too; to illustrate the difference..

Cheers

[nilanjanray]

The Fortuner is more capable off road (due to low range + lock). I had posted a link of a comparison article b/w the Vitara and the FL2. The GV uses a similar 4WD setup as the Fortuner's. But the FL2 is the most capable 'softroader' in the market, they say.

The Fortuner is end of the day a 'truck' meant for developing markets - tough and basic. Not so comfortable or luxurious as the FL2.

Toyota SUVs are supposed to be more reliable than Land Rovers (source: South African and Aussie 4X4 forums where the sample size is high and long term ownership reviews are plenty)

In South Africa the price differential b/w the two vehicles is not so high. In fact some versions are equally priced.

[dot]

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

The Fortuner is end of the day a 'truck' meant for developing markets - tough and basic. Not so comfortable or luxurious as the FL2.

Is it that the Fortuner is based on a truck platform and designed to be an off -roader? Does it reflect in a jumpy suspension? Our old Gypsy which was originally Suzuki Jimny and designed to be an off roader, was amazingly jumpy.

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by dot

Our old Gypsy which was originally Suzuki Jimny and designed to be an off roader, was amazingly jumpy.

I have sat in the Gypsy many times and fortunately there is no comparison with the suspension jump of the Gypsy to the Fortuner. FL2 may be more comfortable but that is not to say that the Fortuner is a Gypsy. The drive in the Fortuner with my entire family is most comfortable, cruising at 100~120kmph and it can do that 24x7.

[4x4addict]

@dot:

Gone are the days that true off roaders had to uncomfortable as the gypsy. Pajero/Nissan Patrol/Land Cruiser/Fortuner etc are good off roaders that offer good on road comfort as well.

These vehicles are leagues apart from the Gypsy or Mahindra jeeps of yore.

[nilanjanray]

Originally Posted by dot

Is it that the Fortuner is based on a truck platform and designed to be an off -roader?

The Fortuner is a body on frame, true SUV and our 4WD version is designed to be an offroader (by 'truck' I had meant proper SUV - had used Americanism, sorry for the confusion). Body on frame has its pros and cons. Pros: tough and built to take abuse. Cons: ride and handling suffers to some extent. The Fortuner is based on the IMV platform (shared by the Hilux, Innova, Fortuner). Many people nitpick and say that it is based on the Innova platform, forgetting that the legendary Hilux also uses the same platform.

[architect]

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

The Fortuner is based on the IMV platform (shared by the Hilux, Innova, Fortuner). Many people nitpick and say that it is based on the Innova platform, forgetting that the legendary Hilux also uses the same platform.

I don't think it is always nitpicking. These people are looking for a more comfortable platform for the tarmac and are willing to sacrifice performance in off-tarmac (or like many of our highways- no tarmac) conditions.

Not to mention the fact that after appropriate modifications by Arctic trucks, a Toyota Hilux truck with the same D4D engine has made it to the North Pole. The support vehicle was a (I think) a Prado.

I think we genuinely agree that the T-Fort is a little pricey. Add to it the fact that it's no softroader. It is essentially what the Safari should have always been. However, people are willing to pay that kind of money for the trust they have in both Toyota and the Hilux platform. And who we are we to question them?

[AlphaKilo]

15 odd days and no update in Togo channel! Is admiral on some covert Op?

Guten Tag Herr. General!

Leh experience was superb! Was that a covert recce mission to divert the attention! well done! or an acclamatization run before the actual offensive?
Unbelieveably, lmao!
How many kms done so far? Updates on the Op. readiness?

Over n out sir
AK

[Guderian]

Originally Posted by AlphaKilo

15 odd days and no update in Togo channel! Is admiral on some covert Op?

Guten Tag Herr. General!

Leh experience was superb! Was that a covert recce mission to divert the attention! well done! or an acclamatization run before the actual offensive?
Unbelieveably, lmao!
How many kms done so far? Updates on the Op. readiness?

Over n out sir
AK

Hi Folks,
Coming 'back' soon with all the updates and responses to all the previous posts from honourable members here.
'Back' ?
Watch this space for more and sincerely regret the silence...however golden !

[nilanjanray]

September, Leh anyone? All of you riding the silver and white steeds/battleships/Santa Marias/Corellians out there? How about a Fortuner convoy? I am drooling thinking about the photoshoot options. But will need to be careful about all those guys flirting with my Sam Fox girl (sorry, Lightforce) :-)

Bangalore - Mumbai - Delhi and then onwards. Haven't decided whether to go through Manali or through Srinagar, but that is not that important at this stage.

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

September, Leh anyone?

Bangalore - Mumbai - Delhi and then onwards. Haven't decided whether to go through Manali or through Srinagar, but that is not that important at this stage.

Keep me in the loop. I might join in, timing permitting.

[mandheers]

Originally Posted by Guderian

Hi Folks,
Coming 'back' soon with all the updates and responses to all the previous posts from honourable members here.
'Back' ?
Watch this space for more and sincerely regret the silence...however golden !

Greetings Herr Guderian,

My aunt finally took delivery of a Black T-Fort last week.

Have so far been on only one sortie around in it, with her at wheel, as I really didnt want to get in that seat.

She asked me to give it a try but I was quite taken aback by the enormosity of the vehicle at close quarters.

Had only seen it plying on roads and this was an altogether different experience.

Scary I would put it as, and I did not drive.

Maybe later.

She loves the vehicle but I was a tad disappointed at the drums on rear wheels and also felt the stock tires looked smaller on the vehicle.

There is no exhaust tip on this one either and I am given to believe this is the only variant which comes.

Anyways, here's to the T-Fort!