Ford, keen to demonstrate the off-roading capabilities of its face-lifted SUV thinks the ash flows  of the strato-volcano Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines is a good place to go for a drive. AutoCar testers (Sept. ’09) join in the ride...
The plan is simple – the Endeavour is to be taken down to a bed of a shallow river and then follow the course upstream for approx. 20 km. The river bed constitutes of lahar or ash flows. Lahar is formed when very fine pyroclastic ash and water mix to form a semi-solid substance. Since the particles are very fine, the ash dries hard and then even if drenched with water again, resists becoming soft. So it is possible to actually drive on this where the layer is thick enough, albeit if you carry enough but not too much speed. If one breaks the crust of lahar, one hits the much softer clay and then sinks till the car comes to rest on the chassis!
Down to the drive then...
The AutoCar testers (Sept .’09) enter the river ahead of dam where the slush looks liquid enough to swim in! They select ‘low’ and floor the engine. The first few metres are pretty solid but soon however they hit the slush and the Endy flaps around trying to make it but they go straight down – down to the chassis.
 Fast-forward to an awesome rescue by red jeep with balloon tyres that uses a fallen tree trunk for leverage.
Conditions improve after the initially very tricky stage and soon they are treading water. The feeling is sensational – the testers are somewhere in the centre of this shallow river with water as high as two to three feet and the Endeavour is motoring forward in third gear in low range. As they go higher up in the river, it narrows and becomes faster-flowing. And then comes the drive through two long canyons, with rock walls on either side, the Endeavour pulling hard as it slips, slides and gathers itself as one or two of the four wheels find traction...
On the design front – the new Endeavour or Everest as it is called –has a very attractive nose and the high-mounted hadlights and big grille give the car a less boxy look so it looks very modern and very tough at the same time. The car is due for release sometime this year in India. |
