Thank heavens it rained hard. Now, our specially-constructed off-road track outside Khopoli, near Mumbai, turns from slip-slide mud to a quagmire, our water crossings go from mere streams to SUV-engulfing rivers, and our hill climbs turn into desperate scrambles to the top. This setting was just what we wanted for the inaugural Toyota Fortuner Boot Camp.
Organised by Mumbai's Automission Motorsport, for Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), this boot camp was no competition, but a unique opportunity to enjoy the thrill of off-roading. The idea was to show Fortuner owners the capabilities of their SUV off-road, and improve their skills in the process. Fortuner owners rarely get to exercise the full potential of their SUVs and go beyond the potholes on our roads and hence, the three-km track on the Automission grounds was specially designed to give an unforgettable experience.
Thirty brave Fortuner owners turned up over two days for a dose of hardcore fun in deep dirt. It involved lots of revs, spinning wheels and torrents of flying mud. Getting stuck was part of the game as was waiting to be towed to firmer ground by the recovery team.
Back to the basics
But, mud-caked shoes and splattered clothes proved that driving was still easier than walking on the gooey track. Almost all the Fortuner owners who turned up for the boot camp had driven their SUVs only on tarmac, and never off it. Hence, a few basic lessons in off-roading were in order.
Allan Almeira, an experienced 4x4 specialist, was on hand to give a demo, and drove owners over specially laid out ramps to demonstrate ‘wheel articulation', which measures the travel of each wheel and influences the ability to keep the wheels in constant contact with uneven terrain. The extreme ascent and descent ramp was exhilarating for first-timers.
Nose pointing skywards, all you could see were dark grey monsoon clouds. Equally astounding was the ease with which the Fortuner trudged up the slope, and gently eased down the other side. This small demo was enough to whet the appetite for the full course.
‘Track' seems too tame a word for the slush that drivers experienced. The first few cars had it quite easy considering the track was still fresh, and there was plenty of grip under all the brown water that covered most of it. But, with each passing vehicle, the ruts turned into chasms, the dirt got a little softer, and the water, a little deeper.
Four-wheel-drive ‘high' would work through most of it, but as the day wore on, the track demanded you stay in ‘low' with the differential locked. It wasn't hard to get stuck on this course or lose the all-important momentum. That's when the JCB excavator crawling on its elbows leapt into action to haul cars out of sticky situations.
Apart from a bit of slush and deep ruts to navigate through, you could throw the two-tonne Fortuner around bends, catch its slow-speed slides and feel the tyres claw into the soft track for every last bit of traction. The huge grin on your face quickly turns into a look of horror when you approach the ‘pond'. Not only do you have to drive through this mini lake but you also have to take a U-turn in the middle! Here, your first instinct is to back off, which causes you to lose the vital momentum to carry you through.
And, just as the Fortuner threatens to give up and sink, the tyres find grip and haul you out of what could be a very watery grave. The look of relief mixed with elation tells you what an adventure this is for the novice driver. But, there's no time to breathe. You're almost immediately into the deep ruts section, which tests the ground clearance of the Fortuner.
Drivers winced every time the underbody flattened the high centre ridge, but it was too soft to cause any damage except for some scarring of the plastic underbody shield. And, just when you thought the worst was over, you feel the car sinking into the most treacherous part of the track — a sticky stretch of soft, fine mud that just sucks you in. And, if that's not hard enough, you have to make a U-turn right here. Again, the trick is not to lose speed, and this means taking a deep breath, selecting third gear, 4WD low and charging through as quickly as possible. But not everyone makes it through — this is where most get stuck, and the rescue team has to work the hardest.
Then, there's a mad scramble up a muddy mound and over rocks before dropping sharply into a stream. This tested the Fortuner's approach and departure angles and its ability to climb slopes in low-ratio second gear. And the more it rained, the more this bit became a test of the Fortuner's wading ability.
A few tight hairpin bends, a lot more sliding, and you see the end of the track, which is where you remember to start breathing again.
At the end of the day, Fortuner owners experienced the limits of their SUVs. Everyone left with a light heart, a lot of off-road experience and new-found respect for their SUVs.
The best part is you could get your thrills at walking speeds. That, in essence, is what off-roading is all about.
