[vinod_nookala]

Guys, I have always felt Safari's off road capabilities for its size has been underestimated. I would love to have it in palar to see actually how it performs since now it has a powerful engine to carry all its bulk.

I feel for safari the real challenge would be recovery if it gets stuck! A swb jeep which almost weighs half of safari needs two jeeps to pull out if properly stuck.

Would love to see safari and scorpios making it to test thier endurance as well. I dont know how tough would it be for the vehicle but for participants palar wouldnt be that tough due to heat being taken care of by a/c cabin comfort.

Among large SUVs iam told scorpio did very well in one of the palar challenge. Ford endevour (120 hp) and gurkha 90 bhp were gasping due to underpowered engines and inappropriate gearing.


P.S- Arka nice article!

[neoranjit]

Nice article Arka. Hopefully, I will catch up ( to support last year's winner ) on the 15th.

[headers]

Originally Posted by vinod_nookala

I feel for safari the real challenge would be recovery if it gets stuck! A swb jeep which almost weighs half of safari needs two jeeps to pull out if properly stuck.

Would love to see safari and scorpios making it to test thier endurance as well. I dont know how tough would it be for the vehicle but for participants palar wouldnt be that tough due to heat being taken care of by a/c cabin comfort.

Vinod, the trick is not to get stuck. And one normally does not use AC in such terrain unless - well i dont know

[petrol_head]

Originally Posted by neoranjit

Nice article Arka. Hopefully, I will catch up ( to support last year's winner ) on the 15th.

Support? I thought you were going to put the SX4 through its paces at Palar ... Does SX(4) not refer to 4WD?

[drjones]

Hi, Safari will do well in TPC according to me if its the 2.2 ltr dicor. The 3.0 ltr dicor is like the B275, not much RPM which is very vital in TPC. Remove the side steps, deflate little bit. Ac shouldn't be a problem when you are waiting and watching, but during obstacles??? get yourself prepared with 2 SWB.
Dr.jones

[Spitfire]

You guys should contact one Mr Hrag from Chennai/Blore. I have heard and seen through pics posted here that he pushes (for putting it midly) his Safari up some difficult terrain.

Maybe he can be cajoled to be there.

PS: Where is he anyways. Not seen any posts from him for sometime now.

[headers]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

You guys should contact one Mr Hrag from Chennai/Blore.

Hrishi aka Hrag is aware of the TPC09 dates AFAIK

[nitrous]

Ok, with just 3 days to go.
Can we have the list of participants?

[neoranjit]

Originally Posted by nitrous

Ok, with just 3 days to go.
Can we have the list of participants?

why nitrous ? roll call ? LOL

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by vinod_nookala

Guys, I have always felt Safari's off road capabilities for its size has been underestimated. I would love to have it in palar to see actually how it performs since now it has a powerful engine to carry all its bulk.

I feel for safari the real challenge would be recovery if it gets stuck! A swb jeep which almost weighs half of safari needs two jeeps to pull out if properly stuck.

Would love to see safari and scorpios making it to test thier endurance as well. I dont know how tough would it be for the vehicle but for participants palar wouldnt be that tough due to heat being taken care of by a/c cabin comfort.

Among large SUVs iam told scorpio did very well in one of the palar challenge. Ford endevour (120 hp) and gurkha 90 bhp were gasping due to underpowered engines and inappropriate gearing.


P.S- Arka nice article!

I wouldnt agree to your first sentence any lesser mate. I have heard stories of how incapable safari and scorpios at OTRs while my personal experience was different... but still, I accepted opinions whole heartedly coz I thought they were wiser. A few years later as these vehicles got a little cheaper in the 2nd hand market I started hearing stories like- these same 2 SUVs are actually not bad, well, they really do can take some gravel and stone without getting stuck. My last few interactions with enthusiasts enlightened me with facts like - Safari with its new HP/torq:140/320Nm is a very strong baap of all contenders in any terrain as long as approach angle is not more than 35% and tracks are not too narrow!!! Well hearing all this I just guess its the lack of trials that we base our judgements upon than tried and tested facts!!!

Lets look at this in a different way. Lets look at the figures of a Safari Dicor 2.2VTT in comparison to a well known mahindra- 4x4 Major (cl 500/ 550), very capable & well known in OTRs if I may...

Safari / Major / Comments on Safari

Bhp : 140 / 63 / 122% more power

Torq Nm : 320 / 176 / 80% more lugging ability

Kerb weight Kg: 2170 / 1310 / 60% more weight

Looking at above figures, weight is not really a constraint with this SUV, if yes, well the Major should too then...infact a bit more than the Safari, am I right?

I know there are other factors beyond these straight forward numbers like gearing, GC, 4x4 gear reduction ratio, suspension etc where the tables swing one side to another in more than several occations considering one is pretty new age while the other not so much even if tried hard fanatically!

So, taking into consideration most factors and being totally unbiased I get a feeling that the Safari should be an as capable off roader if not better given right set of tyres and a decent driver. Seriously, let me know your thought guys, its getting interesting here

Note: For now I would like to keep the Jeep image aside.

I have personally done a few trips to Ooty, Masinagudy, Munnar etc on the old Safari and was pleasantly surprised to see the behemoth chomp on some real unhabitable terrain however thats a few years back when I was ignorant to see the difference any vividly but I knew that its not what most people think it is with this SUV. But now I do, everything is knocking to make sense in me, haha!!!

After the success of a few Ladakh trips on our friendly neigbourhood Safaris, well, last but not the least, bad quality but an extremely interesting video for Safari lovers:

YouTube - Tatateam trial 1

[drjones]

Mr.Wolf, ( By the way I like ur name ). I accept it from the points you have mentioned. The video is also good. BUT.... if the same terrain was done in a SWB it would have looked very bland and unimpressive cause the SWB would have done it with much ease. This is because of its short wheelbase/ ramp over angle and short overhang in both front and rear. The safari is a good off roader, no doubt but a SWB jeep is entirely a different catagory of vehicle and I feel it will not do justice to safari if compared. My opinion bro. Others welcome.
Dr.Jones

[nitrous]

Its like this.
SWB vs Safari = Formula car vs Ferrari

[headers]

Originally Posted by nitrous

Its like this.
SWB vs Safari = Formula car vs Ferrari

LOL LOL :- Nitrous: It should be the other way round! BTW, the safari may not qualify to be a formula car too.

cheers

[Blue Thunder]

I badly want to be part of TPC 2009 (as a spectator), but looks like this is not going to happen. A twice-postponed out-station drive with family is going to happen during that weekend.


I dont see any discussions about the prizes for TPC 2009. Any info on that, Arka?

Originally Posted by nitrous

Its like this.
SWB vs Safari = Formula car vs Ferrari

considering their performance this season, that equation should be changed, no?

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by drjones

Mr.Wolf, ( By the way I like ur name ).

Thanks... guess you'll like me more once you know whos' behind that name too, LOL!!!

Originally Posted by drjones

I accept it from the points you have mentioned. The video is also good. BUT.... if the same terrain was done in a SWB it would have looked very bland and unimpressive cause the SWB would have done it with much ease. This is because of its short wheelbase/ ramp over angle and short overhang in both front and rear. The safari is a good off roader, no doubt but a SWB jeep is entirely a different catagory of vehicle and I feel it will not do justice to safari if compared. My opinion bro. Others welcome.
Dr.Jones

Dr.Jones sir, my idea is not to put the jeeps down here, pls realize, coz they have too many well known credentials to be overlooked to even start.

My expression was directed towards the capability of some non jeeps whose capabilities havent yet been thoroughly explored to even be compared to derive which one is better!

Pajero is a well known name in offroading along with G-wagens, Patrols, Landcruisers, defenders etc. Now moving ahead dont you think we should explore more of these types than the dated jeeps (willys, MMs, CJs...) which my no means are lesser alternatives interms of performance but yes price wise, definitely yes!

Instead of discouraging people with sophisticated offroaders (so called soft roaders) like the ones mentioned above we are still stuck with cheaper alternatives truely believing they are the best. Arent we? The more we encourage the new age machines to get down and dirty the faster we will evolve and the farther we will crawl.....well, similar to offroaders we already see in the western world.

I am taking the thread off track...so I'd prefer to abort here.

Mods: If this discussion warrants a new thread, I would love to lay down certain facts that will draw fresh blood in the OTR scene going forward. The idea is to encourage people to bring their so called soft roaders and evaluate if there is any hidden potential at all...

p.s: Nitrous, Which formula car and What Ferrari? LOL!