We moved on to the parking lot after the cars were flagged off, thinking about the next move. Planet + etc, Nikunj + wifey, & Karan left for home. Boy will they be kicking their backsides when they read on. LOL!
While we were deciding what to do next, we see a Land Rover driving into the parking lot (actually it was an Army training field which was converted into a parking lot). The LR comes next to us and stops, in the driving seat, we see a gentleman smiling at us. Neil!!
The man who tamed the beast.
That was a pleasant surprise. We all gather around the LR and Neil is flooded with thousands of questions about his baby. The engine, as informed by Neil, was recently swapped with the original LR petrol from the diesel which was as quiet as can be. I bet some of the new gen petrol engines would not be able to match it. And to think about it, this was a 4X4 that was built in the 60's. Absolutely purring like a kitten.
Blackpearl grinning ear to ear and rubbing his hands in glee asks for a TD which Neil gladly agrees to. We all jump in quickly. .... umm almost all of us. Shuvd takes his time, but soon manages to get in too.
BP on the wheel, Neil riding shotgun guiding him. After one chakkar of the field, shuvd takes over the wheel.
Another chakkar, and then we all ask Neil to take us for a 'Real' TD to see what this baby can really do.
Neil, on the wheel. (Hey, that rhymed .. lol)
A spin later, we are all pretty impressed. Then Neil turns towards the parking lot. There is a huge mound in the way. Believe you me. When i say huge, I mean HUGE !! Like one moment there is flat ground, and the next, there is a 2 feet(yes you read it right, 2 feet) high mound.
We all think that he is gonna back out and turn and I curiously ask him if the LR has power steering.
Neil just stops, for like a micro second, blips the throttle and the next thing we know is that we are on the mound. We are all like Holy Crap!! Did this just happen ?? With 7 people on board ?? Then we carry on the mound for some time and then we reach the end. We are all thinking ... we're gonna get beached. There is no way this thing is NOT gonna get stuck in here. And damn, it will be tough to push this out from here.
Another second and we're off. It was like we were going over a speed beaker. If i may quote shuvd, "one moment i saw the sky, then the ground, then the sky... **** man, it was awesome". I second him, and so will each and every person who was in
the LR at that moment. Apart from Neil, he was just smiling as if it was nothing.
And you know the best part ?? He did not even engage 4X4 for that!!
Just for you'll to get an idea how high it was. (see the backside of the Sumo)
And then, we all gheraoed Neil, flooding him with questions. How, what, where etc. which he answered with a smile.
Blackpearl was so smitten, he has made up his mind to get a 4X4 for himself.
Whats this ? And this ?? and
this ? And what does this lever do ? and this ??
We asked Neil to do that once more so that we could shoot it, to which he kindly obliged. I have a video but im unable to upload it. Will do so sometime in the future.
After sometime, we said our good bye's and left. With a promise to meet somewhere in Rajarhat (prolly next Sunday) so we could get a 'dekho' of what this beast can 'really' do. Guys please take pics and videos, im gonna be out with family.
Oh on my way back, we were trundling along in our little alto (shuvd and blackpearl shooting past us leaving us with an earful of motoring nirvana.. guys the sound from your cars is orgasmic), when we saw a strange contraption. The name at the back was Tata magic. And it looked like as if they have converted the mini truck 'ace' into a people carrier.
Take a look.
That about sums it all up for the day. Oh what a day it was!
Neil, 'Thank You'. Even though you didn't participate in the rally. Our best car award goes to you.
Over and out.