Chevrolet Blazer hits the elephant trail<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Lampung<\/p>\n
Want to test how tough you car is? Go get an elephant; they
\ndon't know how to drive, but they sure can beat up on a car.<\/p>\n
Perhaps, this idea inspired General Motors Indonesia to hold a
\ntest-drive for its Chevrolet Blazer LT at the elephant training
\nground in the Way Kambas National Park in Lampung.<\/p>\n
"We want you to experience something different while you have
\nthe test-drive," General Motors Indonesia president Harold Koh
\nbriefed a group of 12 media representatives before they departed
\nrecently on a three-day test-drive that would take them from
\nJakarta to Lampung.<\/p>\n
When it came time to begin the test-drive, rain and traffic in
\nJakarta made the way more difficult.<\/p>\n
"The roads are very bumpy and narrow with steep hills and
\nsharp turns. Some parts will be slippery due to the rain. Heavy
\nrain might worsen the situation by hampering our visibility,"
\nsaid one of our tour guides, making us anxious about whether we
\ncould survive such a risky adventure.<\/p>\n
Another tour guide added that in the last test-drive, six of
\nnine cars were involved in accidents because of the bad weather
\nand poor road conditions.<\/p>\n
Soon we were behind the wheel of the Chevrolet Blazer LT, one
\nof the most luxurious of the Blazer variants.<\/p>\n
However, the first three hours of the test-drive were anything
\nbut fun. Limited visibility due to heavy rain and massive traffic
\njams forced us to inch along in the Blazer.<\/p>\n
Only when we reached the edge of the city and the traffic
\nlightened did the real adventure begin.<\/p>\n
Our Blazer LT was fully equipped with necessary features for
\nthe adventurer: onboard digital compass, antilock brake system,
\nthick windows, strong three point seat belts and a body plated in
\nsteel with two protective coats. Not to mention other features
\nlike an integrated roof rack, CD and cassette player and all-
\nleather seats.<\/p>\n
My codriver in the Blazer LT very much liked to step on the
\ngas pedal just to hear the "sporty roar" from the car's exhaust.<\/p>\n
We sped the Blazer up to 140 kilometers, but then had to step
\nback a little because the vehicle began to sway a little on the
\nwet and potholed roads. And worse, the gear shift started
\nvibrating.<\/p>\n
We thought that the swaying was due to the use of conventional
\nleaf springs, which are often used for trucks, for the Blazer's
\nsuspension, instead of the more advanced independent McPherson
\nstruts.<\/p>\n
But, according to a technical staffer who accompanied us
\nduring the trip, the swaying was the result of the tires having
\ntoo much air in them.<\/p>\n
"We need harder tires for such a long journey," he said.<\/p>\n
The Blazer, however, showed off its sturdiness and power as we
\nzipped along the 90-kilometer road linking the Bakaheuni Port
\nwith Bandar Lampung, the capital of Lampung province.<\/p>\n
We had to climb steep hills that sometimes contained
\nsurprisingly sharp turns. With the Blazer LT, we were just so
\nmuch more agile than the buses and trucks on the road.<\/p>\n
The Blazer also has a maximum power of 138 horsepower at 5,600
\nrevolutions per minute (rpm). The engine can achieve a maximum
\ntorque of 195 Newtonmeter at 3,400 rpm.<\/p>\n
On the second day of the test drive, we traveled the 130
\nkilometers from Bandar Lampung to Way Kambas over rugged and
\ndamaged roads.<\/p>\n
We had to pass several stretches of road that had deep
\npotholes filled with murky water and big stones.<\/p>\n
The Blazer, touted for its tuned suspension, performed
\nadmirably. The suspension managed to absorb much of the shocks,
\nand soon we were looking for holes to test the vehicle.<\/p>\n
Detailed features in the vehicle make driving a pleasure.
\nThere is an integrated handle in the dashboard for passengers to
\ngrip, a beverage holder, overhead console to store CDs or
\ncassettes and even automatic lighting for putting on makeup.<\/p>\n
But some people had complaints about the ergonomic features of
\nthe car.<\/p>\n
"If the car is supposed to cater to the needs of people who
\nlove adventure, why is the gear shift so close to the CD\/cassette
\nplayer, in between the beverage holder and ashtray," a friend
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Despite such flaws, however, all in all, the Blazer LT is a
\nsatisfying ride.<\/p>\n
When all of the test-drive participants cruised through the
\nWay Kambas National Park on the backs of elephants, I wondered if
\nthere were any similarities between an elephant and the Blazer
\nLT.<\/p>\n
Looking at their sturdiness, power and tough performance, I
\nthought that the two might be related.<\/p>\n
Still, there was one big difference. It cost Rp 25,000 for a
\n30-minute ride on the elephant, and we got off with aching
\nbacksides. The Blazer LT will cost you about Rp 222 million, but
\nthe ride is so much smoother.<\/p>\n
Engine type : inline-four cylinders, 2,200 cc<\/p>\n
Maximum power output : 138 Hp at 5,600 rpm<\/p>\n
Maximum torque : 195 Nm at 3,400 rpm<\/p>\n
Fuel tank capacity : 76 liters<\/p>\n
Dimensions : 4,685 mm in length, 2,012 mm in width, 1,720 mm in height<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/chevrolet-blazer-hits-the-elephant-trail-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }