Chevrolet Blazer hits the elephant trail
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Lampung
Want to test how tough you car is? Go get an elephant; they don't know how to drive, but they sure can beat up on a car.
Perhaps, this idea inspired General Motors Indonesia to hold a test-drive for its Chevrolet Blazer LT at the elephant training ground in the Way Kambas National Park in Lampung.
"We want you to experience something different while you have the test-drive," General Motors Indonesia president Harold Koh briefed a group of 12 media representatives before they departed recently on a three-day test-drive that would take them from Jakarta to Lampung.
When it came time to begin the test-drive, rain and traffic in Jakarta made the way more difficult.
"The roads are very bumpy and narrow with steep hills and sharp turns. Some parts will be slippery due to the rain. Heavy rain might worsen the situation by hampering our visibility," said one of our tour guides, making us anxious about whether we could survive such a risky adventure.
Another tour guide added that in the last test-drive, six of nine cars were involved in accidents because of the bad weather and poor road conditions.
Soon we were behind the wheel of the Chevrolet Blazer LT, one of the most luxurious of the Blazer variants.
However, the first three hours of the test-drive were anything but fun. Limited visibility due to heavy rain and massive traffic jams forced us to inch along in the Blazer.
Only when we reached the edge of the city and the traffic lightened did the real adventure begin.
Our Blazer LT was fully equipped with necessary features for the adventurer: onboard digital compass, antilock brake system, thick windows, strong three point seat belts and a body plated in steel with two protective coats. Not to mention other features like an integrated roof rack, CD and cassette player and all- leather seats.
My codriver in the Blazer LT very much liked to step on the gas pedal just to hear the "sporty roar" from the car's exhaust.
We sped the Blazer up to 140 kilometers, but then had to step back a little because the vehicle began to sway a little on the wet and potholed roads. And worse, the gear shift started vibrating.
We thought that the swaying was due to the use of conventional leaf springs, which are often used for trucks, for the Blazer's suspension, instead of the more advanced independent McPherson struts.
But, according to a technical staffer who accompanied us during the trip, the swaying was the result of the tires having too much air in them.
"We need harder tires for such a long journey," he said.
The Blazer, however, showed off its sturdiness and power as we zipped along the 90-kilometer road linking the Bakaheuni Port with Bandar Lampung, the capital of Lampung province.
We had to climb steep hills that sometimes contained surprisingly sharp turns. With the Blazer LT, we were just so much more agile than the buses and trucks on the road.
The Blazer also has a maximum power of 138 horsepower at 5,600 revolutions per minute (rpm). The engine can achieve a maximum torque of 195 Newtonmeter at 3,400 rpm.
On the second day of the test drive, we traveled the 130 kilometers from Bandar Lampung to Way Kambas over rugged and damaged roads.
We had to pass several stretches of road that had deep potholes filled with murky water and big stones.
The Blazer, touted for its tuned suspension, performed admirably. The suspension managed to absorb much of the shocks, and soon we were looking for holes to test the vehicle.
Detailed features in the vehicle make driving a pleasure. There is an integrated handle in the dashboard for passengers to grip, a beverage holder, overhead console to store CDs or cassettes and even automatic lighting for putting on makeup.
But some people had complaints about the ergonomic features of the car.
"If the car is supposed to cater to the needs of people who love adventure, why is the gear shift so close to the CD/cassette player, in between the beverage holder and ashtray," a friend said.
Despite such flaws, however, all in all, the Blazer LT is a satisfying ride.
When all of the test-drive participants cruised through the Way Kambas National Park on the backs of elephants, I wondered if there were any similarities between an elephant and the Blazer LT.
Looking at their sturdiness, power and tough performance, I thought that the two might be related.
Still, there was one big difference. It cost Rp 25,000 for a 30-minute ride on the elephant, and we got off with aching backsides. The Blazer LT will cost you about Rp 222 million, but the ride is so much smoother.
Engine type : inline-four cylinders, 2,200 cc
Maximum power output : 138 Hp at 5,600 rpm
Maximum torque : 195 Nm at 3,400 rpm
Fuel tank capacity : 76 liters
Dimensions : 4,685 mm in length, 2,012 mm in width, 1,720 mm in height