Chevrolet Blazer hits the elephant trail

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