My hypothetical race....
My hypothetical race....
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Discussion

schmalex

Original Poster:

13,616 posts

235 months

Monday 29th October 2012
quotequote all
Humour me, folks!

I'm organising a (hypothetical) race from Inverlochy Castle Hotel, Fort William to the Park Hyatt Saigon Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City. The total distance of this race is 9,099 miles.

The objective of the race is to get to the finish as quickly as possible, clearly!

The rules are:

  • You can choose any four wheeled vehicle manufactured in the last ten years and offered to sale to the general public from a main dealer in the UK with a maximum purchase price (when new) of £70,000.
  • The vehicle will remain totally standard to the manufacturer's specification throughout the duration of the race
  • Due to the nature of the route, the roads are 70% metalled, 20% compacted dirt, 10% uncompacted dirt (you could choose to miss out the 900 or so miles of uncompacted dirt for an additional 4,500 miles of metalled road).
  • Due to the time of year that the race takes place, you will encounter heavy snow, torrential rain, baking sun and sandstorms.
  • You will drive the vehicle 24 hours a day with a team of 4 of you sharing the driving in 6 hour shifts. Those not driving will sleep, eat, ablute in the vehicle (because it's only a hypothetical race, the vehicle won't stink!)
What would you choose as your race car of choice and why?

schmalex

Original Poster:

13,616 posts

235 months

Monday 29th October 2012
quotequote all
Yes biggrin

Shaw Tarse

31,888 posts

232 months

Monday 29th October 2012
quotequote all
Have you been watching Top Gear repeats?

Pixelpeep

8,981 posts

171 months

Monday 29th October 2012
quotequote all
Scooby with LPG conversion and a large tank in the boot.

and http://www.towerdefence.biz/Tower_Defence_By_Roman... for the rest of the morning for you.

schmalex

Original Poster:

13,616 posts

235 months

Monday 29th October 2012
quotequote all
No. I was on a conference call, bored & my mind started wandering!

Truckosaurus

13,259 posts

313 months

Monday 29th October 2012
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Land Cruiser all day long.

Chris Stott

19,580 posts

226 months

Monday 29th October 2012
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Diesel Cayenne.

Grenoble

59,498 posts

184 months

Monday 29th October 2012
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Would a Unimog count (as in one that was configured as a camper from delivery)?

Captain Muppet

8,540 posts

294 months

Monday 29th October 2012
quotequote all
Pixelpeep said:
Scooby with LPG conversion and a large tank in the boot.
schmalex said:
* The vehicle will remain totally standard to the manufacturer's specification throughout the duration of the race
schmalex said:
* You can choose any four wheeled vehicle manufactured in the last ten years and offered to sale to the general public from a main dealer in the UK with a maximum purchase price (when new) of £70,000.
Hmm, I'd be looking for 4-wheeled planes for £70k.

Art0ir

9,423 posts

199 months

Monday 29th October 2012
quotequote all
Geländewagen

Grenoble

59,498 posts

184 months

Monday 29th October 2012
quotequote all
Mercedes G Class - though not sure if a ten year old one would have been sold for 70k at new.

famfarrow

806 posts

183 months

Monday 29th October 2012
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Another vote for the GWagen here

GAjon

4,087 posts

242 months

Monday 29th October 2012
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All wheel drive long wheeled base Transit van.

Dave Hedgehog

16,335 posts

233 months

Monday 29th October 2012
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Mi24 Hind

its got 4 wheels, and you can buy all of Russia for 10k now

i choose it because i would win biggrin

mig25_foxbat2003

5,426 posts

240 months

Monday 29th October 2012
quotequote all
Land Cruiser all day long - the only thing I can't decide is between economy (3.0 D4-D) and speed (4.5 D4-D V8). It would offer the perfect blend of comfort, dependability, good fuel range, a decent turn of speed, parts availability if it did go wrong, and some off-road ability if you needed it.

That many Central Asians simply cannot be wrong!

Edit - they also seem to be able to cover washboarded roads at 60-65mph, try that in your Scooby!

Art0ir

9,423 posts

199 months

Monday 29th October 2012
quotequote all
Grenoble said:
Mercedes G Class - though not sure if a ten year old one would have been sold for 70k at new.
I wasn't sure either but I think the '12 model started from around £80k so I'd guess £70k would lift you one 10 years ago.

FisiP1

1,279 posts

182 months

Monday 29th October 2012
quotequote all
G-wagon would ruin your spine almost as much as an Imprezza.

And good luck finding Diesel for most of the route in a Diesel Cayenne.

I suspect the answer to this question is an FFRR; the offroad ability in a pinch is more valuable than any extra speed and on-road ability that the Cayenne would provide, while remaining refined and comfortable enough for passengers to get some degree of rest, set up an enclosed ledge over the rear tailgate in place of the rear window for bathroom duties.

DanDC5

20,008 posts

196 months

Monday 29th October 2012
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V10 Diesel Touraeg.

Monkeylegend

29,237 posts

260 months

Monday 29th October 2012
quotequote all
Sherman tank for me.

OdramaSwimLaden

1,971 posts

198 months

Monday 29th October 2012
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Chris Stott said:
Diesel Cayenne.
I'm with you on this.