Lesson of the day: if you're crossing the Australian Outback in a Mercedes G-class (that's G-wagen to you and me), do make sure you take some spare shock absorbers.
Six out of seven Mercs trekking along the formidable Canning stock route (an 1150-mile slog through the Outback of Western Australia) as part of a PR stunt came to grief after the deep corrugations on a 70-kilometre stretch proved to be too much for the rear shock absorbers.
The only G-wagen to survive intact was a military-spec vehicle with modified suspension similar to the 1800 vehicles currently being delivered to the Australian Defence Force (jolly good - or the Australian government might be reconsidering its order).
Talk about an intimidating road sign...
The cars should finally be arriving at their Halls creek destination as we type this, however, after Merc sent replacement shock absorbers to land in Perth, before transferring them to a small plane bound for a remote Aboriginal settlement close to Well 33, about 1000km up the cattle route, and at a cost of about $5000 (a little more than £3k)..
Now, we're not casting aspersions on the off-road ability of the G-class (we've no doubt that a Defender would be just as vulnerable) but if you are going to tackle one of the world's most lonely, inhospitable trails, perhaps a more extensive spare parts roster would be in order? It would certainly save on air fares...
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