Desert King
Karan Ramgopal
Trial by fire. That is what the Mahindra Scorpio N faced upon arrival in Australia. The Simpson desert is a vast expanse of sand, dunes and treacherous terrain. Many have attempted to make the perilous journey. This is the story of how the record for the fastest crossing of the Simpson desert was set.
Sometime in the 1960s, a prominent name in the automotive industry was commissioned to attempt crossing the Simpson desert. Back then, the convoy of 4x4s that attempted this passing nearly met their end because of the challenges the terrain posed. It took them well over 10 days. When the same team reattempted the record in more modern 4x4s, the results were similar. What makes the Simpson desert so inhospitable and why is this challenge such a big deal? Let’s talk numbers. The section that was used for the record is around 400 kilometres long. That might not seem like a big number but when the stretch is exclusively off-road, the distance feels more like 4,000 kilometres. Over that distance lie nearly 1100 sand dunes, some of which are as high as 100 metres. Misjudging even a single one of those dunes could mean the challenge ends right there. Also, the temperatures there reach as much as 50 degrees Celsius if not more. You can’t just go in willy-nilly expecting to come out on the other side with a smile and no broken bones.
Gene Corbett and Ben Robinson of Total Driver and 4WD Industries, respectively, were planning on attempting to cross the Simpson desert and were combing through the details of which 4x4 they needed when they came across the folks at Mahindra Australia. One thing led to another and both parties thought it would be a good idea to put the newly launched (in Australia) Scorpio N to the test.
The idea was to present it with the ultimate challenge in Australia; send it to a place renowned for being the most treacherous, almost impossible crossing of a desert in this part of the world. The beauty of the terrain might make them seem like gifts from Mother Nature but to traverse this inhospitable land would require enourmous courage, something Ben and Gene seemed to have in no short supply. To make things more interesting, the team approached the Guinness World Records to come and certify this attempt.
Gene and Ben had a few key requirements. They needed something robust, reliable, with no shortage of power and crucially, one that wasn’t too heavy, all while having a relatively small footprint. In a country that gets big SUVs and pickup trucks, there aren’t many cars that meet all these criteria. The Scorpio N ticked all the boxes and since the record was for a stock SUV, the only modifications made were the addition of a roll-cage and the swapping out of the more road-biased tyres with a set for better traction on loose surfaces. With the roll cages added in, the rear rows of seats needed to be removed, also making space for extra tyres and fuel, because there certainly wasn’t going to be a ‘Stop’n’Go’ in the desert. The final addition was ultra high frequency radios to ensure the drivers could stay connected with the teams.
Powered by the Scorpio N’s 2.2-litre mHawk engine with nearly 175bhp and 400Nm of torque, Gene and Ben set out bright eyed and bushy tailed at 6am from the starting point at Birdsville, smack in the middle of Australia on the Queensland border. The average veteran daredevil can cover the distance that the pair were about to in around three days and two nights. But the duo wanted to cover the distance in time to make it back homefor a nice warm dinner and probably a cold one.
The 4x4 transmission system of the Scorpio was left on 4H for the entirety of the journey. One thing the duo appreciated a lot is the fact that if you put the car in sand mode, the electronics are intuitive enough to switch off traction control and keep it off. That coupled with the automatic differential lock ensured that they had a true 4WD system for the entire run, leading to a higher average speed. That along with ample reserves of power meant the Scorpio N got out of all tricky situations victorious. That and the relatively (compared to other mahoosive SUVs) smaller dimensions helped Ben and Gene navigate tight, densely vegetated spots instead of having to take detours. There aren’t any GPS or map systems that work in the Simpson desert. The place hasn’t been mapped out accurately enough and the best the duo had were tracks left by all the vehicles that had attempted the journey before. The tricky part about that is you never know if the tracks are leading you the right way or not. The duo had to crab over each dune and be as prepared as possible. But you can’t predict which way a dune goes as it is formed by the wind. The star dunes are the trickiest as they are among the taller ones that can rise to a height of about 100m and are formed by wind from multiple directions. The rocks, sand and undulations would usually pose a great challenge to the SUV and fatigue not just the mechanical parts but also the occupants. But the Scorpio N’s selective-frequency suspension ensured great ride quality even over the nasty stuff, ensuring some semblance of comfort in the cabin while the boys could maintain a surprisingly high average speed of around 29kmph. 385km over 1100 dunes and horrid terrain later, Gene Corbett and Ben Robinson crossed the metaphorical finish line in 13 hours, 21 minutes and five seconds to set the fastest time for crossing the fabled Simpson desert. This was no small feat. It took exceptional drivers behind the wheel of an exceptional SUV - the Scorpio N, which proved to be a genuinely dependable partner and is now part of Aussie history with a Guinness World Record to show for it. What better story than this to reel in prospective buyers?
