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A pair of Subaru Foresters helped make
British snowsport history recently by supporting a unique challenge – to
ski in both the south of England and the north of Scotland on the same
day, and travelling between locations using a single tank of fuel.
A pair of Subaru Foresters helped make
British snowsport history recently by supporting a unique challenge – to
ski in both the south of England and the north of Scotland on the same
day, and travelling between locations using a single tank of fuel.
The Forester’s Symmetrical All-Wheel
Drive made light work of the severe snowy conditions encountered up in
the Highlands of Scotland, and the SUV finished the test with ample
diesel to spare, averaging an impressive 45mpg during the entire
480-mile trip – even when overflowing with kit and sitting at the
national motorway speed limit.
After taking to the slopes of the
SnoZone indoor ski centre at Xscape, Milton Keynes, at 4.00am, the
intrepid ski team then set off for the Cairngorm Mountain Resort.
Arriving at 2.25pm in fine fettle after a comfortable and largely
traffic-free cruise, they then hit the pistes once again to complete
their incredible feat.
During the nine-hour journey north, the
2.0-litre ‘Boxer’ diesel Foresters used in the challenge both averaged
around their official claimed extra-urban mpg figure, while sitting at
the national speed limit. One of them even returned a
petrol-pump-dodging 57.6mpg.
The revised suspension of the
2010-model year Foresters – incorporating uprated springs and dampers –
eased away the motorway miles, and kept the drivers entertained when the
route north took in some twisty A and B roads.
The Foresters also made short work of
stowing all the required skis, boots and poles, thanks to a commodious
1610-litres of luggage space with the rear seats folded. Accessing this
is now even easier, as the rear seats in the latest top-spec Foresters
can be dropped forward quickly and easily with the pull of a small lever
located in the boot.
Kenyon Neads, Subaru UK’s Marketing and
PR Director, added: “We had no doubts that the Forester would be the
perfect support vehicle for this snowy challenge. It is one of the
cleanest and most fuel-efficient SUV’s available, has ample space for
passengers and luggage, and its All-Wheel-Drive capability and revised
suspension make light work of all road surfaces – from motorways to icy
country lanes.”
The 2010 Model Year Forester range
costs from £19,995. The 2.0D XS NavPlus models used in the snowsport
challenge cost £27,745 and boast 17-inch alloy wheels, sat-nav, heated
leather seats, cruise control and roof rails as standard. |
