Mitn. on

‘AUTOMOTIVE
Climbing Grouse! =

a typical

Range Rover day

Fifty owners tackle tough
N. Shore mountain terrain

‘THE. ANNUAL Range
Rover Rally iast weekend
afforded me a_ first-hand
opportunity’ to experience
these unique British four-
wheel-drive luxury vehicles
which are renowned for
their versatile off-road and
on-road abilities.

Greg
‘Wilson

~ AUTOMOTION

- It also gave me a chance to
meet. some B.C. Range Rover
owners, the kind of pzople who
- enjoy thrashing $60,000 luxury
4X4s through all manner of hor-
tible conditions ... and loving
every minute of it.

- The” one-day event took place.

on Grouse Mountain. Fifty Range
Rover owners, many with their
families, showed up on a fog-
shrouded Sunday morning
. prepared to scramble up Grouse
“to' the cafeteria where a catered
lunch awaited. (Range Rover
owners do things in style, I might
~ add.)
Given the price tag of a Range
Rover, . it’s: not surprising that

their owners are well-heeled. Doc- .

tors, lawyers, executives, business
owners, and celebrities are typical
Rover. buyers. Amongst the at-
 tendees that day were David Ho,
‘owner of Gray Beverages and
“part-owner of MCL Motor Cars,
rock. star’ -Bryan Adams, and
oilman J. Bob Carter.
Sponsors MCL Motor Cars,

Land Rover Canada, and the St.

Paul’s Hospital Foundation
(which received a portion of the
entry fee proceeds) did an ex-
cellent job of organizing the
logistics of this rally.

Registration was well organized,
the route was marked with bright-
ly colored flags, there was plenty
of support staff. equipped with
cellular. phones and walkie-talkies,
and everybody had a lunch ticket.

Unfortunately, the best laid
plans ...

’. .It rained hard the night before,
sending streams across the narrow
tracks and trails, turning sand into
mud, and mud into slush. Trail
hollows turned into murky ponds,
granite outcroppings were expos:d
by the rain and small: boulders
were loosened. Sandy trails gave
way at the road's edge and felled
trees became very slippery.

It was a perfect day to test what
is claimed to be the finest produc-
tion four-wheel-drive vehicle in
the world.

.. After an inspection check at
MCL Motor Cars in ‘Vancouver,
the intrepid participants proceeded

to the starting point at the top of
Mountain Highway. A relatively
easy 10-minute drive up the access
road to Grouse Mountain ski
resort. (a private service oad
operated by Grouse Mountaia
resorts) fed us to an abandoned
gravel pit turned into a makeshift
off-road track.
Here, things
wrong.
. After negotiating a steep slope,
and driving most of the way

started to go

- around the top of the pit, the first

vehicle went nose-first into a

ditch.

hurt, but when one Range Rover
gets stuck on a one-lane track, all
49 Range Rovers behind it must
. wait. patiently until: someone else

See All page 44

Yes... You as Ca an]

pulls him out.

Enginel (4 cyl) :

Fuel Consumption Hwy/City (1/100km)
Alloy Wheels ;

Fortunately, no one was .

BELIEVE IT or not this guy Isn't calling for a tow-truck. He is just one of fifty Range Rover owners | :
who pariicipated in a fog-shrouded Range Rover Rally up — as In straight up — Grouse Mountain.
News columnist Greg Wilson accompanied the well-heeled band of backroad picnickers up the
mountain, and reports that although some pile-ups occurred, all fifty vehicles made tt to the top. 2

"Saab 900 S *Volvo 240 cL ,

2.1 L/140 hp 23014 hp:

8.1/12. ne 78/1. 3 ‘

!
Limited Slip Differential :
:

Learher Upholstery

Basic Coverage (C00's kms)

Major Componentes (000's kms)

Emission Control System (000's kms)
Perforation Coverage (G00's kms)

. $2000. Down

t. isuse based on 48 months closed end lease O.AC First morith’s payment & security deposit due
ot time of delivery. 25,006 free k:iometres per yeor. Purchase option available, All applicable taxes extra. INFINITI G20 with
_ speed transmission. (Automatic avaliable at extra cost.) Terms and conditions are flexible. T.P, $21,152.”

§ Proud sponsors of the Vancouver Film Festival

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LEASE REAL LUXURY

Until further notice when you lease or purchase a 1992 G20,
you cin have your choice of the following -a.

Motorola™ cellular phone, Sony CD players or

- automatic transmision at.no extra charge

Per month plus tax :;

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