Story by Ronald de los Reyes / Photos by Dexter Requilman
THIS writer vividly remembers that day when he missed a once-in-a-lifetime adventure onboard the Ford Everest on the off-road terrain of Tanay, Rizal.
It was on a Tuesday morning that I got up early to prepare for this supposedly rare coverage, which initially started at the Ford dealership in Libis—the meeting place then for the event’s participating journalists. Even before arriving at the said venue, I already knew that I was just there as part of the lone, resentful send-off party—since I was called upon to do other duties at the very last minute. Good thing I had Dexter, a reliable fellow staff from our office to cover the said off-road adventure, which I eventually ended up having to regret not joining the Tanay affair, as he relayed to me at the office the next day the exciting stories that transpired.
This scribe desolately watched on the video that he took during the Ford sensational event.
From the Ford dealership in Quezon City, Dexter disclosed that a group of four 3.2L Ford Everests took everything in stride: from the usual everyday Manila traffic up unto the out of the ordinary rural outskirts, this beast of burden trumped and lorded over anything that stood against its way.
“It is lighter than it seems and it’s easy to maneuver through traffic,” he shared.
“The cabin is also spacious, giving the passengers a very comfortable ride,” he then added.
And why not? Basing it from what we have brushed up on as dedicated workhorses covering the motoring beat, the 3.2L Ford Everest sports an all-wheel drive system whose turbo-charged diesel engine, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, produces 200 PS at 3,000 rpm while unleashing 470 N-m of torque at 1,750 to 2,500 rpm.
Just imagine all those forces thrusting you forward—flawlessly. As a passionate, spirited driver myself, I—no doubt—grew envious just lending an ear to all these tales.
From Marilaque Highway, I learned that the group eventually reached the place they call “every off-roading apprentice’s haven”—Tanay, Rizal. And their said master, Top Gear’s Beeboy Bargas, is a known outdoor cavalier in the area.
Having known Beeboy all these years and being able to personally experience his own trails from before, pictures of an exhilarating “off the top” drive ran through my head. As a self-confessed, die-hard adventurer myself, recalling all those memories were all absolute bliss. But realizing that I wasn’t able to partake any of it this time was just total misery.
As further proof of all the missed action, Ford Philippines Assistant Vice President for Communications EJ Francisco said in an interview: “This extraordinary 4×4 drive in the muddy trails of Tanay in Rizal onboard the 3.2L Ford Everest is meant to showcase its world-class features.”
According to him, aspects, such as the Terrain Management System and the Hill Descent Features, allowed them to navigate through all kinds of road conditions, especially slippery and muddy ordeals without getting stuck.
Additional features, such as the electric-power assisted steering and electronic stability control, cross-traffic alert and lane-keeping, assist all the more made the whole drive easier and more entertaining.
Plus, as an added thrill during the trip, organizers gave the media participants a chance to play through fun activities on the river: tubing and kayaking.
“With all these, we hope that the journalists were able to experience not only the power but also the versatility of the Everest. Thus, we call on the families, the barkada, the fathers and the mothers to see that it was built for big groups out on a weekend adventures,” Francisco stated.
For this pen-pusher, on the other hand, one important lesson learned here is that—no matter happens, never ever miss a 4×4 test drive in Tanay Rizal… most especially if it’s onboard the Ford Everest.
Image credits: Dexter Requilman