James won the Owner’s Review contest when he took part in our recent Ute of the Year big test.
He spent a week in Melbourne, Lang Lang and Anglesea with the CarExpert team, during which time he helped collate data, drive cars around, capture content for our social media channel and often bring about healthy positive emotions.
He also showed he knew what to do when he was introduced to a slick sliding pan and a rear-wheel drive Ford Ranger Raptor.
James, thanks for all your help on the big test! – Scott Collie
Who am I, and why am I taking the Mega Test?
I’m James G and I was lucky enough to win the 2012 Ford XR6 Falcon Writing Owner Review contest. (It was a great review, check it out here – Editor.)
The competition went on for several months and the winner scored a trip to Melbourne to meet the team and take part in the grand Ute of the Year test.
What happens in a large CarExpert test?
This big test showcased a wide range of nearly every car sold today. The number of vehicles being tested in itself is a challenge. The logistics are carefully calculated so the vehicles all arrive at the right place, at the right time, ready for a bumper filming schedule.
For this test, we used some interesting locations.
These cars were first tested with engines at Maxx Performance in Dandenong so we could observe their power and transmission performance figures.
After testing the dyno, we spent some time at Holden’s old test range at Lang Lang. We used a variety of vehicles to comprehensively test performance and towing in a controlled, safe environment.
Some of the facilities that I found most interesting were the noisiness road (a road with different sections paved to mimic road surfaces across the country, even Sydney’s impressively bad roads!), Concrete slide pans have different levels of friction, oval highs with speed ranges, as well as steering and handling circuits available in many auto expert YouTube videos.
The trip and handling circuit is fascinating. It convincingly reproduces the many different characteristics that Australian roads present on a stretch of runway. The test area even has several families of kangaroos watching us for an extra level of realism!
After the performance test at Lang Lang, we went to Anglesea to change the sea. At Anglesea, we assessed the Utes’ off-road capabilities at the Australian Automotive Research Center (AARC).
It is nestled in the rugged bushland around Anglesea, in contrast to the flat farmland surrounding Lang Lang. The terrain and man-made facilities at AARC allowed the team to safely explore the limits of vehicles and gain valuable insight into their mechanical capabilities and software-driven systems. .
Some of my favorite tests at AARC include incline rollers, gravel hill climbing, and the mogul flex test. Inclined rollers are a set of steel rollers suspended on a freely rotating concrete surface, similar to a conveyor belt.
The right half of the vehicle is driven on rollers to test the efficiency and responsiveness of the traction control system.
After completing all the testing and filming, the team then brought all the footage and data back to the facility for thorough inspection. Then results are built, written accounts are finalized, and YouTube videos are edited.
What surprised me the most about this process?
Two things stood out to me the most during testing.
It took time and effort to film and ultimately create a quality product for YouTube and auto expert website.
Multiple practice drag races and all vehicle testing were completed to ensure accurate results in performance tests. These runs also allow the camera crew to fine-tune camera angles and adjust their setup to create professional looking footage.
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Rare images of hard-working Paul -
James operates our trailer -
Cinematographer Igor captures the action -
Where does the trailer go?
The second thing that came to mind during testing was that the team carefully collected performance-related data. Automotive journalism is a very subjective industry and disagreements regarding the promotion of impressions among audiences are common.
The team takes seriously the fact that someone can count on their word to influence what could be their second-biggest purchase, aside from a home.
Therefore, this test is not just an exercise to get the cars out to take a good group photo. The data is meticulously collected and curated, so specific conclusions can be drawn along with the subjective elements of the trial.
Which ute impressed me the most?
Up until this test, I hadn’t spent much time with cars but just read about them, so I’d love to have more time behind the wheel.
What I discovered is that most of them still try to hide their pragmatic origins. However, I was lucky enough to have a decent amount of time on the new generation Ford Ranger Wildtrak.
The Ranger outperforms its competitors in refinement and technology. If you don’t look in the rearview mirror, you’ll be convinced you’re driving a fairly sturdy family SUV.
The refinement is underpinned by a smooth 10-speed automatic transmission, paired with a muscular V6 turbo-diesel engine. One of the features that particularly impressed me, as I navigated Melbourne’s busy motorways, was the excellent adaptive cruise control and crisp digital instrument cluster.
The cruise control system works intuitively via buttons on the steering wheel and the corresponding information is displayed on the digital dashboard. Likewise, the large central touchscreen is easy to navigate.
I don’t have to search for hidden buttons or menus like I did in some other utes. This makes driving the Ranger a relaxing experience by comparison.
THAN: Why Ranger is our Ute of the Year
The test in a nutshell
As a lifelong car enthusiast, it was an honor to follow auto expert group during testing. Watching from behind the scenes during performance testing and driving around proved the desirable Holden to be a fantastic opportunity.
I hope the facility will continue to operate for many years to come! I even got the chance to slide a Ranger Raptor around the skid pan for a moment…
Finishing the test at AARC and watching the cars climb uphill is the perfect end to a great ride. I still try not to laugh when I think about this incredible opportunity! The auto expert the team work was amazing and I can’t thank them enough for the opportunity to be tagged along (James is too kind here, and we doubt – Ed.)
For everyone who missed this time, write! I guarantee you will enjoy the next contest auto expert run.
THAN: All drag race winners
THAN: Which ute shines on the dyno?
THAN: How the utes stack up in our drag test
THAN: All performance data from testing
THAN: The overall winner is…
