Test Drive

You do not really appreciate a vehicle of this nature until you get behind the wheel. Fortunately for us Pinzgauer has an arrangement with a military base in the South of England that allows prospective customers to test drive the vehicles in some of the most arduous conditions you are ever likely to meet. from deep wading, slippery conditions, loose gravel, tight forrestry and deeply rutted tracks, this restricted base has them all.

While we were there we also saw the latest James Bond movie being filmed. We saw lots of fire, smoke and uniformed actors running around like mad men, the usual Bond stuff. Obviously we were not allowed to take pictures or hang around too long but if you go andsee the film look out for a bright red Pinzgauer in the background.

The noise from the VW Turbocharged Diesel was similar to that of a jet engine. There was no discernable Turbo Lag and power was instant and responsive throughout our test drive. Fitted with the optional 4 speed automatic this vehicle tackled every obstacle with ease. And this is no manufacturers test track with solid concrete burried under the top soil this is the real thing.

The only time we had to select a gear was when descending steep slopes, the rest of the time it coped admirably by just selecting 'Drive'. Other than on the long straight tracks we hardly ever went above 2,000 rpm. You could put your foot down and thrash it through an obstacle or you could just take it easy, there was enough power and torque on tap to do either.

The only thing that took a bit of getting used to is that because you sit so far forward (over the top of the front wheels) once you tackle a hill, tight turn or other obstacle you have to force yourself to remember that there is still a lot of vehicle and 4 other wheels to follow you through!

Loss of traction in wet and muddy conditions is not realy a problem with this vehicle. Just switch on the Diff Locks from inside the cab and it wil get you through anything	Tight turns and deep gulleys are tackled with ease. Being only 5m long it is surprisingly agile.	Axle articulation is impressive, it almost feels like it's glued to the ground
Approach and departure angles are amongst the best in the 4x4 world, see how easy it takes on this river bank, without missing a beat, the conrolled power just gently takes us up and over the bank.
These vehicles are designed for Deep Wading. The Marines specify that it must be able to drive with water almost up to the top of the wind screen	Even with a tight turn at the crest of a hill we felt confident and secure that the vehicle could take us down steadily. Even if we could only see the sky from this angle!	the independent suspension serves to force the wheels onto the ground. See how the rear wheels are angled into the side of these deep ruts for maximum traction
Again showing superb articulation as we round a tight corner with a steep bank in front of us	Traversing deep gulleys is not a problem, with 6 wheels all with locked diffs there's always at least 4 of them on the ground to keep us going

Introduction
History of Pinzgauer
Technical Specifications
Test Drive
Gallery & Pinzgauer Links