MG Gloster Award; mileage; performance; four-wheel drive; Armaan Ebrahim

There’s a lot manufacturers do to put a car through its paces as it’s developed. Running the engine non-stop for hours on a test bench, driving on torture tracks that rattle prototypes into destruction, and blasting the car in a laboratory in all kinds of weather conditions, to name a few. But once it’s done and leaves the showroom, it’s rarely pushed to its limits. School running, office commuting and grocery shopping are the most common usage scenarios, and in these scenarios a formidable SUV like the MG Gloster doesn’t even break a sweat. But high in the mountains above Manali we broke away from the mundane and decided to push a Gloster to its limits. And to find out exactly how we did this, look no further than the man behind the wheel.

Seasoned racing driver and co-founder of the Indian Racing League, Armaan Ebrahim, landed in Himachal Pradesh with enthusiasm. And why wouldn’t he? With 215.5 hp and almost 500 Nm at his disposal from the top-of-the-range 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel engine under the bonnet, he was keen to see what the Gloster could do. But even by Armaan and the Gloster’s already extreme standards, the day’s itinerary was packed with adrenaline. You see, Armaan’s area of ​​expertise is on the track, where he indulges in single-seater formula cars on pristine tarmac. These days he’d enter the world of Glosters, feel bad and use all that horsepower to kick up some mud while off-roading.

A quick twist of the terrain mode selector and you can tackle sand, snow, mud and rocks at will.

However, finding an extremely capable companion in the Gloster helped him quickly get into a rhythm. A quick twist of the terrain mode selector to Mud, and he was all set to literally dive in. But if the terrain or time of year had been different, he could easily have dived into Snow, Sand or Rock instead. On the muddy, muddy dirt trails that climbed the surrounding mountains, he was able to use the precise steering and healthy dose of torque to slide the car around, tighten his line in the switchbacks and carve a path to the top. His control behind the wheel, even in these off-road conditions, didn’t surprise me as I marveled from the passenger seat – he is a professional racing driver after all. But it certainly intrigued me.

“So how much racing technique can you transfer to off-road riding and vice versa?” I asked. Still at the wheel, sawing to catch a slip at the rear, he found the space to respond, “Well, quite a lot. The basic principles and the lines you choose through a corner are quite similar, so I can apply some of my racetrack experience, with a little adjustment of course. And off-road driving, where I catch these skids from behind, conversely helps me control the car when there is little grip on the track.”

Scrambling through muddy spots with little grip is child’s play thanks to the intelligent 4WD system.

At the risk of stating the obvious, the mighty Gloster is a far cry from the kind of groundbreaking formula cars it’s used to driving. But that doesn’t stop him from appreciating its unique strengths. Particularly impressive for him is how the intelligent 4WD system manages to provide a steady supply of traction despite the slippery conditions we drive on. “I thought we would just spin and get quite stuck, especially as the car is still on the standard road tyres, but it is amazing how the Gloster distributes its torque to maintain forward momentum.”

The inner story

Another thing that the Gloster Armaan offers, which its race cars do not, is a very well appointed and luxurious cabin. On the outside there is the sound of tires skidding and screeching on the dirt track, mud flying through the air and the roar of the engine as it pulls the Gloster up the mountainside. But inside the cabin, Armaan and I are in a world of comfort. Surrounded by first-class leather upholstery and soft-touch materials, seated in extremely cozy massage chairs, it is a far cry from the rough world that goes on outside.

Rough conditions outside, but the Gloster’s cabin enveloped us comfortably.

Splashing through streams and running through tracks, it’s impossible for me to focus my vision on the bright, high-resolution 12.3-inch infotainment screen. But when I inspect it later while it’s stationary, I notice that everything from the onboard navigation to car settings to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is packed into this screen. And there’s even more to see on the 8-inch multi-information display that Armaan sees as he drives. Here you can see all the ADAS features in action, including things like adaptive cruise control with automatic emergency braking, blind spot detection, lane change assistance and even automatic parking assistance. But for now, back to our blast on the mountain trails.

About half an hour into the ride, with a smile still plastered on his face, Armaan slows the pace down a notch. Not because the engine is out of breath. Oh no. Even in this thin mountain air, acceleration continues to strain the neck. The delay is due to the large rocks that suddenly appear on the path in front of us. “Do you think we’ll make it?” I ask hesitantly. Armaan seems unfazed by the challenge, and he soon reveals why. “19 inch wheels and 210 mm ground clearance? We will be absolutely fine.”

It turned out I had no reason to worry. With some precise placement and careful driving, the Gloster got over the rocks quite easily, and even when we had to stop to plan a path ahead, the Hill Hold Control made it effortless to get back on track. Soon the boulder field was cleared and the pace was back to a heartbreaking level.

By the end of the day, the course was conquered, the car was covered in mud (as any good SUV should be), and Armaan and I were both thoroughly impressed. Him with the effortless capabilities of the Gloster, and me with its ability to adapt to the world of low-grip off-road driving. Win-win!

See also:

MG Gloster Snowstorm, Desertstorm Editions launched at Rs 41.05 lakh

Spy shots of the MG Gloster facelift reveal interior details