[LSNN] City Driver Magazine - Test Driving the New Vapid Sandking

[BertoV]

 

 

TEST DRIVING THE NEW VAPID SANDKING

“Fun started as soon as roads finished”

 

 

AUTOPIA is a new second-handed car dealer that recently opened in La Mesa. Result of the joint venture of three associates that decided to start this new adventure using an old yard which before was only used for container storage. Despite being a new business which started not much time ago, they have managed to acquire a huge car collection that they have displayed on the yard; perfectly ordered by car type, and in great conditions for being re-sold. Anyone is welcome to come in and look for the car that best suits him or her. They have an offer for almost all car segments, from small urban cars to sport vehicles, going through sedans, classic American muscles, SUVs, off-terrain vehicles, and vans. They really have a large car offer, and that helped us a lot to find the best options for our next test drive. I have to say thanks to the generosity of the owners, as they brought us possibly one of the best driving experiences I ever had in a car.

 

 

 

 

Gerard Lacan, co-owner of Autopia; alongside the off-road vehicle section - AUTOPIA

 

 

The car we tested is the newest SANDKING, manufactured by VAPID. This vehicle is available for being purchased in two different versions: the SWB, which comes with only two doors, and the XL, the one we tested, which has four doors and a slightly larger loading space. This version comes with a 6.2-liter atmospheric V8 monster engine, capable of developing 420 break-horsepower at low revs. The dimensions of this car are simply huge: almost one meter of free height forces you to use an auxiliary step any time you want to get in and out of the vehicle. Once you have reached the cockpit you will be able to drive it… If you do not get scared by the 241-inch length and the 82-inch width that can put you in trouble if you accidentally access any narrow street. Comes also with huge off-road wheels and a robust suspension capable of absorbing literally any obstacle that overcomes in the middle of your way. Our edition comes also with an auxiliary winch smartly installed on the front bumper, to help you escape from any mess you can get involved.

 

 

 

 

Fun started as soon as roads finished - B. TORRES

 

 

We decided to take the highway and head to the Señora Desert, in where we could find some gravel tracks in where to have some fun with it. To be completely honest, it was being one of the most annoying and unpleasant road trips of my life: the monstrous wheels were noisy as hell. The vehicle interior was not exactly silent, either: is not properly soundproofed, you can hear the engine, the friction between the tires and the road, and the air crashing into that huge black bodywork moving towards it. And then, I decided to have a look at the consumption. Which was offensive and could hurt any healthy eyes: 15 miles per gallon. I was seriously thinking on turn around, give the keys back and retire. But then, the highway stopped, and after a couple of miles more, the road did to. In front of us, only gravel, the desert, and a beast now in his natural habitat. When the road finished, the fun started.

 

I moved the driving mode selector to “all-terrain”. There was a slightly change of the height of the vehicle. The gears were shorted, to provide more force and the direction was hardened too. I was having the sensation that everything was going to improve exponentially and, indeed, that happened.

 

 

 

 

A great general view of the car going off-road - B.TORRES

 

 

The low-grip gravel roads I went across were not any obstacle for the all-wheel drive system of the Sandking. I could turn without problems at any corners, having tons of grip during it, and tons of traction at the outside. Any small drift could be easily corrected with a soft and prolongated counter-steering and maintaining a moderate pressure on the throttle pedal, to achieve a perfect drive across the corner. Brakes were magic: without using engine brake and easily blocking any of the wheels, I could easily loose speed at any corner entry. The direction was feeling hard, but a bit unprecise, maybe thanks to the soft suspension needed to absorb all the terrain shocks. Nevertheless, this was not a handicap to have one of the most complete experiences at the steering-wheel: anything I was asking to the car, he was replying at perfection: I could brake hard at the entrance, and start a soft drift across the corner, or face it using the handbrake and get out with better traction, rather. It did not care how much I was demanding from the engine, the drivetrain or the direction; anything I tried was perfectly handled by the all-wheel drive traction, the power and the suspension bringing in a perfectly tuned teamwork.

 

 

 

 

Driving back home through gravel roads - B. TORRES

 

 

And what if you find some huge landslide debris in the middle of your way? Well… Just move the driving mode selector to “off-road”. The car will provide an even more closed gear ratio, and the suspension will get a bit softer. You will be able to simply climb any obstacle, drive across and leave them behind. Careful with it: the car will provide a false security sensation. Keep the five senses on the driving, otherwise you can get surprised easily by a wheel slip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My journey finished when I reach back AUTOPIA to return the vehicle. To be honest, I did not take the responsibility of parking it, which of course would not be easy at all. But I do really have to say thank you to them, as these miles I drove across the Señora Desert were one of the purest sensations I had in a car. Forget about buying this car for a city use or driving across highways. Is like jailing a lion and the planet will thank it. Just purchase it if you have the need of driving across the countryside, through gravel roads, or though the forest if you wish so. Is only there where you can unleash all the potential of the SANDKING and in these situations, no other option will be better.

 

 

 

 

Reach unreachable places - B. TORRES

 

 

Berta K. Torres

LSNN

 

 

 

Edited May 10, 2020 by BertoV

[BertoV]

Comments are enabled

 

Username:

Comment: 

[bncal]

Username: isaacjr

Comment:  nice car, awesome! reading this probably I'll buy  a beautiful sandking!