QUOTE
When general Hannibal Barcas led his army across the Alps in 218 BC, attempting to take the Romans off-guard by attacking them from the north, he did so with tens of thousands of soldiers and 37 elephants. Elephants being quite hard to come by in the modern world, to recreate his journey, we took a Hummer H2, accompanied by a slightly smaller SUV, the Fiat Panda 4x4.
On our way to the south of France, the two four-wheel drives must have looked an odd couple: the small high-set, Panda, next to the massive H2. But apart from being three times as heavy (and seven-and-a-half times as expensive), the Hummer is five times as powerful too, enabling it to shake the little one off so now and then. A slight press of the throttle pedal and with the imposing pounding of the V8 (for the outside world that is; inside it doesn't sound all that special), the American builds up speed without much trouble.
In this respect, the Fiat has to make do the best it can. It has a small 60bhp four-cylinder under the bonnet. This is fine for the standard front-wheel driven Panda, but in this 4x4 version, with its extra 220lbs, it must do everything in its power to deliver an acceptable performance.
It therefore does 0-62mph in 20 seconds and maxes at 90mph - we didn't check the sprint, but we did check its maximum speed. After insisting for a long time, the Panda records a little over 93mph on its counter, which does indeed correspond to 83 real mph- by no means breakneck speed.
Nor is the little car very quiet any longer (at 75mph, the 1.2 is doing nearly 4,000rpm), justifying the conclusion that the Panda 4x4 is only moderately suited for fast motorway driving. Luckily though, it will be available in a 1.3 Multijet as from November: this diesel engine will deliver 70bhp and 145lb ft, sufficient to ease the pain for speed freaks.
Steep ascents will require a run-up in the Panda
But the little Fiat has a surprise in store for us. Once in France, the roads begin to get hilly and this scores her an unexpected triumph. At a certain point - going downhill, air-conditioning off and with favourable wind - it even manages to top out at 105mph. Enough to blandly pass the mighty Hummer, which is restricted at 100 real mph.
It is the beginning of a ridiculous fight: the Panda, engine howling, takes the lead every descent, to be devoured by the H2 striding ahead every ascent. In the end, it is the H2 that disappears on the horizon, but the real winners of this fight are the petrol stations along the way.
What our trip also proves is how small the fuel tank of the Panda 4x4 really is. It only holds 6.5 gallons (one less than other Pandas, 20 less than the Hummer), forcing us to start looking for the next petrol station after every 175 miles or so. A more sedate driving style will take you much further, of course, but it's still small.
Petrol stations are hard to come by in the mountains
Our surprise heightens as we wind our way through the village of Montgenevre, on the col of the same name. It is almost certain that Hannibal and his men passed through this village on their legendary journey, even took a few days' rest, but we can't find anything to commemorate this fact. No bust, no plaque, not even a sign. Somewhat mystified, we go the local tourist office for an explanation.
The lady behind the reception casts an amused look at the Hummer and the Fiat, then turns the exact same look on us and says: "But gentlemen, you know the whole Hannibal-story is a fairy tale, don't you?"
The last bit of respect for the authorities of Montgenevre then totally evaporates when we leave the village and pass an obelisk in honour of Napoleon, who apparently also crossed the Alps - on a mule.
The road gets tricky after the French-Italian border
Just over the French-Italian border, the real work begins. From here, Hannibal set course for Susa, some 30 miles west of Turin, right across the mountains. Showing our solidarity with him, we choose the most difficult route: a nameless stretch between Sestriere and Susa, marked as a dangerous road on our map.
It is here that we first encounter serious trouble from the Hummer H2's weak spot: its extreme dimensions. Officially, the H2 is not even permitted to enter the area (it is 6 centimetres wider than the permitted 2 metres), which we disregard entirely, of course. While the Panda handles the hairpin corners effortlessly, the H2 regularly needs to manoeuvre backwards and forwards several times to round the same corner. This sorrow we can deal with, but when we proceed to leave the gravel wherever possible to find a shorter way up (Hannibal couldn't have had many paved roads at his disposal either), it is the Hummer that gets stuck first: a passage through a creek turns out to be too narrow.
On the whole though, the roles are more frequently reversed. Space permitting, it is the Hummer that effortlessly climbs the grass or stone hills over and over again. Occasionally, it loses its grip, but again and again, the low gearing or controlled slip differential offers relief.
The Panda gets surprisingly close to the H2
The light Fiat often gets pretty far too - considerably further than we had expected. It manages to develop quite some grip with its mud and snow tyres, and divides the drive powers between the two shafts with lots of feel. But once a wheel starts spinning, that's usually the end of the climb, for there is no controlled slip differential to guide part of the torque to the tyres with traction.
On top of this, it suffers from the fact that the engine is a bit undersized. Grip is hardly ever the problem: the Panda eagerly claws itself uphill, but then comes to a standstill halfway up because it's just too much for the engine to handle. Getting it going again with a slipping clutch is usually of no avail: rolling down and attacking the hill again with a longer running start is the only remedy - a remedy that is typical for the Panda's character, but would be a disgrace for a real off-roader. Moreover, its ground clearance (6.5in, against 9.6 for the Hummer) does not allow too violent an attack. A low gearing or a stronger engine is what the Panda 4x4 needs.
Neither the Hummer or Panda are ideal off-roaders
On the way home, we compare our findings. The Fiat Panda 4x4: nice, light and compact, in some ways, surprisingly good off the road, but fitted with an engine that simply falls short for the heavier stuff. The Hummer H2: an excellent off-the-road vehicle that is too big to go everywhere it might want to go.
So should the modern-day Hannibal pick the elephant after all? Perhaps the best thing to do would be to wait- for the Panda 4x4 with a diesel engine, or the European version of the Hummer, the H3.
On our way to the south of France, the two four-wheel drives must have looked an odd couple: the small high-set, Panda, next to the massive H2. But apart from being three times as heavy (and seven-and-a-half times as expensive), the Hummer is five times as powerful too, enabling it to shake the little one off so now and then. A slight press of the throttle pedal and with the imposing pounding of the V8 (for the outside world that is; inside it doesn't sound all that special), the American builds up speed without much trouble.
In this respect, the Fiat has to make do the best it can. It has a small 60bhp four-cylinder under the bonnet. This is fine for the standard front-wheel driven Panda, but in this 4x4 version, with its extra 220lbs, it must do everything in its power to deliver an acceptable performance.
It therefore does 0-62mph in 20 seconds and maxes at 90mph - we didn't check the sprint, but we did check its maximum speed. After insisting for a long time, the Panda records a little over 93mph on its counter, which does indeed correspond to 83 real mph- by no means breakneck speed.
Nor is the little car very quiet any longer (at 75mph, the 1.2 is doing nearly 4,000rpm), justifying the conclusion that the Panda 4x4 is only moderately suited for fast motorway driving. Luckily though, it will be available in a 1.3 Multijet as from November: this diesel engine will deliver 70bhp and 145lb ft, sufficient to ease the pain for speed freaks.
Steep ascents will require a run-up in the Panda
But the little Fiat has a surprise in store for us. Once in France, the roads begin to get hilly and this scores her an unexpected triumph. At a certain point - going downhill, air-conditioning off and with favourable wind - it even manages to top out at 105mph. Enough to blandly pass the mighty Hummer, which is restricted at 100 real mph.
It is the beginning of a ridiculous fight: the Panda, engine howling, takes the lead every descent, to be devoured by the H2 striding ahead every ascent. In the end, it is the H2 that disappears on the horizon, but the real winners of this fight are the petrol stations along the way.
What our trip also proves is how small the fuel tank of the Panda 4x4 really is. It only holds 6.5 gallons (one less than other Pandas, 20 less than the Hummer), forcing us to start looking for the next petrol station after every 175 miles or so. A more sedate driving style will take you much further, of course, but it's still small.
Petrol stations are hard to come by in the mountains
Our surprise heightens as we wind our way through the village of Montgenevre, on the col of the same name. It is almost certain that Hannibal and his men passed through this village on their legendary journey, even took a few days' rest, but we can't find anything to commemorate this fact. No bust, no plaque, not even a sign. Somewhat mystified, we go the local tourist office for an explanation.
The lady behind the reception casts an amused look at the Hummer and the Fiat, then turns the exact same look on us and says: "But gentlemen, you know the whole Hannibal-story is a fairy tale, don't you?"
The last bit of respect for the authorities of Montgenevre then totally evaporates when we leave the village and pass an obelisk in honour of Napoleon, who apparently also crossed the Alps - on a mule.
The road gets tricky after the French-Italian border
Just over the French-Italian border, the real work begins. From here, Hannibal set course for Susa, some 30 miles west of Turin, right across the mountains. Showing our solidarity with him, we choose the most difficult route: a nameless stretch between Sestriere and Susa, marked as a dangerous road on our map.
It is here that we first encounter serious trouble from the Hummer H2's weak spot: its extreme dimensions. Officially, the H2 is not even permitted to enter the area (it is 6 centimetres wider than the permitted 2 metres), which we disregard entirely, of course. While the Panda handles the hairpin corners effortlessly, the H2 regularly needs to manoeuvre backwards and forwards several times to round the same corner. This sorrow we can deal with, but when we proceed to leave the gravel wherever possible to find a shorter way up (Hannibal couldn't have had many paved roads at his disposal either), it is the Hummer that gets stuck first: a passage through a creek turns out to be too narrow.
On the whole though, the roles are more frequently reversed. Space permitting, it is the Hummer that effortlessly climbs the grass or stone hills over and over again. Occasionally, it loses its grip, but again and again, the low gearing or controlled slip differential offers relief.
The Panda gets surprisingly close to the H2
The light Fiat often gets pretty far too - considerably further than we had expected. It manages to develop quite some grip with its mud and snow tyres, and divides the drive powers between the two shafts with lots of feel. But once a wheel starts spinning, that's usually the end of the climb, for there is no controlled slip differential to guide part of the torque to the tyres with traction.
On top of this, it suffers from the fact that the engine is a bit undersized. Grip is hardly ever the problem: the Panda eagerly claws itself uphill, but then comes to a standstill halfway up because it's just too much for the engine to handle. Getting it going again with a slipping clutch is usually of no avail: rolling down and attacking the hill again with a longer running start is the only remedy - a remedy that is typical for the Panda's character, but would be a disgrace for a real off-roader. Moreover, its ground clearance (6.5in, against 9.6 for the Hummer) does not allow too violent an attack. A low gearing or a stronger engine is what the Panda 4x4 needs.
Neither the Hummer or Panda are ideal off-roaders
On the way home, we compare our findings. The Fiat Panda 4x4: nice, light and compact, in some ways, surprisingly good off the road, but fitted with an engine that simply falls short for the heavier stuff. The Hummer H2: an excellent off-the-road vehicle that is too big to go everywhere it might want to go.
So should the modern-day Hannibal pick the elephant after all? Perhaps the best thing to do would be to wait- for the Panda 4x4 with a diesel engine, or the European version of the Hummer, the H3.
Source: 4car.com
