Long weekends such as that brought on by the recent five-day papal visit should never be boring. All it takes is a little creativity plus a sense of adventure for one to enjoy what could be another humdrum rest day. This held true for a gaggle of motor heads who drove up to Sierra Madre while the pontiff was spreading the good word.
The motor heads took time to brave the wilderness with a single purpose in mind: test the mettle of Nitto’s new Exo Grappler AWT. Designed to provide consistent traction on dirt trails, gravel and farmland, with a comfortable ride, the Nitto tire features a new chip-resistant all-weather compound, three-ply sidewall construction, large, thick sidewall lugs, and puncture resistant qualities.
“The Exo Grappler AWT brings together the designs and technologies developed down the years by Nitto. Each Grappler series tires are subjected to extreme test conditions and the data gained are combined into the new tire,” explains Sam Liuson of Concept One. “Nitto has designed a tire that is not only competent on dirt, gravel and pavement, but also has excellent capabilities in every weather condition.”
With the assistance of the Off-road King Beeboy Bargas of Landcraft Inc., Liuson took his custom built Toyota Land Cruiser 80 Series to the jungles of Tanay, Rizal.
crossings a breeze
Liuson’s convoy consisted of two Mercedes Benz G Wagon variants and a monster Toyota Hi-Lux, whose suspension was replaced with that of a Land Cruiser 80 engineered for some serious bruising. Unlike other car owners whose rides are relegated to being garage queens, Liuson drove his award winning Land Cruiser 80 with reckless abandon, not minding the punishing trail and the scratches caused by the trees and tall grass lining up the Sierra Madre trail. “This is why we build project cars, for us to enjoy our investment and to really experience what this SUV can do,” he says.
Engineered with staggered shoulder blocks to provide increased traction in loose dirt while the integrated stone ejectors reduce stone retention and drilling, the Land Cruiser held its own as it carved a path along deep river crossing and muddy trails. The tire’s three-ply sidewalls with large sidewall lugs add strength and guard against unwanted punctures, especially as the group crossed a dry riverbed.
The tire is capable of maintaining traction on deep mud and slippery pavement with its rubber compound that is a mix of natural rubber, high-strength polymers and wear-resistant materials that is durable and allows for traction. Specially designed sipes also help create better biting edges and water evacuation during wet weather driving while the tire’s large lateral groves help evacuate mud and gravel.