by Dragos OHR
A very good friend of mine once told me: ” Mate if you ever consider marrying you are an idiot. But I will not judge you…But if you dare to think, just even for a second, that you won`t enjoy more than one car in five years…well… our friendship will be over! You need to enjoy the beauty and power of the 4 wheeled ladies..”
I do not know how good news greet you but in my case it always happens during a hot summer day… Similarly, on a day when the sun was smiling happily on the bright blue sky, I got a phonecall from a friend of mine who told me about an adventure through the most beautiful places in Romania alongside 2 four-wheeled ladies…He shrouded the whole story in mystery and it was impossible for me to say no. I accepted the challenge.
On the morning of the following day we headed towards Bucharest. I had no idea what was going to happen … Curiosity was killing me and I raced madly to reveal the mystery. We arrived in Bucharest – Gheorghe Sincai Boulevard, 17.45 … an obscure car park that wasn`t announcing anything interesting. However, when I looked carefully, two perfect figures stood out … My God! If you’re not an automotive fan, you will not feel it again … I approach slowly and stand a few steps away not to disturb anything. I look with admiration and an amalgam of thoughts and feelings runs freely through my mind … I tell myself that one day I will master one of these beasts.
Please let me introduce them: The New Range Rover Autobiography and the new sports car produced by Jaguar – the F-type Convertible! I was then ready for a adventure through the beautiful Romania! Three days of wandering through the country while fully exploring the capabilities of the two beauties. A young team loaded with adrenaline was prepared…
We started the engines and a revving symphony was triggered instantly … Yes, they’re alive! The loud and aggressive growl of the 3.0 liter V6 powered Jaguar engine that releases 340BHP blends perfectly with the more quieter sound made by the 3.0-liter V6 254BHP diesel engine of the Range Rover– the mixture seems to be the voice of an old man who has lived and seen it all that addresses a restless young man ready to face the world.
The Jaguar is an absolute beast, a native predator that has been designed to hunt. In Bucharest it made complete havoc on the streets … After spending several hours in the capital, where we had a photo session in front of the National Library, we went to a new location – Busteni. The adventure continued at a fairytale location where we held another photoshoot at the stunning Cantacuzino Castle; Bran was next and we felt like we couldn`t get enough. I had a mad urge to drive and we made the first video on the twisty bends that led to Rasnov, but the real challenge was going to be The Transfagarasan – one of the most beautiful roads in the world.
We reached the moment of truth – the ultimate test of our supercars would be in the company of a masterpiece of Romanian civil engineering – Transfăgărăşan. Two British beasts, two different temperaments, two pilots – one way! ! Successor to the Jaguar E-type, considered to be the most beautiful car ever built, F-type does not disappoint and proof of it is the „Car Design of 2013” Award! “Each line of F-type has a starting point and a conclusion” – says Jaguar design director Ian Callum. The Jag tested by our team was equipped with a 3 litre V6 engine with an output of 340BHP…
With such an engine, F-type felt at ease on Transfăgărăşan, with its vicious growling amplified by the echo of the mountains going beyond the lofty peaks of the Fagaras Mountains and flowing into the steep valleys. Welcome to our home!
As for the Range Rover … Oh my God! Now I realize why it is called Autobiography … This car does not need any description. It is proof that the auto industry has reached the point where the car perfectly implements its own personality on the road. And the British were able to make the best SUV on the market. Full stop. This new Range Rover which has a novel aluminium construction and weighs 420kg less than its predecessor, comes with a 3 litre TDV6 diesel engine with start / stop that produces 255 horsepower and has a torque of 600Nm. We called it the Black Beast.
We play „Catch me if you can” on the twisty roads and we hold our breath at every corner… Such an adventure on a gorgeous road with such vehicles would have been incomplete without a photo shoot. So we stop and there is complete silence, disturbed only by the running engines that are relieved to take a break… I have a quick look through the lens – a mix of precise British engineering and pure Romanian landscape – that’s what I call an excellent photo! The dusk is approaching and our story comes close to an end as well – horsepower, clouds of smoke, fatigue, adrenaline, Jaguar, Range Rover .. perfection … It was worth it!
This adventure, which was started by a petrolhead and traveling enthusiast, is the soul of a project which will be born in Romania this year – Ace Parade.
Taking a stroll down memory lane, amongst glimpses of nostalgia I realize one thing: the marriage between man and vehicle and the unity between nature and machine creates a perfect connection which shall be revealed between 10-14 September at Ace Parade.
