Hi all. Long-time lurker, first-time poster type scenario here.
I moved to India recently for work, and after settling in thoughts turn (naturally) to wheeled vehicles and adventures over the horizon. I see these interesting Indian G-Wagen style vehicles here (often at the airport in packs, like they may be hotel/tourist shuttles?) and after doing some research have determined they are Force Trax Toofans:
Force brand:
http://forcemotors.com
Trax model:
http://forcemotors.com/html/products.aspx?id=1&pstring=1&root=1
Toofan configuration:
http://forcemotors.com/html/productdetails.aspx?id=84&root=1
Terrible website, but oh well.
So it looks like Force used to be called Tempo and/or Bajaj. Big company, goes back to WW2 and has been busy ever since making all sorts of good stuff with wheels. And that 20-30 years ago they partnered with Mercedes-Benz to build engines for MB India and eventually, new-built versions of MB vehicles now obsolete in the EU/western markets. Like the W461 G-Class... which lives on here in India in the form of Force's Trax model. Roughly.
Is that accurate? Anyone have more info? Just curious for history's sake.
Here's a great promo video from the earlier Tempo Trax days:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3LFs560jwc"]YouTube - Tempo Trax 4x4[/ame]
(The announcer's enunciation and emphasis is truly legendary. A worthy diversion even if this thread is not otherwise interesting to you. Wait for it at 2:30 in: "Ohhh, what is this? How can a vehicle go over such a patch of ground where it is not possible even to walk. But a Ahhh, for Tempo 290 GTD vehicle all impossible are possible. The vehicle moves with ease...")
So next steps:
I'd like to learn everything possible about the original W461 G-Wagen, and if possible collect anecdotes and empiric wisdoms about the Tempo/Force Trax vehicles themselves. You can buy them used here in south India for about $5,000 US or new for $15,000 well equipped. Bear in mind many relatively banal western imports cost 200-300% of what you'd expect due to extremely high import tax & tariff systems. So this could be the bargain of all time.
FWIW the Indians also continue to produce "new" versions of the Willys JEEP, including an funky extended wheelbase version (4 doors (well 4 no-doors actually) and 3 rows of seats) that is in heavy usage. Also of course various British vehicles from the 40s and 50s are still manufactured here with minimal design changes. Charming on many levels:
http://picasaweb.google.com/isaact/Hyd3/photo#5219263585664308402
I'm in contact with a local Force dealer (harder than you'd think) and am arranging to test drive whatever they can get their hands on. Sounds like the dealership may be run out of somebody's living room, and they'll don't have any inventory on hand so much as they'll sell me whatever I want then arrange to have it delivered to me. This sounds about right for south India and I'm ready for an adventure.
So what do I want in a Trax? What to look out for?
Aside from this guy on the highway...
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klteYv1Uv9A"]YouTube - This is How We Roll in India[/ame]
-Isaac in south India
p.s. Anybody else here on the subcontinent, feel free to drop me a private email at XXXXXXXXXXX & let's talk shop. Or prawn curries, you name it. I think I'm driving up to Leh in a couple months and would love to compare notes.
I moved to India recently for work, and after settling in thoughts turn (naturally) to wheeled vehicles and adventures over the horizon. I see these interesting Indian G-Wagen style vehicles here (often at the airport in packs, like they may be hotel/tourist shuttles?) and after doing some research have determined they are Force Trax Toofans:
Force brand:
http://forcemotors.com
Trax model:
http://forcemotors.com/html/products.aspx?id=1&pstring=1&root=1
Toofan configuration:
http://forcemotors.com/html/productdetails.aspx?id=84&root=1
Terrible website, but oh well.
So it looks like Force used to be called Tempo and/or Bajaj. Big company, goes back to WW2 and has been busy ever since making all sorts of good stuff with wheels. And that 20-30 years ago they partnered with Mercedes-Benz to build engines for MB India and eventually, new-built versions of MB vehicles now obsolete in the EU/western markets. Like the W461 G-Class... which lives on here in India in the form of Force's Trax model. Roughly.
Is that accurate? Anyone have more info? Just curious for history's sake.
Here's a great promo video from the earlier Tempo Trax days:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3LFs560jwc"]YouTube - Tempo Trax 4x4[/ame]
(The announcer's enunciation and emphasis is truly legendary. A worthy diversion even if this thread is not otherwise interesting to you. Wait for it at 2:30 in: "Ohhh, what is this? How can a vehicle go over such a patch of ground where it is not possible even to walk. But a Ahhh, for Tempo 290 GTD vehicle all impossible are possible. The vehicle moves with ease...")
So next steps:
I'd like to learn everything possible about the original W461 G-Wagen, and if possible collect anecdotes and empiric wisdoms about the Tempo/Force Trax vehicles themselves. You can buy them used here in south India for about $5,000 US or new for $15,000 well equipped. Bear in mind many relatively banal western imports cost 200-300% of what you'd expect due to extremely high import tax & tariff systems. So this could be the bargain of all time.
FWIW the Indians also continue to produce "new" versions of the Willys JEEP, including an funky extended wheelbase version (4 doors (well 4 no-doors actually) and 3 rows of seats) that is in heavy usage. Also of course various British vehicles from the 40s and 50s are still manufactured here with minimal design changes. Charming on many levels:
http://picasaweb.google.com/isaact/Hyd3/photo#5219263585664308402
I'm in contact with a local Force dealer (harder than you'd think) and am arranging to test drive whatever they can get their hands on. Sounds like the dealership may be run out of somebody's living room, and they'll don't have any inventory on hand so much as they'll sell me whatever I want then arrange to have it delivered to me. This sounds about right for south India and I'm ready for an adventure.
So what do I want in a Trax? What to look out for?
Aside from this guy on the highway...
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klteYv1Uv9A"]YouTube - This is How We Roll in India[/ame]
-Isaac in south India
p.s. Anybody else here on the subcontinent, feel free to drop me a private email at XXXXXXXXXXX & let's talk shop. Or prawn curries, you name it. I think I'm driving up to Leh in a couple months and would love to compare notes.
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