“Bold claim!” I reply instinctively. “And I’m sure we will deliver on it,” fires back Metelka. Well, then…
Climbing aboard, I am indeed pleasantly surprised. The spacious interior is such an improvement on the original Spartan’s. It’s all hard-wearing black plastic, yes, but the two cloth seats are comfy and adjustable, as is the steering wheel. A digital dial display is matched by a modest infotainment touchscreen.
I engage 4WD Low using one of the levers down by my left, then D with another (the other two are for the front and rear differential locks) and we’re very quietly away.
There couldn’t be a more marked contrast to the last time I was here, learning to drive off road in an enormous Toyota Land Cruiser, whose four-cylinder diesel growled while its ABS imitated an AK-47.
The wheel writhes around in my hands as we descend a steep slope, deep in the ruts, but it’s still easy for me to make corrective inputs, the rack being pleasantly light. I don’t need to ‘power brake’, thanks to the presence of decent regen, and nor does the lack of hill descent control on this prototype (it’s standard on customer cars) result in sliding.
As we splash into the puddles at the bottom, I look up and wonder. Surely it won’t manage that on road rubber? It’s been raining cats and dogs for weeks around here. Trying to avoid wheelspin, I depress the accelerator only about halfway. As it turns out, that is enough. We simply glide up the hill. I can’t believe how easy it is. All I have to do it keep the thing rolling and avoid the trees.