X marks the spot with BMW in Mount Bromo
18 May 2017|23,676 views
The last time we visited Mount Bromo with BMW back in 2014, we discovered how the then-new BMW X5 proved to be a capable all-rounder for tackling the challenges that this scenic Indonesian volcano posed.
This is the third edition of the Mount Bromo experience that BMW has organised since 2014, with the event skipping one year in 2016 due to the volcano erupting then. This particular event saw six groups, comprising of BMW staff, regional journalists and customers, descending in Surabaya over two weeks, in one of the biggest such events BMW has ever held.
The event is as much a technical one, where we get to discover the abilities of the BMW X cars, as it is a cultural one, with BMW Asia hoping that driveaway events such as these will allow its partners, media friends and customers experience even more of Asia and its vast cultural heritage.
The adventure started with a leisurely drive out of Surabaya, Indonesia's second biggest city and capital of the East Java province where Mount Bromo is located. Our chosen ride for this section of the police convoy-led drive was the X5 xDrive35i, BMW's full-size SUV that seemed ideal for a long road trip like these.
While the X5 ferried us in comfort and opulence, thanks to its excellent ride and all-round luxury, tackling the hectic Indonesian city traffic was quite the challenge, even with a police escort leading the way. For those who are used to the orderly business in more organised cities, driving in Indonesia can be an eye-opening experience, filled with constant dodging of motorcycles and driving against traffic flow.
Despite the X5's car-like driving demeanour, its sizeable footprint meant that it demanded full focus from the driver in order to navigate out of the chaos and avoid running over the local population.
Midway through the four-hour drive from Surabaya to the Mount Bromo resort where we would be staying at, we hopped out of the X5 to the equally large X6 xDrive35i. The second part of the drive involved tackling the narrow and winding mountain roads leading up to the resort, which posed yet more challenges for BMW's flagship sports SUV.
Some of the country lanes were barely wide enough for one car, and yet it was still two-way traffic, resulting in some very tense and nervous manoeuvres along the treacherous mountain roads when faced with oncoming cars. Still, the X6 managed to make it through, though with some very close shaves, and we all breathed a sigh of relief when we finally made it to our resort.
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The next morning, having been woken up by an unearthly 3:30am morning call, we made our way up towards Seruni Point, the highest point in the area accessible by car. The objective for this early morning mission was to catch the sunrise from a beautiful vantage point. Our ride for this morning trek was the BMW X3 xDrive20d, whose compact chassis and plentiful torque from its diesel engine meant that it could make the ascent up to the top without breaking a sweat.
By this time, the roads were starting to become even narrower, and the asphalt was beginning to disappear, giving way to dirt tracks. But once again, the xDrive system proved well capable of bringing us up to 2,310m above sea level to Seruni Point, where we enjoyed the stunning scene of the sun rising through the mountainous landscape.
After that, we made our way down to the Sea of Sand, a vast, sandy area that surrounds Mount Bromo and forms part of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. This sacred and protected nature reserve sits at some 2,100m above sea level, and covers an area of some 800m2, which makes it even larger than the size of Singapore.
It is here where we got to truly experience the xDrive's prowess, as the soft sand surface meant that grip and traction were at a premium. Regardless, all of the cars we got to drive, namely the X3, X4, X5 and X6, proved not just capable of handling the tricky terrain, but were fun to drive as well. The system is able to distribute torque as and when it is needed between all four wheels, and as BMWs, there is some inherent rear-drive bias as well, which meant that it was easy to induce some oversteer if the traction control system was switched off, although we were highly encouraged not to do that.
After a whole morning of fun driving and exploration on the sand, it was time to bid goodbye to Mount Bromo and make our way back to Surabaya. Once again we got into the X6 and took on the rural mountain roads on the way down, scything our way through the hectic traffic that proved no less harrowing as before.
Despite all that, the BMW X range with xDrive has proved immensely capable of taking on the challenges that Indonesia could throw at it. The sizable girth of the X5 and the X6 were no obstacles in their ability to offer car-like comfort and agility, whether on the highway or up on the twisting mountain bends, while their energetic powerplants ensured that we could keep up with the convoy on long stretches with no trouble.
You probably won't get to climb mountains or drive on sand every day, but it's reassuring to know that when the need arises, BMW's xDrive has got your back.
The last time we visited Mount Bromo with BMW back in 2014, we discovered how the then-new BMW X5 proved to be a capable all-rounder for tackling the challenges that this scenic Indonesian volcano posed.
This is the third edition of the Mount Bromo experience that BMW has organised since 2014, with the event skipping one year in 2016 due to the volcano erupting then. This particular event saw six groups, comprising of BMW staff, regional journalists and customers, descending in Surabaya over two weeks, in one of the biggest such events BMW has ever held.
The event is as much a technical one, where we get to discover the abilities of the BMW X cars, as it is a cultural one, with BMW Asia hoping that driveaway events such as these will allow its partners, media friends and customers experience even more of Asia and its vast cultural heritage.
Navigating Indonesian traffic in the X5 proved to be a hectic experience, even with the presence of a police escort
Hustling out
The adventure started with a leisurely drive out of Surabaya, Indonesia's second biggest city and capital of the East Java province where Mount Bromo is located. Our chosen ride for this section of the police convoy-led drive was the X5 xDrive35i, BMW's full-size SUV that seemed ideal for a long road trip like these.
While the X5 ferried us in comfort and opulence, thanks to its excellent ride and all-round luxury, tackling the hectic Indonesian city traffic was quite the challenge, even with a police escort leading the way. For those who are used to the orderly business in more organised cities, driving in Indonesia can be an eye-opening experience, filled with constant dodging of motorcycles and driving against traffic flow.
Despite the X5's car-like driving demeanour, its sizeable footprint meant that it demanded full focus from the driver in order to navigate out of the chaos and avoid running over the local population.
Tight and twisty
Midway through the four-hour drive from Surabaya to the Mount Bromo resort where we would be staying at, we hopped out of the X5 to the equally large X6 xDrive35i. The second part of the drive involved tackling the narrow and winding mountain roads leading up to the resort, which posed yet more challenges for BMW's flagship sports SUV.
Some of the country lanes were barely wide enough for one car, and yet it was still two-way traffic, resulting in some very tense and nervous manoeuvres along the treacherous mountain roads when faced with oncoming cars. Still, the X6 managed to make it through, though with some very close shaves, and we all breathed a sigh of relief when we finally made it to our resort.
Dirt and sand
By this time, the roads were starting to become even narrower, and the asphalt was beginning to disappear, giving way to dirt tracks. But once again, the xDrive system proved well capable of bringing us up to 2,310m above sea level to Seruni Point, where we enjoyed the stunning scene of the sun rising through the mountainous landscape.
After that, we made our way down to the Sea of Sand, a vast, sandy area that surrounds Mount Bromo and forms part of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. This sacred and protected nature reserve sits at some 2,100m above sea level, and covers an area of some 800m2, which makes it even larger than the size of Singapore.
It is here where we got to truly experience the xDrive's prowess, as the soft sand surface meant that grip and traction were at a premium. Regardless, all of the cars we got to drive, namely the X3, X4, X5 and X6, proved not just capable of handling the tricky terrain, but were fun to drive as well. The system is able to distribute torque as and when it is needed between all four wheels, and as BMWs, there is some inherent rear-drive bias as well, which meant that it was easy to induce some oversteer if the traction control system was switched off, although we were highly encouraged not to do that.
The sandy terrain around Mount Bromo proved to be a piece of cake for BMW's xDrive all-wheel drive system
Back to base
After a whole morning of fun driving and exploration on the sand, it was time to bid goodbye to Mount Bromo and make our way back to Surabaya. Once again we got into the X6 and took on the rural mountain roads on the way down, scything our way through the hectic traffic that proved no less harrowing as before.
Despite all that, the BMW X range with xDrive has proved immensely capable of taking on the challenges that Indonesia could throw at it. The sizable girth of the X5 and the X6 were no obstacles in their ability to offer car-like comfort and agility, whether on the highway or up on the twisting mountain bends, while their energetic powerplants ensured that we could keep up with the convoy on long stretches with no trouble.
You probably won't get to climb mountains or drive on sand every day, but it's reassuring to know that when the need arises, BMW's xDrive has got your back.
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