We were on a minivan then and we could do no more than 50 miles per hour or about 90 kph because beyond that, we felt more vibrations. To the minivan’s credit, however, we got safely to our destination although back then, I wished we were driving a bigger, steadier vehicle.
During our coverage of the SEMA Show this year, we were fortunate to use a 2006 Mercury Mountaineer, an SUV produced here by Ford Motor Company’s Mercury Division. With a body shell that essentially looks like its cousin, the Ford Explorer, the Mountaineer, has styling cues befitting its sport and luxury status.
A chrome "waterfall" type grille sits in the center of the stylized headlamps. We say stylized as these pieces look like they were lifted straight out of a 21st century artwork catalog with their stacked, free-form design. The front end is capped off with a muscular bumper with over rider and equally huge fog lamps. In the rear, there are crystallized euro-style clear tail lamps that give the SUV a distinctive look.
The overall Mountaineer profile tips the tape at 4.9 m in length, 1.85 m in width and 1.83 m in height atop a 2.88 m wheelbase.
Inside, the luxury theme continues with leather trims for seats and doors. Aluminum inserts and accents further add to the modern luxury atmosphere. An SUV of this caliber would not be complete without the requisite "toys" that make life just a bit more pleasurable for driver and passenger.
You’ve got your standard all-power amenities (including power adjustable pedals for more comfortable driving); dual zone climate control system; available DVD entertainment system; and a very useful DVD-based navigation system.
The Mountaineer has two very potent drive trains to choose from. You’ve got the standard 4.0-liter 12V SOHC V6 that puts out 210 hp at 5,100 rpm and 254 lb-ft@3,700 rpm, mated to a 5-speed A/T. The unit we used has a more potent 4.6-liter 24 valve SOHC V8 with 294 hp@5,750 rpm and a stomp-pulling 300 lbft@3,950 rpm, this time with the class-leading six-speed A/T.
It rides on an all-independent double wishbone suspension front and rear. Brakes are all-discs with ABS, EBD, and Brake Assist.
The Mountaineer does not only provide its passengers with power and luxury. It likewise gives them peace of mind via safety features such as SRS airbags for both driver and front passengers and the aforementioned ABS, EBD, and BA combo. It goes the proverbial extra mile by giving them an All-Wheel Drive (AWD). It also has side curtain airbags for the first-and second-row passengers and Advancetrac traction control with Roll Stability Control (RSC). RSC detects an impending rollover and modulates engine torque to help keep things in check.
My brother Gilbert, daughter Rona and I left Carson City around 6 a.m. allowing for some rest stops and photo ops along the way and enough time to get us to the Las Vegas Airport where we would fetch Pin Pahilanga, another member of our team who was flying in from San Diego at 11:30 a.m.
With the Mountaineer’s efficient GPS or global positioning or navigation system, we never worried about getting lost because a female voice whom we nicknamed "Sarah," gave us accurate directions all the time. The GPS works via electronic signals sent from the vehicle to a satellite then bounce off a transmitter back to the vehicle.
In no time, we were driving up to the Mojave Desert Highway whose elevation gets to about 4,000 feet above sea level. On straights, we flowed with the traffic to as much as 90 mph (144 kph) and sometimes even reached a hundred.
We slowed down upon entering Las Vegas Boulevard and inputted Las Vegas Airport on the GPS. We picked up Pin just in time and her extra two bags just fit easily at the Mountaineer’s rear whose electronically foldable third row seat provided huge space for cargo.
The Mountaineer was just perfect for our trip. Our hotel was located at the Primm Valley Resorts, 50 miles (80 kms) south of the Las Vegas Convention Center. It’s like taking Balintawak-Clark but made it in 30 to 40 minutes. At night, winds became stronger but the Mountaineer was just steadfast in the Vegas drives.
After four days at the SEMA, we drove up to the historic Hoover Dam in Boulder City, 60 miles from our hotel, which is at the border of the states of Nevada and Arizona.
The drive back to Carson came on a sleepy afternoon. Rona’s CDs of light rock OPMs kept me and Gilbert awake as we alternated on the steering wheel. "Sarah" also made sure we were always on the right track. We made the 250-mile trip in less than four hours. The robust 4.6 liter V8 engine best average was 14 miles per gallon. That’s about 5.9 kms per liter and for me, that’s a reasonable amount to spend for peace of mind, safety and comfort on the Mountaineer.
