FORCE ONE
Before we Tell you anything about this Suv, we need to tell you a little bit about its maker because it’s important to understand where the rather cheesily named Force One is coming from. Force Motors, formerly Bajaj Tempo, is best known for its Traveller minibuses and the Tax utility vehicle but now it is taking a whole new direction by moving upwards into the passenger car space for the first time in earnest. So is this SUV the ‘One’ for Force Motors? Can it transform the company, which has historically concentrated on the commercial side of travel, into a credible SUV manufacturer?
First impressions tell us that it’s a tall order. The boxy looking design looks quite outdated and not in synch with the modern shapes customers expect from SUVs these days. Though the overall shape is inoffensive, the small glass area and horizontal lines give it a 1990s looks. But why did Force Motors design such a bland-looking vehicle?
The truth is that it didn’t. Google Guangdong Foday Explorer III for the answer. It is no coincidence that the Force One looks like the innocuous Chinese SUV that pops up in the Google search. That’s because the Force One uses the same body panels as the Foday Explorer III and imports them directly from China for assembly in Force Motors’ Pithampur factory in Madhya Pradesh. Because this is this first attempt at a proper passenger car, Force, Motors didn’t want to invest heavily in an all-new design and has relied on the cheap way out.
What Force Motors has invested in though is the chassis which has been designed completely in-house. It’s based on a rather sturdy-looking C-in-C ladder frame that supports an independent, coil-sprung, double-wishbone setup in the front and a non-independent, multi-link suspension at the rear. Force Motors roped in Lotus Engineering UK to fine-tune the chassis and even set up the vehicle specifically for the 235/70-R16 Apollo Hawkz all-terrain tyres it comes shod with.
Power comes from Mercedes Benz’s 2.2-litre, OM611 four-cylinder, four-valve common-rail engine that meets BS IV emission norms and makes a Tata Safari-rivaling 139bhp and 32.7kgm of torque. It drives the rear wheels (a four-wheel-drive version will be offered in April 2012) Via the Mercedes-Benz G32 five-speed manual gearbox. And, being a relatively more sophisticated vehicle than the rest of the range, the One’s electronics were validated by Mercedes-Benz.
Still, a staggering 80-85 percent of the car is localised and this is where things get interesting. With so much localisation, Force Motors has priced the Force One at Rs 10.65 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) and that means it has to take on the might of the Mahindra Scorpio and the Tata Safari. Can it?
The Force One may not look particularly appealing, but there’s no denying it is big. At 4.8 metres long, it is a considerable 400mm longer than a Scorpio. And with a wheelbase that’s 345mm longer than the Mahindra, it promises to be very spacious inside. Standing on its aggressive all-terrain tyres, the Force One looks long and the short overhang gives it an off-roader look. There’s even a certain sense of solidity you get form the thick pillars. But inspect it closer and you’ll find quite a few uneven panel gaps around the headlihg and a grille that has a bit too much chrome. Even the tail-lights look a bit oversized and the Transformer-like Force One badge, though distinctive, may not appeal to all.
It takes some effort to heave yourself inside. You have to climb up the step, avoid knocking your head on the A-pillar, and slide down into the seat. The driving position is very Ford Endeavour, thanks to the high floor but the ergonomics area decent. There’s a smart pair of dials with about a million warning lights in the instrument cluster and visibility out is good. Plastic quality is decent but there are quite a few panel gaps. The iffy way the horn button fits on the steering wheel and the wood finish isn’t particularly nice considering the car’s price. Still, the air-con controls work well and Force Motors is particularly proud of the 76 features the car comes standard with. Some of them are essential, like air-conditioning, power steering and power windows but it also has air-conditioning for all three rows, a trip computer, a service schedule indicator, electric mirrors, remote, locking, projector headlamps, daytime running LEDs and an audio system.
Move over to the middle row and you’ll discover plenty of legroom and good headroom. But the floor is high, which means thigh support is compromised. The third row too has plenty of kneeroom and a recess has been engineered into the floor, so you sit in a less knees-up position but again headroom here is quite compromised. Still, the sheer length of the car ensures that there is reasonable space for luggage even with all seats up.
Twist the key and the Mercedes-Benz engine settles into a rather refined idle. Peak torque kicks in at 1600rpm and the engine pulls well all the way to its 4150rpm redline. There is a hint of lag but once the turbo kicks in, performance is sprightly. Throttle response is good and the engine is more than acceptably refined when it is revving. The only issue is with the gearbox, which is imprecise and needs some effort to operate; this is something Force Motors desperately needs to improve.
Our short test drive route was over the smooth roads inside Force Motors’ Factory compound and a small off-road section where construction of a new wing was on. On smooth roads, the Force Once seemed well planted with not too much body roll around corners. But it does feel a tad softly sprung, displaying some pitching over the bumps in the off-road section. That said, you can confidently hammer over bad sections, the long-travel suspension absorbing bumps without throwing the car off-line. It feels a lot more stable than a Scorpio too, the long wheelbase no doubt playing its part here.
Force Motors has launched the One in only one (pun intended) trim level – the fully loaded variant comes for an asking price of Rs 10.65 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Given the long list of features, some of which you only find in luxury cars, it may seem like good value and there’s no doubt that the Force One scores well in some key areas. It is big and very spacious and underpinned by an indigenously developed chassis which promises decent ride and handling. Performance too is acceptable and the Mercedes-sourced engine gives this new SUV a shot of credibility. However, it’s not credible enough to make customers part with upwards of Rs 10 lakh.
What Force Motors needs to do now is concentrate on bringing the rest of the car up to speed, especially on the fit-and-finish front. Also, it looks a bit dated and simply doesn’t have the brand clout to justify its price tag. And since Force Motors is a new entrant into the segment, it would help to have a less feature-rich, and hence cheaper, variant that substantially undercuts established rivals just to get prospective buyers into showrooms. The Force One is a good first attempt but to cut it as a serious Scorpio/Safari rival, it still has some way to go.