Stuck on you
Ted Macauley takes on twisty turns in Subaru’s Tribeca B9
Crossing the Tramuntana mountains by road can be a challenge. But the effort is worthwhile if you are determined to treat your friends to a gourmet lunch in a top-class restaurant at the far reaches of some tight and twisty roads.
The Tramuntanas form the spectacular backdrop to the Mediterranean isle of Majorca and the restaurant, El Olivo, is part of La Residencia, an exclusive getaway for such stars as Bruce Springsteen and Harrison Ford, as well as the King and Queen of Jordan.
For the journey from Palma to the village of Deia, I had been loaned a gem of a car: the Tribeca B9, Subaru’s worthy 4×4 challenger to the BMW X5, Range Rover and Mercedes M-class. Its price? Between US$58,000 and US$68,000.
The seven-seater version coped admirably with the demanding curves of the Tramuntanas, with only the slightest of body rolls. Its glue-like grip exuded confidence – a very good thing given the scarily steep drops seawards at the rims of the turns.
If the traffic hadn’t been so solid on the quicker return trip down the motorway – and I had dared risk a penalty – the 3.0-litre car’s speed would have topped out at 204kph.
As it was, the car – named after an upmarket district of New York – burbled along at a stately pace, as if it enjoyed having us aboard. I certainly revelled in its quality, attitude and companionship. www.subaru.com
|
