Ashok Leyland FAT 6×6 Test Drive Review – BEAST
Ashok Leyland calls the 8.0-litre diesel powerplant as Neptune
Performance – This behemoth draws its motivation from a 8.0-litre inline-6 cylinder diesel engine which produces 360 HP of power and 1400 Nm of torque. The drive is more engaging thanks to all that torque bring available from as low 1300 RPM. The oil-burner redlines at around 2500 RPM and the top speed is rated at 80 km/hr. The powertrain has a very narrow power band and has a good amount of low-end grunt. An 8-speed manual gearbox with a 2-speed AWD system takes care of the transmission duties. The gearbox needs a lot of working through and this isn’t a slick unit by any means.
The FAT 6×6 absorbs almost everything given in its stride, ride quality is very compliant
Driving Dynamics – The Ashok Leyland gets a Parabolic suspension at the front and a Bogie unit at the rear. The three independent axles which get differential locks for each one just goes about telling what kind of a capability the FAT 6×6 has. The ride quality is nice and smooth. However, the handling isn’t all that great as you will probably need Sunny Deol paaji ke dhai kilo ka haath to maneuvre the hydraulic (power-assisted) steering. It also needs too many locks to give you a turn. Braking is great and the FAT 6×6 gets pneumatic brakes.