NEWS FEATURE: REDeX Tribute 2010

The year was 1953, the place was Sydney and some 192 motor cars left on a journey that would cover more than 10,000km. It was the inaugural REDeX Around Australia Car Trial.

Formula One great Jack Brabham was among the competitors. And the field was as diverse as you'd like, with vehicles ranging from Holden 48/215s and Ford Customlines, to Jaguars, Porsches, even Skodas and, of course, Peugeots.

It was a massive event and more than 130,000 people lined the streets in Sydney as the cars roared through town shortly after the start of the race. The REDeX captured the nation's imagination, as Australians all across this vast landscape were captivated by the colossal undertaking.

However, most cars doing the rounds in the early 1950s weren't built for long haul rallies and many of the roads, unlike today, were unsealed and not very friendly to suspension. It would end up being a true test of reliability, one that many cars would not see through.

Nevertheless, Ken Tubman driving car number 48, a Peugeot 203, won the event and is part of the reason why we're retracing his REDeX Trial victory.

The original course started in Sydney and wound its way north to Townsville, then west across Queensland to Mount Isa and into Darwin, south to Alice Springs then Adelaide, and finally through Melbourne and back up to Sydney.

It's true that the rally's 50th anniversary has already taken place, but Peugeot decided that a re-run of the much-loved REDeX Trial was warranted to help celebrate the marque's 200th birthday. And seeing as the new Peugeot 3008 has also just been launched, what better way to test its new diesel SUV?

While the Carsales Network couldn't be on-hand for the whole adventure we picked what we reckoned is the 'heart' of the event -- the Townsville to Alice Springs leg.

9:48am: A dozy kangaroo lopes out on the road in front of the car, and I'm not sure whether it's my superb reactions or the Peugeot's crisp steering, but we swerve around the marsupial without incident.

10:22am: Cruising down the Flinders Highway, we speed through Torrens Creek sipping diesel at a miserly rate of just 5.6L/100km. Moreover, it boggles the mind that this same route was completed by classic '50s cars designed for European conditions. And on unsealed roads at that! We've got it too easy!

11:04am: Despite its small capacity, the 3008 1.6-litre turbodiesel engine furnishes the French car with a good dose of acceleration; we've passed several road trains without too much trouble. However, it should be said that the six-speed auto is the weak link in the powertrain, its 'automated manual' setup leaving significant delays between changes. The flipside is that the robotised gearbox does away with a torque converter, which improves fuel economy and power delivery.

1:10pm: We reach Hughenden at my favourite time of day -- lunchtime! It's about 26 degrees (a far cry from Melbourne's chilly winter) as I tuck into a tasty chicken parmigiana at the Great Western Hotel in downtown Hughenden. Back in 1953 many participants didn't know the exact route during the original REDeX, making the first few events real adventures. While we haven't resorted to satellite navigation, we are carrying a handful of maps.

3:21pm: As we near Julia Creek, a locust swarm threatens to cover our car in bug-squat. An impressive sight, we have to be careful because if the grille or the radiator get clogged with locust entrails, the engine could overheat, putting an end to our journey.

4:33pm: We've covered about 700km and are making good time, when a truck coming the other way veers wide to avoid some fresh roadkill, in turn kicking up a handful of tiny granite stones, two of which smash loudly into the windscreen causing minor cracks. Covered in locusts and showing some battle scars, we soldier on...

5:11pm: Arriving safe and sound in Cloncurry and after a quick once over of the cars to ensure no further damage, we find a place to sleep for the night. After focusing on the road for eight hours straight, it's time for some rest...

8:31am: It's time to get ready for another 780km-plus drive, and after a 'healthy' breakfast of fried bacon and eggs, we hit the road -- our next destination the copper mining town of Mount Isa.

9:17am: The terrain changes remarkably quickly from eternal scrub to rolling rock-strewn hills as we enter the Selwyn Ranges. For the first time during this leg of the REDeX Tribute we're treated to some corners; wide open sweepers that reveal the new Pug 3008's chassis to be quite capable for such a high riding wagon. Thank the rear end's special Dynamic Roll Control for that.

9:45am: After the splendor of the Selwyn Ranges, the crimson hillocks and boulders an unforgettable sight for this city slicker, we arrive in Mount Isa. By now the fronts of our trusty pair of Peugeots are well and truly splattered with a mixture of insects, large and small.

11:25am: We cross another dry river bed, Inca Creek, and the roads have returned to their arrow-straight nature. We're using 5.8L/100km with an average speed of 102km/h. The feeling of isolation this far out in the bush is an intense but somehow comfortable sensation. You bet your bottom dollar you don't want to run out of fuel or water in such a remote place, but at the same time the Big Sky Country seems to clear your head of all the stress that big city living brings. It's really quite uplifting.

11:49am: Termite mounds are everywhere, some of them nestled right up next to the course chip road surface. And from memory they're apparently as air conditioned as our Peugeot 3008 -- orientated north-south to allow their inhabitants to move to and away from the sun as required. The mounds, not the 3008... Boasting the kind of comfort that most of the original REDeX drivers could only have dreamed of, the Pug is a very good cruiser. The extended time spent in the car reveals excellent seats that remain supportive and comfortable even after several hours in the saddle.

12:04pm: We arrive in Camooweal along with several road trains, one of which is carrying three giant Army armoured personnel carriers. Lunch beckons, and we order burgers at the only hotel in town, its shattered glass doors hinting at lively Saturday night crowds. With a population of 310 and sitting at 236 metres above sea level, a cool breeze is keeping the temperature at a pleasant 24 degrees. After chatting to a few grey nomads about the REDeX Tribute, we once again hit the road.

1:35pm: As we cross the border from Queensland into the Northern Territory, both drivers of our pair of Peugeot 3008s take delight in the 130km/h signs, and proceed to stretch the little Pug's legs. Despite its deplorable gearbox, the 3008 is a very capable tourer, hitting high speeds with relative ease and maintaining a smooth ride and predictable handling while doing so.

3:30pm: With predominantly straight stretches of high quality sealed roads, we're making excellent time and decide to take a moment to head off the beaten track for some photo ops on a red dirt road. The Peugeot 3008's high ride is reassuring as we navigate the uneven bush track, though the road oriented tyres mean we still have to be a little careful.

3:43pm: We arrive at Barkly's Homestead to refuel, and there's a massive helicopter on the back of an equally massive truck. We've seen no kangaroos today, but plenty of dead ones. And the locust clouds are nowhere to be seen either. Perhaps the Northern Territory is being kind to us.

5:30pm: We reach what must be one of the loneliest T-junctions in the world. We've hit the north-south running Stuart Highway. Right to Darwin, left to the Red Centre. We turn left (south) and strike out towards Tennant Creek.

5:54pm: With an average speed of 112km/h we really picked up the tempo since crossing the border, but it had an impact on fuel use, rising to around 6.6L/100km as we arrived in Tennant Creek. We had acquired a few more chips in the windscreen and (despite the abovementioned caution) one of the two 3008 has taken some damage to a tyre sidewall requiring a tyre change. Overall we have survived two of the longest legs of the REDeX Tribute relatively unscathed.

10:25am: We make a short pit-stop at Karlu Karlu, otherwise known as the Devil's Marbles, and like the previous two days the sun is shining. We spot a wild dingo sleeping on the road and there's a real sense of peace about the place. But by now the wind has really picked up, which means extra focus is needed when travelling at around 130km/h.

11:08am: Despite the strong cross-winds, our Peugeot 3008 is cutting through the air nicely. Though the odd gust shoves the car a few centimetres off course, it still feels stable and sits solidly on the road at 140km/h, thanks in part to its speed sensitive power steering. The diesel engine has proved to be bulletproof thus far and though the strong winds are killing our average fuel economy figure, the French cars have been comfortable and controllable from the outset.

11:27am: We arrive at Wauchope and stop for a quick drink at the roadhouse, outside which sit a trio of rusted out vintage vehicles that look as they might have been fielded in the original REDeX Trials.

12:20pm: Having flown by the UFO centre at Wycliffe Well, we have to hit the anchors pretty hard as a van ahead slows to 70km/h in a 130km/h zone for no apparent reason. The Pug's brakes work very well.

12:35pm: We arrive at Barrow Creek, home to an historic telegraph station built back in 1872, when one horsepower was the maximum power output. We eat lunch -- aptly named Bulls**t Burgers -- at the Barrow Creek Hotel, washed down with spicy ginger ale. The French SUV is currently using around 7.5L/100km, well above the claimed 4.9L/100km, but the strong winds are hurting our economy in this respect. Average speed is 106km/h. We chat with a grey nomad couple who almost inhale their beverages when we tell them our economy: Their three-tonne turbodiesel V8 LandCruiser is using around 23L/100km towing another three tonnes of caravan.

2:36pm: We arrive at Central Mount Stuart, just as one of the most incredible cloudscapes takes shape overhead -- tubular clouds, or a smaller form of 'Morning Glory' as they're sometimes called. We roll back the roof blind and I privately thank the Peugeot designers for including a huge panoramic glass roof.

2:51pm: We pass over Skull Creek, another bone dry watercourse, and Alice Springs is not more than 100km away now. Almost in sight of the finish! Sort of... The view from the captain's chair of the smartly styled Peugeot SUV is ideal for surveying the road ahead, but like the lack of road trains we've also seen nary a roo or even roadkill in the last 400km.

3.25pm: We pass the town of Aileron, and not long after decide to head down a dirt track, for no other reason than to pay tribute to the original REDeX heroes, who encountered nothing but more dirt tracks. On the plus side the Peugeot 3008 performed remarkably well on the rough (and at times boggy) track, but sadly my cityslicker shoes are now ruined after deciding to jump out for a few photos.

4:10pm: After losing the other journos driving the second Peugeot 3008 (as we speared off down the abovementioned dirt track), we try to hail them via CB radio. We can hear them loud and clear, but it seems we're not being heard. Long story short, when I decided to sit in the back to check out rear seat comfort (quite good by the way, though a little more leg room would be nice) the CB radio connection may have been kicked out of its socket... Thankfully we caught up to our colleagues at the point at which the Stuart Highway crosses the Tropic of Capricorn. Here there's an intriguing monument topped with a metallic sphere and a stuffed crocodile. Go figure...

4:48pm: We cross the Charles River and enter the outskirts of Alice Springs, confident in the knowledge we didn't crash or run out of fuel. Though only a small part of the overall REDeX Tribute run, I feel privileged to have taken part in the event, having met some great people during my short trip, and seen some amazing sights.

This is a fitting way to celebrate Peugeot's 200th birthday. The marque has an impressive motorsport heritage Down Under. It would be a crying shame if it was to be forgotten.

While our journey was in air-conditioned comfort, driving a modern and very comfortable road vehicle, it was still a surprisingly rewarding experience. So much so that I almost have the urge to search for a vintage car (I'm thinking 1960s Falcon), and plan an epic journey of my own...

Don't wait until you're retired to explore Australia. Do what our Australian motorsport pioneers did: see it all at full throttle. You won't regret it.

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