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We’re big fans of the annual Bathurst 12 Hour race for GT3 cars on Mount Panorama. So, having watched it on TV for years, we decided the 2023 event would be a great excuse for a long overdue road trip from Melbourne to the NSW central west to experience this great event trackside for the first time.
However, before we set off, we had to install the final batch of Mazda Genuine Accessories (MGA) as part of our vehicle enhancement program, which thanks to a series of installations over the past few months by Ringwood Mazda has enhanced the performance, versatility and appearance of our XTR BT-50.
So, given our road trip plan, it made sense that the final fit-out comprised extra driving lights and storage options.
There’s a good reason why big semis hauling freight overnight are fitted with auxiliary driving lights. The ability to see far ahead on long stretches of unlit highway with about 50 tonnes in tow allows truckies not only enough reaction time to avoid potential accidents, but also to reduce eye strain and fatigue during long stints behind the wheel.
Rally drivers competing in night stages also need powerful driving lights for the same reason. And adventurous 4x4 owners can also benefit, given many challenging driving situations they can find themselves in when the sun goes down.
So, we decided to equip our BT-50 with a pair of Lightforce LED circular driving lights. These units are proudly made in Australia and feature a durable die-cast aluminium housing, impact-resistant polycarbonate filter and dust/weather-sealing.
Each light is 232mm tall, 232mm wide and 73mm deep, so a pair of them fit nicely on the mountings provided on our MGA bull bar.
These rugged units can certainly deliver bright light over a vast range (check out the photo) as each has a maximum beam length of 1119 metres – that’s almost 1.2 kilometres ahead!
With two in operation, our BT-50 can almost turn night into day.
RRP: $1212.00
Having sufficient storage space is crucial for adventurers and tradies alike to optimise the versatility of their vehicles. The MGA range offers an excellent ‘drop-in’ tub drawer unit which we also chose to install.
This robust unit is manufactured in the USA from 100 per cent recycled HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) that’s co-moulded to a galvanised subframe made from recycled steel.
It’s also weather-proof and impervious to extreme temperatures and UV exposure, so it’s suitable for utes with or without canopies.
This unit comprises two lockable drawers which span the length of the load tub, of which one is slightly narrower for greater versatility.
There are also smaller fixed storage units or ‘ammo boxes’ on each side accessed through lids which sit flush with the floor, plus there’s a metal ruler at the back that also displays numerous conversion tables for imperial and metric measurement.
The drawers, which are mounted on smooth rollers, have large cast-aluminium handles for easy use even when wearing gloves. Each drawer is rated to hold up to 100kg and up to 1000kg (one tonne) can be evenly distributed on the raised floor, which sits about 310mm above the BT-50’s load floor.
RRP: $3940.00
Given time limitations, our crew of two had to drive from Melbourne to Bathurst on the Friday prior to the race weekend. The shortest and quickest way, according to Siri and her Google maps, combined the Hume Highway and the notoriously bumpy Olympic Way (aka Olympic Highway) with some poorly maintained link roads in between.
The BT-50 made light work of this task, a total distance of 768km, which we covered comfortably with a stop for lunch and a diesel top-up.
We stayed in a nice motel and attended both days of the race weekend, which included a visit to the National Motor Racing Museum adjacent to the circuit near the final turn.
In addition to our general admission passes, we also bought a Mountain Access pass which allowed us to drive up the access road to the top of Mount Panorama.
We did this several times, providing panoramic (hence the name) views of the Bathurst township and surrounding slopes and plains far below. And the 200km/h-plus speeds of the GT3 cars across the top of the mountain were breathtaking.
On the morning following race day, we had hoped to drive a slow lap around the track (it is a public road after all) but unfortunately access to the top was blocked.
So instead we visited Sofala, claimed to be Australia’s oldest surviving gold-rush town (gold was discovered there in 1851), which made for a pleasant 80km round trip.
That afternoon we headed south for an overnight stay at Wagga Wagga, which was only about 315km away. However, even with the BT-50’s long suspension travel and baggy tyre sidewalls, it was hard going on the severely pot-holed Olympic Way.
Numerous stoppages for road works added to the time required to complete this trip. It's more like a dreadful back road than a highway!
Fortunately, the 443km drive home to Melbourne on our final day was largely on the relatively smooth Hume, which Siri again led us to using several link roads.
All up, our five-day road trip (which included an extra 134km of town driving/short tourist trips, etc) covered 1740km and the BT-50 proved its worth as a touring vehicle.
With only two on board, we didn’t come close to using the ample amount of storage space available, particularly with the tub drawer installed. In this configuration, the BT-50 could comfortably provide enough luggage space for up to five occupants.
The BT-50 is also an effortless long-range highway cruiser, thanks largely to overdrive with lock-up on the fifth and sixth gears of its six-speed automatic.
This result in low engine stress and good economy, as the 3.0-litre turbo-diesel only needs about 1600rpm to maintain 110km/h.
The adaptive cruise control also helped greatly in reducing driver fatigue although on a few occasions on back roads it appeared to be momentarily confused by the terrain, decelerating for a few seconds even though there was no obstacle ahead.
The BT-50 also provides good interior space, supportive seating (including lumbar adjustment on the driver’s seat) and a cabin that’s well insulated from engine, tyre and wind noise.
Previous tests with four adults aboard have also impressed in terms of rear seat comfort, with good knee and head room, twin a/c vents in the rear of the centre console and several storage options.
Overall, this is a comfortable and competent vehicle for road trips.
Given our final installation of accessories was completed in mid-January and our road trip had to wait until early February to include the Bathurst 12 Hour, we’ve decided to combine December and January consumption figures in our fifth report.
So, during December and January combined, we added another 3251km to the odometer, of which 1740km was our road trip.
Given the total distance was a mix of city, suburban and long-haul highway driving, the BT-50’s average combined consumption of only 9.8L/100km confirms its consistent and frugal fuel use under diverse ‘real world’ driving conditions.
And these figures are our own, calculated from actual fuel bowser and trip meter readings, rather than relying on the dash readout alone.
We were also impressed by even lower figures recorded during the road trip. On long highway runs, we recorded a best average consumption figure of only 8.6L/100km which is outstanding economy for a vehicle of this size and weight.
So, with our long-term test close to completion, keep an eye out for our sixth and final report when we wrap-up six months of BT-50 XTR ownership.
Acquired: August 2022
Distance travelled this month: 3251km
Odometer: 10584km
Average fuel consumption (at pump): 9.8L/100km
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