Nguyen Hong Vinh is the first Vietnamese racer to be granted a racing license according to the standards of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), representing Vietnam in many international races. Since 2010, he has participated in many offroad competitions: 2 times participating in the Rain Forest Challenge in Malaysia (an offroad race ranked among the top 5 most difficult in the world), 3 times champion of the Vietnam Offroad Cup, champion of the Rain Forest Challenge 2014.
Driving Instructor Nguyen Hong Vinh drives Range Rover Sport on sandy terrain
Skills for driving on sandy terrain
According to Driving Instructor Hong Vinh, sand is one of the difficult terrains because it has many potential risks. The uneven sinking properties of sand can easily cause cars to get stuck, move and make cars sink unevenly at high speeds, leading to the consequences of overturning or very serious damage.
“However, driving on sand is very interesting and has a certain adventurous nature. That is what makes driving on sandy terrain even more attractive to car enthusiasts,” said Driving Instructor Hong Vinh.
Evoque can overcome sandy terrain as well as Velar or Rover Sport
With knowledge and preparation, anyone can drive a 4WD vehicle on sand. Driving Instructor Hong Vinh also points out some skills for those who want to try. First, reduce tire pressure to create more friction, as low as 15 psi. Avoid sudden braking, as the front of the vehicle will sink and get stuck. Avoid stopping or slowing down when going uphill, if you need to stop, choose a downhill or flat area.
Next, control the car smoothly and gently. If you turn the steering wheel sharply, the front wheels will create a lot of resistance and sink into the sand faster, try to follow the widest curve possible. Similar to the accelerator, if you press too hard, the wheels will dig holes and get stuck. To run on sand, we need a lot of power to overcome the resistance of the sand. However, if you use too much power, it will damage the movement and create cases of getting stuck.
Range Rover does many things for the driver when offroading on sand
The secret to driving on sand is “a balance between speed and maneuverability”
Finally, if you are running on the beach, avoid the wet sand that is flooded with water, as there is a tendency for soft, sinking sand to appear. The easiest area to walk is about 4m from the water’s edge to the dry sand. This is where the sand is moist and has a low sinking point due to the rising and falling tides.
Talking about the outstanding features that help drivers move easily on sand of the Range Rover line, Driving Instructor Nguyen Hong Vinh shared: “There are many special technologies that serve off-road driving in general and sand terrain in particular. For example, Terrain Response and Terrain Response, Range Rover's Intelligent Awd transmission technology or adaptive suspension system that can change vehicle height... However, the human factor plays an important role. Understanding the vehicle, what the vehicle can do will determine its capabilities”.
Tips for handling when your car gets stuck in the sand
Sand is a complex terrain, due to inaccurate light reflection, drivers can easily confuse the path on sandy terrain. Therefore, concentration is very important. Do not be greedy for speed because it has many potential risks due to lack of time and ability to handle urgent situations. The secret to driving on sand is "balance between speed and mobility". And the secret to driving offroad is "slow as much as possible and fast if necessary".
Land Rover's luxury SUV is designed to conquer difficult terrain.
“The correct way to rescue a car stuck in the sand is to dig out all the sand under the car, so that all four wheels touch the sand. You can lower the tire pressure down to 8 psi in cases of mud and it is best to insert sand tread plates under the wheels to ensure the car does not sink. Note that if the tire pressure is too low, you cannot go fast or on hard roads. Re-inflate the tires after leaving the sandy terrain,” Driving Instructor Hong Vinh suggests.
With its long coastline, Vietnam has many places to test drive, it does not necessarily have to be in the sand dunes to do so. Driving on the beach will give you the opportunity to see the real beautiful scenery. However, to drive on the sand safely, make sure you have a good car, good skills and do it carefully.
Driving demonstration on sandy terrain by Driving Instructor Nguyen Hong Vinh at Tam Ky beach:
