Tesla Model X drives – and gets bogged – on Stradbroke Island
Look, 2020’s been a rough old year. We all need something to make us smile, and it’s been provided by a gentleman and his family bogging their Tesla Model X at Queensland’s Stradbroke Island.
Straddie, as locals call it, is the world’s second largest sand island and a veritable playground for four-wheel-driving. Hazards, of course, include soft sand tracks and the threat of incoming tides.
In reality, not Tesla Model X territory.
Not least when it’s the flagship 100D grade complete with 22-inch Onyx alloys and very skinny highway tyres. Then there’s its ground clearance of 137mm – about the same as a Toyota Corolla’s or less than a Kia Picanto city car.
Hopefully the owner utilised the model’s smart air suspension (boosting clearance to 211mm), but as the pictures show, the driver’s comprehensively dug himself in at all four corners.
The Queensland-plated Model X’s sandy demise images were posted on Facebook by Daryl Williams. He uploaded them to the “I got bogged at Bribie Island” Facebook group. Okay, this Tesla may have got stuck on a different Queensland sand island, but there’s wide interest here.
Hero or villain?
While many Facebook keyboard warriors were quick to slam the driver for attempting Straddie sand driving in a Model X, Mr Williams – who said he witnessed the beaching – was more sympathetic.
“This man was having so much fun with his family on the beach, he only got bogged (when) he had to get out of the way of two Toyotas driving side by side down the beach.” With an encroaching tide, up into the soft sand was probably the only option for the Tesla driver.
To his credit, despite jeopardising his family holiday with a bogged Model X, the image shows what appears to be the driver with a big grin on his face. And why not? In many ways, his efforts should be celebrated.
Regular Stradbroke Island sand driver Mark Harman said “he’s done very well to get that far up the beach. He had to go thorough the soft sand at the cutting, and I’m very impressed he’s done that on 22-inch wheels without knobbly tyres. Straddie’s tough in many places; I know the Model X is a very capable all-wheel-drive dual motor car, but you really need a 4WD there.”
Credit where it’s due
“I’m surprised that it got that far; most Fords can’t do that,” commented Todd Ryan on the Facebook post. While Ashleigh O’Neill said: “I saw this car hammering down the beach today through the soft sand no problems at all. It was definitely a surprise.”
The owner will have paid around $170,000 for his all-wheel-drive Model X in 2019, making it one of the priciest vehicles you’ll spot on Straddie. Typical beach fodder there are well-loved Toyota LandCruisers, Prados and HiLuxes, Ford Rangers, Isuzu D-Maxs and Suzuki Sierras.
There’s no word how the Model X was recovered – it has only a towing eye and not a recovery point. There’s a tow bar on the back (the owner hopefully making use of the Tesla’s 2250kg braked towing capacity), but we’d suggest that’s not ideal for tugging it out with either.
While many in the 4WD community have turned noses up at the prospect of electric off-roaders, the market’s about to welcome a glut of them. Think GMC Hummer EV, Tesla Cybertruck, Ford F-150, Rivian R1T, Hercules Alpha and Lordstown Endurance, amongst others.
All will have more sensible ground clearance for Straddie adventures, but kudos where it’s due, our Model X friend has gone where most Tesla drivers wouldn’t dare.
And in a 2020 where we’ve seen many of our elected leaders fail us, we have to find our heroes in the most unlikely of places. Including stuck in the sand on an island just off Brisbane.
