Big shock for Mercedes-Benz expedition

Six out of seven Mercedes-Benz G-Class wagons have blown their shock absorbers on the gruelling Canning Stock Route

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Motoring.com.au reporter Chris Fincham has been embedded with the Mercedes-Benz Australia team which is attempting to complete the 2000km+ Canning Stock Route in two weeks in unmodified G-Class wagons, but there's been a twist in the tale...

As the convoy travelled across remote parts of the Australian outback, the German offroad vehicles appeared to be rock solid, taking the unforgiving conditions in their stride.
Until now.

Six out of seven of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class wagons have blown shock absorbers on the arduous journey, due to the heat and constant pounding over uneven ground. With only four spares on hand, the team has had to fly in spares at great expense, but organisers are confident they will still finish the 2013km journey on schedule.

The tour leader, Geoff Becker, told Fincham: "We will have all cars fixed by tomorrow," noting that the spate of blown shock absorbers was mainly due to heat extremes. "I don't think it's the speed, it's just the heat."

Will the team be able to complete the journey in two weeks as claimed, and will there be any other catastrophic malfunctions along the way? Reports from our man on the ground suggest toilet paper supplies are dwindling but not critical, and as the team continues its epic journey through the Australian outback you can catch up on the all the chronicles via motoring.com.au.
Follow the whole trek story in words, pics and video on motoring.com.au. Check out the links below.

Tracking the Canning Stock Route:

>> Shower,shave and spanners: Day 6

>> On track for Well 33: Day 5

>> Fuel for thought: Day 4

>> Ahead of schedule: Day 3

>> No turning back: Day 2

>> Road to nowhere: Day 1

>> Australia's longest and loneliest track