by Dangerous Floods and an Unexpected Hero
In the UK, watching drivers ruin their cars trying to drive through floods has become a kind of spectator sport. However, one Peugeot owner proved that you don’t need to fear water if you have the right equipment, and that equipment is not necessarily an off-roader.
Key facts of the event:
Scene of Action: “Watery Ford”
The video was filmed in a fittingly named location, Watery Ford near Leicester. The footage shows a pharmacy van and a small SUV almost completely submerged after recent heavy rains.
Surely no one is crazy enough to try and drive through water that, judging by the marker, reaches about 1 meter in places, and judging by the two abandoned cars, is even deeper in some spots?
The Old Peugeot’s Secret Weapon
This “crazy” person turned out to be the driver of an almost 30-year-old Peugeot 405 estate, who had a secret weapon. A snorkel air intake, routed above the car’s roof, had been installed on the 1.9-liter diesel engine.
The Peugeot swiftly drives into the water, passes the stuck van, water splashes over the windshield, after which the car turns around for another, even more impressive drive in the opposite direction. During this maneuver, the water lifts the entire rear of the car, but the 405 continues moving and eventually makes it to more or less dry land, leaving a cloud of smoke behind.
Consequences of the “Submarine” Journey
Unlike modern off-roaders, the Peugeot estate was not designed for such trials. Footage of the car standing with its doors open shows that the footwells inside are filled with muddy water. However, because it’s an old and simple diesel car from the era before total electrification, it remains drivable.
This case vividly demonstrates that to overcome difficult conditions, sometimes it’s not what you drive that’s more important, but how you prepared for it. The driver was apparently well aware of his car’s weak points and took measures to protect the most vulnerable spot—the engine’s air intake. Although the interior suffered, the main thing is that the powertrain remained undamaged, which allowed the maneuver to be completed. Such stories often serve as a lesson for other drivers, reminding them of the need to assess risks and prepare the vehicle according to the conditions, rather than blindly relying on the car’s class or its age.
