Mazda CX-5 Takes On The World’s Oldest, Deepest Lake

Leading documentary maker Ed Bazalgette, Mazda, and award-winning British video production company Kingdom Creative have co-created a short film about Lake Baikal, which is the world’s oldest and deepest lake.

More than 650 km long, 80 km wide, and with a maximum depth of close to 2 km, the 25 million-year-old lake is the most voluminous on the planet with more than 20 per cent of the world’s fresh water held within its vast shoreline.

Famed for its unique and complex ecosystem, each year Lake Baikal freezes to create a stunning winter environment, one that recently played host to Mazda Epic Drive Siberia: an adventurous driving event that saw 65 media from across Europe cross the lake in standard production Mazda CX-5 AWDs.

Making four 72km crossings of the lake, Mazda became the first manufacturer to successfully cross this unforgiving yet beautiful frozen water mass.

However, Mazda’s stay in Siberia focused on so much more than just a traditional driving event, working with the Baikalsky Nature Reserve and its Deputy Director Irina Lyasota to ensure its plan did not impact the ecosystem of this UNESCO World Heritage site, Mazda commissioned a unique film that looked at Lake Baikal through the eyes of Irina, a lady who’s passion for the lake and its environment delivers a wonderful perspective of the ecology, history and future of this natural spectacle.

An adventure drive that tested the capabilities of Mazda’s new-generation intelligent all-wheel drive system by crossing the frozen surfaces of world’s largest body of fresh water from shore to shore, this once in a lifetime journey also allowed participants to experience first-hand the wonderful natural beauty of Lake Baikal.