4x4 Magazine - April 2021

4x4

NEWS • TECH • DEBATE • TRAVEL • MODIFIED VEHICLES • GREEN LANING DRIVEN A final flourish for the X-Trail as Nissan lines up an all-new model

THE UK’S ONLY 4X4 AND PICK-UP MAGAZINE

MIGHTY NEW HILUX Toyota makes its presence felt like never before as the world’s favourite pick-up truck gains the engine it needed from the start

£4.99

Hugely modified CJ7 that’s kept The gentle art of wildlife safaris its classic Jeep style

APR 2021

aboard your 4x4

How this Discovery 2 became a fully fitted motorhome 4x4 Cover Apr.indd 1

02/03/2021 23:19

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19785 Allmakes Ltd 4x4 Magazine - 3 page advert - Discovery.indd 1

21/08/2020 10:39

The World’s best accessories for Land Rover Discovery

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19785 Allmakes Ltd 4x4 Magazine - 3 page advert - Discovery.indd 2

21/08/2020 10:39

Terrafirma accessories are available from over 100 distributors worldwide Wheels, Brakes and Drivetrain

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19785 Allmakes Ltd 4x4 Magazine - 3 page advert - Discovery.indd 3

21/08/2020 10:43

three generations of automotive passion

LICHFIELD

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03/11/2020 18:18:03

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April 2021

CONTENTS

48

“Seeing the prices good untouched CJs are fetching have left it standard and put it in a time capsule…”

38

6 | APRIL 2020

6-7 Contents Apr.indd 6

68 17

4x4 03/03/2021 00:13

t

”

46 12 MAGAZINES FOR THE PRICE OF 3!

Subscribe to Britain’s only 4x4 magazine and save a massive 75% by getting it delivered to your door every month. What’s not to love?

4x4 Scene: News, Products and More…

10 12 14 16 16 17 18 22 26 28 30 31 32

Land Rover Defender New V8 model takes range past £100,000 mark Toyota Hilux Arctic Trucks’ AT35 reintroduced as official conversion Isuzu D-Max Full specs and prices as dealer sales get set to begin Dacia Duster Commercial model is better value for money than ever Range Rover Sport In-your-face SUV still a favourite with thieves Jeep Wrangler 1941 edition is most capable Jeep ever sold in the UK Stonehenge Welcome protection for rights of way in road tunnel plans Motorsport Event organisers set out their plans for life after lockdown PB Customs U-Pol gives official approval to leading off-road specialist Ring New app to keep on top of your vehicle maintenance schedule ARB LED spotlight joins Britpart range of off-road kit Speedtex New easy-spray liner for pick-up beds and more Defender V8 Works Trophy Camel influence for £195,000 rebuild

Driven 38 42 44

Toyota Hilux Full test of the new 2.8 Invincible X Range Rover 50 Subtle enhancements for the golden anniversary edition Nissan X-Trail Ever-popular family SUV aims to go out on a high

Every Month 8 17 24 46 80

Alan Kidd Every encounter with the animal kingdom has magic in it Coming Soon Trucks and SUVs set to be launched in 2021 and beyond Calendar At long last, the off-road world is opening back up Subscribe Stay at home and get 4x4 delivered – and save a huge 75%!

Next Month As lockdown eases, our Roadbooks can finally return

Features 48 56 62

Restified CJ7 A classic Jeep becomes an engineering tour de force Discovery Camper Disco 2 professionally converted into a mini-motorhome Classic Landcruiser Epic restification for a special kind of rarity

Travel 68

Wildlife Safaris How to get the best experiences from your travels in Africa

Our 4x4s 76

these days, I would

Nissan Qashqai Michelin all-season tyres get to take on a surface of snow

56

62

4x4 6-7 Contents Apr.indd 7

APRIL 2021 | 7

03/03/2021 00:13

4x4 Tel: 01283 553243 Email: enquiries@assignment-media.co.uk

Alan Kidd Editor

B

There’s magic in every encounter with the animal kingdom

ack when I was a rank, tatty student, something happened that has stuck with my all my life.

I was walking along Doubledykes Road in my adopted home town of St Andrews when I spotted a baby bird that had obviously fallen out of its nest and was sitting in the road, unable to move.

Some of you will already be priming your snowflake foghorns, and you’d be right. I was walking on crutches at the time, but that wasn’t going to stop me. I clunked my way out into the road, bent over and picked up this helpless little thing and now there I was with it in one hand, both crutches in the other and me not able to move. Hadn’t thought this one though, really, had I? By now, there’s a car stopped with its driver scowling at me and just my luck, he’s an angry old codger who hates everything and he’s waving his tweed-suited arms and blowing the horn of his mustard coloured Austin Princess. Problem is, I can’t move.

I’m looking at this terrified little bird sitting in my left hand, it’s looking back and I’m thinking right about now would be a very good time for you to learn how to fly.

And then, miracle of miracles, it did just that. A truck rumbled by on the other side of the road and I guess some sort of panic reaction happened, and whoosh, off it went.

I got my crutches back under my arms, looked at the bloke in the Princess and waved an apology… and he glared back.

So off I went, and I remember thinking to myself how ironic that I’d just had this little moment of empathy with another species and exactly the opposite with my own.

These moments have cropped up from time to time while I’ve been off-roading, too. Obviously, when you’re out in the wilds you’re in a place where animals live; they very wisely steer clear of humans, and by and large they don’t much appreciate it when we invade their patch.

One of the good things about doing it in a 4x4 is that even when you’re crawling along, most animals can hear you coming.

So they don’t get spooked at the last minute. I’ll never forget climbing out of my old Patrol to open a gate and finding myself face to face with a roe deer, though.

And there was a moment on a lane in Kent

8 | APRIL 2021

Edline Apr.indd 4

involving my even older Cherokee, an entire family of ducks and what felt like an entire afternoon at about one mile an hour, too.

Even when you’re just laning in your own neck of the woods, being out there in the world is a key part of what makes driving a 4x4 feel so right. And the best part of the world is the animals that live in it.

If you’ve read this far, you probably don’t have a snowflake foghorn and, at least to some extent, you get what I’m saying. So I think you’ll find this month’s travel story both fascinating and thought-provoking.

It’s written by Noel and Marilu Peries, a husband and wife team who both live in Africa and have travelled there extensively, and it’s all about going on safari. They’ve got loads of advice about how not to get fleeced in the process, but to me there’s one particular part that really stands out.

If you imagine a safari experience, you’ll almost certainly be thinking about lions or elephants. But Noel and Marilu’s advice is to look beyond the so-called Big Five. If you get hung up on them, they argue, you’ll miss out on so much more.

I can understand that, too. A dozen or so years ago, I travelled to South Africa specifically to go on a cheetah safari. I’ve always loved cheetahs, I wanted to hang out with some and I can tell you it was an absolutely perfect experience.

The same day that I lived the cheetah dream, I was minding my own business when a little green parrot came in to land on my shoulder. I turned my head and looked at it, and it looked back at me, and there we were for the next fifteen minutes.

It was another of those moments, like that one in St Andrews all those years before, and it too has stayed with me.

So yes, I agree with what you’ll read in this month’s travel feature. There’s magic to found in every encounter with the animal kingdom – and by getting out there in your 4x4 you’ll find more of it than ever.

You’re best to look and not touch, though.

Especially if you’re walking on crutches.

Web: www.totaloffroad.co.uk www.4x4i.com Online Shop: www.toronline.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/totaloffroad www.facebook.com/4x4Mag Editor Alan Kidd Art Editor Samantha D’Souza Contributors Mike Trott, Dan Fenn, Paul Looe, Olly Sack, Gary Martin, Gary Noskill, Tom Alderney, Noel and Marilu Peries, Kaziyoshi Sasazaki Photographers Harry Hamm, Steve Taylor, Richard Hair, Vic Peel, Jonathan Gold Group Advertising Manager Ian Argent Tel: 01283 553242 Advertising Manager Colin Ashworth Tel: 01283 553244 Advertising Production Sarah Moss Tel: 01283 553242 Subscriptions Sarah Moss Tel: 01283 553242 Publisher and Head of Marketing Sarah Moss Email: sarah.moss@assignment-media.co.uk To subscribe to 4x4, or renew a subscription, call 01283 742970. Prices for 12 issues: UK £42 (24 issues £76); Europe Airmail/ROW Surface £54; ROW Airmail £78 Distributed by Marketforce; www.marketforce.co.uk Every effort is made to ensure the contents of 4x4 are accurate, but Assignment Media accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions nor the consequences of actions made as a result of these.

When responding to any advert in 4x4, you should make appropriate enquiries before sending money or entering into a contract. The publishers take reasonable care to ensure advertisers’ probity, but will not be liable for loss or damage incurred from responding to adverts Where a photo credit includes the note ‘CC BY 2.0’ or similar, the image is made available under that Creative Commons licence: details at www.creativecommons.org 4x4 is published by Assignment Media Ltd, Repton House 1.08, Bretby Business Park, Ashby Road, Bretby, Derbyshire DE15 0YZ

© Assignment Media Ltd, 2021

4x4 02/03/2021 23:22

Make Defender Driving More of a Pleasure...

The Red Booster servo clutch kit makes your Defenders clutch much easier to press. This kit will make your driving a more pleasurable experience and reduce the effort you’d normally put in from driving your Defender. No more painful knees or feet when you are stuck in slow moving traffic!

Designed, engineered and manufactured to the highest standards, Red Booster is a mechanism system that makes it possible for all Defenders to have a servo assisted clutch. Working in a similar way to the braking system with a servo assisted system, it is mounted between the pedal and master cylinder and uses a vacuum from the inlet manifold to reduce the amount of pressure needed on the pedal to operate the clutch.

The left hand drive version - works similar to the right hand drive system.

The location of the clutch pedal of a left hand drive Defender is on the far corner of the vehicle and with hardly any space the entire unit had to be redesigned to fit without cutting and drilling your vehicle.

“The next best thing to having an automatic when crawling along”

See it in action at John Pearson – LRO editor-in-chief www.britpart.com/red

Right Hand Drive Vehicles DA1683 Defender - 2007 onwards DA1684 Defender - Td5 DA1685 Defender - 300Tdi DA1686 Defender - 200Tdi Left Hand Drive Vehicles DA1687 Defender - 2007 onwards DA1688 Defender - Td5 DA1655 Defender - 200Tdi & 300Tdi

DA1683

DA1684

DA1685

DA1686

DA1687

DA1688

www.britpart.com Find your nearest stockist - www.britpart.com/stockist

NEW 4X4S

LAND ROVER DEFENDER GAINS V8 ENGINE – AND SIX-FIGURE PRICE TAG

525bhp, 461lbf.ft • Enhanced on-road handling • 90 from £98,505, 110 from £101,150

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and Rover has unveiled the latest addition to the Defender range. And it’s a landmark vehicle, too.

That’s because the new Defender V8 has a list price of £101,150 – making it the first ever to breach the six-figure barrier.

Available in 90 and 110 form, the Defender V8 is equipped with

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Land Rover’s familiar 5.0-litre supercharged petrol engine. This develops 525bhp and 461lbf.ft, giving the vehicle a 0-60 time of 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 149mph – as well as efficiency figures of 19.5mpg and 327g/km. So it won’t stop being expensive when you get it home – though it’s unlikely to stop being fun, either.

And it’s not just designed to be fun in a straight line. The V8 model is fitted with uprated ati-roll bars and a unique Electronic Active Rear Differential, featuring a Yaw Controller to allows fine-tuning of the vehicle’s cornering attitude on the limit. This is combined with a newly calibrated Dynamic drive mode, whose more eager throttle responses and bespoke tuning for the vehicle’s variable dampers in turn dovetail with torque vectoring and to give it ‘a more agile, playful and responsive character.’ Land Rover says the Defender V8 is ‘faster, more engaging and more controllable than ever.’

The new Dynamic mode, which is part of the vehicle’s Terrain Response 2 system, is unique to the V8 Defender. Land Rover says it ’helps

drivers to exploit the more dynamic character and handling balance of the 525hp model on tarmac and loose surfaces,’ insisting that this is achieved at no cost to the vehicle’s off-road skills. ’The 5.0-litre V8 supercharged engine further enhances the unique character of the Defender,’ says JLR powertrain boss Iain Gray. ‘It sounds fantastic and delivers incredible performance. Our engineering focus has been to optimise powertrain calibration to deliver both responsive on-road performance and fine control off-road – all without compromising Defender’s unstoppable all-terrain capability.’

The V8 Defender gets a variety of styling and spec enhancements to go with its huge power output and enhanced dynamics. These include

4x4 02/03/2021 22:57

NEW 4X4S

Return of the XS

Above, right: Visual cues for the new V8 include blue painted brake calipers and quad tailpipes. Land Rover says the latter have been acoustically tuned to ensure you can tell the vehicle by hearing it as well as by looking Bottom: Carpathian Edition is the ultimate V8, though it costs the same as standard models

quad exhausts, 22” satin grey alloys and blue brake calipers, while the cabin is trimmed in a special leather and suedecloth finish, the steering wheel is alcantara-covered and the gearshift paddles are plated in chrome. There’s a variety of badging, too, to ensure no-one mistakes it for a lesser model – should the acoustically tuned induction and exhaust systems not do that from the word go.

To mark the new model’s arrival, Land Rover has also introduced the Defender V8 Carpathian Edition.

This has a grey paint finish and

IN PROGRESS Scene Apr.indd 11

contrasting black roof, bonnet and rear door, as well as satin black towing eyes and Land Rover’s Satin Protective Film – a protective wrap with a matte effect which protects the paintwork from scratches.

Land Rover calls the Carpathian Edition ‘the ultimate expression of performance, durability and design’ and ‘the very pinnacle of the Defender range.’ It doesn’t cost any more than the standard V8, however – though this means it’ll cost you from £98,505 in 90 form and £101,150 as a 110, which you might well think is enough already.

DURING THE TD5 ERA, Land Rover introduced the XS model to sit above County trim in the Defender model range. Now, the badging has been brought back to the replace the First Edition model with which the new Defender was launched.

Available in 90 and 110 form, the XS sits above the SE model in the Defender line-up. It’s marked out by its body-coloured lower cladding and wheelarches, the latter covering a set of 20” diamond-turned alloys, and can be had in a choice of silver, grey and black paint finishes.

Inside the vehicle’s seats are heated and 12-way power adjustable, and you can opt to have them trimmed in khaki leather. The XS model is equipped withair suspension, Adaptive Dynamics and Configurable Terrain Response and also features Matrix LED headlights, a ClearSight Rear View camera in lieu of a mirror and Land Rover’s latest Pivi Pro infotainment system, complete with an 11-speaker Meridian stereo.

Talking of Pivi Pro, this is now available with an optional 11.4” screen – that’s 60% larger than standard. You can also spec the vehicle with wireless device charging, which also features a signal booster for optimised network reception and Wi-Fi signal.

Also new to the options list are Bright, Extended Bright and Extended Black exterior design packs. These give you, in order, chrome skid plates, silver lowe body cladding and wheelarches and extensive gloss black accents around the vehicle; the bright packs are available on all Defenders, however you can only get the Extended Black Pack on X, X-Dynamic and V8 models.

Going back to the XS, this starts at £58,060 for a 90 with the D250 diesel engine. It’s also available on this model with the P400 unit, taking the price up to £63,460.

On the 110, prices for the D250 and P400 respectively are £61,920 and £67,645. However the long-wheelbase version of the Defender can also be had in XS form with the P400e plug-in hybrid powertrain – bringing running costs right down but hiking the list price to £70,180.

02/03/2021 22:57

NEW 4X4S

TOYOTA BRINGS AT35 OPTION BACK TO HILUX RANGE

Based on 2.8 Invincible X • Approved Arctic Trucks conversion • From £52,562 inc VAT

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oyota has reintroduced the Hilux AT35 – with a new version of the extreme off-road machine based on the recently launched 2.8 Invincible X Double-Cab. Modified by Arctic Trucks, the vehicle is offered as an authorised conversion – with extensive chassis, suspension, handling and styling upgrades designed to enhance its already formidable off-road abilities. Toyota says these modifications also ‘amplify its powerful looks,’ which is hard to argue with, though you’d hope most people will buy it for its abilities rather than its pose value.

The AT35 conversion is a little different for each model, however the Hilux is based on what has become a tried and trusted approach.

It uses Bilstein suspension with longer springs and shocks up front and extended shackles, long-travel shocks and an adjusted anti-roll bar at the rear to achieve a lift of 40mm and 20mm respectively.

Elsewhere, Arctic Trucks also modifies the Hilux’s frame, inner arches and bodywork in order to accommodate its 315/70R17 BFGoodrich All-Terrain tyres. That’s 34.4” by 12.4”, to save you looking it up. Unlike some AT35 models, the Hilux has revised diff ratios to correct the tyres’ effect on its overall gearing.

The result of all this is an extra 65mm of ground clearance, with

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approach and departure angles improved by 9° and 3° respectively. In addition, the tyres’ greater footprint allows them to tread more lightly over very soft terrain, especially when aired down, and the vehicle’s wider track means its stability isn’t compromised by the conversion’s effect on its centre of gravity.

The donor vehicle is fitted as standard with Toyota’s six-speed automatic gearbox meaning you don’t need to sacrifice torque and momentum for gearchanges – something that can make all the difference to the success, and

indeed the safety, of a hillclimb.

On the subject of torque, the new 2.8-litre engine is not short of this – it’s retained in standard form in the AT35 with an output of 201bhp and 369lbf.ft, the latter from 1600rpm.

To keep things strictly real, even with so much off-road ability there’s every chance that most buyers will be after the AT35 for its butch looks. The sheer size of its tyres and suspension is the biggest weapon in its arsenal here, however it also comes with Arctic Trucks’ unique wheelarch flares and wider side steps, as well as AT35 badging and a ‘30th Anniversary’ decal – a reference to the company’s original roots as an offshoot of Toyota’s official importer in its home country of Iceland.

Also included in the conversion is a tubular rear bumper containing an integrated two-inch receiver hitch allowing you to attach a tow ball, winch, step, bike carrier or whatever other accessories might take your fancy. In addition, the options list includes full underbody armour, a Vision X grille-mounted light bar and a Truxedo low-profile load

cover. You can upgrade the tyres to BFGoodrich KM3 Mud-Terrains, too, as well as speccing an on-board inflation/deflation kit with a 12V compressor in the engine bay.

The AT35 is fully type approved and retains its commercial vehicle status. The conversion actually improves the vehicle’s payload slightly, from 1010 to 1053kg, and its braked towing limit remains unchanged at 3500kg.

What’s not unchanged, inevitable, it its price. The 2.8 Invincible X Auto costs £33,782.50 on the road in standard form, with VAT on top, and the Arctic Trucks conversion bumps that up by just over 50%. It’s quoted at £18,780 plus VAT – taking the ticket price to £52,562.50 or, if the taxman doesn’t like the look of your face, £63,075.

That money gets you a Hilux with Toyota’s 60-month / 100,000-mile warranty still intact – and if you want it to be, its immense strength and dependability means this is a car for life. It’s available to order now though Toyota’s full dealer network – though only on the range-topping Invincible X.

4x4 02/03/2021 22:57

Land Rover Defender Upgrades & Accessories

www.masai4x4.com

HEADLININGS & WINDOW TRIMS

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Hand crafted and covered in ten different colours.

Made from GRP & lined with a plush suede-like finish.

Alston (Black)

Stornaway (Dark Grey)

Defender 90 PUMA Silver (Light Grey)

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Defender 90 TD5

Luna White (Ivory)

Coffee (Dark Brown)

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Hazel (Light Brown)

REPLACEMENT SEAT COVERS

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01/03/2021 16:21:57

NEW 4X4S

New Isuzu D-Max ready for sales to begin when lockdown ends

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suzu’s dealerships have been taking delivery of the company’s new D-Max during lockdown, in readiness for sales to begin as soon as Covid restrictions allow. Our reigning Pick-Up of the Year has been on sale in other markets for a while now, earning strong reviews in the process, and we got an early first drive of a prototype model last autumn – which was enough to convince us that it’s going to take Isuzu’s game up to a whole new level when it hits the road.

Powered by a revised version of the 1.9-litre turbo-diesel from the current D-Max, the new truck will be marketed in three sub-ranges called Business, All-Purpose and Adventure which between them include a choice of three transmissions, three body styles and four spec levels.

The Business Range is made up of Single-Cab, Extended-Cab and Double-Cab models, all of them with the entry-level Utility trim – which includes air-conditioning, cruise control, DAB, Bluetooth, driver’s lumbar support, a tailgate damper (double-cab models only) and a range of advanced safety systems. The Single-Cab is offered in 4x2 and 4x4 form – all other models have part-time four-wheel drive as standard.

Moving up, the All-Purpose range includes DL20 and DL40 trim levels; the former comes in Extended and Double-Cab form, the latter in Double-Cab only. All come as standard

with manual transmission, though both Double-Cabs are also available in auto form.

The DL20 adds a locking rear differential, 18” alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, heated front seats, body-coloured bumpers and a 4.2” multi-information display on top of the Utility kit list. The DL40, which costs an extra £3000 plus VAT, also gives you leather, power seats, a 7” media screen with phone pairing, LED headlamps, dual-zone climate, front parking sensors and a reversing camera, as well as side steps and a chrome trim theme on the outside.

is currently promoting it with 0% Isuzu has traditionally been very APR finance and free automatic strong in the workhorse pick-up transmission upgrade offers. market, but has had less of a At the time of writing, Isuzu’s presence in the lucrative lifestyle dealers are waiting for lockdown sector. The Adventure Range is restrictions to be lifted before sales designed to address this; it can of the new D-Max get underway. be expected to grow as time goes However the company is encouron, but for now it includes just one aging would-be customers to get model, the V-Cross, which adds a 9” in touch and register their interest touchscreen, eight-speaker stereo, – and with supplies having already folding, heated door mirrors and started arriving, it won’t be long gunmetal exterior styling on top of before the first buyers are taking the DL40’s spec list. delivery of their new trucks.

In addition to the new D-Max, Isuzu still has a small stock of the previous model in its dealerships – including a number of XTRs, the Utility Single-Cab 4x2 £20,999 high-spec off-road machine Utility Single-Cab 4x4 £22,999 whose extrovert styling gives Utility Extended-Cab £23,749 it a high level of appeal to an Utility Double-Cab £24,499 eager but specific audience.

Isuzu D-Max Pricing

We’re big admirers of the XTR, whose tuned suspension is related to the system on our Project D-Max GO2 – making it one of the best off-the-shelf off-roaders on the market. Its specialist equipment gives it a price of £34,504 CVOTR – higher than any of the new models at this stage – though Isuzu

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DL20 Extended-Cab DL20 Double-Cab DL20 Double-Cab Auto DL40 Double-Cab DL40 Double-Cab Auto

£25,999 £26,749 £28,249 £29,749 £31,249

V-Cross Double-Cab V-Cross Double-Cab Auto

£31,249 £32,749

All prices OTR and exclude VAT

4x4 02/03/2021 22:58

• Frame - Powder Coated UV Stable Dark Grey Hammerite Finish • Doors - Powder Coated UV Stable Light Grey Smooth Textured Finish • Other Colours Available to Order • Locks - Black • Solid Side Doors • Front Panel - Fixed Clear Glass • Rear Door - 4mm Toughened Glass • Roof Rails come as standard • Pressure Equalizer Vent Load Bearing to 2500kgs

CANOPY ACCESSORIES • LED Lights • Aluminium Cupboard/Sidelockers • Wolf Box Holder • Jerry Can Holder • Brushed Stainless Steel Table • Table Storage Roof Bracket • Insulation - Roof & Doors • Tailgate Dust Kit • Drop Down Shelf • Eye Hooks • Sliding Windows In Side Doors • Air Vents/Dog Vents • Roof Cross Bars

38 | FEBRUARY 2020

TOR Folios and classifieds.indd 48

PHONE: 01299 250174

E-mail: enquiries@apbtrading.co.uk

4x4 02/06/2020 15:38

NEW 4X4S

DUSTER BECOMES BETTER VALUE THAN EVER AS DACIA LAUNCHES COMMERCIAL MODEL

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acia has launched the Duster Commercial – a van version of its massively popular small SUV whose tax-busting status makes it more cost-effective than ever to buy and run.

With a cargo volume of up to 1.5 cubic metres, the Duster is converted into a commercial vehicle in the Renault factory – where its rear seats are removed and a bulkhead, floor and lashing hooks are added. An extra load cover is also

THE RANGE ROVER SPORT has been named as Britain’s most popular vehicle with criminals.

That’s not a reference to people who buy them (well, not normally), but to the fact that data from Tracker has the Sport at the top of its 2020 list of the most commonly stolen and recovered vehicles.

Rather horrifically, Land Rover products took six of the top ten places in Tracker’s 2020 chart – with the top three made up entirely of Range Rovers. These six models alone accounted for 37% of all the stolen cars recovered by Tracker in 2020.

The company’s analysis shows that keyless theft is now

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fitted, which goes along with the standard rear parcel shelf to shield the entire loadbay from prying eyes – not that this ought to be a problem in any case, as the rear windows are both fixed in place and blacked out as part of the conversion.

In other ways, you’d do well to tell the Duster Commercial apart from the rest of the range. It’s available in the full choice of paint colours and alloy wheel options, and even retains Dacia’s distinctive LED lighting signature at both ends.

You can get the Duster Commercial in Essential and Comfort trim levels, in each case with a choice of TCe 90 and 130 petrol engines and a dCi 115 diesel. Four-wheel drive is limited to the latter, however – in which guise the range is topped at £19,689 on the road.

at an all-time high, accounting for 93% of all recoveries. Thieves use advanced equipment to hijack the car key’s electronic signal, typically from within the owner’s home, and use it to fool the security system into unlocking the doors and starting the engine.

‘Range Rover and other Land Rover models have always featured in our top ten most stolen and recovered league table in the last ten years, as has the BMW X5,’ said Clive Wain, Tracker’s Head of Police Liaison. ’However, most premium 4x4s are hot targets with car thieves stealing to order, often shipping them abroad or stripping them for parts.’ The market for stolen cars and parts alike was boosted by the shutdown in production caused by the pandemic last year, which drove up demand and made the crime more profitable than ever.

‘Keyless car theft has risen dramatically in recent years,’ adds Wain. ‘It is quick and easy for professional criminals who have the tools and experience. Cars are commonly taken from outside of the owners’ house, often discreetly and within minutes, meaning the theft often goes unnoticed for some time.

‘We encourage drivers to use traditional visual deterrents such as crook locks and wheel clamps to deter criminals and protect their car. However in the event of a theft, stolen vehicle tracking technology will significantly help police quickly close the net on thieves and return the vehicle to its rightful owner.’

4x4 02/03/2021 22:58

NEW 4X4S

COMING SOON Forthcoming 4x4s due on sale in the near and medium-term future

Special-edition 1941 model marks Jeep’s 80th anniversary JEEP HAS ANNOUNCED a new limited-edition version of the Wrangler – which it says is the most capable ever to appear in the UK. Called the Wrangler 1941, the vehicle is a celebration of Jeep’s 80th birthday. It’s based on the current Rubicon, powered by the 2.2 Multijet diesel engine, and gains a range of accessories from Jeep Performance Parts.

These include a +2” suspension kit, wheelarch extensions and enhanced rear underbody protection, as well as black sill guards, front and rear splash guards, a black fuel filler door, all-weather floor mats and a 1941 bonnet decal. It’s all topped off, literally, by a heard-top headliner.

All these MODS are from Jeep’s in-house Mopar operation and installed in the factory, meaning the vehicle’s standard three-year warranty is unaffected.

The Wrangler 1941 is available in black, grey, silver and red – but it’s limited to just 41 examples. It’s available to order now, at a price of £58,050.

Hyundai’s TIGER concept is intended to carry payloads over remote and inaccessible terrain and designed to operate as a four-wheel drive vehicle or a four-legged walking machine. It has retractable legs which deploy automatically if, for example, its wheels get stuck.

The name stands for ‘transforming intelligent ground excursion robot’.

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Alfa Romeo Tonale Alpina XB7 Audi Q3 TFSIe Audi Q4 e-tron BMW iX BMW iX3 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid Bollinger B1 Bollinger B2 Dacia Ford Mustang Mach-E Ford Ranger MR-ST Ford Ranger Hyundai Tucson PHEV INEOS Grenadier Isuzu D-Max Jaguar F-Pace PHEV Jeep Jeep Cherokee Desert Hawk Jeep Grand Cherokee Jeep Compass 4xe Jeep Wrangler 4xe Hyundai Kona N Kia Sorento PHEV Kia Sportage Land Rover Defender EV Maserati Grecale Mercedes-Benz EQA Nissan Ariya Nissan Qashqai Nissan Qashqai e-Power Nissan X-Trail Pininfarina Pininfarina Range Rover Range Rover Sport Renault Arkana Rivian R1T Rivian R1s Seat Tarraco PHEV Skoda Enyaq iV SsangYong Korando EV Suzuki Jimny Van Tesla Cybertruck Tesla Model X Tri-Motor Tesla Model Y Torsus Overlander Toyota RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid Toyota Yaris Cross Vauxhall Mokka Volkswagen Amarok Volkswagen Golf Alltrack Volkswagen ID.4 Volkswagen Touareg R Volvo XC40 P8 EV

Small SUV Performance SUV Hybrid SUV Electric SUV Electric SUV Electric SUV Luxury SUV Electric off-roader Electric pick-up Medium SUV Electric SUV Pick-up Pick-up Hybrid SUV Off-roader Pick-up Hybrid SUV Small SUV Performance Off-Roader Luxury SUV Hybrid SUV Hybrid SUV Performance SUV Hybrid SUV Medium SUV Electric off-roader Medium SUV Electric SUV Electric SUV Crossover Electric Crossover Medium SUV Electric sports SUV Electric luxury SUV Luxury SUV Performance SUV Coupe-SUV Electric pick-up Electric large SUV Hybrid SUV Electric SUV Electric SUV Off-Roader Electric Pick-Up Electric SUV Medium SUV Off-road motorhome Medium SUV Small SUV Small SUV Pick-up Crossover Electric SUV Performance SUV Electric SUV

Late 2021 2021 April 2021 2021 Autumn June 2021 Summer 2022 2023 2022 Early 2021 Summer 2022 Spring 2021 Late 2021 March Spring 2021 2021 2021 Summer 2022 Autumn 2021 Early 2022 Mid-2021 Early 2021 Early 2022 2023 Late 2021 Mid-2021 Autumn 2021 Summer 2021 2022 Late 2021 2022 2023 Late 2021 Spring 2022 July 2021 Spring 2022 Summer 2022 Summer Spring 2021 2021 Spring Late 2022 Early 2021 2021 2022 April 2021 Early 2021 April 2021 2022 Early 2021 Late 2020 Spring Early 2021

APRIL 2021 | 17

02/03/2021 22:58

RIGHTS OF WAY

Approval of Stonehenge Road Tunnel scheme provides clarity at last for fate of public rights of way over Heritage Site and beyond

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ate last year, following a seemingly endless planning process, the long-running Stonehenge Road Tunnel scheme was given the go-ahead by Secretary of State Grant Shapps.

The culmination of 25 years of proposals, counter-proposals, objections, protests and complaints, this will lead to work commencing

on a £1.7 billion programme of road improvements centred around a two-mile tunnel carrying the A303 out of sight of the World Heritage Site just west of Amesbury.

A massively controversial project from the day it was first proposed in 1995, the tunnel and its associated road reconstructions will continue to divide opinion throughout their

construction, which is due to commence this year, and no doubt well into the future. It supporters argue that it will make the A303 faster and safer by removing the infamously congestion-prone single-carriageway section through the Stonehenge site and further west through Winterbourne Stoke, and that the tunnel will enhance the area’s amenity for

visitors – however opponents say it will cause pollution by encouraging car use, that it will damage other parts of the World Heritage Site and that the money it will cost could be better spent elsewhere.

These arguments have been made time and again, however for 4x4 drivers there is a separate issue which has received as good as no

Byway AMES12 has been the star prize througout the decades of wrangling that finally resulted in a proper plan for the new road, both for those who want to keep hold of their freedoms and those who want to do away with them. The lane runs towards Stonehenge from some miles away, crosses the A303 (at what is one of the most dangerous junctions anywhere in the country) then passes close to the west of the stones themselves before ccontinuing north towards Larkhill. Traffic on the A303 can be seen above, with the stones in the distance. Under the plans which have been approved, AMES12 will be unaffected by the closure of the current A303, meaning it will remain open to all users – though English Heritage, which manages Stonehenge, opposes all motor vehicle rights of way, and the usual anti-vehicle factions can be relied upon to continue trying to cause as much damage as possible even once work is underway on the project

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4x4 02/03/2021 22:58

RIGHTS OF WAY

Just to the west of the new road, a long and very popular byway crosses the A303 at the mediaeval site of Yarnbury Castle. Even though the A303 is already a dual-carriageway at this point, the junction is a simple crossroads with a refuge in the central reservation. It’s hard to imagine that it would be set out this way nowadays, however the new project will leave it untouched with access maintained in all directions Pic (right): Google

attention in the mainstream media.

The region around Stonehenge contains one of England’s richest concentrations of public rights of way, with an extensive network of well defined Byways Open to All Traffic making it a popular attraction for green lane users.

A number of these rights of way will inevitably be affected by the new road, and concerns have been rife among the laning community that they would simply be extinguished without a second thought. This is certainly something that has happened in the past with various road building schemes.

With the plans now approved, however, some form of certainty is at last available as to the future of the rights of way within the area where the new road will lie. And while it’s not all good, it’s a lot better than it might have been – especially if English Heritage, which manages the Stonehenge site and has a policy

4x4 IN PROGRESS Scene Apr.indd 19

of opposing all motor vehicle use, had had its way.

‘I started to get involved with representing the 4x4 community on this project in 2014,’ says John Lippiatt, GLASS’ Wiltshire Rep, ‘when I attended the third stakeholders’ meeting. Dale Wyatt was then Wiltshire Rep and he had already attended several meetings prior to this. But he couldn’t make the date, so I went along to represent us.

‘I felt it was a good meeting. At least Highways England were listening to our concerns, and it gave people the opportunity to hear the views of others.

‘Other meetings followed, including local community forums. And then once the formal examination started, we were into some very intensive discussions. Charlie Moore and I attended the Preliminary Meeting at Salisbury Racecource, where there was a crowd of people and a film company witnessing proceed-

ings. Gordon Bunker represented us and spoke on our behalf at one of the issue specific hearings and I spoke at another.

‘Our friends from the Trail Riders Fellowship had a complete legal team present at most meetings and although we didn’t agree with all of their suggestions, their presence certainly did much to confirm the importance that motorised users felt over preservation of our rights.’

Sadly, in the days following the Secretary of State’s approval of the scheme, John and his fellow GLASS volunteers were on the receiving end of criticism for their efforts.

How many of the keyboard warriors who were so quick to pipe up ever made the effort to attend meetings is unknown.

Writing in the latest issue of the bi-monthly GLASS Bulletin, John argues that while there are battles still to be fought, the outcome of the planning stage has in fact

rewarded the hard work put in by those willing to do it. ’The decision by the Secretary of State has been a long time coming, but I feel overall that the end result is actually better than many seem to think. There is in my opinion a great deal of misunderstanding of what has been achieved.’

In order to clarify this, John’s essay in the Bulletin goes through various parts of the plan, making reference to the official A303 (Amesbury to Berwick Down) Development Consent Order 2020, 152 stultifying pages of legal jargon, and a series of plans showing the location of the new road and its consequences for existing rights of way.

The latter is illustrated, in a massively simplified form, in the map on these pages. Various byways will be realigned, and a number of new rights of way will be created – while others will be stopped up or turned in to dead ends. What follows is

APRIL 2021 | 19

02/03/2021 22:58

RIGHTS OF WAY John’s explanation to GLASS members (of which 4x4 magazine is one, and every green lane user should be too) of what he describes as the ‘main points of interest,’ backed up by our own intepretation of the documents supporting the project: 1. At the west of the project area, the existing byways crossing the A303 dual carriageway south-east of Yarnbury Castle will be unaffected 2. The byway from Berwick St James which meets the A303 at the eastern end of the current dual-carriageway will be diverted by upgrading a short section of bridleway to byway. The effect of this will be to recognise what has been the situaton for many years; the ‘correct’ line of the byway shown on the Definitive Map is in practice inaccessible from the A303, so an agreement was reached with the landowner to allow vehicles to use the bridleway instead and the project will formalise this in law. The old A303 will be converted into a new byway running

east from here into the village of Winterbourne Stoke 3. The new A303 will bypass Winterbourne Stoke to the north of the village. Here, the B3083 will be realigned to run beneath the dual-carriageway. The short byway forming a triangle with the A303 and B3083 immediately west of the village will be diverted, with a new section created to meet the new course of the B-road 4. The byway running north from the A303 about half a mile east of Winterbourne Stoke will be diverted to cross the new dual-carriageway via a newly built bridge. This lane is not currently a through route, however, as its northern portion, running up to the A360 at Rollestone, has for a long time been impassable to 4x4s due to a weak bridge and several bridle gates.

John says that with motor vehicle rights being confirmed over the southern part by the project, ‘I am hopeful that our being able to drive

this section will give us leverage to get the connecting lane repaired’ 5. This is the big one. Byway AMES12, which runs for several miles from the A360 to Larkhill, will remain open. This lane is treasured by 4x4 drivers, dog walkers and pagans alike as it runs just to the west of Stonehenge itself, however the junction where it crosses the current A303 is extraordinarily dangerous.

The plans state that with the A303 stopped up, there will be, quote, ‘no change to byway AMES12’ – a major victory, not to say a relief, for motorised users. ‘So our rights remain,’ says John. ‘But I have no doubt that we will need to defend them again as English Heritage have written policy to remove all motorised users’ 6. Just to the east of AMES12, another byway meets the current A303 directly south of Stonehenge.

This too will retain its motor vehicle rights – however with the old A303 being extinguished, it will become a dead end. Our view (we’re not

quoting John here) is that it would have seemed very obvious to create a new byway on the short section of the current A303 between the two lanes so as to retain it as a through route, however it has been the scene of ferocious anti-4x4 lobbying in the past which we suspect may have borne some influence. As John says, though, ‘the byway will become a dead end, but still worth a drive just for the view it affords of Stonehenge,’ meaning the result may be more traffic rather than less.

7. North-east of Amesbury, the short byway creating a triangle with the A303 and the A3028 will be extinguished. ‘We could not defend the closure as it is plainly very difficult to enter or emerge safely from the A303,’ says John. ‘Also, Highways England presented data that suggested road speeds at this point will increase following completion of the scheme’ 8. The northern part of the Alligton road, which meets the A303 op-

LEGEND

1

Location of byways etc mentioned in points 1-8 in the main text above New A303 dualcarriageway New Stonehenge Road Tunnel New road connecting Allington Track with Solstice Park

5

© Crown copyright 2021 Ordnance Survey.

Media 029/21

3 2

6

4 5

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IN PROGRESS Scene Apr.indd 20

4x4 02/03/2021 22:58

RIGHTS OF WAY posite the byway in point 7, will also be closed. So will the byway west of it which runs down the side of Solstice Park and into the eastern part of Amesbury. Instead, a new road will be opened running into Amesbury, more or less parallel to the A303, from the part of the Allington road which will remain open. ‘Therefore the popular route which takes in the byways around Boscombe Down will still be open to drive,’ says John, referening a set of tracks running south-west from Shipton Bellinger which have appeared in a number of our roadbooks While it’s always safer to retain a healthy dose of scepticism when it comes to rights of way and anything to do with the government, we share John’s view that the positives in this outcome heavily outweigh the

negatives. There are at least three excellent green lanes here which could have been lost at the stroke of a planner’s pen, taking with them one of the most iconic views to be seen anywhere on the entire rights of way network – and where access has been lost, in most cases it has been replaced by new rights of way.

You can argue all day long about whether the result is a good or a bad one for green lane users, but one thing is abundantly clear: without the efforts of volunteers like John Lippiatt, Gordon Bunker and Dale Wyatt, it could have been a great deal worse. The meetings that led up to the final decision on the project were not just attended by those seeking to protect themselves but by organisations like GLEAM which exist only to do harm to

other people’s rights – and without balanced representation, this could have been another case of precious byways being lost because no-one fought for them.

‘There you have it’ reflects John.

‘Seven years of a fair proportion of my spare time and a huge effort by many within GLASS – and still a lot to do in trying to make sure it doesn’t get changed by some anti-vehicle lobbyist in the meantime.’

That, and the stated position of English Heritage, means vigilance must continue to be our watchword – but after a fraught 25 years in the making, the Stonehenge Road Tunnel Scheme will go ahead without riding roughshod over the ancient rights of way that are such an important part of the area’s heritage. As the song once said, albeit in a very different context, ‘it’s not just the stones that they’re guarding.’

Seen here at its western end at the edge of Shipton Bellinger, a long series of lanes running under the A303 and round the top of Boscombe Down Airfield will remain usable thanks to a new section of link road which will connect it to the east side of Amesbury

7

6

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02/03/2021 22:58

MOTORSPORT

Off-road motorsport organisers aiming to rescue 2021 season from chaos of Covid

B

ritain’s off-road motorsport organisers are gearing up for a full season during 2021 – though with their fingers tightly crossed that Covid restrictions are relaxed in time for their events to go ahead.

With lockdowns still in place and, at the time of writing, still no concrete plan for a return to any meaningful sort of normality, motorsport continues to be dogged by uncertainty. For 4x4 disciplines such as trialling, winching and comp safari, there will at least be no complica-

tions caused by the need to manage big crowds of spectators – however with some early-season events having already been abandoned, this is another year in which nothing can be taken for granted.

These include the Welsh Xtrem, whose original date in March has been put back to 6-8 August. ’The way our event is run is changing day by day,’ says the Xtrem’s homepage – and with five months still to go, there’s no telling what rules will apply by the time Britain’s top winching teams head for Llanelli for

what will be the penultimate running of the event.

The Viking 4x4 Club, organisers of the annual Odyssey Batteries Winch Challenge, has taken a similarly cautious approach – but has gone a step further by not announcing any dates at all while the current certainty remains. ‘Competitors are continuously pushing us to put something on and we keep watching for signs that we may be able mix again,’ says the club’s Pip Evans. ‘Our plan has always been to carry on where we left off if at all

possible – but the way things are looking now, it’s unlikely that we’ll do anything before May. ‘This could change quickly if the jab works, though. What I hope to avoid is to announce an event then have to cancel.’

In the world of comp safari racing, the organisers of the Britpart British Cross Country Championship have taken the opposite approach and announced a full season of six weekend-long events. The first of these is currently scheduled to take place near Pickering on 4-5 April,

Main picture: Not only is Ultra4 Europe planning to run a six-event season in four different host nations, it’s launching a new British Championship – which it sees as a pilot scheme for a major expansion towards taking the sport Europe-wide Right: By the time the planned 2021 British Cross Country Championship season has concluded, Justin Birchall and Jonny Koonja will have been reigning champions for two years – without turning a wheel for the whole of 2020 after the season was abandoned Pic: Gary Simpson / Songasport

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MOTORSPORT Right: The Viking 4x4 Club is playing a waiting game with its annual Odyssey Batteries Winch Challenge series. The club is anxious to avoid announcing dates for events which it then has to cancel, however it’s optimistic that if the vaccine proves successful, it will be able to run some sort of programme in the second half of the year Pic: Tomasz Jarecki

with subsequent safaris planned for Ceri, Llechwedd, Sweet Lamb and Falstone before the season reaches its climax at Walters Arena on 9-10 October.

Ultra4 Europe is planning a full season of winch races, too – including three events in the UK and three in Europe. In addition to the traditional King of Europe championship, this will allow the organisers to run a new British title – which will be open to competitors from at home and abroad.

The season is scheduled to open with the Battle of Bovington on 23-25 April and conclude back in England on 8-10 October. In between

times, it will visit Spain, France, Wales and Poland.

‘This starts our long-term plan to have a series of races in many European countries and then bring the best of the best together for a final big King of Europe race,’ say the organisers. ‘This is not an overnight process, but if the British Championship is a success we will push forwards and grow the sport further.’

Perhaps the biggest organisational challenge in the calendar, however, is the ALRC National. This remains on track to take place at Bilsington Priory in Kent from 27 May to 1 June, with the normal follow-on rally running to 4 June.

Bringing together Land Rover drivers from around the country, the National has traditionally attracted its share of overseas visitors too.

This is likely to be affected by the pandemic, however as spring turns to summer there’s still a high degree of confidence that the event itself will be able to go ahead. ‘The ALRC National Rally team would like to thank competitors, sponsors and suppliers for all their support regarding the postponed 2020 event, and very much look forward to welcoming you all to Bilsington Priory over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend in 2021,’ says Event Director Charles Darby on the event’s website.

With so much uncertainty still surrounding the way we live our everyday lives, it’s inevitable that there’ll be further turmoil in some areas before the vaccination programme allows for a gradual return to normality. Time will tell whether the Viking 4x4 Club is correct with it’s wait-and-see approach, or whether the confidence shown by the organisers of the BXCC and Ultra4 championships will prove to have been justified. Despite the rough start we’ve all had to 2021, however, hopes remain high in all quarters that this year will see off-road motorsport make more than just a token return.

Above left: In terms of sheer numbers, the ALRC National is one of the biggest events of the off-road calendar. Last year’s event has been rolled over to 2021 and is still on track to be held at Bilsington Priory at the end of May – though social distancing might turn out to be easier in some situations than others…

Above right: Originally scheduled for March, the Welsh Xtrem was the first major event on the off-road calendar to fall victim to the second wave of the virus. It’s now set to go ahead in August

4x4 IN PROGRESS Scene Apr.indd 23

APRIL 2021 | 23

02/03/2021 22:58

CALENDAR KEY

P Off-Road Playday

G Green Lane Convoy Tour

A Overseas Adventure Travel

S 4x4 Show

IMPORTANT: In the wake of the Covid crisis, most green laning and adventure travel companies have redrawn their calendars from scratch. As a result, some of the information on these pages will inevitably be out of date. In addition, some dates are for rearranged tours which had to be cancelled this year and which may already be full. Most operators are still prioritising existing clients over new business; some are yet to start accepting new bookings. While we do go to great lengths to ensure that our 4x4 Calendar is accurate and up to date, it is essential to check with the site, operator and/or organiser that events are still going ahead. Even without a pandemic to deal with, events are always prone to being rearranged, sometimes at very short notice, so this advice will always apply – we accept no liability for the consequences of any inaccuracies in this information.

13-14 March Overland G Atlas Wessex G Protrax Wiltshire

14 March Rochford and District 4x4 P Essex, Rayleigh, Essex 4x4 P Frickley Frickley, South Yorkshire P Hill’n’Ditch Mouldsworth, Cheshire Safari P Slindon Slindon, West Sussex

19 March Events G UKLakeLandrover District

19-21 March

G Ardventures Mid and North Wales 20 March Landrover Events G UKTynedale

21 March Pit P Devil’s Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire Off Road P Explore Silverdale, Stoke-on-Trent Bottom P Muddy Minstead, Hampshire P Protrax Tixover, Northamptonshire

Off Road Centre P Kirton Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs

27-28 March

G Protrax Wales 27 March – 11 April World Overland A Lost Morocco

28 March Pit P Devil’s Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire 4x4 P Frickley Frickley, South Yorkshire P Hill’n’Ditch Mouldsworth, Cheshire Off Road Centre P Kirton Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs Safari P Slindon Slindon, West Sussex Events G UKNorthLandrover York Moors

3-20 April 2021 Safari A Peru Kuelap / Cloud Warrior Tour

4 April Bottom P Muddy Minstead, Hampshire Wood P Picadilly Bolney, West Sussex Landrover Events G UKNorthumberland

4-17 April

10 April

30 April

Events G UKDalesLandrover and Eden

Events G UKEdenLandrover District

11 April

1-14 May

Rochford and District 4x4 P Essex, Rayleigh, Essex P Protrax Tixover, Northamptonshire Safari P Slindon Slindon, West Sussex

Overland A Atlas Portugal

3-12 May

17-18 April

15-29 May

G Protrax Wiltshire

Overland A Atlas Portugal

18 April

20 May – 2 June

British Land Rover Show S Great Newark, Nottinghamshire Off Road P Explore Silverdale, Stoke-on-Trent Bottom P Muddy Minstead, Hampshire

A Trailmasters Morocco Extreme

19 April – 3 May

4x4 Adventures A Active Portugal

22-23 May Land Rover Gathering S Classic Wansford, Peterborough G Protrax Wiltshire

A Trailmasters Morocco Marrakesh

24-28 May

22 April – 6 May

4x4 Adventures A Active Provence

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

25 May – 5 June

24 April

A Landtreks Portugal

Off Road Centre P Kirton Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs

24-25 April

27 May – 1 June National S ALRC Bilsington Priory, Kent

G Protrax Wales

28 May – 11 June

5 April

25 April

A Ardventures Morocco

P Hill’n’Ditch Mouldsworth, Cheshire Events G UKTyneLandrover and Wear

27 March

6 April

P Hill’n’Ditch Mouldsworth, Cheshire Off Road Centre P Kirton Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs Safari P Slindon Slindon, West Sussex Landrover Events G UKLincoln and Belvoir

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

22-23 March Landrover Events G UKCumbria and Yorkshire

26 March – 11 April

Adventure Tours G 4x4 Wales

24 | APRIL 2021

IN PROGRESS Scene Apr.indd 24

Overland A Atlas Morocco

Events G UKPeakLandrover District

29-30 May

G Protrax Wales 1-4 June National Follow-On Rally S ALRC Bilsington Priory, Kent

4x4 02/03/2021 22:58

CALENDAR 6-20 June

31 July – 15 August

Adventure Tours A 4x4 Albania

World Overland A Lost Sardinia

7-16 June

2-6 August

4x4 Adventures A Active Pyrenees

4x4 Adventures A Active Provence

9-23 June

7-27 August

A Protrax Pyrenees

A Ardventures Galicia

12-27 June

10-24 August

A Ardventures Pyrenees

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

19 June – 4 July

16-22 August

21 September – 2 October

29 October – 14 November

Safari A Peru Jaguar Tracks Tour

A Landtreks Pyrenees

A Landtreks Corsica

A Ardventures Morocco

21-27 June

16-25 August

30 September – 13 October

13-27 November

A Landtreks French Pyrenees

4x4 Adventures A Active Pyrenees

Overland A Atlas Morocco

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

21 June – 1 July

24 August – 4 September

2-10 October

21 November

Overland A Atlas Corsica

A Trailmasters Morocco

Landrover Events A UKPyrenees

26-27 June

31 August – 12 September

3-16 October

3-17 December

A Landtreks Pyrenees

A Trailmasters Morocco Draa Valley

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

11-12 September

3-21 October

16 April – 3 May 2022

Show S LRO Peterborough

A Protrax Morocco

Safari A Peru Kuelap / Cloud Warrior Tour

Off-Road Show S Billing Billing, Northamptonshire

9-23 July Adventure Tours A 4x4 Pyrenees

British Land Rover Show S Great Stoneleigh, Warwickshire

9-24 July

11-19 September

11-16 October

7-21 May 2022

A Ardventures Balkans

Landrover Events A UKPyrenees

A Landtreks Pyrenees

A Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

10-24 July

13-22 September

15-31 October

28 May – 11 June 2022

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

4x4 Adventures A Active Southern France

A Morocco

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

12-18 July

13-27 September

16-30 October

18 June – 2 July 2022

A Landtreks Pyrenees

Overland A Atlas Morocco

A Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

19-28 July

15-29 September

17 October – 4 November

9-23 July 2022

4x4 Adventures A Active Alps

A Protrax Pyrenees

A Morocco

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

27 July – 8 August

16-29 September

18 October – 1 November

8-27 August 2022

A Landtreks Pyrenees Coast-to-Coast

A Trailmasters Morocco Marrakesh

4x4 Adventures A Active Sahara

4x4 Adventures A Active Botswana

31 July – 14 August

18 September – 2 October

25 October – 8 November

20 August – 3 September 2022

A Italian Alps

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

A Morocco Atlantic Sahara

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

Atlas Overland

4x4 IN PROGRESS Scene Apr.indd 25

Ardventures

Peru Safari

Protrax

Trailmasters

Peru Safari

APRIL 2021 | 25

02/03/2021 22:59

PRODUCTS

Official recognition for PB Customs as U-Pol bestows Raptor Approved Applications Centre status

Y

ou’ll know all about PB Customs if you’re a regular reader of this magazine. The company, which was founded in 2015 and is based near Peterborough, is a 4x4 custom conversion and off-road modification specialist with a glowing reputation for customer satisfaction – and most recently it has become an approved Raptor Applicator Centre.

You’ll know about Raptor if you read 4x4 magazine regularly, too.

Made by U-Pol, it’s a tough, tintable urethane protective coating which provides surfaces with a protective skin that can withstand the most extreme off-road situations. It was originally created as a product for protecting areas in a vehicle which experience the hardest wear, such as pick-up beds, but it has also

come to be used as an alternative to traditional paint for whole-body finishes – which can be tinted to any colour and, with expert application, can incorporate all manner of special finishes.

‘In order to achieve the best results from Raptor, preparation and application of the product is key,’ explains PB Customs proprietor Paul Brown. ‘Aware of the demand in the market for vehicles to be Raptored but understanding that many customers may not be trained or have the facilities to spray their vehicles themselves, U-Pol saw this an opportunity to launch Raptor Approved Applications Centres.

This enabled U-Pol to drive business towards their centres while having their customers assured that the work is carried out to a standard they expect.

‘In order to become an approved centre, candidates have to follow strict criteria in both product knowledge and application. As well as this, workshops and bodyshops are reviewed to make sure Health and Safety standards are being met, as are the best practices for applying Raptor.’

Over the years, Paul has built a close working relationship with Jason Morse, Raptor Technical Sales Manager for U-Pol. This has enabled PB Customs to flourish and succeed in becoming a Raptor Approved Application Centre – currently one of two in the UK. ‘It’s been an absolute pleasure working with Paul and the team at PB Customs,’ says Jason. ‘From day one at our training facility, Paul

has always pushed the boundaries on the product and continues to produce truly superb pieces of work. It was an absolute no-brainer developing a professional relationship with PB Customs and we are delighted that they fly the flag as one of our Raptor Approved Application Centres.’

Paul has a unique technique when it comes to applying Raptor, with stencilling skills which allow him to create a variety of high-end finishes including flawless graphics which really bring a vehicle to life.

We don’t say that lightly, either – we’ve seen several of the company’s creations up close, and the results it achieves are extraordinary. PB Customs says it’s ‘dedicated to achieving a perfect finish’ – and a particular trademark is its use of luminescent paint, which blends with the Raptor to achieve astonishing glow-in-the-dark effects.

With more than two decades’ professional experience, Paul launched PB Customs to bring his passion and expertise in 4x4s to a new audience. The company has gone from strength to strength over the last six years, offering everything from servicing and general maintenance to high-end modification work. Most recently, the company expanded its premises to include a new 1600 square foot paint shop dedicated to Raptor applications – and people from all over the world now come to Paul for his expert opinion.

No wonder U-Pol was so happy to appoint PB Customs as a Raptor Approved Applications Centre, then.

You can find out more about the company, and see examples of the knockout work it produces, at www. pb-customs.co.uk.

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26/11/2020 09:29:52

PRODUCTS

Ring Automotive brings vehicle maintenance into the

A

take control of your vehicle’s safety and efficiency.

The app is designed to link your vehicle to a range of Ring products – which will then know which make

n expert in your back pocket.’ That’s the new Ring Connect app, which car care specialist Ring Automotive says is the smart way to Ford Ranger Big Brake Kit Ad - Jan 2020 - UK.pdf

1

28/01/2020

and model they’re dealing with and set themselves automatically. For example, the first product in the company’s connected range is a Smart Digital Tyre Inflator – which will be able to inflate your tyres to the correct pressure using data supplied to it by the app.

All you’ll need to do during this process is confirm the tyre settings you’re offered, connect the Smart Tyre Inflator, sync to the app and inflate. During the inflation cycle, the set-up will also remotely perform a leak detection test to ensure the tyres are holding air safely.

The Smart Digital Tyre Inflator also features multiple vehicle settings, pressure download, active reminders, leak detection, three-minute inflation, an LED light to help in poor visibility, wind-up control and a deflator valve,

and it comes complete with its own storage case.

To use the app, you just need to download it then register and link your 4x4. You’ll then be able to use all products in Ring’s new Smart range – as well as receiving updates, reminders and monitoring ‘to help avoid breakdowns, improve performance and ensure your vehicle stays in excellent condition for longer.’

The app was developed as the result of a year-long global research programme featuring ten focus groups and more than 4000 hours of development. This showed up what Ring calls ’a significant shift in consumer behaviour resulting in demand for instant access to useful and informative maintenance advice.’

‘Consumers are more technically savvy than ever before and there has become a clear demand for smart devices,’ commented Ring’s Henry Bisson. ‘Homes have already become revolutionised with

17:31

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28 | APRIL 2021

IN PROGRESS Scene Apr.indd 28

Groundcare • Car • ATV • Tubes • Mobile Tyre Fitting Puncture Equipment & Repairs • Four Wheel Alignment Durrants Farm, Rushlake Green, Heathfield, East Sussex TN21 9QB

Workshop: 01435 830664 Mobile: 07710 372672 Email: chris@rlgtyres.co.uk

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4x4 02/03/2021 22:59

PRODUCTS

digital age

connected products, and now is the time to connect car products to help motorists maintain their vehicles in a smart way.

‘The Ring Connect app and Smart Digital Tyre Inflator are just the start.

We will be releasing more products in the Smart range to connect with our new app throughout the year.’

Obviously, the question they’ve not answered is whether the app will have its own Ring tone. That apart, though, it’s all at ringconnect.com.

AUTOGLYM HAILS ULTIMATE SCREENWASH – A SUPERHERO IN THE FIGHT AGAINST GRIME ULTIMATE SCREENWASH. That’s not something you read about every day, except possibly in some sort of avant garde superhero comic about a humble valeter with the hidden ability to make cars fly, but it exists.

‘Dirty windscreens can be annoying at best, downright dangerous at worst,’ say the people from Autoglym. Strictly speaking, if they were radioactive, toxic and possessed by satan, that would probably be worse, but dirty is bad enough to be going on with. Not being able to see where you’re going is, after all, commonly considered a bad thing.

Hence the company’s ‘unsung hero,’ Ultimate Screenwash.

This is suitable for all vehicles and washer jets, and in Autoglym’s own words ‘it has been proven to shift all common contaminants.’ So if the cast of Geordie Shore takes up residence on your windscreen, you’re good to go.

Ultimate Screenwash comes in concentrated form; a 500ml bottle is enough to make up to eight litres of washer fluid, depending on whether you want its strength to be ultimate, penultimate or just somewhere in the medals. It won’t make your truck fly, but it’ll only cost £4.50 so that’s alright.

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Tel No: 0115 9305454 and email: sales@vehicleproducts.co.uk

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APRIL 2021 | 29

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PRODUCTS

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2014 RANGE 2016 2006 JEEP 2011 ISUZU ISUZU ROVER SPORT 4.4 D-MAX 2.5 DIESEL WRANGLER TJ RODEO V8 DIESEL 2014 RANGE 2016 ISUZU ROVER SPORT 4.4 D-MAX 2.5 DIESEL V8 DIESEL

2016 RANGE 2008 NISSAN ROVER EVOQUE PATHFINDER 2.0 TD4 2016 RANGE ROVER EVOQUE 2.0 TD4

2014 2010 JEEP CHEROKEE MK5 MITSUBISHI L200 KL 2.0 MULTIJET 2014 JEEP CHEROKEE MK5 KL 2.0 MULTIJET

JEEP 2007 LAND HONDA 20152010 RANGE 2012ROVER 2008 2013 TOYOTA CHEROKEE MK4 DISCOVERY 3 2.7 CRV 2.2 CDTI ROVER EVOQUE MITSUBISHI ASX HILUX KK 2.8JEEP CRD 2007 LAND TDV6ROVER 2010 CHEROKEE MK4 DISCOVERY 3 2.7 KK 2.8 CRD TDV6

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2006 NISSAN 2006 JEEP 2006 JEEP GRAND 2015 LAND 2004 JEEP CHEROKEE WK PATHFINDER 2.5 GRAND GRAND 5.7 V8 HEMI ROVER DCI 2006 JEEP GRAND 2006 NISSAN DISCOVERY CHEROKEE WK CHEROKEE WJ CHEROKEE WK PATHFINDER 2.5 Charlton Recycled Auto Parts SPORT DCI 5.7 V8 HEMI Vehicle Recycling Centre, Gravel Pit Hill, Thriplow, Cambridge, SG8 7HZParts Charlton Recycled Auto Tel 01223Gravel 832656Pit Hill, Thriplow, Vehicle Recycling Centre, Email parts@charltonautoparts.co.uk Cambridge, SG8 7HZ PLEASE VISIT WWW.CHARLTONAUTOPARTS.CO.UK Tel 01223 832656 Email parts@charltonautoparts.co.uk PLEASE VISIT WWW.CHARLTONAUTOPARTS.CO.UK

30 | APRIL 2021

IN PROGRESS Scene Apr.indd 30

THERE’S NO END OF CHOICE in the LED market. But Britpart has added a new option from a manufacturer whose name is pretty much unsurpassed in the off-road world, in the shape of ARB’s Intensity AR32 LED Spotlight.

Engineered in Australia and manufactured in the United States, this is part of a range which ARB says was designed ‘to meet the demanding requirements of off-roaders throughout the world.’ Which meanS you.

With an output of 8200 lumens and 3439 lux at 10 metres, the AR32 is definitely bright. Its 6500K light temperature has been tuned to be as close as possible to natural sunlight, too, so using it for hour after hour on long off-road sessions won’t knacker your eyes – and talking of long off-road sessions, ARB says the broad field of light it produces helps to diffuse the effect of vibrations, meaning it ‘performs brilliantly on corrugated roads.’

If your off-roading takes the sort of turn off-roading sometimes does, the light is also submersible up to 10’. Which, safe to say, the vehicle they’re mounted on is not. Ultimately, the most likely place to mount a couple of these things will be on your bull bar, so what this means is that bonnet-deep wading won’t turn them in to expensive scrap.

Neither will bonnet-deep wading that comes a cropper on the business end of a semi-submerged log, because the lights’ polycarbonate lenses are, in ARB’s words, ‘virtually indestructible.’ The company says they’ve been subjected to to military-standard vibration testing, too, meaning they’ll take a prolonged battering over heavy corrugations and in extreme conditions without throwing in the towel.

As normal with good quality LED designs, the lights are designed with an integral heatsink whose 15 fins cool ensure there should be no damage to the LEDs themselves or the components surrounding them. Drawing heat away from the lights allows them to produce their optimum output, without shortening their service life.

Measuring 221mm wide and 246mm high, the AR32 comes with everything you need to instal it. Go to www.britpart.com and you’ll be able to shop around Britpart’s usual ARB dealers for the best price, which is likely to be a little under £500 until the VAT man comes along.

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02/03/2021 23:00

1

NEW 4X4S

LAND ROVER PLAYS THE CAMEL

Works V8 Trophy edition • Limited to 25 vehicles • Available in both 90 and 110 formats

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IN PROGRESS Scene Apr.indd 32

4x4 02/03/2021 23:00

NEW 4X4S

CARD WITH £195,000 DEFENDER

Buyers to take part in unique off-road event at Eastnor Castle • Prices start at £195,000

L

and Rover has brought back the Defender Works V8 – with an adventure-prepped Trophy model evoking the halcyon days of the legendary Camel Trophy.

Painted in the same distinctive yellow and black colour scheme as the original Camel vehicles, only 25 of the specially modified 90s and 110s will be built. And their buyers will get more than just a Land Rover – because later this year, Covid permitting, customers will be invited to an exclusive three-day competitive off-road event in the grounds of Eastnor Castle.

This will be the first time the vehicles’ new owners actually see them and get behind the wheel. They’ll start by stickering them up with their names and national flags, then they’ll receive one-to-one tuition from Land Rover’s own Experience instructors, allowing them to develop extreme off-roading skills before competing for a range of prizes – including a grand prize which will be announced later this year. Our guess is that it won’t be a brand new Ineos Grenadier.

Land Rover says the event will involve ‘a range of challenges inspired by famous global adventures and competitions spanning more than seven decades of Land Rover production.’ Given that it only lasts three days, driving to Singapore is unlikely to be among them, and you can’t imagine the company asking its millionaire clients to put their new toys through the sort of

4x4 IN PROGRESS Scene Apr.indd 33

extreme pastings the Camel Trophy used to dish out, but Land Rover Classic Director Dan Pink says it will be ‘an exciting and memorable event, full of camaraderie and continuing the Land Rover Trophy legend for years to come.’

Pink says the idea for the vehicle, and indeed for the competition, came directly from the Land Rover Classic suggestion box. ‘Our customers want to create their own stories, battle scars and patina with their Works V8 Trophy vehicles from day one, fuelling campfire chats with like-minded enthusiasts.

Seeing the silhouette of these vehicles, which you’ll instantly know as a Land Rover, traversing the hills at Eastnor will be a defining moment of the adventure.’

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02/03/2021 23:00

NEW 4X4S The silhouette in question will be that of a vehicle based on the original Works V8 model from 2018.

This means it has a version of the 5.0-litre V8 engine from the Range Rover Sport which in this tune puts out 405bhp and 380lbf.ft via an eight-speed ZF automatic box.

Heavy-duty diffs in both axles send the good stuff to a set of 235/85R16 mud-terrain tyres which are wrapped around classic steel rims – again, a nod to the Camel Trophy vehicles from the old days.

As you’d expect, further equipment includes uprated suspension,

steering and brakes, the latter featuring four-pot calipers with 335mm and 300mm discs front and rear.

In addition, there’s a front winch, multi-point expedition roll cage, roof rack, underbody protection, A-bar, snorkel and LED headlamps and spotlights, as well as a Heritage front grille and unique Land Rover Trophy badging.

The Defenders can be expected to be exceptionally capable off-road, though the event itself is going to have to take account of their lavish interior specifications – which include Recaro sports seats with full

How the Camel Trophy helped build the Land Rover legend THE CLASSIC CAMEL TROPHY IMAGE is that of a convoy of Defender 110s fighting its way through hostile terrain in a far-off part of the world.

However of the 20 events that took place between 1980 and 2000, only three used 110s as the main teams’ vehicles.

Of the rest, eight used Discoverys – making this by far the most common vehicle to have appeared in the Trophy. Three used Range Rovers, two used 90s and one each used Series III 88s and Freelanders. Finally, the first ever Camel Trophy used Jeep CJ5s and the last used Ribtec boats. The 110 did

34 | APRIL 2021

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appear as a support vehicle on 15 occasions and the Series III 109 on one other, while on events using the Range Rover this also appeared in this role.

As this suggests, Land Rover very much saw the Camel as a way of marketing its latest models. The 90 appeared when it was new to the market and the Range Rover, which was used in the second and third Trophies, was reintroduced in 1987 to promoted the new TD engine, while the Freelander arrived in 1998 after the Discovery 200 and 300Tdi had shouldered the burden throughout their production run.

With its family-wagon image and traditional off-road build, the firstgeneration Discovery was ideally placed to be promoted through the stories of far-flung adventure the Camel generated. The connection with a cigarette brand didn’t seem to matter – the world is a more sensitive place now than it was back then, and besides the organisers were quick to argue that the Trophy only promoted its own brand of adventure wear. Not something that fooled many people, but a convenient get-out clause for anybody looking for one.

However you saw it, the Camel’s trademark ‘sand glow’ yellow painted vehicles became a familiar part of the global off-road picture – and, as they started to filter out into private hands, gained a cult following among Land Rover fans. Even while the Camel was still running, Trophy vehicles commanded huge premiums for their heritage, and that remains the case today – though with so many replicas having been made down the years, you need to be sure what you’re getting.

Leaving out the first and last runnings of the Trophy, the 18 events involving Land Rovers as the competition vehicles were won by teams from 12 different nations. These included the UK once, in 1989, when Bob and Joe Ives wrote themselves into Camel history with a win whose timing, just as the Discovery was about to be launched and the 90/110 was about

4x4 02/03/2021 23:00

NEW 4X4S black Windsor leather upholstery and contrasting yellow stitching. The same finish appears on the dash, floor console, cubby box and door cards, too, and as well as a bespoke analogue clock you get Land Rover’s own Classic Infotainment System with integrated satellite navigation and smartphone connectivity. So while in theory you could hose it out, you can’t imagine anybody who’s bought one actually wanting to. Thus you can’t really imagine it being too much of a mud bath.

There’s a number of reasons for that, but the biggest one (in every

sense of the word) is 195,000. Put a pound sign in front of that and it’s the starting price for one of these rarest of Defenders. Just the starting point, mind – it gets you a 90, but a 110 costs more besides.

Not that that’s likely to stop anyone with the money to spend from putting their hand up for one of the 25 Trophy 90s and 110s on offer. Their rarity ensures that these will be investment vehicles – though if you do own one, the temptation to get out there and use it might well prove to be more than flesh and blood can stand…

to become the Defender, couldn’t have been any better from a marketing point of view.

During this time, the Trophy was held six times in South-East Asia (Sumatra, Papua New Guinea, Borneo, Sulawesi, Sabah and Kalimantan),

4x4 IN PROGRESS Scene Apr.indd 35

six times in South and Central America (Brazil, the Amazon, Guyana, the Andes, Guatemala/Mexico and Tierra de Fuego), thrice in Africa (Zaire, Tanzania and Madagascar), once in Australia, once in Siberia and once in Mongolia. It’s not known how many of the vehicles are now in private hands around the UK and beyond, however some of the rarest are the Series III 88s and 109s used only in 1983, the Range Rover Turbo Ds from 1987 and the Defender 130s which shared support duties in 1990.

By far the most common ex-Camel vehicle, despite only having main billing on three occasions, is the 110.

Almost an ever-present in the support role from its launch to the Camel’s off-key swansong as a boat-based event in 2000, it’s now the definitive image of a Trophy veteran – something the new run of Works V8 specials intends to milk for all it’s worth.

APRIL 2021 | 35

02/03/2021 23:00

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DRIVEN

TOYOTA HILUX INVINCIBLE X

The world’s favourite one-tonne pick-up gains major revisions to enhance its appeal as a lifestyle truck – including a masterful 2.8-litre engine ON TEST Toyota Hilux 2.8 Invincible X

T

he Toyota Hilux is a global phenomenon, but in Britain it has always tended to come second after other models that go in harder

with the lifestyle card. The Mitsubishi L200, Nissan Navara and Ford Ranger have all had turns at being the family wagon of choice for the UK’s pick-up drivers, and though the

Hilux has always had respect from all it has never quite managed to knock down its premium rivals.

The new 2.8 Invincible X, which was introduced late last year, is

designed to address this. It’s the top-spec model in a range that’s just been given a major mid-life refresh, with improved steering and suspension as well as a multimedia system that’s been brought right up to date. The latter, in particular, is an area in which Toyota was playing catch-up, so this is promising to say the least.

Talking of playing catch-up, in an almost completely literal sense, until now Toyota’s main rivals have had more powerful engines to offer. The Hilux will continue to be available with its existing 2.4-litre diesel engine – indeed, this is the only option until you approach the top of the range, and it’s one which the company points out gives it 40% of the 150bhp pick-up market. But

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02/03/2021 21:59

The Hilux looks and feels exceptional inside, with outstanding build quality and materials which are utilitarian but classy nonetheless. We’d like to see pick-up manufacturers offering high-quality fabric as an option on their top-spec models, however, rather than forcing buyers into accepting a form of leather which, in this case, feels tough rather than supple. The seats are comfortable nonetheless, and remain so over long distances even without lumbar adjust, though if you’re tall the front is the only place to travel – the rear is desperately short of both leg and head room for adults with the new 2.8-litre unit, lifestyle models are now playing with 201bhp and up to 369lbf.ft, giving them the performance to match their pedigree.

So here we have a truck with topspec equipment and an engine to reckon with – and it’s also a Hilux.

Promising, again. The Invincible X is priced at £32,532.50 plus VAT and the vehicle tested here had metallic paint (as they all surely will at this trim level), meaning the total bill would be £33,115.83 on the road.

That’s £39,675 if you don’t get your VAT back, and Toyota is backing it up with a finance package which,

all else being right, lets you get your hands on one for £299 a month.

CABIN AND PRACTICALITY The Hilux’s cabin was already good, albeit not quite what you’d call special, but there’s a step change in the revised model. It’s easy to be seduced by fancy trim and lots of kit, but the layout is slick and the materials are crisp and classy – and at the centre of it all, the new multimedia system is a vast improvement on the old one.

That’s not just a comment about its graphics, or its screen resolution, or its response time, or its functionality, or any of the other things that seem to matter more than the car itself these days. It’s good in all these respects, but we also like the fact that its housing now looks far more like it belongs in the dashboard. Obviously, you can’t very easily append a big screen to a surface that wasn’t ever designed to hold one without it looking out of place, and the industry is slowly dealing with this fact, but some are further ahead than others and Toyota has got itself back in the

game with this. It looks crisp, clean and modern – and, no small thing, it doesn’t detract from the rock-solid build quality to be found everywhere else in the cabin.

This is a major selling point for the Hilux, and the new model is as well screwed together as ever.

There’s a good feeling of quality to its trim materials, too, though these do retain the toughness of a utility vehicle rather than going all-out for luxury. The seat leather, for example, looks great but doesn’t feel that supple to touch. They’re comfortable to sit in, at least up front, and remain so over a long

Stowage is generally impressive, with a big, deep double glovebox the highlight. The centre cubby is big too, and on our test vehicle contained a wi-fi box. Talking of high-tech gadgets, the whole Hilux range has a new multimedia system – and it represents a massive leap forward in terms of graphics, usability and connectivity. The JBL stereo, meanwhile makes a noise like the sound system at Wembley Stadium

4x4 4pp Hilux.indd 39

APRIL 2021 | 39

03/03/2021 00:46

DRIVEN

drive even without lumbar adjust, but we’d love to see a pick-up manufacturer offering a high-quality fabric option as well.

In the back, something Toyota hasn’t been able to address is a lack of space which, for some buyers, will be a deal-breaker. With the front seat adjusted for a six-foot driver, fitting another six-footer behind it is simply not possible – for our tester’s knees to fit in at all, the seat in front of him had to be moved into a position where driving became uncomfortable to the point of distraction.

A tall rear-seat passenger will also be troubled by the top of his head being pushed into the roof lining. So while the Hilux might well be good for accommodating families with pre-teen children, it’s not the place for a crew of strapping six-foot lads. By no means is it the only one-tonner with this issue, but there are others (most notably the Ford Ranger, but also the Isuzu D-Max and Great Wall Steed) which were doing it better ten years ago.

That’s our one big gripe with the Hilux. The cabin is otherwise very good, with an above-average

range of stowage opportunities for your odds and ends and a general layout that’s been enhanced by what is a truly worthwhile set of improvements for this model year.

Outside, an omission we found surprising on such a high-spec truck in this day and age was a tailgate damper. The Invincible X is designed for sure to be used as a family vehicle, and it comes with a hugely impressive range of high-tech safety equipment both to prevent and mitigate crashes – yet the potential for a heavy piece of metal to crash down

towards its hinges with disastrous consequences for the small child getting in among your feet is clear.

This is something you can remedy yourself via the aftermarket, but we think all manufacturers should be fitting it as standard on any fourseat truck and it would have been good to see the world’s favourite one-tonner setting an example.

DRIVING So often, the best engines come as standard with an automatic gearbox. We may be dinosaurs, but

The new engine is very willing to rev, which makes for an entertaining time in manual form, but most of all its torque delivery is exceptional, with enormous in-gear pull. You rarely need to drop below fourth while getting around town. The pick-up bed is what it is, but in this day and age we think a tailgate damper should be standard on any truck designed to be used as a family wagon

40 | APRIL 2021

4pp Hilux.indd 40

4x4 02/03/2021 21:59

the Hilux’s 2.8-litre unit can be had in manual form and that makes us want to sing Toyota’s praises.

The figures say it’ll take you 10.1 seconds to get from 0-62mph. We say whatever. The engine spins well on the way up through the gears, but what’s absolutely dominant is the supply of torque.

The 369lbf.ft we mentioned earlier is reserved for autos, but in manual form you get 310lbf.ft. Still not exactly paltry, and it’s all there from 1400rpm. And boy do you feel it.

Whether you’re pulling it around town in fourth or fifth or easing your way out into the fast lane at eighty in top, the response to a squeeze of the throttle is instant.

It doesn’t raise its voice or jump up like a puppy; it just gathers itself into a purposeful surge that breeds complete confidence.

It’s also quiet, to the extent that on fast A-roads, at times you find yourself loath to change up into sixth because your instincts are telling you it will lose its puff. Then you go for it anyway and instead of dying off, you’re almost having to hold it back because there’s so much torque pulling you on. On B-roads, meanwhile, where the corners tend to be slower so there’s more braking and acceleration, it’s an absolute treat, picking up incredibly eagerly on the way

4pp Hilux.indd 41

out of bends as you work the gearbox between fourth and fifth.

If you enjoy a bit of a blast, this is emphatically the truck for you.

We wish the steering had more feel to it on turn-in, however. At these kind of speeds, we found ourselves instinctively backing off because it felt as if it was getting light when it clearly wasn’t. The vehicle has a new steering set-up that’s specifically designed to gain feel at higher speeds, so this came as a bit of a surprise, and not a welcome one. It’s well weighted around town, and you’re not having to make constant adjustments on the motorway, but there’s a lack of feel and feedback at B-road speeds that means turning in to corners is a lot less fun than pulling out of them.

Going back to the motorway, there’s a little fidgeting as the suspension picks up on seams but not so much that it’ll bother you.

Road and engine noise are pretty well muted, too, aside from the odd thump, but wind noise is very pronounced. Even at quite a low real-world cruising speed, it comes from all around the cabin, the door mirrors and in particular from behind you. A roll-top cover for the pick-up bed would no doubt make a big difference here.

It’s more refined around town, where the suspension deals well with the sort of broken road

surfaces we’re all used to. You feel the state of it through your seat rather than up your spine, which is about all you can ask for in a vehicle designed to carry a tonne; big pot holes do set up a few shudders at higher speeds, but again it’s uncomfortable rather than painfully harsh. A few hundred kilos would, clearly, change everything – though Toyota says that for the first time ever, it tuned the springs with the vehicle unladen.

Off-road, the Hilux remains as superb as ever. There’s a fancy new rear diff that’s designed to prevent wheelspin when you’re taking off, which is nice, but the main thing is that you can still lock it positively by pressing a button on the dash – meaning it can tackle extreme terrain and, given the tyres, low-traction surfaces with real confidence and control.

The 2.8 engine’s torque is completely masterful here, too.

Good off-road technique says you should use as many revs as you

need but as few as you can get away with, and in this case that means not a lot more than tickover.

At times, it feels like you’ve got cogwheels pulling you across the ground. So many modern vehicles want you to floor the throttle until the traction control figures out where to put all that power – but when all’s said and done the traditional way of driving is still the best way to cover ground.

Fact is, the combination of torque and, where necessary, diff-locks (plus a bit of ability on the driver’s part) is the best way of doing it safely while minimising vehicle wear and ground damage. Toyota has been making 4x4s long enough to know that, and the Hilux is all the proof you’ll ever need.

★★★★✩

Toyota Hilux 2.8 Invincible X Improved in a mutitude of ways – and now with an exceptional engine to top it off The new 2.8-litre engine gets the headlines, but Toyota has done much to make the Hilux better than ever. Its cramped rear cabin lets it down, and we’re not convinced by the new steering, but overall it’s now one of the best trucks on the market – and in Invincible X form, it’s a totally convincing premium pick-up

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DRIVEN

RANGE ROVER FIFTY Land Rover celebrates the Range Rover’s half-century with a limited edition that takes on the task of trying to be even more special than the Autobiography model on which it’s based

WHEN A VEHICLE is getting close to the end of its production run, it’s normal for its manufacturer to release a series of special-edition models designed to keep sales moving by offering a combination of novelty interest and more kit for your money. The Range Rover’s days are certainly numbered, with a new model on the way in the fairly near future, but the Fifty is not your average special edition.

Announced last year, on the back of Solihull’s celebrations for the half century of Range Rover production, the Fifty is an Autobiography model with a set of additional decorations. It’s limited to 1970 units globally, but that still leaves plenty of room for choice – you can get it in standard and long-wheelbase form and with D350 diesel, P525 petrol and P400e plug-in hybrid engines.

On top of that, there’s a choice of four metallic paint options and, in what Land Rover calls ‘extremely limited numbers’, three heritage colours which mimic those used on the original Range Rover.

Combined with the Black Exterior Pack that comes with them, these add £12,000 to the price – but that’s surely a mere trifle to pay if only Tuscan Blue, Bahama Gold or Davos White will do.

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If we were already forking out for one of these exclusive Range Rovers, that’s what we’d do. The Fifty model is all about indulging in the vehicle’s heritage, after all, and if you’re going to do that you might as well do it properly. In for a penny, in for a pound, and all that.

Actually, you’ll be in for £109,830 minimum. That’s the cost of the cheapest Fifty model (the standard-wheelbase P400e), with the Long-Wheelbase P525 moving things up to £121,760. Not cheap, then – though across the six engine and wheelbase combinations, the average premium over the Autobiography is only £1663, so they’re not milking it the way you might expect them to.

What do you get for that, apart from the chance to order a coat of paint for a sum of money that would have bought you six entire Range Rovers back in 1970? Land Rover says the Fifty features ‘a number of bespoke exterior accents in Auric Atlas as well as two unique 22” wheel designs.’ Auric Atlas is silver; it’s replaced by black if you go for one of the Heritage colours.

In addition, the vehicle features a variety of badges featuring a unique ‘Fifty’ script created by Land Rover’s design boss Gerry McGovern. These are found on the bodywork and throughout the interior – on the headrests, dashboard and illuminated tread plates, as well as on a ‘1 of 1970’ commissioning plaque on the centre console.

It won’t come as a shock to learn that none of this has any effect on the way the Range Rover drives. So as road tests go, this isn’t a traditional one.

What it served as, however, was a reminder of just how good a vehicle the Range Rover has become during its evolution – not just since 1970 but during the lifespan of the L405 model.

Our test vehicle was a standard-wheelbase model with the P525 engine.

It’s hard not to be able to enjoy something with a supercharged 5.0-litre V8 putting out 525bhp and 461lbf.ft, clearly, but as always the Range Rover is a vehicle in which you can take delight even when you’re sitting still.

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The cabin features a variety of badges featuring a unique ‘Fifty’ script created by Land Rover’s design boss Gerry McGovern. Optional paint colours aside, these are the main things marking it out from the Autobiography model on which it’s based It’s everything the Range Rover has come to stand for: classy, elegant, refined and comfortable, and conveying a tremendous sense of occasion.

In particular, in no way whatsoever does it feel like a vehicle that only has a few months left to live. Indeed, if the L322 had soldiered on for an extra decade and Land Rover had replaced it with exactly this vehicle, right here and now, we’d be raving about it and saying how very up to date it is.

It doesn’t feel particularly unusual, however, or special – beyond how special it already was, obviously, just by being a Range Rover. Its cabin is glorious in every way, its controls are a pleasure to use and its electronics, whether the infotainment system or the control panel for a wide range of vehicle functions, are pin-sharp and a pleasure to use. And its seats are… can we use the word ‘heavenly’ without being mocked? With their heaters on and your choice of massage function engaged, seldom can there have been a more relaxing way of getting from A to B whether as a driver or passenger.

This is particularly the case with the P525 engine, whose refinement is beyond belief. Around town, aside from the occasional very muted thump from the suspension you’re travelling in complete silence, and even at the national speed limit there’s barely a whisper from the big V8. The only problem is that as you’re accelerating, it’s only beginning to get into its stride as you reach said speed limit – it just wants to pull and pull and pull, meaning you need to make a conscious effort to back off if you don’t want to find yourself a very long way into licence-losing territory. Speeding is extremely easy in this vehicle – there’s a limiter you can use, of course,

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but you certainly need to be on guard for the way it gains pace with no drama at all.

In the real world, to us the V8 engine is more about refinement than performance. Obviously it has the latter in abundance, but you’re talking about Bentley and Rolls-Royce levels of comfort and poise. Not that the D350 option is like driving a tractor, obviously, and the P400e is a masterpiece in smoothness too. Put simply, any Range Rover is a wonderful luxury SUV but, if you don’t mind average fuel consumption in the region of 20mpg, the P525 takes it to yet another level.

Again, though, we’re talking about the Range Rover in general here rather than this particular model. Fact is, sitting in a Fifty doesn’t feel any different to sitting in any other Autobiography. Those badges are a talking point, perhaps, but the main reason we can see for choosing this model is the access it gives you to those special paint colours. Certainly, you can instead spend £1663 on options that will make much more of a difference in the real world to how much you enjoy your Range Rover.

To us, then, rather than celebrating its big golden anniversary, the Fifty trades on it. That sounds like harsh condemnation, however – but, because it only comes with a modest price premium and the vehicle on which it’s based was already so very, very good, it gets away with it.

It’s an excuse to remind yourself of how superb Land Rover’s flagship has become, too, as if such a thing was necessary. This fourth-generation has endured magnificently – and if the Fifty is to be seen as a sign of where the next half-century is going to begin, that’s all the convincing we need.

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DRIVEN

NISSAN X-TRAIL 1.7 DCI 150 TEKNA We’ve had no shortage of praise to offer every generation of the X-Trail. The current model is into its last year in production, however, and is showing signs of age – but attracting ever-bigger discounts

BY THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, there’ll be a new Nissan X-Trail on the block. The current model is still going very strong indeed, though, offering decent all-round ability and the ruggedness of a vehicle that means what it says at prices which, in today’s market, come across pretty well in terms of value for money.

The 1.7 dCi 150 4wd Tekna model we’ve tested here, for example, lists

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at £37,440. That gets you what is a high-specification model with pretty much all the toys, luxuries and safety gear, though the optional seven-seat upgrade adds another grand to the price.

It’s still a slick looking SUV, though you might consider it a bit dated next to its smaller sibling, Nissan’s recently introduced second-generation Juke. You can

expect to see plenty of this vehicle’s design language in the new X-Trail when it comes along towards the end of the year, though – but if you don’t want to wait, the current model won’t make you feel second-best on the school run.

Its interior doesn’t feel desperately modern any more, though. There’s just a touch of a last-generation image to the dash, with a smallish infotainment screen surrounded by physical buttons, but it’s clear and simple enough and the controls themselves feel good and positive.

There’s no hint of poor quality to the materials or construction, either; it doesn’t feel quite as crafted as its best rivals in the Medium SUV class, but between a soft-touch upper dash surface that’s pleasingly creakfree and a floor console that feels

like part of the chassis you can’t knock the way it’s put together.

That console contains a big, deep cubby box, which is where more or less all your general stuff will end up. The glovebox and door pockets are adequate, and there’s a decent tray at the base of the facia, but it very much plays the percentages without dishing up anything ground-breaking.

Similarly, for carrying bigger items the second row of seats drops near-flat and the third disappear fully into the floor, creating a good, long cargo area that’ll swallow everything you could reasonably ask it to. Whereas the old model had features like a waterproof boot floor and in-dash drinks coolers, though, this one is less adventurous – again, it feels like it’s playing the percent-

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The X-Trail’s cabin, once one of its strongest suits, is still a very good place to be but no longer has any real feeling of surprise and delight to it. That’s forgiveable on a vehicle that’s into its last year or production, though – and it has aged quite well in general, with a standard of equipment, materials and built quality that remains high.The infotainment screen is small by modern standards, however, and you’d expect the next-generation model to need a lot less in the way of physical switches. The second row of seats does well for legroom but badly for headroom; behind it, an extra £1000 buys you a third row that’s only for small children but which folds flat when not in use ages. You won’t find a whole lot to criticise, but there’s no longer much to single it out as a particularly exciting option either.

The front seats are big and wide, with better grip than their leather covering might give you to expect.

You’re supported by big back bolsters and an adjustable lumber cushion, and the seating position is nice and high, so your view ahead is good. So too is the headroom above you, despite the position of the seat – and, in this model, the presence of a panoramic sunroof.

The same can’t be said for the back, where a six-footer will be positioned with the top of their head mashed into the roof lining.

The view here is superb, but comfort-wise it’s a bit of a busted flush in this respect – unless you’ve got the highest waist in medical history, because legroom is exceptional even behind a similarly tall driver.

The third row, as the norm in a vehicle of this size, is very much suitable only for children. But it’s there, if you want it to be, and access is easy – as is folding any of the seats in the rear two rows up and down, making the vehicle good and usable for any driver.

Something else that’s easy is changing gear with the six-speed manual gearbox. Quite apart from the fact that finding such a thing is an increasingly rare pleasure on an SUV of any size these days, the clutch action is light but full of feel and the gearbox itself is both precise and beautifully smooth. It’s a delight to use.

We can’t say the same about the steering on our test vehicle, how-

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ever, which didn’t feel natural to us at all. ‘The sort of thing you expect from an old Defender,’ say our notes, which is a pretty damning indictment – though the same doesn’t apply to the X-Trail’s handling, which is well controlled and predictable.

We found ourselves leaving it in 4wd all the time, though, after it made a meal of going looking for grip once too often when pulling out from junctions.

This isn’t aided by a flat spot in the engine’s power delivery which makes you feel as if you’ve got to slip the clutch while pulling away to prevent it from stalling. It hauls nicely after this initial hesitancy, at least, and is very happy to rev, though the

engine is a touch noisy when you work it.

It calms right down on the motorway, however, where a touch of wind and road noise will certainly not be enough to keep you from cruising all day long without an issue. There’s no significant fussing through the chassis here, either – it’s not quite as sophisticated as the best medium SUVs (we’d choose a Discovery Sport or Skoda Kodiaq) but there’s little to complain about.

Around town, too, it rumbles a little over broken surfaces and manhole covers but, while it can feel hefty and heavy-footed, it’s not harsh.

The problem is that ‘little to complain about’ is increasingly

becoming our verdict on the X-Trail.

This is an SUV that has never been ordinary, but as time has gone on that’s how the current model has started to feel – given the opportunity, unless we were offered a really strong deal we would now be looking to hang fire until the new one comes along.

Talking of deals, though, we’ve seen this model on offer at more than £8000 off the list price – which starts to look very tempting indeed, even making allowances for online sellers’ tricks. At that point, the X-Trail becomes a lot of car for your money – it’s just that we can’t help but feel that the new one, when it comes, will be a lot more.

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UNCONVENTIONAL WISDOM If you want to build a Jeep for overland travel, you’ll almost certainly start with the newest long-wheelbase Wrangler you can afford. John McBride already owned a different kind of Jeep, however – and by the time he was finished with it, he had created a machine that’s part restored classic, part modified off-roader and all priceless family heirloom Words: Tom Alderney Pictures: Vic Peel

M

odifying Jeeps is easy. You buy a new Wrangler, get a load of kit, bolt it on and hey presto, one modified Jeep. For people with plenty of money who want to go off-road, Wranglers have picked up where Land Rover Defenders left off.

Back in the day, though, it wasn’t so simple.

Jeeps were rare in the UK and the aftermarket supporting them was almost non-existent, with

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parts either imported or custom-built, either way at huge cost. Whereas in America, the average owner could create a vastly modded Jeep using nothing but bolt-on parts and a standard tool kit, over here it was a balancing act between which needed to be bigger – your bank balance or the size of your workshop.

A big problem was that the aftermarket was only interested in designing equipment for Jeeps

with left-hand drive. A market might have existed in the UK, and where it did it was a very keen one – but, even if every single Jeep owner here had wanted to modify their vehicle, that would still only be a fraction of the business to be had back home in North America.

John McBride’s CJ7 is a throwback to those early days. In fact, it dates from back in 1986 – some half a decade before the YJ Wrangler and

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XJ Cherokee first arrived in Britain as official imports. This means it’s from a time when there was no aftermarket at all, on account of there being no market for the aftermarket to come after.

But it also means John has had one big advantage over his fellow Jeep modders in the UK. His CJ7 is an American model, meaning its steering wheel is on the left – and this, along with all the other ways in which shopping for it is just like being an American owner dealing with suppliers in his own land, has made it possible to turn it into something that looks deceptively standard

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but has in fact been improved, restored, revised or otherwise altered in almost every way.

The truck itself is a CJ7 Laredo, one of the last to be built by AMC before the Jeep brand was taken over by Chrysler. It was sourced in Dallas, Texas (hard to believe it could have spent five years tooling around the city while the TV show of the same name was still being made) and imported to Britain in 1997 by a chap who had the idea of using it as his daily driver.

Running it for a couple of months at an average of 11mpg was enough to disabuse him of that no-

tion, which is where John stepped in. ‘The CJ was a standard US-spec Laredo when I got it,’ he says, ‘with hard and soft tops, air-con, cruise control and so on. As I did more and more off-roading, I realised that the standard vehicle had limitations, so I started on the usual mods. It evolved bit by bit over the years to what it is today.’

Strictly speaking, actually, it evolved over the years into what it was in 2017. Because that was when John decided to take it off the road for a full ground-up rebuild which ran through into the following year.

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Above, right: The front axle is a Dana 30 with uprated halfshafts and an ARB Air-Locker tucked behind a heavy-duty diff pan. Diff ratios have been dropped to compensate for the bigger tyres, and the standard locking hubs have been replaced with Warn heavy-duty splined units with fuses. The steering linkage and rod ends are heavy-duty and have been flipped to lift them by 4”, keeping them out of harm’s way, while behind a braced steering box, a Borgeson shaft is used to reduce play in the wheel Below: Being a very late CJ7, dating from 1986 (the last year of production before Jeep moved over to the YJ Wrangler), the vehicle was fitted from new with a Dana 44 rear axle.

Like the front, this has an ARB Air-Locker protected by a heavy-duty diff pan and fitted with a ring and pinion conversion to suit the 31” tyres. John rates the ARBs among the best mods he’s made, saying ‘they transform the way you can approach obstacles at much lower, controlled speed and reduce the risk of damage.’ Also reducing the risk of damage, the original drum brakes have made way for discs

If you know your classic Jeeps, you’ll know that this was bound to include a whole lot of welding.

And sure enough, before we can get into what’s been modified and improved we have to start with what had to be brought back from the brink.

The chassis was in good shape, which must have come as a relief. So to keep it that way into the future, it was shotblasted, coated with a Tri-Resin treatment and blown full of Waxoyl.

The body, on the other hand… well, it’s a CJ7, innit? ’The original tub had no rustproofing from the factory,’ says John. ’So many rust traps developed in the unknown, unpainted, hidden body parts.’ Jeep was not alone in this, of course – three years after this CJ7 was built, for example, Land Rover launched a thing called

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the Discovery – but when you hear people talking about dry-state vehicles, you can be sure West Sussex isn’t among them. So John bought a full set of replacement panels and used them to build a complete new tub, which was Zinga zinc-treated prior to painting in order to prevent the same thing happening again.

Most people would have been content to keep it as simple as that, but John was working to his own high standards. ’The theme behind my CJ is to keep it looking like a CJ7 but with improved articulation, traction options and ground clearance,’ he explains. In this case, that meant following the correct lines when spot welding and so on – and indeed to copying the original graphics, only this time in modern UV-resistant vinyl.

You can see that this build was a thorough restoration project rather than just a modding job. John built the Jeep with a specific off-road purpose in mind, but he also built it to last.

That off-road purpose is not one you associate with short-wheelbase Jeeps, far less classic ones from the year of songs like Lady in Red and The Final Countdown. ‘Once we can get back travelling again,’ says John ‘we hope to do some more overlanding in Europe with the CJ.’ Overlanding? In a classic and heavily modified Jeep? It kind of flies in the face of all the conventional wisdom you’ll ever hear – which tells you to keep your vehicle as simple and standard as possible. But don’t forget, John has owned this truck for the thick end of quarter of

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The Jeep sits on +4” Skyjacker leaf springs all round, with uprated spring packs and twin shocks at the back. These shocks are long-travel Rancho 5000s, as are those at the front. Suspension shackles are heavy-duty but standard length, however the spring U-bolts are reversed for additional ground clearance and the whole system is polybushed all-round a century – and what he’s learned in that time is that while conventional wisdom might be alright for conventional people, when you’re the guy with the CJ7 you can make your own rules, thank you very much.

‘I always liked the look of the CJ7 ever since seeing one in the mid-seventies in the UK,’ he recalls. ‘It was a blue Renegade with no roof or doors on.

‘We rented a Wrangler in the nineties to do some tame family holiday off-roading for the first time, with the roof and doors off. And we came home smitten! I purchased my CJ soon after that.

‘We’ve made many friends through off-roading over the years and been fortunate enough to make many off-road trips, around the UK and mainland Europe with the CJ and further afield

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with rented 4x4s. We’ve made several trips to Moab in Utah, Alaska and the Colorado Rockies, two failed attempts at the Rubicon Trail with the wrong 4x4, and further afield to Namibia and Australia.’

This is clearly a man who knows his overlanding, and his Jeeps. He’s a regular in the marshalling team at Slindon Safari, too, and as playday sites go they don’t come much gnarlier than that.

‘I have to admit I have become less of a fan in getting the Jeep bogged up to its door handles in mud these days,’ he admits. Aha, getting soft?

Not likely. ‘I would rather ride a quad for these occasions and keep the Jeep for drier, more technical days.’

So, while he may have been keen to keep his CJ7 looking as original as possible, he’s not in

the least bit scared to give it the beans off-road.

Looking to the future, he says, his plans are ‘only now to drive it, maintain it and enjoy it. And maybe to make a conversion to electric drive rather than let it get scrapped off by future generations.’

Now, that’s definitely not conventional. But it sure is wisdom, and it points to an understanding not just of engineering but of what it takes to keep an old truck relevant. Not that an old truck is ever anything else when it’s this good, but you get what we mean.

Anyway, John is no newcomer to alternative fuels, and neither is his Jeep. It’s still on its original six-pot petrol engine – but this has changed beyond all recognition since the day it left the AMC factory. We’ll let the pictures do most of the talking, but most notably John has

02/03/2021 23:06

The thing under the bonnet is, in John’s words, ‘based around the original 4.2-litre inline 6-cylinder.’ Accent on the ‘based around,’ because if you can count the modifications on the fingers of both hands you should have got out of Chernobyl when you still had the chance. The engine may be original but it’s now fitted with the later 4.0-litre head, along with Mopar MPI fuel-injection and a Zavoli multi-point LPG system. The latter is governed by a UniChip Q programmable piggyback chip with maps for both petrol and LPG. The engine has been balanced and runs forged pistons, Cloyes timing gears and chain, an oil cooler and Mellings high-flow oil pump, ARP bolts, a K&N air filter, a Hesco engine loom and an adapted crank sensor. Dual batteries with heavy-duty cables run the electric system through a 270-amp alternator. Unusually, there’s no need for extra electric power to run the winch, being that this is hydraulic, but a Mean Green 4:1 starter motor makes the most of what’s on offer to make sure the engine is always on the button

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Above left: Twin electric fans help pull air through a triple-core radiator, with a high-flow water pump and thermostat housing helping to keep the engine cool Above right: A tubular exhaust manifold runs into a stainless steel system with Cherry Bomb and Borla silencers Right: The engine’s air comes in via one of the longest Safari snorkels we’ve ever seen. It’s about the only accoutrement you can see here that’s not made of stainless steel Below left: Built by Alders Automotive, the gearbox is a General Motors TH700R4 4-speed auto with lock-up torque converter. It’s bolted to the original Dana 300 transfer case, which is pretty much indestructible – though it’s protected by a low-profile skid plate anyway Below right: The new transmission meant new propshafts were required. This one is the rear unit, which is shorter than standard as the transmission is 4” longer; to help it deal with the extra travel in the new suspension, it’’s fitted with a double-cardon UJ. Up front, to get round the wider transmission pan John fitted a two-piece prop with a centre bearing

installed a Zavoli multi-point LPG system. Taking its gas from a cylindrical tank nestled inboard of a heavy-duty rear bumper, the 4.2-litre engine has gained a new head from the later 4.0-litre unit and runs a programmable chip with maps for petrol and LPG alike.

Another engine mod, which, John rates as one of the best he’s made, was to replace the original carburettor with a Mopar MPI fuel-injection set-up. Now at last the engine was, in his words, ‘unstoppable at any steep angle.’ No small matter when steep angles are kind of at the heart of what you do.

‘It’s sufficiently torquey to deal with all it’s asked to do and starts, idles and drives very reliably,’ John adds. Again, that’s getting the basics right – and if you want a vehicle for overlanding, reliability is the very first thing you need to build in.

The Jeep’s original three-speed auto box made way for an Alders Automotive four-speeder with a lock-up torque converter when the vehicle was rebuilt. This is another mod John is very happy he made, as it improved the Jeep’s average fuel consumption from 11mpg to a somewhat less eye-watering 17mpg. Just as importantly, the

extra ratio meant a lower first gear – making a huge improvement to the vehicle’s engine braking in low range.

Behind the gearbox, the standard transfer case feeds out via a pair of custom props to the original axles – original but running ARB Air-Lockers

and re-geared to suit a set of 31” BFGoodrich KM2 Mud-Terrains.

You might well argue that such a heavily modified vehicle might be expected to be running bigger rubber than this – especially when it’s not uncommon to see much more standard Jeep

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Left: John didn’t want to cut the Jeep’s wheelarches, as maintaining the appearance of a standard CJ7 was a theme of the build. Thus the vehicle’s tyre size has only gone up by 2.5” – they’re 31x10.50R15 BFGoodrich KM2s, mounted on the original Laredo-spec chrome rims. Note also the body graphics, too – these are new, but John had them remade in more modern, UV-resistant vinyl to mimic the originals exactly Below left: The sills are protected by custom stainless steel bars – and, beyond them, by Carr side steps Below centre, below right: The rear bumper is the kind you can sit on a rock, but it’s so much more besides. It contains the receiver tank for the engine-driven air compressor that powers the locking diffs and a tyre inflation system, too – as well as supporting a high-lift jack mount, swing-away spare wheel carrier and bracketry for a pair of LED reversing lights.

It’s never a bad idea to have a good bit of metal between your LPG tank and the rest of the world, too

Just as he didn’t want to ruin the CJ7’s classic looks on the outside, John was anxious to keep it as standard as possible in the cabin too. There’s a body-mounted front roll cage to go with the factory standard protection at the back, and the rear seats have been removed to make way for stowage boxes, but the dash panel remains very much as it always was. The original column shift has been retained, even though the gearbox hasn’t, however the transfer lever has made way for a twin-stick set up allowing the vehicle to run a combination of low range and front, rear or four-wheel drive.

Another addition is an overhead housing for the Midland CB radio, and there are in-cab controls for the winch and Air-Lockers, but by and large you could sit in here and it would still be 1986. Much more modern is the wiring, which was completely renewed during the 2017 rebuild and now features a 160ah AGM leisure battery supplying a bank of six hidden 12v sockets and, when it’s fitted, a rear-mounted fridge freezer

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Sat on a mounting plate behind a stainless steel rock bumper, the winch is a two-speed hydraulic Milemarker unit running Dyneema rope. ‘It’s not as fast as a good modern electric winch,’ says John, ‘but will pull all day long with no heat and virtually never needs a snatch block.’ The steering box looks original, but in fact it’s a PSC high-flow unit which John fitted to provide enough output for the hydraulic winch

CJ7s and Wrangler on 35s and more. But John was very definite in what he wanted to achieve – and avoid. The theme was to keep it looking like a CJ7, don’t forget – which meant cutting the wheelarches was out of the question.

The interior has remained much more original than you might expect, too. The rear seats have been removed to create cargo space for overlanding essentials, the transfer lever has been replaced by a twin-stick arrangement for greater flexibility of low-range options and there’s a CB housed up in the roof, but unlike most enthusiast-built off-roaders, especially those created with long-range travel in mind, it hasn’t been turned into the flight deck of the Millennium Falcon.

And this is indeed an enthusiast truck, albeit one built at an exceptionally high level by a man whose skills and knowledge would put most professionals to shame. Doing all his own span-

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nering and only buying in specialist work such as paint spraying, gearbox building and fabrication, he’s created a restored classic and a modified vehicle in one. And to make it even more remarkable, it’s the only off-roader John has even owned.

‘I have a Discovery Sport as a daily driver,’ he says, ‘which is more than capable for snowy and flooded roads. But the CJ has so much family history now, I would not change it.’

It could have been different, though, if only John had had the ability to see into the future.

When we ask people what they would have done differently with their vehicles, normal answers tend to involve a mod they wish they’d made earlier or a supplier they wish they’d never heard of. John’s is a little different: ‘With a crystal ball, and seeing what big prices untouched good condition ’86 CJs are fetching today, I would have left it completely standard, put it in a time capsule

and purchased a 2020 Rubicon JL four-door and prepped it for overlanding!’

And with that, he proves the point we made at the outset. See, modifying Jeeps is easy – you buy a new Wrangler, get a load of kit, bolt it on and bish bosh, job done.

What’s not so easy is giving a vehicle soul.

We’ve seen any number of chequebook Wranglers, and most of them have been vehicles to lust after – but something like John’s CJ7 only comes along once in a blue moon. As a modified off-roader, it might not be as comfortable or as practical as a shiny new JL – but as a classic Jeep, there’s just nothing about it that’s not to be admired. John has built it, enjoyed it and built it some more, and now it’s an heirloom vehicle of the highest order. And when you put it that way, it makes building a modified Jeep sound easier than ever.

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HOME COMFORTS The Discovery 2 is unlikely to be the Land Rover that springs to mind when you think about camping trips.

But this hugely modifiedTd5 has been turned into a one-off motorhome – with all mod cons on board and still every bit of the character that made it so appealing in the first place Words and pictures: Mike Trott

W

and Rovers are made for adventure and there is a whole consortium of tools and accessories you can buy for your vehicle in an attempt to turn your Green Oval machine into a true master of overlanding.

Roof tents in particular have become very popular in recent years and some of the models on offer make camping and those wild stopovers feel very much like home, even if you’re hundreds of miles from your actual place of residence.

There are some vehicles out there, however, that piddle on the idea of makeshift accommodation. Instead, these vehicles have gone through extraordinary lengths to be transformed into a mobile house.

Sit in the driver’s seat of this Disco 2 and as you look out over the bonnet, you’d do well to think you were in anything other than an ordinary Td5 Discovery. But when you glance over your shoulder, you’re greeted with one of the cosiest and most practical interiors you could imagine.

The Disco belongs to Tony and Candy Woods, both of whom enjoy roaming the UK and beyond, all whilst camping along the way. But a few years ago, they were on the hunt for a vehicle that would give them greater comfort than a mere thin layer of canvas drooping above their heads.

‘We wanted an all-wheel-drive camper and happened to see this ad on eBay,’ explains Tony. It was this majorly adapted Discovery they saw be-

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Above left: Up front, the cabin is pretty much standard – that of any run-of-the-mill Discovery 2. Peer behind the curtain separating it from the rest of the vehicle, however, and you’re confronted with a bewildering array of hard and soft furnishings. It’s a thumping great cliche, but this really is a home from home Above right: Said furnishings include this bedroom, located on the first floor of the vehicle above the cab. The memory foam mattress has received rave reviews from the only source that matters, the owner’s wife Left: What do you mean, your car doesn’t have its own cellar under the floor? Surely that’s normal, isn’t it…? ing advertised and the vehicle was being sold down in Swansea.

‘It was built by a John Davies and it caught our attention with the fact it was a Land Rover – Tony has always had a love affair with Land Rovers,’ explains Candy.

Tony and Candy decided to go and view the camper, where John explained how he built it. The process started with some pretty hefty surgery, as the Disco was chopped in half before being stitched back together, only now with two 30” members in place to stretch the chassis and effectively create a Discovery 130.

John applied the usual Land Rover running gear and welded

up a box section to create a space frame. The wiring and plumbing were all taken care of and the interior was transferred over from a written-off Compass caravan.

One of the criteria any prospective vehicle needed to meet was for Tony and Candy to be able to stand up inside the rear of the truck. This Discovery certainly meets their needs, but that might also have something to do with the sheer number of features you’ll find inside.

Besides an actual kitchen sink, this Disco also houses a fridge, freezer, hob, shower, toilet, TV and DVD player. It even has double-glazing.

‘It really is a home from home,’ says Candy.

‘The memory foam beds are gorgeous and so comfy!’ I wonder if the secret cellar located between the chassis rails was the clincher, though…

‘The Land Rover stands at around three and a half tonnes, although most of the weight, like the waste and water tanks, are down below. So it’s not as top-heavy as you might think,’ states Tony.

Candy continues, ‘As soon as we drove off, though, we realised it was underpowered. We were going backwards on the motorway!’

The solution was to install a stage 2 remap and large aluminium intercooler from Alive Tuning, which promptly hiked the Td5’s power output to 185hp, but more importantly 310lb ft of torque on tap from 1800 to 4000rpm.

Above left: The interior was transferred over from an old Compass caravan that had been written off. What’s most amazing is how at home it looks in the back of a Discovery Left: That’ll be time for the old kitchen sink joke, then… In addition, the Disco has a fridge-freezer and four-burner hob, plus a whole lot more besides

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“We travelled to Denmark and Norway in July 2014, just as they had their biggest heatwave for 50 years and we’d packed all our woollies…”

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Perhaps the most impressive figure is that it will still return a respectable 26mpg. And with the military-grade heavy-duty springs on the front and air-assisted suspension running at 20 PSI on the rear, this Disco 2 is one smooth operator.

So, where have Tony and Candy been – so far – in their homely all-inclusive camper?

‘We travelled to Denmark and Norway in July 2014, just as they had their biggest heatwave for 50 years and we’d packed all our woollies,’ laughs Candy. ‘We wanted to see Scandinavia – there are some great roads up there with hardly any traffic, but it’s so incredibly expensive.’

Tony adds, ‘We’ve done a lot of Scotland, the New Forest, Northumberland, the South Coast – from Norfolk to Barmouth, Durness to the Isle of Wight and everywhere in between. We’re definitely going to Scotland this year and want to take the camper to the Outer Hebrides. It’s a place we’ve been a few times, but not with the camper.’

No doubt when they do head north to Scotland, Tony and Candy will find the Discovery to be the perfect vehicle for such an adventure. Not only does it contain everything you could need to make a (mobile) house a home, but the living quarters are also mated to a fine Land Rover, surely making this one of the very best adventure vehicles around.

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MINING FOR

I

t’s not uncommon for 4x4 specialists to, well, specialise on one particular marque. Some go for Jeep, some go for Land Rover, some spread their net wide and cover the modern pick-up market. And it’s the same with restorers, especially the kind that have hit on a formula for taking heritage motors and reimagining them in a contemporary from.

That’s what Legacy Overland does – the company’s motto is ‘new vintage motors,’ and that’s a pretty neat description of what it sells. But unlike many others, it doesn’t limit itself just to one

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make. The company specialises in classic 4x4s, for sure – but in recent times, we’ve featured builds it has done on Land Rovers, Range Rovers and G-Wagens. And, of course, Landcruisers.

Basically, Legacy Overland works on cool trucks. And by the time the company is finished with them, they’re even cooler.

There are, of course, companies that ‘specialise’ in buying trucks that are cheap (and cheap for a reason), lightly tarting them up and then punting them out the door with an outrageous mark-up.

Most of us have learned to sniff them out when

we go looking through the classifieds, but people do fall for it, too – normally just the once, but there’s enough of them to make this one way of turning a profit. Anyway, companies like Legacy Overland are the opposite of that.

And this sensationally nice Landcruiser HJ45 pick-up is a perfect example. Like all Legacy Overland builds, it’s been taken back to a bare chassis and remanufactured from scratch, with a range of modern updates which sit very comfortably alongside the historical authenticity that runs through it.

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GOLD The 40-Series Toyota Landcruiser never came to Britain, but it was big in America – though only in petrol-engined form.

A few examples did find their way into the States, however, as fleet vehicles destined to work in the mining industry. Find one now and it’s a special kind of rarity – though this example, which has just been restified by Legacy Overland, takes that notion to a whole new level Words: Kaziyoshi Sasazaki Pictures: Legacy Overland

Dating from 1978, the Landcruiser’s HJ45 codename distinguishes it as a long-wheelbase model. This was available as a van, station wagon and, as seen here, a long-bed pick-up.

This example is powered by Toyota’s famously indestructible H engine, a 3576cc, 12-valve straight-six diesel whose output of 95bhp at 3600rpm and 159lbf.ft at 2200rpm marks it out as a slugger rather than a flyer. Sure enough, during its run in North America the 40-Series was only sold to the general public in petrol-engined form, so the diesel unit marks out this vehicle as

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Above: Toyota’s H engine is a wonderfully low-tech straight-six displacing 3576cc and putting out a reassuringly modest 95bhp and 159lbf.ft. Its presence marks out this Landcruiser as one which would have been imported to the USA as part of a special fleet order for the mining industry, as the 40-Series was only ever sold there to the general public in petrol-powered form. Like everything else throughout the vehicle, it has been given a comprehensive mechanical restoration Below: The chassis was stripped bare and fully restored, while the suspension was replaced with new Old Man Emu +2” springs and shocks from Old Man Emu. These provide a +2” lift, making way for a set of 235/85R16 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains

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one which would have been imported by special order as part of a fleet contract, most likely with a mining company.

As such, its early life is likely to have been one of hard use combined with thorough maintenance. Either way, it made it though its first forty years without getting beaten to death, so now that it’s been through the Legacy workshop it’s well sorted to waltz past its half-century and keep on going well into the future.

Having been stripped down, the vehicle’s components were shotblasted and refinished from the bare metal. Every mechanical part was overhauled from scratch, and then it went back together with a number of special touches to make it ‘a true one-of-a-kind Landcruiser for those who know what they want.’

These include Old Man Emu springs and shocks which between them give the vehicle a +2” suspension lift. This makes way for a set of 235/85R16 classic-pattern BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains which look superb on their Daytona beadlock steel wheels. There’s just enough lift there to add a touch of attitude, but not so much that it turns the truck into something it’s not. Legacy Overland talks about it being able to clear more terrain, which is of course true though we’re not sure if whoever buys it will be heading straight for the Rubicon. Though if they do, our money would be on them to make it through.

Even with its Emu suspension and BFGs, though, this is more of an extended leisure vehicle than a full-house off-roader. Few motors can rock a few dents better than an old Cruiser, after all – though with its beautifully restored and finished bodywork, you wouldn’t really want to use it to try and prove that point.

With a new coat of 6H9 Greyish Green paint (a proper Toyota colour) and a rustproofing epoxy undercoat, it certainly is a body that’s been made to last. So bouncing it off rocks and trees would sound like bad form, especially when there’s a world of tatty old boilers waiting for you to do just that with them. Actually, given the sort of money it takes to become the owner of a totally remanufactured vehicle like this, if you want to go hardcore rock-crawling as well you’ll probably buy a brand new Wrangler and spend the same again on modding it.

Anyway, to stay with the Landcruiser, that money also buys an interior which, like the rest of the vehicle, has been restored and enhanced without losing any of its original style. The instruments and controls have a wonderfully seventies feel to them, as if always to remind everyone on board that this is not a mere car, it’s a supreme example of classic machinery, but then the upper and lower dash, the door trims and the bench seat are spectacularly trimmed in weathered, full-grain natural saddle leather with black piping.

There’s a Bluetooth-enabled stereo in there, too – not that you’d think so to look at it, because it’s a RetroSound unit whose appearance is completely in keeping with that of the rest of the cabin. A very nice touch, that – you’ve probably seen the sort of classic whose cabin is laid to waste by a pumping new head unit with a huge screen and lights everywhere, and even in a relatively modern motor it looks jarringly out of

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As is normal with a Legacy Overland vehicle, the Landcruiser is superbly presented throughout.

Details like the body-coloured bumper and steel rims with beadlocks give it a wonderfully understated appearance and a huge feeling of purpose – as does the paint colour itself, a genuine Toyota original which the company calls 6H9 Greyish Green. There’s a rustproofing expoxy undercoat on the side of it you don’t see, too – it’s very definitely made to last this time, which is saying something condsidering the way it lasted even without all this protection. The only problem might be that you’d think twice before throwing a load of firewood in the back of that beautifully finished pick-up bed – though it’s surely the case that a truck built to do a job of work deserves to keep on being used and not turned into a molly coddled investment

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The Landcruiser’s interior is little short of sublime, with a wealth of original touches and widespread use of grained leather on the seats, doors and dash.Attention to detail is topnotch throughout – even the stereo, which is a modern unit with Bluetooth, has a design that fits in perfectly with the vehicle’s period looks

place. Less is definitely more here, and it works like a charm.

As does everything else about the Landcruiser – all the way down to the body-coloured high-lift jack mounted on its passenger’s-side running board. We’re not sure of the jaunty yellow finish of the Emu shocks goes particularly well with the muted tone of the panels, but there’s no shortage of worse colours they could have been.

‘Combining the classic package of a Landcruiser with a practical long-style pick-up bed, this

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comprehensive restoration merges the best of both worlds,’ says Legacy Overland of the vehicle it has created. ‘The spirited Landcruiser has been further upgraded with modern tweaks, making it the perfect partner in crime for memorable road trips at the Montana ranch or the Nantucket beachside.’

Put it like that, and you probably want this truck. And a ranch in Montana. Would a beachfront compound in Nantucket be too much to ask for too? Possibly, especially when you see what

real estate costs out there, but ya gotta dream big. Who wants enough when you can have it all?

And this certainly is a Landcruiser that does have it all. It’s a classic, but a brand new one. It’s a luxury vehicle that’s also as practical as the day it was born. And most of all, it’s a truck you could use every day – and also keep forever as a rock-solid investment. Having emerged from its first four decades looking like the way it does now, you wouldn’t bet against this Landcruiser going on to outlive us all.

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WILD WILD LIFE Most would-be overlanders dream about wildlife safaris in Africa. Start with a sound reality Words: Noel and Marilu Peries Pictures: Noel and Marilu Peries, and as credited

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check and yes, the dream really can come true

F

or most people, the idea of going on an African safari invokes romantic images of tall savannah grasses, acacia trees, khaki outfits and dramatic lion kills. And for these reasons and many more, going on safari can be an amazing trip of a lifetime.

But we’ve learnt the hard way that glossy magazine spreads and holiday adverts don’t always convey the importance of being prepared and managing your expectations.

Safaris are extraordinary holidays, but they can sometimes feel like little more than long and expensive camping trips.

After a whole year of exploring national parks in Southern and East Africa in Maggie, our 1991 Land Rover Defender, here are some things we’ve learnt about going on safaris that we think everyone should know.

Safaris are expensive, but they don’t have to be unaffordable There’s no way around it: going on safari will inevitably cost you a lot of money. For those of you (like us) who don’t have countless

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Some safari parks are household names, thanks to generations of wildlife shows on TV, and they can indeed be wonderful to visit. But these A-listers tend to cost A-list money, too – in the Ngorongoro Crater, or here in the Serengeti, tourists can expect to pay more than $600 per person, per day – and even in your own vehicle, the permits and camping fees will stack up high Above left: Serengeti Kopje, by Seyemon @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0 Above right: Serengeti Warning, byLaurent de Walick @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

thousands available to splash on the experience, the costs can quickly add up.

By far the most expensive parks we have visited are in East Africa. In this region, the likes of the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater cost $600 or more per day, per person.

Even if you opt for a self-drive safari, the cost of 4x4 rental plus camping in popular parks can exceed any reasonable expectations.

For those working on a modest budget, we always recommend starting in Southern Africa. The Kruger National Park in South Africa and Namibia’s Etosha National Park, for instance, are some of Africa’s best for wildlife viewing.

But they’re also much better value for money in comparison to their East African alternatives.

To fellow travellers, we always recommend visiting some of the less popular and therefore more affordable national parks. For instance, fees for Ruaha National Park in Tanzania are a fraction of those on the extremely popular northern circuit. And for the price of a three-day camping trip in the Serengeti, you could afford a threeday luxury lodge stay – with just as many leopard sightings to boot!

Our advice for those on a stricter budget: look for affordable accommodation options on the periphery of national parks, especially campsites or lodges that are owned and run by locals or communities. A good example is the Khwai community camp site on the northern edge of Botswana’s Moremi Game Reserve in the

Okavango Delta. Although Botswana is one of the most expensive safari destinations in the region, at the community campsites you can see just as much wildlife, if not more, as inside the park itself – and at a fraction of the cost.

You can also split your time inside parks with some time outside.

Remember that with a day’s park fee, it’s often possible to squeeze in two to three game drives. So unless you can really afford it, and you have plenty of patience (see below!), one or two days is plenty of time.

Also look for deals, which are abundant in the low and shoulder seasons. Packages such as South Africa National Parks’ Wild Card can save a lot of money for those spending more than a week inside South Africa’s national parks.

You might not see any of the ‘Big Five’, but they’re overrated anyway Lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo and rhino are famously known as the ‘big five.’ But visiting a park where they’re present doesn’t guarantee you that will actually see any of them.

We’ve lost count of the number of times we’ve cringed at being stopped by impatient tourists in national parks. ‘Have you seen any lions?’ they demand to know, and drive off in a huff when we deliver the news.

On our journeys, we have we met countless local guides. As you’d expect, most of them have had a lot of knowledge to share about their regions’ birds and fauna – but they

A lone cheetah basking atop his own personal lookout post on the Serengeti plain is one of those iconic images you’ll forever treasure as an image of the perfect safari experience: just you and nature. However the reality is that to get the picture on the left, you’ll probably have to be part of the scrum on the right. Even the less well known wildlife parks can become very busy – certainly, the experience can be far removed from the classic dream of solo overlanding. One answer can be to camp in the parks, as overnight visitors are often permitted to set off on their own early-morning game drives before the main gates open to let the tourists in Above left: Serengeti, by Jorge Cancela @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0 Above right: Land Cruisers watching cheetahs - Serengeti National Park safari - Tanzania, Africa, by David Berkowitz @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

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Ever wonder why the Big Five came to be the Big Five, and what’s so big about them anyway? The uncomfortable fact is that the lion, rhino, elephant, leopard and buffalo are the most difficult animals to kill if you’re hunting them on foot. That’s what you’re perpetuating if you get hung up on their status – but worse than that, you’ll also be overlooking no end of other magnificent species. The cheetah is perhaps the obvious one, but a close encounter with a giraffe is never less than magical, zebras and impalas are wonderfully graceful to watch and, often forgotten, Africa also has a wealth of unique bird life Pictures from top to bottom: Frank Vanbetlehem @ flickr.com, CC-BY-ND 2.0 Rhinos, by Chris Eason @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0 Elephant, by snarglebarf @ flickr.com, CC-BY-SA 2.0 Mala Mala, South Africa, by flowcomm @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0 South Africa, by Brent Newhall @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

are confronted daily by disgruntled tourists expecting a Discovery Channel experience.

Why do you think the Big Five includes the buffalo but not the cheetah or giraffe, which we’re fairly sure are a lot higher up on most people’s must-see lists? It’s because they’re harder to kill. Let that sink in.

Truth is, the Big Five is an arbitrary group based on prize hunting. The term was coined by

hunters to refer to the five most difficult animals to hunt down on foot. For those just visiting the parks, we believe the Big Five don’t actually matter.

Repeat that mantra every day and you’re so much more likely to enjoy your experience. Because Africa is absolutely teeming with wonderful wildlife – but the kind you see on the front of holiday brochures can be more elusive than

those same holiday brochures would have you believe.

For example, Marilu finally saw her first pride of lions in Kruger National Park after two years of living in Botswana and going on many safari trips.

And by she still hadn’t spotted a leopard or cheetah in the wild by then, either.

Our advice: take an interest in the lesserhyped animals and you’re likely to have a better experience.

There is a lot of interesting wildlife that isn’t included in the Big Five. National parks are home to thousands of species of birds, flora and fauna. Sometimes these species are rare and unique to that specific park – so pack those binoculars and a detailed wildlife guide!

To increase your chances of spotting rare and elusive animals, find out when the park gates are open and try to enter as early as possible.

Or better yet – sleep inside the park, as visitors are often allowed to go on game drives before the gates open to the masses.

Safaris can get pretty uncomfortable Long, hot and tiring days spent bouncing around in a 4x4 on dusty, corrugated dirt

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Left: Sunset in Tanzania’s Ruaha National Park. Lesser known parks like this have just as much wildlife as the A-listers, but you’ll only pay a fraction of the fees to see it Ruaha Sunset, by Jenn @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

Below: Moremi Game Reserve is in Botswana – one of the pricier safari destinations. However if you stay somewhere near the park that’s locally owned, such as the Khwai Community campsite near here, you’ll find it much cheaper – and your cash will be going to real African people, too, rather than faceless multinational hotel groups Afternoon-Game-drive-in-Khwai---Sango,

by Travel Local @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

roads. Returning to your campsite at night, dirty and achey, and having to wash under a cold bucket shower.

Safaris can be rewarding and memorable, especially when you finally find that herd of elephants bathing in the river. But they can also be hard work.

On our journeys, we have met a number of tourists suffering from what we have came to know as

‘safari fatigue’. And every single one of them has fallen into the same fatal trap – overestimating the amount of time they would enjoy being ferried around national parks.

And for us, even with the love of the bush in our blood, a two-day, twonight stay is about long enough to test our patience.

If long camping trips excite you, or you’re planning it as part of a

fully fledged overland expedition, then you’ll love going on safari.

If not, don’t make the mistake of feeling like you’ve got to prove what a macho outdoorsy type you

are – you’re in it for the experience of a lifetime, and to make the most of it your own way we recommend staying in a comfortable lodge that can organise outings and game

If you’re going overlanding, being self-sufficient is all prt of the buzz – to the extent that camping becomes something you do almost on a point of principle. And it’s probably true that if you’re going on safari as part of a longer expedition, it won’t be any more uncomfortable than the rest of the trip. For less experienced travellers, however, renting a 4x4 and a tent might sound like an instant passport to the Discovery Channel experience they’re dreaming of, but the truth is likely to come as a bit of a shock.

Either way, staying in a safari lodge is never going to be cheap – but if you’re in the position to treat yourself, it’s one of the best possible ways to enjoy a soft bed, a hot shower and a well stocked bar Left: Our camp site in Hwange, by Michael Sprague @ flickr.com, CC BY-SA 2.0 Above: Amboseli Serena - Ol Donyo Oibor Suite exterior, by John Hickey-Fry @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

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Right: The author in full safari mode behind the wheel of his trusty Defender 110, scouring the horizon for signs of wildlife Below: The other side of the safari experience. Turns out Noel didn’t need to go looking for wildlife after all – just park up in a clearing, settle down for a picnic and before long the wildlife will come to you. Just so long as it doesn’t arrive in the form of lions, obviously… drives. And there’s nothing wrong with combining the two, either – after several nights’ camping in the wild, checking into a luxury lodge and enjoying a hot shower and a soft bed will definitely come as something of a relief!

Close proximity to dangerous wildlife is exciting, but also terrifying Africa’s national parks are not theme parks. During our year of self-drive safaris, we often found ourselves, and our Land Rover, too close for comfort to dangerous animals.

In the well-visited parks, animals are used to vehicles roaming through their environment. But they are still wild and unpredictable. So treat them with reverence.

Elephants, in particular, are majestic but dangerous creatures. A mature elephant can easily flip over a two-tonne Land Rover. Our hearts never failed to skip a beat when we found ourselves sandwiched among a herd.

On our journey, we were charged by lone bull elephants twice. We also saw many other vehicles charged by them. And each

experience was terrifying enough to make us want to pack up and go home – at least in the moment!

Our advice: Always give wild animals, and especially elephants, distance. At least 50-100 metres is recommended, especially if you’re not with a trained guide. Try not to provoke animals by getting too close for the ‘perfect shot’, or by blowing your horn or flashing your lights. Invest in a good zoom lens instead. And if you stumble upon an elephant or a herd, turn your engine off to avoid spooking them, while keeping an eye on an escape route.

Drive slowly, especially at dusk, to avoid surprising an elephant or rhino hidden in dense bush. A quick Google search for ‘elephant flips safari vehicle’ or ‘rhino charges tourists’ should be a mandatory part of every traveller’s preparation for going out driving among Africa’s big beastsi!

While we were doing our research for this story, we discovered a lot of other travel articles recommending that people should only book organised safaris through tour companies. One site even claimed

that South Africa and Namibia were the only safe countries to go on a self-drive safari ‘in the entire continent of Africa’.

What an absolute load of old… bad advice. In a single year, we drove through national parks in eleven African countries, safely and with minimal hassle.

For those who don’t feel up to the challenge and the extra work of doing it yourself, then absolutely we recommend using a reputable tour company. But here’s the secret they don’t want you to know: there is really nothing that complicated to self-driving.

With preparation and some research before you travel, of course you can do it yourself. Even if you’ve never been to Africa before, you can

plan and execute an amazing selfdrive safari trip.

We’ve met plenty of fellow travellers and overlanders whose first experience in Africa was on a self-drive trip. Landcruisers and Land Rovers are popular all over the continent, and it’s possible to hire them fully equipped and ready for a safari experience.

To see what kind of amazing trips are possible, check out our blog, Maggie in Africa, or any of the other websites dedicated to expedition travel such as Overland Sphere and Africa Overland Network.

If you’re concerned about what to pack, there’s plenty of advice about this on our site. If you’re worried about not being able to spot wildlife, hire a local guide, stay in a lodge that organises game drives with guides – or buy a book on African wildlife and bring it with you.

Of course we recommend following some precautions. If you’re not taking your own 4x4, then rent one from a reputable company (check reviews) that offers insurance as part of the package.

The terrain in many national parks can also be muddy and difficult – so just make sure your off-roading skills (and etiquette) are tip-top before heading off.

Also follow medical advice on vaccinations. Take out travel insurance. Read travel guides and plan an itinerary. Ask fellow travellers (like us!) for advice. Be respectful and well-informed on the risks when you go. And don’t forget to have an amazing time!

You can follow the authors’ adventures by visiting their website – it’s at www.maggieinafrica.com

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OUR 4X4S Vehicle: Nissan Qashqai Premier Edition Year: 2014 Run by: Annette Broadbelt-Kidd Last update: October 2020 On the fleet since: October 2019

A gripping story EARLY JANUARY BROUGHT the Qashqai’s first MOT in our ownership. We’d actually had it a bit more than a year by then, but it was one of the millions whose tickets were extended by six months during the first lockdown.

As expected, the rear pads and discs wanted changing – they came up as an advisory last time round, and there wasn’t a lot left in either.

No sign of the usual tell-tale noises you hear when things are getting critical, though. Anyway, job done – and another advisory, for a worn track rod end, appears to have fixed itself because the Qashqai came back with a clean sheet.

It copped a scratched door while it was parked outside the garage that does our testing, which was less welcome. We’ll add that to the list of touch-ups that want doing once we’ve seen the back of winter (not to mention that other little thing going on in all our lives right now).

Winter, let’s talk about that. We’ve had a couple of snowfalls worthy

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of the name this month – nothing biblical, but enough to make the drivers round our way look like Bambi on ice. But on top of that, this winter has been a typically British one – mainly grey and wet, but chillingly cold with it.

Much as everyone likes to talk about ‘snow tyres,’ these are the real conditions winter tyres are made to cope with. Yes, we all know about the pattern of sipes that’s designed to hold snow because, as every pub bore knows, nothing sticks to snow better than more snow, but what makes the difference is the compound used in winter tyres which allows them to remain supple at temperatures below about 7°C. Or ‘all winter,’ you might say.

Our Qashqai is a 4x4 model, so it’s better equipped than most to deal with snowy conditions. But when we bought it, there was a different brand of tyre on each wheel – something we remedied by fitting a set of 225/45R19 Michelin CrossClimate SUVs.

This is an allseason tyre rather than a full-on winter job, however it carries the rather clumsily named 3PMSF (3 Peak Mountain Snow Flake) symbol – meaning it has passed the EU’s certified standard test for safety and mobility on snow. Tyres carrying this symbol also need to be classed as M&S tyres, meaning they should have better than average performance on muddy roads. Not into Mud-Terrain territory, obviously, but if farmer Palmer has been a bit careless on the way in and out of his fields the theory goes that you’ll stand a better chance of holding it on a set of these than you would on everyday rubber.

Not that that’s what we’re looking at here. Those snowy days in January provided an opportunity to

see how the Michelins coped with roads cloaked in a liberal covering of the white stuff. A rarity in Britain, but the private roads around our office complex were even quieter than normal because of lockdown, meaning we were able to take the Qashqai on to completely untouched, untreated snow.

Its response was good. Without claiming any sort of science to what will always be seat-of-the-pants testing, our feeling was that our

4x4 02/03/2021 23:13

old Qashqai, which was fitted with full-on winter tyres, gripped perhaps a little more firmly and stopped more smartly on snow. However the CrossClimates are exceptionally good here too. We found that driving like an idiot, by giving it way too much going into a corner, will provoke the four-wheel slide you’d expect – but the moment you lift, the grip comes back in with a bang.

So, while there’s no such thing as a tyre that can save you from yourself if you’re determined to bin it, these Michelins will forgive you the moment you figure it out.

Another measure of their grip is that you don’t lose your steering, even if you’re going too fast. Their tread has nice, sharp sides to the outer blocks which do an effective job of biting into the snow, which is of course the key to remaining in control. Between this and our Qashqai’s four-wheel drive, they’ve turned it into a vehicle which is tremendously sure-footed and confidence-inspiring on the rare occasions when Britain gets snow.

More to the point, though, they perform superbly during everyday winter conditions. You know, the slightly depressing cold and wet weather that makes up 95% of the time between the start of November and the end of February, when the temperature is constantly low enough to take the edge off a standard tyre’s performance. This is where an all-weather fitment comes in to its own, and where the Michelins are outstanding.

It’s not just their grip, which shows no sign of fading off at all whether on wet, slushy or, within reason, even icy surfaces. With the CrossClimates doing their thing, the Qashqai holds the road better than the test vehicles we get coming in week by week. And going back to the happy land of deep snow, if you feel invincible in the stuff because you’ve got a hardcore off-roader, I can tell you from experience that an all-weather tyre is much more at home in these conditions than any dedicated mud tyre. It’s closer if you’re talking about an

all-terrain, but I’d still put my money on the Qashqai’s Michelins against anything I’ve ever had fitted on the succession of off-roaders it’s been my pleasure to own.

Another important point about the CrossClimates, and one we appreciated on a ten-hour motorway journey just before Christmas, is that their comfort levels don’t drop at all in cold weather. This is definitely something we’ve found in tyres that aren’t designed for these conditions – the word ‘brittle’ is way to harsh, but you can sense that they’re less pliable and not as able to soak up the minor bumps and vibrations that shouldn’t make it through to the vehicle’s chassis.

That’s not the sort of thing that’ll bother you if you run an off-road beast on big chunky muds, because the low-level fussing and subtly enhanced road noise you get from cold tyres will be completely overwhelmed by the robustness of the everyday ride quality you enjoy (and enjoy is the word), but in a family SUV it makes a difference.

Come warmer weather, too, the CrossClimates are every bit as civilised as what sometimes gets referred to as a ‘summer’ tyre.

The Qashqai drives beautifully smoothly on them – we noticed a huge difference when they went on to replace the jumble of patterns that was on it before – and those sharply cornered tread blocks don’t generate any excess noise. Our old Qashqai certainly didn’t let itself down in these areas either, even running on its winter tyres at the height of summer, but the Michelins have a degree of refinement that sets them apart.

So we’re coming up on a year aboard these tyres, and they’re proving themselves very well.

Not that they’ve covered as many miles as we were expecting before lockdown became the word of the moment, but here’s hoping road trips will soon be a thing we can do again. Which means next stop, winter 2021-22 – when we’ll see how they perform with some proper wear on them.

The Michelins have turned the Qashqai into a vehicle which is tremendously sure-footed and confidence-inspiring on the rare occasions when Britain gets blanketed in snow

2pp Our 4x4s Apr 21 Qashqai.indd 77

02/03/2021 23:13

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ARB are the first to break cover with their accessories for the new Jimny SO WHO HAD ARB in the firstnew-Jimny-mods sweepstake, then? The Australian 4x4 accessories giant has unveiled its Project JBOX demo vehicle, sporting a range of off-road items which, while they are all still prototypes at this point in time, will become available to buy in the near future.

Suzuki’s Australian importer worked with ARB by giving the company’s engineers access to a pre-launch vehicle, allowing them to start work early on developing a range of all-new and adapted accessories. In addition, ARB was able to test-fit existing products to confirm they would work on the new vehicle – and the great news for Jimny fans looking to build a serious off-roader is that these include the legendary Air-Locker.

Among the new products ARB has developed for the Jimny is the smallest ever version of its Summit bull bar. This will come complete with a winch mount, which on Project JBOX has been used to house an 8000lb Warn Magnum.

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With this and the bull bar adorned with LED lighting, some underbody protection bolted on and a gear reduction transfer case mod to take care of the bigger tyres you’ll surely want, ARB is already well on the way to being able to kit out a new generation of super-Jimnys. How long before it all becomes available to buy? We don’t yet know – but it’s surely shorter than the waiting list Are you crazy about Defenders? Dotty about Discos? Does the sight of a classic Series for an actual vehicle. To keep tabs on progress, visit www.arb.com.au.

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email: johnmorgan@4x4driving.co.uk perper vehicle email: Quad bikes - entry £15 rider (all riders 14over) or over) ad y30£15 bikes - rider entry (all £15 riders per per rider 14 or (allover) riders 14 or email:johnmorgan@4x4driving.co.uk johnmorgan@4x4driving.co.uk email: johnmorgan@4x4driving.co.uk 30 per vehicle email: johnmorgan@4x4driving.co.uk email: johnmorgan@4x4driving.co.uk per vehicle Quad bikes - entry £15 £20 per per rider rider (all (all riders riders 14 14or orover) over) 4x4 4x4entry entry£32 £30per pervehicle vehicle

Cynghordy Llandovery Carmarthenshire, SA20 0NB Tel: 01550 750274 e-mail: info@cambrianway.com

www.cambrianway.com 4x4 & Green Lane Holidays - Mid Wales

Family run Guest House & Self Catering Cottages with spectacular views, en-suite bedrooms, comfortable lounge bar & excellent home cooked food.

Pressure washer, drying room, map room with local lanes marked, on-site 4x4 course & guides available.

A very popular venue for both individuals and groups of 4x4 enthusiasts.

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APRIL 2021 | 79

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4x4

NEXT MONTH IN…

A stunning new twist on a rare and classic Land Rover 90, a Wrangler built for professional off-roading and a drop-dead gorgeous Landcruiser

Tested: Land Rover Defender 110 and SsangYong Rexton Solo travel in a new Landcruiser on some of the most dramatic trails anywhere in Europe

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ROADBOOK: Lockdown permitting, a new lane route to see in the spring!

15.0 a Abbey Strata Florid

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12.8 Name Address

88 | JAN UARY 2020

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4x4

14.9 4x4 JA NUARY

Newsagent This magazine is available to your wholesaler through Comag Magazine Marketing, Tavistock Rd, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE. Tel: 01895 444055 Fax: 01895 433602

80 | APRIL 2021

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4x4 02/03/2021 23:23

www.osram.co.uk/ledriving-lights

Light is Adventure OSRAM LEDriving® Working and Driving Lights The new range of intense LED lights are built to step up to the challenge when the going gets tough. Leave the tarmac behind and see clearly what lies ahead of you off the beat track. The new range of robust and stylish spotlights, reversing lights and lightbars can improve near- and far-field vision whilst enhancing driving performance, even under the most extreme conditions. Don’t let the darkness spoil your next adventure.

For more information visit: www.osram.co.uk/ledriving-lights or email: automotive@osram.co.uk

Light is OSRAM

INTRODUCING THE ALL-NEW ISUZU D-MAX

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30/11/2020 17:43