4x4 Magazine - October 2020

4x4

NEWS • TECH • DEBATE • TRAVEL • MODIFIED VEHICLES • GREEN LANING DRIVEN New hybrid powered Suzuki Vitara

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

REAL OR NO REAL? The new Land Rover Defender has the answer. All you have to do is figure out the question…

Stunning resto-modded Suzuki SJ in profile

£4.99

Discover new lanes on our Leicestershire Roadbook

OCT 2020

Stunning 3.9 V8 Defender 90 restoration unveiled 4x4 Cover SK.indd 1

29/08/2020 15:43

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20/03/2020 11:39

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EGR RollTrac is the all new roll top cover that keeps cargo fully protected, wherever your pickup truck is heading.

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Find out more and buy online at www.4x4ni.com 30 | AUGUST 2020 Ad spreads.indd 30

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AUGUST 2020 | 13

30/06/2020 17:05

October 2020

CONTENTS

32

“‘Show not go’ is the ultimate insult in some circles, it at this Suzuki you’d soon be eating your words”

24

64 | JANUARY 2020

4-5 Contents Oct.indd 4

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38

4x4 01/09/2020 19:43

37 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 11 11 12 12 13 13 14 18 20 21 22 22 23 22

Land Rover New engines and special editions for Evoque and Disco Sport Isuzu D-Max Tough one-tonner records best-ever month-on-month sales Jeep Gladiator Farout concept reinvents truck as overland machine Mitsubishi L200 Long-running double-cab set to disappear from UK Dacia Duster First responders climb aboard new off-road paramedic motors Volkswagen New United model unites T-Roc and T-Cross SUVs BMW X7 Dark Shadow model will be one of Britain’s rarest-ever vehicles Kia Sorento Bold new model promises best-ever off-road performance Hankook Dynapro AT2 New all-terrain certified as a winter tyre Mopar New lift kit for diesel-engined Wranglers Autohome Premium roof tent becomes a genuine Defender accessory Milner Off-Road Radar Renegade mud-terrain joins huge stock list Machine Mart New range of Clarke inverter-generators Britpart New mounting kit for Puma-style Defender seats Lazer Lamps Amber lenses for utility lighting

Driven 24 30

Land Rover Defender 110 Can it possibily live up to all the hype?

Suzuki Vitara New mild-hybrid engine adds zest and economy alike

Every Month 4 11 14 40 52 64

Alan Kidd Why Land Rover might have got the Defender spot-on after all Coming Soon Trucks and SUVs set to be launched in the near future Calendar Off-road events to enjoy as summer turns to autumn Subscribe Stay at home and get 4x4 delivered – and save a huge 75%!

Roadbook A mainly gentle day on the lanes of northern Leicestershire Next Month Trust us to get a Lamborghini SUV and take it green laning…

Features 32 38 42

Stunning SJ A resto-modded Suzuki that will make your jaw drop High-end 90 Recreating an old Landy with the heart of… an old Landy Expedition Cruiser Sensational 80-Series built to take on the world with ease

Our 4x4s 62

Nissan Qashqai A set of tyres to make the most of our wagon’s all-wheel drive

Travel

but if you were to level are sharp rock Caution – there as you climb the steps to negotiate hillside

Step

Step 40: Turn left off the main embankment track, dropping then plunging down the straight into a water trough (right)

37

Step

13

Step

12.3 41

Abbey Strata Florida

8.75

track to the left Take the rocky track the main Cat A

Step

14

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38 13.1

of

More rock steps, water trough

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followed by a long

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Step

15

There’s a couple of huge water troughs after the junction

13.1 Step

43

11.7 Step

16 11.8 Step

17 12.8 Step

18 12.8 88 | JANUARY 2020

It’s a steep, sharp climb up and over a bigger track – you can’t see ahead over your bonnet to start with

Caution over a steps as you short set of rocky drop down the hill

15.0

Step

4212.6

10.9

52

44

Step

48

Look out for you cross the the waymarker as ford

California Taking on Death Valley and more in a Tdi-era Defender 110

44

15.2

13.4 Step

Join the Cat A

track

44

You may find yourself driving a river bed along for a while…

13.65 Step

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track Drop off the main the gate and immediately before trough water into yet another

14.7 Step

to clear these axleneed a bit of momentum right is much bigger to the Step 37: You might warned, the drop-off twisters – but be than it looks here

4x4

46 14.9 4x4 JANUARY

4x4 4-5 Contents Oct.indd 5

2020 | 89

JUNE 2020 | 3

01/09/2020 19:43

4x4 Alan Kidd Editor

I

’ve spent most of the last year being asked what I think of the new Land Rover Defender. Now I’ve actually driven one, I feel like I might finally have an answer worthy of the name. Which is good, because I’m still being asked.

Most recently, it was one of my Mum’s neighbours. Typical Defender owners in the modern era, you might say – a professional couple with a grown-up family, running a Puma 90 with a pop-up roof tent, who said their next adventure is going to be the North Coast 500.

You might well conclude that that, right there, is the perfect example of why the Defender had to change.

As the man from Land Rover said at the UK launch, farmers don’t use them for working the land any more. The thing is, farmers no longer use them for just getting about, either. They might if they also happen to be Land Rover fans, but there’s a bit of an acorn and oak thing going on there – and the fact is that while you’re out there looking for a ‘traditional’ Defender owner, by the time you find one you’ll probably have seen a couple of dozen people who traded their last Land Rover for a Japanese pickup a decade or more years ago.

That’s the sad truth behind the sales figures that forced the old Defender out of production. Everyone said they loved it, but the numbers simply didn’t add up.

It’s the sad truth behind why the new one is so very different to the original, too. And here’s where, having finally driven one, I actually might have something to say that’s worth listening to.

What I found was that nothing can prepare you for just how different it actually is. If you come to the new Defender from the old one, you might as well be climbing aboard a Bentley. Space, build, materials, comfort, equipment – the new Defender has them all on its side.

It drives like a tall but purposeful SUV, too. Minimal body roll, taut handling, well damped rebounds, muffled and distant suspension impacts – the same man from Land Rover said the Defender will appeal to Discovery 3 and 4 owners, and in that we think he was absolutely spot-on.

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It’s called a Defender, which seems to matter more than anything else In fact, the similarities between the new Defender and the old Disco are too clear not to be picked up on. The geometric styling, the stunningly practical interior, the ground-breaking use of electronics to make it work off-road…and also the feeling of struggling to recognise it as having anything at all to do with the vehicles of the same name that went before.

‘Evolution not revolution’ used to be Land Rover’s mantra. Compared to the old Defender, though, the new one is about as revolutionary as a vehicle can get.

Not just in its spec, nor indeed in its pricing. The new model has somehow managed to retain a degree of character – it’s a different character to what the old one used to have, but it’s there and that’s very clever on Land Rover’s part.

Nonetheless, towards the end of my first time behind the wheel, something happened that I don’t ever recall coming over me on a car launch before. I actually started feeling a bit bored. And that would certainly never have happened in an old Defender. Achey, maybe. Deaf, possibly. Shattered, almost certainly. But bored? Never.

I’d still love to take it round the North Coast 500, though. Or indeed along the Dempster Highway or the Road of Bones. (‘Road of Wishbones,’ there’s the name of that article. All things I’d have loved to do in a Discovery 3, too.

I wouldn’t choose it for the 1000 Rivers, though, or for a weekend’s laning. Just as I wouldn’t have chosen a Disco 3. Both are very capable indeed, but the pasting you give your truck in these situations would put me right off. That was definitely never the case with the old Defender.

So I gave Mum’s neighbour a two-word answer. It is, I said, ‘bloody good.’ And for owners like them, it absolutely will be. Yes, I can now confirm that it’s radically different to the old one. But it’s still able to do amazing things. And it’s called a Defender – and when all’s said and done, that seems to matter more than anything else.

Tel: 01283 553243 Email: enquiries@assignment-media.co.uk 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, Jen Bright and Gav Lowrie, Sid Mould, Gary Noskill, Kaziyoshi Sasazaki, Photographers Harry Hamm, Steve Taylor, Richard Hair, Vic Peel 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, 2020

4x4 26/08/2020 23:52

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38 | FEBRUARY 2020

TOR Folios and classifieds.indd 48

PHONE: 01299 250174

E-mail: enquiries@apbtrading.co.uk

4x4 02/06/2020 15:38

THE ONLY LAND ROVER SHOW IN

It’s on! • Great British Land Rover Show • NAEC, Stoneleigh • Sunday 22 November,

T

his year has been a bit of a wipe-out for Land Rover shows, with no major events at all managing to beat the restrictions put in place to keep us safe from coronavirus.

Until now!

The organisers of the Great British Land Rover Show are delighted to announce that with restrictions on indoor events due to be scaled back from the start of October, the pre-Christmas event that’s become the traditional season-ender in 4x4 and Land Rover circles is ON. And not only will it bring the season to a close – it’ll open the season, too!

In fact the Great British Land Rover Show, at the NAEC in Stoneleigh on 22 November, will be the ONLY Land Rover event to go ahead this year.

As usual, the event will be held indoors – meaning there’s no danger of it being rained off. Of course, full social distancing and virus prevention measures will be in place, including a one-way system and limitations on the number of visitors allowed within Stoneleigh’s exhibition halls.

To allow this, the organisers will be running timed entry slots for visitors with pre-booked tickets. To

guarantee you’ll be allowed in at the time you want, select your slot when you book in advance. Advance bookings for each slot will be limited, however – so to make sure you don’t miss out, you should book as early as you can.

The good news is that as normal at the Great British Land Rover Show, booking in advance means big savings. Tickets on the door will cost £15 per person – but when you book ahead, that drops by half to just £7.50.

As always, the show will give you loads for your money. With no other events having taken place all

year, the organisers are anticipating massive pent-up demand from traders – so you can expect there to be a bumper crop of stands open for business. Current exhibitors already booked in include headline sponsor BFGoodrich, Terrafirma and Paddock Spares, and you look forward to seeing plenty more, large and small, when the doors open.

There’ll be parking areas reserved for Land Rovers, too, and a special package for recognised clubs means plenty of representation for the grass-roots Land Rover scene.

Talking of clubs, the All Wheel Drive Club will once again be running a

£15 on the door • £7.50 in advance • Book your 8 | OCTOBER 2020

2 GBLRS SK.indd 8

4x4 29/08/2020 15:42

2020!

2020 Great British Land Rover Show • Big-name exhibitors • AWDC off-road course • VIP parking for Land Rovers • Special club area • Plus more attractions to be announced!

10am to 4pm

drive-round off-road course – tickets for this cost £15 on the day, but with limited availability the smart money is on paying just £10 to book ahead.

With more exciting developments set to be announced between now and 22 November, you can stay up to date by following the show’s Facebook page – which is at www. facebook.com/gblandrovershow. Or to book your half-price tickets, head for www.greatbritishlrshow.com – and, as well as saving money, secure your entry slot at the time you want.

But don’t delay – with no other Land Rover shows since Stoneleigh last year, it’s going to be a busy one!

Calling all clubs!

Want to be part of the 2020 Great British Land Rover Show? There’s a great package on offer to help you promote your club…

• FREE stand • Four free staff passes • Half-price advance and on-the-door ticket prices available for all members of participating clubs

tickets now – at www.greatbritishlrshow.com 4x4 2 GBLRS SK.indd 9

OCTOBER 2020 | 9

29/08/2020 15:42

NEW 4X4S

NEW ENGINES AND MODELS FOR EVOQUE AND DISCO SPORT

295bhp Discovery Sport Black • Autobiography model added to top of Evoque family tree

I

t hardly seems like any time since Land Rover launched its game-changing plug-in hybrid versions of the Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque. But there’s already more on the way – with further engine updates starring in a set of updates for the 2021 model year.

These include a new 290bhp, 295lbf.ft turbocharged petrol unit, which will be available in the special-edition Discovery Sport Black – itself an addition to the range.

The 2.0-litre unit allows a 0-62 time of 7.4 seconds and emits 211g/km of CO2, while the vehicle itself adds further styling touches inside and out to the R-Dynamic S on which it’s based.

Elsewhere in the range, the Discovery Sport gains a brace of new mild-hybrid diesel engines.

VOLVO HAS ADDED a second plug-in hybrid to its XC40 range.

The XC40 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid T4, as well as boasting the most

10 | OCTOBER 2020

Scene Oct.indd 10

Producing 163 and 204bhp respectively, the D165 and D200 units bring emissions down to as low as, coincidentally, 163g/km.

The vehicle also gains Land Rover’s latest Pivi and Pivi Pro media systems, complete with over-theair updates via an embedded SIM card, and a new Cabin Air Filtration System capable of keeping out allergens, particulates and even smells.

Further enhancements to the vehicle’s collection of advanced safety systems are also introduced to the Disco Sport range – and indeed to the Evoque, which will receive almost all the above at the same time.

Whereas the headline story for the Disco Sport is the new Black model, however, on the Evoque it’s the addition of an Autobiography trim at the top of the line-up. This features forgettable name in the history of motoring, combines a 129bhp, 1.5-litre petrol engine and 82bhp electric motor to return up to

additional exterior styling elements and, in particular, added luxuries in the cabin.

Prices for the revised Discovery Sport start at £31,915, with the Evoque nudging things upwards to 134.5mpg and 47g/km, plus an all-electric range of up to 27 miles.

The range is also set to gain a pair of mild-hybrid petrol models

£32,100. Safe to say you’ll be able to more or less double those for the new Black and Autobiography models; the configurator at www. landrover.co.uk will keep you right on that and much more. with outputs of 197 and 250bhp, in addition to a fully electric P8 model – deliveries of which will commence early next year.

4x4 29/08/2020 13:53

Isuzu D-Max storms back to post best-ever July sales

NEW 4X4S

COMING SOON Forthcoming 4x4s due later this year and beyond

CRISIS? WHAT CRISIS? New car sales may have been in the doldrums recently, but Isuzu is proving that that doesn’t need to be the case – having just had its best July on record. That’s because D-Max registrations were up 50% on the same month last year – an achievement that’s all the more remarkable as the vehicle is due for replacement by an all-new model early next year.

Isuzu is currently recruiting new dealers in a bid to grow the D-Max’s market share still further. The company has a stated target of 10,000 vehicles per year by 2025 – and at present it’s firmly on track to achieve that.

Jeep unveils expedition-themed Farout concept JEEP HAS UNVEILED the Farout Concept – a version of the Gladiator featuring a 2” lift, 37” tyres and 16” deployable four-man roof tent. Designed to showcase the long-range abilities of the company’s new 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine, it’s also equipped with custom rock sliders and a steel bumper housing a 12,000lb Warn winch.

Inside, the vehicle gets a motorhome fit-out in miniature, with a wood-lined interior featuring seats and a table, stowage space and a fridge and stove top. It’s lit by soft ambient lighting, while up front the seats are trimmed in dark smoke blue leather with orange stitching.

The Farout was originally intended to be shown at this year’s cancelled Easter Safari in Moab, but is being introduced now as Jeep rolls out its show cars one by one. ‘We’re pleased to introduce the Jeep Farout concept as a vehicle that blends Gladiator EcoDiesel’s fuel efficiency with an area of features fans of overlanding will love,’ said Jim Morrison, FCA’s Head of Jeep Brand. C’mon baby light my stove…

The newly announced plug-in T4 model starts at £39,130, though it’s only available with front-wheel drive. The B4 and B5 mild hybrids,

4x4 Scene Oct.indd 11

on the other hand, have all-wheel drive as an optional and standard feature respectively; these range from £32,760 to £37,865.

Aiways U5 Alfa Romeo Tonale Alpina XB7 Aston Martin DBX Audi Q4 e-tron Audi Q5 facelift Audi SQ7 Audi SQ8 BMW iX3 BMW X5 M Competition BMW X6 M Competition Bentley Bentayga Bollinger B1 Bollinger B2 Cupra Ateca Cupra Formentor Ford Mustang Mach-E Ford Ranger INEOS Grenadier Jeep Jeep Cherokee Desert Hawk Jeep Gladiator Jeep Grand Commander Jeep Compass 4xe Jeep Renegade 4xe Jeep Wagoneer Kia Kia Sorento PHEV Land Rover Defender 90 Land Rover Defender 130 Land Rover Defender PHEV Land Rover Defender EV Maserati Mercedes-Benz EQB Mercedes-Maybach GLS Mitsubishi Outlander Nissan Ariya Porsche Cayenne GTS Rivian R1T Rivian R1s Skoda Enyaq iV SsangYong Korando EV Suzuki Across Tesla Cybertruck Tesla Model X Tri-Motor Tesla Model Y Torsus Terrastorm Toyota Highlander Toyota Hilux facelift Toyota RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid Toyota Yaris Cross Volkswagen Amarok Volkswagen Touareg R Volvo XC40 PHEV Volvo XC40 P8 EV

Electric SUV Small SUV Performance SUV Performance SUV Electric SUV Medium SUV Performance SUV Performance SUV Electric SUV Performance SUV Performance SUV Luxury SUV Electric off-roader Electric pick-up Performance SUV Performance SUV Electric SUV Pick-up Off-roader Small SUV Performance Off-Roader Pick-up Large SUV Hybrid SUV Hybrid SUV Luxury SUV Crossover EV Hybrid SUV Off-roader Off-roader Hybrid off-roader Electric off-roader Medium SUV Electric SUV Luxury SUV Medium SUV Electric SUV Performance SUV Electric pick-up Electric large SUV Electric SUV Electric SUV Medium SUV Electric Pick-Up Electric SUV Medium SUV Off-road van Large SUV Pick-up Medium SUV Small SUV Pick-up Performance SUV Hybrid SUV Electric SUV

August 2020 November December Summer 2021 Autumn Autumn 2020 Autumn 2020 June 2021 Summer Summer 2021 2020 2021 Autumn 2020 Late 2021 October 2022 Late 2021 2021 Summer Summer 2020 2021 September 2021 2021 Late 2020 Autumn 2020 March 2021 2021 2023 2021 Early 2021 Summer October Spring 2021 Late Summer Spring 2022 Summer 2022 Early 2021 September Autumn 2020 Late 2022 Early 2021 October Autumn 2020 Early 2021 November October Early 2021 2022 July October Early 2021

OCTOBER 2020 | 11

29/08/2020 13:54

NEW 4X4S

NEW 4X4S

End in sight for L200 as Mitsubishi confirms shock exit from UK new car market

Volkswagen’s new special edition unites small SUV THE CURRENT MITSUBISHI L200 will be the last in a long line of double-cabs to be sold as officially imported models in the UK. The Japanese manufacturer recently announced that it plans to withdraw entirely from the European market, with no further new models to be introduced here, in order to concentrate on growing its market share closer to home – meaning the next-generation version of what was once Britain’s most popular

double-cab will only ever be available here via grey importers.

With the Shogun already gone following the end of global production last year, Mitsubishi will also let its other models currently on sale here peter out rather than renewing them.

Existing models will continue to be sold for as long as emissions regulations and remaining stock allow, but after that the UK importer will switch to supporting customers via a parts and servicing network.

VOLKSWAGEN’S T-CROSS AND T-ROC SUVs are now available in special-edition United form. Adding up to £1760 of extra value on top of the SE model it’s based on, this gives you heated seats and washer jets, rear privacy glass, special alloys, voice control and bespoke grey and blue seat fabric.

The T-Cross also gets all-round parking sensors, while the T-Roc adds unique puddle lights.

The T-Cross United is available with a choice of 95 and 115bhp petrol engines, the latter offering an auto option, while the T-Roc comes with 115 and 150bhp units. Again, the latter can be had in auto form for a bit of extra cash.

Talking of cash, the T-Cross starts at £20,410 and the T-Roc at £23,550.

They’re available to order now.

The BMW X7 is a rare enough sight on the road.

But the X7 Dark Shadow Edition will be a whole lot rarer, because BMW is only bringing 10 of them to the UK. The super-exclusive SUV will feature a spec list that’s as wide as it s deep, including special styling inside and out, exclusive paint, 22” alloys, massage seats, pan roof and the best infotainment systems BMW has to offer. Powered by the company’s 530bhp turbocharged V8 engine, it’s one of those vehicles where they don’t quote a price – if you have to ask, and all that. You can register your interest at any BMW dealer now

THE SOUTH CENTRAL Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust has taken delivery of 40 Dacia Dusters for use by Community First Responders. Funded entirely by charity, the vehicles are operated by specially trained volunteers who provide a rapid, locally based response to emergencies – often being able to reach the scene more quickly than an ambulance and administer potentially life-saving pre-hospital treatment.

The fleet of Dusters is made up of 27 4x2 models and 13 4x4s. The latter will be deployed in more remote and rural parts of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Hampshire (an area covering more than 3500 square miles), where their all-wheel drive ability will help crews to access patients in hard to reach areas.

12 | OCTOBER 2020

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4x4 29/08/2020 13:54

OVERLOADING IS COMMON

YOUR INSURANCE COULD BE INVALID IF YOU’RE OVERLOADED

4x4 Overloading – a problem easily solved What would your thoughts be if you were told your vehicle, trailer and everything carried on it and in it were not insured?

Scary thought isn’t it, but of all the vehicles stopped and checked by DVSA (2015-2016), over 80% were found to be overloaded and/or exceeding the driver’s licence entitlement.

When was the last time you checked your vehicle weights?

If you knew there was an inexpensive option to avoid your overloading problems, would you be interested?

For over 20 years, SvTech have covered GVW rerating on vehicles, from small sub 3.5t vehicles all the way up to 150t Special Types vehicles.

SvTech can uprate the GVW of most 4x4’s and in some cases also increase the towing allowances. e.g. Toyota Hilux, Isuzu D-Max – GVW increase to 3500kg + GTW of 3500kg (7000kg combined) A GVW uprate can increase your payload allowance thus reducing the size and number of vehicles involved for transporting your goods.

Try using SvTech’s free Load Distribution Analysis program to check your weights. www.svtech.co.uk/lda

GVW AND TOWING ALLOWANCES AFFECTED

HAVE YOU WEIGHED YOUR VEHICLE? DO IT NOW BEFORE THE DVSA DO!

WE CAN HELP. WE ARE THE UK’S LEADING RE-RATING SPECIALIST SVTECH LTD Chandler House, Talbot Road, Leyland Lancs. PR25 2ZF www.svtech.co.uk webenquiries@svtech.co.uk

01772 621800

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29/08/2017 14:11

NEW 4X4S

BOLD NEW SORENTO MOVES KIA FURTHER UPMARKET THAN EVER

Hybrid and diesel powertrains • Up to 2500kg towing capacity • From £38,845 to £46,945

K

ia’s new Sorento is on sale now – with prices starting at £38,845. Dubbed the most high-tech vehicle the company has ever built, the fourth generation of its flagship SUV is the first model to be based on its all-new mid-size platform and is for sale at launch with a choice of three spec levels and two power trains.

The latter includes the first electrified offering in the Sorento’s history, in the shape of a petrol hybrid combining a 1.6-litre engine with a 44.2kW motor. The system produces 226bhp and 258lbf.ft, returning as much as 40.9mpg and 158g/km – while also allowing the Sorento to tow up to 1650kg.

There range also retains a diesel option, with a new 2.2-litre four-pot producing 199bhp and 325lbf.ft.

Mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch auto, the engine returns 42.2mpg and 176g/km while allowing the Sorento to tow 2500kg.

Oddly, the diesel unit is only available on one model – the mid-range Sorento 3 – whereas the hybrid is offered across the entire line-up. Its figures dip slightly on higher-spec versions, with the range-topping Sorento 4 returning 38.2mpg and 168lbf.ft.

For comparison, on the Sorento 3 the hybrid returns 38.7mpg and 166g/km – 3.5mpg poorer than the diesel but 10g/km cleaner. The hybrid wins the 0-62 sprint, with 8.7 seconds beating 9.1, but costs £1500 more to buy – and of course, the likely clincher, will tow so much less weight.

If neither appeal, a new plug-in hybrid will be added to the range towards the end of the year.

All Sorentos are, in Kia’s own words, ‘gloriously equipped,’ with a massive range of safety systems and a suite of drive modes including off-road settings for mud, snow and sand. Kia says the new Sorento will be the most capable off-roader ever to wear the badge – more so even than the first-generation model, which had low range and a rigid back axle.

Further equipment includes DAB, Bluetooth, voice recognition and

smartphone pairing, as well as a 12.3” digital dashboard and 8.0” touchscreen with integrated reversing camera. You also get dual-zone air-con, LED lights and rain-sensing wipers, and all models come with seven seats as standard.

Moving up to the mid-range Sorento 3 adds various styling upgrades inside and out as well as leather trim, power seat adjustment, cabin mood lighting and a 10.25” touch-screen with telematics. This model also gains self-levelling rear suspension, automatic cruise control and a powered tailgate, and the

alloy wheels go up from 17” to 19”.

At the top of the range, the Sorento 4 has Nappa leather, memory seats, electric lumbar adjust and a panoramic sunroof. The seats are chilled as well as heated and in addition to an upgraded 12-speaker Bose stereo you get head-up display and extra safety features including a 360° monitor.

Best of all, the Sorento continues to come with Kia’s seven-year warranty. It’s available to order now; prices start at £38,845 and climb to £46,945, with the mid-range Sorento 3 CRDi diesel costing £41,245.

14 | OCTOBER 2020

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EXPERIENCED DRIVER DEPICTED

WHAT AR E YO U BU I LD I NG FOR ?

B U I LT T H R O U G H E X P E R I E N C E … E AR N E D O N T H E T R A I L BFGO ODRICH.CO.UK

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21/09/2018 15:49

CALENDAR KEY

P Off-Road Playday

G Green Lane Convoy Tour

A Overseas Adventure Travel

S 4x4 Show

Important: In the wake of the coronavirus 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 September

23 September

4-22 October

Without a Club P 4x4 Aldermaston, Berkshire Rochford and District 4x4 P Essex, Rayleigh, Essex 4x4 P Frickley Frickley, South Yorkshire P Hill’n’Ditch Mouldsworth, Cheshire Slindon Safari P Slindon, West Sussex

Adventure Tours G 4x4 South Wales Valleys

A Protrax Morocco Desert and Mountain

26 September

10 October

Off Roaders P Burnham Tring, Hertfordshire Off Road Centre P Kirton Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs P Protrax Tixover, Northamptonshire

Events G UKPeakLandrover District

17-18 September

26-27 September

Events G UKEdenLandrover and Tynedale

Adventure Tours G 4x4 Pembrokeshire

17-20 September

27 September

Adventure Tours G 4x4 Coast to Coast (Lakes / Yorkshire)

Adventure Tours G Green Shrophsire / Welsh Borders Events G UKTyneLandrover and Wear

Off Roaders P Burnham Tring, Hertfordshire Leisure P Cowm Whitworth, Lancashire 4x4 P Frickley Frickley, South Yorkshire P Hill’n’Ditch Mouldsworth, Cheshire Off Road Centre P Kirton Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs P Protrax Tixover, Northamptonshire

19-20 September

2-3 October

17 September – 1 October Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

19 September

Overland Show G Protrax Wales S Adventure Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire 3 October G Trailmasters Yorkshire Adventure Tours 20 September G Green Shrophsire / Welsh Borders Pit 4 October P Devil’s Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire Pit Off Road P Devil’s Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire P Explore Silverdale, Stoke-on-Trent Bottom Bottom P Muddy Minstead, Hampshire P Muddy Minstead, Hampshire 4x4 Spares Day Monsters S Newbury Newbury, Berkshire P Mud East Grinstead, West Sussex 4x4 Valley 4x4 P Parkwood Tong, Bradford P Thames Brick Kiln Farm, Hampshire Wood P Picadilly Bolney, West Sussex

16 | OCTOBER 2020

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10-11 October Road Adventure Travel G Off Wales and Tracks G Trails North of England

11 October Without a Club P 4x4 Aldermaston, Berkshire 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 Events G UKNorthLandrover York Moors

11-25 October Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

22 November British Land Rover Show S Great Stoneleigh, Warwickshire

12 October Events G UKDalesLandrover and Eden

17 October and Tracks G Trails Tyne Valley

18 October Off Road P Explore Silverdale, Stoke-on-Trent Bottom P Muddy Minstead, Hampshire

Monsters P Mud East Grinstead, West Sussex Landrover Events P UKLincoln and Belvoir

18 Oct – 5 Nov

A Protrax Morocco Coast to Coast 23 October Adventure Tours G 4x4 Shropshire

24 October Off Roaders P Burnham Tring, Hertfordshire Off Road Centre P Kirton Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs and Tracks G Trails Night run Events G UKEdenLandrover District

24-25 October Adventure Tours G 4x4 Mid-Wales G Protrax Wiltshire

25 October Off Roaders P Burnham Tring, Hertfordshire Leisure P Cowm Whitworth, Lancashire 4x4 P Frickley Frickley, South Yorkshire P Hill’n’Ditch Mouldsworth, Cheshire Off Road Centre P Kirton Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs 4x4 and LR Spares Day S Malvern Malvern, Worcestershire Safari P Slindon Slindon, West Sussex Valley 4x4 P Thames Broxhead, Hampshire

27 October – 13 November Safari A Peru Kuelap / Cloud Warrior Tour

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CALENDAR 31 October

29 November

26 March – 11 April 2021

9-23 June 2021

Adventure Tours G Green Shrophsire / Welsh Borders Events G UKNorthLandrover York Moors (night run)

Landrover Events G UKNorthumberland

A Ardventures Morocco

A Protrax Pyrenees

3-17 December

27 March – 11 April 2021

12-27 June 2021

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

World Overland A Lost Morocco

A Ardventures Pyrenees

4 December

3-20 April 2021

19 June – 4 July 2021

Adventure Tours G 4x4 Dorset

Safari A Peru Kuelap / Cloud Warrior Tour

Safari A Peru Jaguar Tracks Tour

7-8 November

5-6 December

4-17 April 2021

21-27 June 2021

Overland G Atlas Wessex G Protrax Wales Trails and Tracks G Cumbria, Eden and Yorks Dales

G Protrax Wales

Overland A Atlas Morocco

A Landtreks French Pyrenees

6 December

18 April 2021

21 June – 1 July

31 October –1 November Road Adventure Travel G Off Wales and Tracks G Trails York Moors and Dales

9-13 November

G Ardventures Coast to Coast 15 November Adventure Tours G 4x4 Salisbury Plain Landrover Events G UKYorkshire Dales

15-29 November

Adventure Tours G 4x4 Salisbury Plain Events G UKLakeLandrover District

British Land Rover Show S Great Newark, Nottinghamshire

Overland A Atlas Corsica

19 April – 3 May 2021

9-24 July 2021

Adventure Tours G 4x4 Surrey

A Trailmasters Morocco Marrakesh

A Ardventures Balkans

22 April – 6 May 2021

10-24 July 2021

12-13 December

A Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

1-14 May 2021

12-18 July 2021

Overland A Atlas Portugal

A Landtreks Pyrenees

11 December

Adventure Tours G 4x4 Kent G Trailmasters Wales

Peru Safari

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

24 December

3-12 May 2021

19-28 July 2021

18-19 November

Events G UKLakeLandrover District

4x4 Adventures A Active Alps

Adventure Tours G 4x4 Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire

4x4 Adventures A Active Portugal

26 December

15-29 May 2021

27 July – 8 August 2021

21 November

G Tynedale

Overland A Atlas Portugal

A Landtreks Pyrenees Coast-to-Coast

27 December

20 May – 2 June 2021

31 July – 14 August 2021

Adventure Tours G 4x4 Bath

A Trailmasters Morocco Extreme

Overland A Atlas Italian Alps

29-30 December

24-28 May 2021

31 July – 15 August 2021

G Ardventures Lake District

4x4 Adventures A Active Provence

World Overland A Lost Sardinia

22 November

8-24 January 2021

25 May – 5 June 2021

2-6 August 2021

Landrover Events G UKDurham Dales

A Ardventures Morocco

A Landtreks Portugal

4x4 Adventures A Active Provence

27 November

13-24 February 2021

28 May – 11 June 2021

7-27 August 2021

Adventure Tours G 4x4 East Devon

A Ardventures Galicia

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

A Ardventures Galicia

28-29 November

6-25 March 2021

7-16 June 2021

Adventure Tours G 4x4 South Devon

A Protrax Morocco

4x4 Adventures A Active Pyrenees

Adventure Tours G Green Shrophsire / Welsh Borders

21-22 November Adventure Tours G 4x4 Welsh Borders G Protrax Wiltshire

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UK Landrover Events

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PRODUCTS

Pick-ups a major target as Hankook brings new Dynapro AT2 to UK

H

ankook has launched a new all-terrain tyre for 4x4s and pick-ups.

Called the Dynapro AT2, this promises to be a proper all-rounder, as it comes with the 3PMSF sidewall badge – meaning it satisfies legal requirements for use as a winter tyre.

Replacing the Dynapro AT M, the AT2 is for drivers who ‘require high traction and safety with their offroad vehicle both on and off paved roads.’ Hankook is listing ten different sizes in the UK, though globally the tyre is available in a massive range of fitments from 15” to 22”.

The tyre is built using a double-layer carcass and has extra reinforced shoulders for off-road traction. It has a protective layer under the tread to help prevent or reduce damage in the belt area, and the belts themselves have a highstrength solid steel construction – which Hankook says will ensure excellent road-holding and extended service life. The AT2’s silica compound has been developed to resist damage on gravel trails, too.

On the surface, the tyre’s tread pattern designed to disperse water efficiently, with new drainage grooves allowing it to achieve shorter braking distances than its predecessor. Hankook promises a better wear rate, too – and when you take it off-road, the tread promises to grip well in the sort of conditions for which an AT tyre is designed, with effective self-cleaning in mud.

To prevent rolling noise caused by the the depth of the tread, its

enhancing the tyre’s braking and handling attributes.

Globally, the AT2 is fitted as an original equipment tyre by Ford and Chevrolet. Most in the UK, however, will be used on Land Rovers or

design incorporates characteristic stepped block edges along with a staggered pattern. In addition, the combination of a compact belt and extra wide contact patch is designed to ensure even wear while also

pick-ups – something which the range of sizes available here reflects. Typical prices range from about £85 to £105 per tyre, but as always with tyres there’s much to be gained by shopping around.

Hankook Dynapro AT2: UK specifications Size

18 | OCTOBER 2020

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Fuel Efficiency

Wet Grip

Noise

Load Index

Speed

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72

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109

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245/65R17

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PRODUCTS

Mopar launches lift kit for diesel-engined Wrangler

J

eep’s in house parts and accessories outfit, Mopar, has launched a new lift kit designed specifically for diesel-powered versions of the current Wrangler. Sold under the Jeep Performance Parts banner, in the fullness of time this will also be available for the forthcoming Gladiator double-cab.

The kit, which delivers a +2” lift, features aluminium bodied Fox shocks with a 2.5” outside diameter – that’s 25% bigger than stock.

These are tuned for extra weight capacity and more efficient cooling during off-road use, and promise greater durability than the standard fit items.

Paired with the shocks are the taller coil springs that do the actual lifting. Again, these are tuned for vehicles with the extra weight of a diesel engine up front. In addition, the kit also includes longer, caster-corrected lower radius arms with heavy-duty bushes, which Jeep Ford Ranger Big Brake Kit Ad - Jan 2020 - UK.pdf

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28/01/2020

17:31

says will improve vehicle control and freeing up greater articulation in the suspension.

With this equipment fitted, Jeep promises that the Wrangler will display 18% more flex than standard – and it already had a lot. The kit is entirely bolt-on, requiring no drilling, cutting or welding to fit; Jeep’s retail price in the US is $1495, so you can expect it to cost at least that much in pounds over here.

Your money gets you four springs and shocks, two front lower control arms, front and rear anti-roll bar links, front and rear bump stops and all the hardware required for fitting the kit. You also get a JPP badge and it comes packaged in a custom, reusable wooden crate… these last two things are unlikely to seal the seal if you fancy what you see, but every little helps – as does Mopar’s two-year, unlimited-mileage standard accessory warranty.

‘Our comprehensive Jeep portfolio includes more than 500

BIG BRAKING PERFORMANCE!

WITH PEDDERS TRAKRYDER EXTREME BRAKE KITS BRAKE KITS

factory-engineered, quality-tested, off-road performance parts and accessories,’ comments Mopar’s parts and service boss Mark Bosan-

Vehicle Wiring Products

ac. ‘At Mopar, we’ll continue to fill our catalog with ultra-capable, factory-backed features that resonate with Jeep fans.’

We supply a comprehensive range of wiring products for repair, modification or complete rewire to your vehicle

ADJUSTABLE 4X4 SUSPENSION

C

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CM

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Stainless steel abutments.

For the discerning driver who is particular about how eXtreme Brake Kit. The braking results are staggering with the inclusion of a larger 6 pot caliper design, high tech TrakRyder eXtreme kevlar ceramic pads mated with a 10 slot dimpled and geomet coated larger diameter rotor.

Bigger braking surface means bigger stopping power. With the fitment of the all new Pedders TrakRyder eXtreme brake kit, independent Australian Engineering tests reflected an average improvement in braking distance by up to 14%.

Features: • Stainless steel braided hoses.

• 10 slot and dimpled TrakRyder geomet coated rotors 14”/356mm diameter (OE 11.85”/301mm).

• TrakRyder eXtreme Kevlar Ceramic low dust brake pads.

• TrakRyder eXtreme 6 pot design caliper brackets and bolts.

• 6 Pot, 2 piece aluminium forged calipers.

• High grade alloy steel brake pad insulators.

• Stainless steel pistons.

Specialising in Suspension solutions since 1950 For further information go to www.pedders.co.uk or please contact your local Pedders experts.

01296 711 044 info@pedders.co.uk

* Independent Australian engineering test results proved that at 100kmh the TrakRyder eXtreme Brake Kit system upgrade stopped on average 11m sooner than original distances are reduced by 21%. This kit is suited for 18” wheels or larger. Further details available in store and on our website. Suits Ford Ranger PX & PXII Models.

20 | OCTOBER 2020

Scene Oct.indd 20

ca F ta re lo e gu

e Visit our website, phone or email for a free catalogue

www.vehicleproducts.co.uk

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

Vehicle Wiring Products 9 Buxton Court, Manners Ind Est, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, DE7 8EF

4x4 29/08/2020 13:55

PRODUCTS

AUTOHOME ROOF TENT INTRODUCED BY LAND ROVER AS GENUINE DEFENDER ACCESSORY LAND ROVER’S MASSIVE accessory range for the new Defender 110 has grown to include a pop-up roof tent from Autohome. Equipped with a full-size double mattress, pillows, an interior LED light, a stowage net and a compact aluminium ladder, this allows owners to enjoy ‘short overnight camping trips or lengthy overland expeditions in complete comfort.’

Made from ‘premium quality materials that have been proven in the harshest climates,’ the tent is protected when not in use by a lightweight fibreglass shell. This is hinged at the front end, allowing it to be erected single-handedly in a few seconds – all you need to do is unclip the rear and start to lift it, and a pair of gas struts will take over.

With the tent erected, it measures 2.3m long, 1.3m wide and 1.5m high. When the time comes to stash it, meanwhile, it folds flat into a slim, aerodynamic shape – though there’s still space beneath its canopy for the telescopic ladder to be stowed within it.

‘The New Land Rover Defender is the ideal vehicle to reach remote destinations comfortably both on and off road,’ says Land Rover’s Joe Sinclair. ‘This roof tent will enable Defender drivers to continue their adventure above and beyond their journey; it’s perfect for the modern-day explorer.’

The tent was designed to work in conjunction with the official Land Rover Expedition Roof Rack and Roof Rails, both of which come fitted as standard with the Adventure Pack you can specify when ordering the vehicle. It’s available through Land Rover dealers or direct from Autohome – where you’ll find it priced at €3,081.96 plus VAT.

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Call now on:

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01452 309 983 HEATING & AIR - CON SPECIALISTS • SERVICE • REPAIR • INSTALL

Unit 2 Llanthony Business Park, Gloucester. GL2 5QT

www.ac-automotive.co.uk

4x4 Scene Oct.indd 21

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PRODUCTS

RLG Tyres

Tyres cheap. Not cheap tyres!!

Radar Renegade mud-terrains in stock at Milner Off-Road

OFFICIAL STOCKIST

Main supplier of and all major 4x4 tyres

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

www.rlgtyres.co.uk

MILNER OFF ROAD Est. 1981

FILTERS • DISCS • PADS • BELTS • CLUTCHES • TYRES • SNORKELS

www.milneroffroad.com TEL: 01629 734411

Mon-Fri: 8am - 5:30pm Sat: 8am - 12:30pm

Old Road | Darley Dale | Matlock | Derbyshire | DE4 2ER | LEADING THE WAY SINCE 1981 | GENUINE & NON GENUINE PARTS | SAME DAY DESPATCH |

22 | OCTOBER 2020

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THE RADAR RENEGADE R/T+ isn’t one of the tyres that first come to mind when you’re thinking about rubber for the mud. But the Singapore-based brand is known as the ‘Ikea of tyres’ for a reason, so you can depend on it to come up with good looking, decent quality kit at the right sort of price.

In the case of the Renegade, if you go to Milner Off-Road that price will be from £78 for 16” sizes and from £81 for a 17”. That’s plus VAT in each case, but you can clearly pay more for tyres without having to look very far.

The tyres are made with a 3-ply sidewall to keep them off-road tough, and Milner says they offer ‘exceptional off-road performance along with a smooth on-road ride.’

Better still, they’re available with two different sidewall designs. You can opt for a mud-penetrating dagger or a skull and cross-pistons. Either way, they’ll make your truck look cool.

Want to know more? Head for www.milneroffroad.com.

New range of inverter-generators from Clarke IF YOU USE your vehicle for gentle outdoor activities like camping or semi-pro car-booting, a stand-alone generator is likely to be a staple in your tool kit. The Clarke range from Machine Mart includes a variety of Inverter Generators which use sine wave technology to provide a clean, stable supply of AC mains power.

This makes them ideal if you want to run electronic equipment on-site.

Though they’re game for a lot more than just charging your laptop, because the range includes units with maximum power outputs of 800W, 1100W and a hefty 1800W. All are driven by efficient four-stroke engines with an easy-start feature and eco throttle system – Clarke promises greater fuel efficiency and reduced running costs as a result, and the generators also have a shutdown function to protect them against overloading and damage from running low on oil.

Weighing from as little as 9.3kg, the generators also promise noise outputs from as low as 69dBA. Each model includes a 12V DC battery charging facility with single or twin sockets; prices start at £215.98, with www. machinemart.co.uk being the place to go looking.

4x4 29/08/2020 13:55

PRODUCTS

Mounting kit from Britpart allows forward facing seats to go in to pre-2007 Defenders SPECIALIST 4X4 VEHICLE DISMANTERS JEEP - LAND ROVER SPECIALIST 4X4 VEHICLE DISMANTERS AND MOST MAKES AND MODELS JEEP LAND ROVER QUALITY GUARANTEED USED PARTS AND MOST MAKES AND MODELS QUALITY GUARANTEED PARTS SOME OF THE VEHICLESUSED WE HAVE RECENTLY DISMANTLED: SOME OF THE VEHICLES WE HAVE RECENTLY DISMANTLED:

O

ne of the most tiresome things about owning a pre-Puma Defender is that if you want to carry passengers in the back, the inward-facing seats mean you’re basically asking them to risk life-changing injuries every time they travel with you. Things get even more frightening if you want to carry children in your vehicle – but while many people would like a Defender with proper seats in it, the problem is that there are also many people who’d sooner chew their own arm off than drive a Puma.

If you’ve researched the options, you may well have found that some of them are even

more expensive than having the aforementioned arm sewn back on. The good news, then, is that Britpart’s enormous network of dealers and specialists now offers a solution in the form of its 2nd Row Conversion Kit. This includes a midcrossmember, two seat supports, two chassis bracket fixing kits and two panels for the front part of the rear wheelarch. You don’t get the actual seats, but what you do get is ‘an ideal kit to install 2007 Puma seats into your pre-2007 Defender.’

Typically priced at just under £500 including VAT, it’s available from the usual range of Britpart dealers – you’ll find them by visiting www. britpart.com.

Amber lens option introduced for Lazer work lights WITH WINTER ON THE WAY, Lazer Lamps has introduced a new amber lens cover for its Utility-25 work light. Designed to engage perfectly with the lamp housing for a secure fitting, this allows the colour of light to be changed from 5000 kelvin to ‘selective yellow’ – improving visibility in rain, fog, and snow.

Made from polycarbonate, the lenses include a gasket to prevent water and dust from getting between them. Shop around and they needn’t cost more than twenty quid – first stop www.lazerlamps.com.

4x4 Scene Oct.indd 23

20012015 JEEPJEEP WRANGLER JK CHEROKEE XJ 2.8CRD

2015 JEEP WRANGLER JK 2.8CRD

2007 DODGE 2018 JEEP NITRO 2.8CRD RENEGADE 2007 DODGE NITRO 2.8CRD

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

2008 HONDA CRV 2.2 CDTI

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

OCTOBER 2020 | 23

29/08/2020 13:55

DRIVEN

LAND ROVER DEFENDER

New Defender doesn’t try to impersonate the old model – but manages to be a very credible successor to the Discovery 3 FIRST DRIVE Defender 110 D240 S

22 | OCTOBER 2020

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4x4 29/08/2020 15:46

T

he new Defender is going to appeal to people who’ve had a Discovery 3 or 4, but who feel that the Discovery 5 is not for them. There.

That’s the answer to the question many people have been asking themselves ever since the first pictures of it came to light.

We know this because the man from Land Rover told us. Farmers won’t use them to plough their fields, he said. Those days are past.

Farmers have air-conditioned, GPScontrolled combine harvesters now.

What he also said, and this cuts right to the chase, is that Land Rover wasn’t selling enough of the old Defender. People loved it, and nobody wanted to see it die, but it was getting sand kicked in its face by newer vehicles.

So here’s what we did. On the driving route at the UK launch, which wound its way from near Kenilworth, through the Cotswolds and on to Eastnor Castle, we counted the number of old-shape Defenders we saw. And we also counted the number of Hiluxes, Rangers, Navaras, D-Maxes, Amaroks and L200s we saw.

It wasn’t pretty, but it made the point conclusively. For each oldshape Defender, we saw a total of 21 pick-ups. And every single one of those vehicles had been bought by someone who, once upon a time, would have bought a 109 or 110 to do the same job.

So that’s why the new Defender is the way it is. It might not be the way a lot of us would have wanted, but the business case for keeping it the way it used to be wasn’t there. You can argue about the Jeep Wrangler and Ineos Grenadier all day long, but the fact of the matter is that the old Defender wasn’t selling. And, thus far, the new one is.

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DRIVEN

The Defender’s driving position is as imperious as ever, only now there’s enough leg and elbow room. Its design goes to great lengths to look as if they’ve not gone to great lengths on it, with exposed fixings and lots of simple geometric lines, but it manages to come across very convincingly and doesn’t appear contrived. That might be different if they hadn’t also got the basics right, but they certainly have – it feels well made and fit for purpose, and in terms of practicality it’s absolutely immense, with stowage opportunities everywhere you look So let’s cast aside any preconceived notions and simply take it as a new launch. Not as the truck that killed the old Defender; just as a new truck.

And yes, ‘truck’ is the word. It’s not one you’ve been able to apply to any new Land Rover products for a few years, and we all know how much hardcore off-roaders hate it

when you describe a namby-pamby SUV that way. But while it is an SUV, strictly speaking, the Defender does have a truck-like feel to it, albeit in a very modern way.

It’s based on Discovery underpinnings, but with much heavier-duty construction. You don’t know that just by looking at it, but you certainly can see the sense of purpose in its design. It looks strong, robust, businesslike… it’s immediately recognisable as a modern Land Rover, but somehow harder-edged and more technical than the Discovery, Evoque, Velar and all.

More so than the Jeep Wrangler and Toyota Landcruiser? No. It’s s different kind of off-roader. It’s more expensive than them, too (the 110 D240 S model we drove starts at £52,110, and as tested would cost £62,830), but it manages to look like a decent bit of Land Rover for your money by today’s standards.

We can’t quite believe we’re saying that about a £62,830 Defender. But that’s what the Defender has become – and when you look at the way private punters are rebuilding old sheds into street machines to make a killing on them, you can see that. It’s not Land Rover’s doing: it’s the market’s.

When the 90 comes along, the entry-level price point will come

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Land Rover says the Defender will appeal to people who have owned a Discovery 3 or 4 but passed on the Discovery 5. The practicality in the boot area bears that out – it’s not as clever as the old Disco, but the rear seats fold 100% flat to give you a long, firm-based loading area whose enormous height and width is complemented by a huge tailgate aperture. Another fine example of an interior that gets the basics right

down. In commercial form, it’ll start in the low forties (or mid-thirties if you get your VAT back).

That’s for a little later in the year.

For now, we have the 110 and here we are on board – after all these years, finally sitting behind the wheel of the new Defender.

And it feels good. Great, actually.

There’s the familiar high-command driving position, from which you get a mightily dominant feeling towards all around you. The Defender is laden with safety features, but a mighty view of the road will always be the best of them.

There’s also a wonderfully purposeful dash design featuring a full-width horizontal storage tray whose size and grippy base make it genuinely practical. So too is a massive floor-level bin, part of a huge centre console featuring a cubby box that’s big enough to take all the odds and ends you could ever want. The door pockets are enormous, too, and though the glovebox is on the small side the

opportunities to stash stuff seem endless. In a vehicle that’s designed to be a tool of everyday life, that’s a great start.

Behind you, the rear seats have enough legroom for one six-foot adult to sit behind another. Their knees will just touch the back of the seat ahead, but not so much as to be uncomfortable, and with a similarly elevated perch from which to watch the world go by it’s a nice place to be.

Thus far, it’s like chalk and cheese with the old Defender. Those Discovery 3 and 4 owners will feel right at home, though.

And it gets better still. The rear seats drop 100% flat to create a loading bay with a full-length rigid floor that makes it superb for carrying big loads. The mechanism isn’t as clever as the old Disco’s (you tilt the seat bases forward, remove the headrests and drop the seat backs into the space that’s been freed up, in a very 1990s kind of a way), but it creates a big,

van-like cargo area that’s accessed through a good, wide tailgate.

Simple and very effective.

The Defender’s vibe is very much that of a vehicle whose practicality will never fail you. In this, it does remind us of the Discovery 3. It’s relentlessly usable and everyone who sits in it is well looked after. It has a technical feel to its fixtures and fittings that speaks of fitness for purpose, but this doesn’t come at the expense of luxury. And it’s packed with equipment – some of it indulgent, perhaps, but all of it presented with a businesslike sense of purpose.

The seats on our S-spec model, for example, were trimmed in a mixture of fabric and leather. We

preferred the former; the hide is tough rather than sumptuous, and the fabric is dense and hard-wearing, so it’s the kind of seat you’d expect in a premium off-roader rather than a premium SUV. There’s a blend of manual and electric adjustment, which is unusual but works well – especially as the electric bits include an excellent multi-directional lumber support to keep you comfortable.

It helps make the Defender an easy vehicle to settle in to. You have ample head, leg and elbow room, the layout of the cabin is pleasing to look at and easy to use and there’s an overall feeling of quality that’s entirely in keeping with what we’ve come to expect of Land Rover. The

For the first time ever, a picture of a thing called a Defender being driven on the road is actually relevant. Coming to it from the Discovery 3 or 4 will feel like a natural progression – it’s very poised and remarkably refined at all speeds, with a blend of ride and handling that’s entirely right for a modern SUV

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DRIVEN

Above: Land Rover says the Defender is the most capable off-roader it has ever built. It’s a very high-tech form of capability, with an electronic transfer case and no end of traction management including, on the vehicle tested, an auto-locking rear diff. Ground clearance is aided by air suspension on 110 models, too Right: Articulation is clearly limited by the all-independent suspension. It shows that there’s more than one way to skin a cat, however traction aids are fundamental to its entire design in a way they’re not on a beam-axled vehicle

seats are as comfortable as the view is panoramic, and it takes little work to get it set up the way you want and ready for the off.

The 1999cc D240e engine is pleasingly muted and delivers its power with impressive smoothness through the standard eight-speed auto box. It’s very, very refined, with loads of pull but almost no grabbing or shunting in the drivetrain, however you choose to drive it Similarly, the Defender rides smoothly on the road, gliding along on the motorway and drawing the sting of typical A and B-road peaks and troughs. It handles well, too, with positive and predictable

steering and body control that’s taut but not overly so. The feeling of being sat on top of a tall, top-heavy mass that’s fighting against the forces trying to keep it from rolling is thankfully absent.

All-round independent suspension helps here. But every other serious off-roader on the market has at least one beam axle, and the Jeep Wrangler has two – so how is the Defender going to perform off-road? This is, after all, what Land Rover calls the most capable vehicle it has ever made.

The answer, at least as far as we’ve been able to figure one out from the limited off-road experience

we’ve had so far aboard the Defender, is that yes, it’s a worthy successor… to the Discovery 3.

It’s the same sort of deal but the electronics are newer and there’s more of them. The auto-locking diffs come in faster, the Terrain Response system is cleverer, the gearbox is better at doing what you tell it, that sort of thing.

For example, the Defender has Hill Descent Control. The instructors coaching us through our off-road test drive were forever telling us when to use it, but we wanted to know if being able to drive the old way is still relevant in this day and age so we left it alone and, with the auto box in manual mode, relied on that instead. And it worked, very successfully, even on the steepest descents Eastnor had to offer.

We did use Terrain Response at times, though the bone-dry ground only really warranted using the Mud and Ruts programme and even then, with enough traction to drive up the side of a house, there was little to tell us if it was making any difference. Raising the air suspension seemed like a good idea, however, even if only

to overcome the psychological hurdle of trying to put your trust in a vehicle on 255/60R20 tyres with a mild all-terrain pattern.

There’s no denying that the Defender does have a great looking stance on such distressingly low profile rubber. It’s available on 18” steel rims at the bottom of the range, and the S model comes on 19s as standard, while the example tested was running its 20s as a £2625 option.

Back to the air suspension. This is standard on all 110 models and will also be available on all but the most basic 90s. It does what air suspension does and typically of Land Rover, it does it well – even in off-road mode, with the springs stretched towards their maximum height, the vehicle still manages to ride comfortably and articulate over uneven ground.

That said, there was nothing on the launch route to push the suspension beyond its limits, and we’ve seen nothing to suggest the Defender can flex anything like as effectively as Land Rover’s old beam-axled products (or its current beam-axled competitors).

We lost track of the number of times Land Rover’s instructors told us to use Hill Descent Control. As far as we’re concerned, a true off-road vehicle with a low-range transfer case shouldn’t need such a thing, so we left it switched off and put our trust in the standard auto gearbox instead – and were pleased to find that it worked every bit as well as the manual unit on the original Defender

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That’s where electronic traction management comes in; the locking rear diff, without which we’d have some concerns for the vehicle’s ability in a number of common offroad scenarios, is part of a £1435 option pack.

Certainly, we’d be very interested to see what the Defender is like in coil-sprung form and with all its toys turned off. We’ll also be interested to see how long it is before the aftermarket starts offering lift kits for this vehicle, allowing it to be fitted with taller tyres. The driveshafts are able to cope with major short-term lifts on air-sprung models, at least up to a certain speed, so presumably they won’t spit out their dummy when it’s fetched into the air full-time.

That’s another story, of course.

For now, what we can say is that it was more than a match for the admittedly rather basic tests we were given the chance to set it at Eastnor – and that when things did get a little more technical, it remained unruffled. Low first works just as it should for seat-of-thepants descents, HDC comes in seamlessly if you somehow contrive to put the auto box in too high a gear halfway down, and the traction

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control systems intervene much more quickly and subtly than they did on older Land Rover products, to the extent that most of the time you won’t even notice them. Again, this was on parched ground with a few ruts but no great unevenness to speak of, but there was never any sense of the vehicle being pushed even close to the edge of its comfort zone.

This is a very classy, very purposeful family wagon with adventure writ large in its DNA. In this way, it really does feel like a

successor to the Discovery 3 – and an extremely good one.

Does it feel like a successor to the old Defender? No, not really.

But that hardly matters. Those customers had already gone, years before the old Defender breathed its last. What it does show is that in Land Rover’s world, the vehicle that used to bear its name had long since become an anachronism, an old-school truck made by a resolutely new-school manufacturer. It wasn’t what Land Rover wanted to make, and it sat

awkwardly in the showrooms like a square peg in a round hole.

This one is rock-on Land Rover.

It’s a practicality monster in a premium package, and it takes what the company already does and adds a new layer of strength and durability on top. In its own way, this really is Solihull going back to its roots. And you can call it a ‘truck’ without getting into trouble with traditionalists.

Don’t think about the Defender in terms of what it’s not. Think about it in terms of what it is. And what it is is very good indeed.

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DRIVEN

SUZUKI VITARA 1.4 BOOSTERJET After last year’s facelift, the emissions race means the Vitara gains a new hybrid engine – which in turn makes it punchier, more flexible and more entertaining to drive

FOLLOWING ON FROM the mid-life facelift it received last year, the Vitara has recently been given another shot in the arm with the introduction of Suzuki’s new 1.4 Boosterjet engine. Offering a improvement of up to 20% on the previous model’s CO2 emissions, this combines turbocharging with a 48V Integrated Starter Generator (ISG), giving it the mild hybrid technology to keep pace with Europe’s ever-stricter emissions regs.

As well as making the vehicle run cleaner, the hybrid system is designed to back up the petrol engine during acceleration. It does this using torque boost and torque-fill control features which weren’t present on Suzuki’s previous 12V hybrids – basically, when you put your foot down, the engine ECU alerts the ISG and it cuts in to deliver an instant torque boost.

Sounds like a plan? Yes it does – and in practice, it works well. You certainly don’t notice the ISG coming in and out, but you do get a real punch

of acceleration, whether you’re pulling away from stationary, dropping a cog on the way out of a corner or pushing it on in gear as the traffic ahead clears off out of the way.

With the exhaust manifold integrated into the cylinder head casting, Suzuki says it has ‘virtually eliminated’ turbo lag. Words are cheap, but the reality bears it out: the initial response is just a touch hesitant for a split second, but thereafter it’s smooth and linear with plenty of punch. It likes to rev, and you’ll enjoy the noise it makes while doing so.

We certainly enjoyed it, to the extent that we worked the Vitara harder than normal during its week with us. Despite this, it returned an average of 36.4mpg: the quoted figure is 45.4mpg, so we were well short of that, but we have no reason to think we wouldn’t have matched that had we been less enthusiastic with the loud pedal.

‘Loud,’ though. Let’s talk about that. In general, the Vitara’s refinement is a lot better than it once was, but as you get up to speed there’s a great deal of wind and road noise to contend with. This is a problem on the motorway, and it’s even apparent and A and B-road speeds, though at least on the latter you’re more likely to get to enjoy the sound of the engine.

Ride quality, on the other hand, is much better than on Vitaras of old. It pitches very slightly over seams in the road, but deals with rough and broken surfaces and remains composed when it hits pot holes at speed – to the extent that its otherwise excellent handling is no longer upset by needless fussing. It’s composed under braking and hard cornering alike, with good body control and very fluent steering.

The 1.4 Boosterjet engine uses an Integrated Starter Generator to deliver hybrid power – significantly improving fuel consumption and emissions and also boosting torque output under acceleration

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The cabin is spacious enough up front, but the rear seats are definitely best left to children. They fold acceptably close to flat, however, creating a long boot whose floor can be removed (as seen here) to create extra capacity or reveal a shallow hidden compartment All-wheel drive is an option on the Vitara, and even then it’s limited to range-topping SZ5 models. It has four drive settings including a Lock mode ‘for extricating the car from snow, mud or sand’ – or, you’d like to think, for making sure it doesn’t need to be extricated in the first place. The days when Vitaras had low range are long gone, but the Hybrid engine’s torque delivery works very well at crawling speeds and there’s a LSD to help send it where it’ll work, so it’s pleasingly capable so long as you stay within the constraints of its somewhat limited ground clearance.

Inside, the new model hasn’t brought any major changes – which is to say that it’s still good all-round without being jaw-dropping. Build quality and materials are generally very decent, the dash layout and nice and clear and the controls are inoffensive to find and operate; you’re unlikely to find any surprise and delight in it, but there aren’t any horrors lurking within.

That’s assuming you’re not a tall adult trying to sit in the back. Knee and head room here mean it’s very definitely only for children – though at least they’ll get a good view out from the elevated seats. It’s much better up front, with plenty of space in which to relax and an excellent view of the road ahead. The front seats are comfortable, too, with plenty of base and back support.

At least folding down to accommodate cargo is no problem for the back seats. They drop near-flat to provide a good, long loading bay with no step in it, and the rear boot floor can be lifted away to add capacity or reveal a shallow hidden compartment.

Our Vitara was finished in Solar Yellow, a £800 option which certainly made it stand out. In comparison, the interior was trimmed in a rather dowdy collection of tones – though the amount of light coming in to the cabin through what is a good, big glasshouse meant it stayed on the right side of becoming sombre.

In typical Suzuki style, that paint job was the only option on the car. It bumped the OTR price from £26,549 to £27,349 – which,

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considering the amount of equipment on board, has got to go down as very good value.

The Vitara does have one or two hidden shallows, however it’s now a much better proposition than it once was. The new 1.4 Boosterjet engine makes it better still, too, making it more efficient and livelier when you get on the gas. If its cramped rear seats and poor refinement at speed don’t put you off, everything else about it is rock solid for the money.

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TOO GOOD TO U

O

ver the years, we’ve featured some glorious vehicles in this magazine.

Some have been built to the ultimate degree of off-road ability, while others have been modified into show-stopping street machines or restored back to a level of original perfection or beyond.

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What you don’t see very often are old 4x4s being taken refurbished to the highest of classic-car standards – and also modified into serious off-roaders. The phrase you hear time after time about restored trucks, often as an excuse for them being up for sale, is that once all this work has been done they’re now ‘too good

to use’ – after all, who wants to make a vehicle gleam if the next thing they’re going to do is get it covered in mud?

The answer to that last question is Andrew Smedley. And he’s done more than just make his Suzuki SK gleam, too. We found this out the hard way. When you’re taking photos of vehicles,

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USE?

When people get to the end of painstaking resto jobs on old 4x4s and stand back to admire the beautiful looking vehicles they’ve created, it’s common to hear them say the problem is that now, their precious 4x4 is too good to use. As we all know, though, there’s no such thing – in fact, sometimes a restored truck can be too good not to use…

Words and pictures: Dan Fenn

a recurring problem is the reflections you get of yourself in chrome bull bars, door mirrors and so on – but safe to say this was the first time our snapper had ever found himself struggling to avoid seeing his reflection in a diff pan.

That’s how well this SJ is presented. It’s a vehicle you could absolutely imagine seeing in

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Above: Both axles are Suzuki Samurai units with strengthening gussets welded on to their lower cases. Both are equipped with homemade diff guards and skids and new spring perches, as well as ARB Air-Lockers on the inside. Note the hi-steer conversion on the front axle, which is turned by an X90 steering column via a Jimny PAS box Below: Suspension is by Jeep Wrangler YJ springs all-round. Mounted on custom perches all-round and running Andrew’s own design of 100mm swinging shackles, these are much longer than the standard SJ items and, he says, allow surprisingly good articulation

Left: 31x10.50R15 Cooper Discoverer STT Pros are mounted on a set of Fuel Assault rims. The axle they’re on has been modified with the addition of flange plates to allow fully floating halfshafts – which in turn mean it can be fitted with freewheeling hubs. It’s not every day you see an axle with these on the ends and an Air-Locker in the middle Right: The SJ would originally have had a set of drum brakes on its rear axle. That’s not what you want when you’re fitting bigger tyres, so Andrew upgraded to an additional set of front discs, fed by stainless braided lines all round

a classic concours – certainly, the standard of detailing and presentation would be right up there, even if judges would mark it down for its lack of originality.

Silly old judges, we say. It might be a long way removed from the way it left the factory, but this is an SJ with much, much more about it than it once had. And as for originality, it has plenty of that too – it’s just that it’s in the ‘creativity’ sense of the word.

You don’t need to look very hard to see some of this. It’s riding high, for starters, and sitting on 31” Cooper Discoverer STT Pros. You’ll notice the flared wheelarches covering these, too, and the custom roll-bar installed behind the seats.

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But there are more subtle things to spot, too.

Custom hinges for the windscreen, for example, which Andrew made himself. A highlight of these, and we love stuff like this, is that they lock out using pins taken from, of all things, a Chinook.

Look harder and you’ll see a flowing line round the leading edge of the front wheelarches, too, which is a lot smoother than standard – the result of Andrew reprofiling the bumper after fitting custom flares.

Then there are things you won’t notice until you get properly in about the truck. Pry under the bonnet, for example, and you’ll see a distinctly non-standard engine. Non-standard but still marque-appropriate, though – it’s the 16-valve,

1.6-litre G16B unit from Suzuki’s oft-forgotten bouffant off-roader, the X90. This is equipped with a gorgeous looking stainless steel multi-branch exhaust manifold, and while you’re under the bonnet you can’t help but notice an aluminium radiator and performance air filter.

Look really closely and you’ll see that Andrew had to make a new battery tray, too, as the original was on the wrong side for the new engine.

The amount of work that has gone in to making this truck what it is really is phenomenal.

In the cabin, if something so wonderfully open to the elements can be called such a thing, the X90 stack and instrument pod is still linked up to the same engine as ever. As far as the circuits in

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Taken from an X90, the engine is Suzuki’s much-loved 16-valve, 1.6-litre petrol unit.

It has been rebuilt to standard spec and enhanced with an upgraded air filter, aluminium radiator and custom exhaust, complete with a four-branch stainless manifold – and as you can see, the standard of finish in the installation is show-car clean

there are concerned, they still are in an X90, and there’s nothing that could possibly be gained by telling them otherwise so that’s fine.

These items live on a dashboard Andrew made himself. So too does something very poignant – a painted mural of his Dad, who Andrew describes as his inspiration. ‘My Dad liked it and enjoyed seeing the work getting done,’ he explains. ‘He chose the colour, Tuscany Green. He passed away on 21 February 2019, so I had the mural of him put on the dashboard.’

Just as he wears his heart on his sleeve about his late father, Andrew is not slow to praise those who helped him bring the Suzuki to the point it’s at now. ‘Thanks to Dad, my brother Adey and sister Angie, Jimnybits, Chris Johnson and Alan Wade at Shawpak for the billet aluminium work, Rob at Beechdale Suzuki in Derby and MDM Custom Paint for the fab mural. And a special thank you to Pete Healey for machining bits – very appreciated, awesome chap!’

As for those who hindered the project rather than helping it, some of them get a mention too.

What does Andrew know of the vehicle’s history,

we ask? ‘The previous owner was a liar!’ is the fairly unequivocal answer.

‘The car was never intended to be built like this,’ he continues. ‘I bought it blind off a fibber in October 2015, with a dodgy MOT. The outside looked well, but underneath was very rotten.’

And so the restoration got underway. The chassis was okay, as Suzuki SJs’ chassis normally tend to be, but the lower bodywork was a big-time mess. As Suzuki SJs’ lower bodywork also tends to be. ‘By the time the body was restored, there was no going back,’ says Andrew, who widened the front bumper by six inches prior to trimming its edges to blend with the wheelarch flares mentioned above.

All of this took place over the thick end of half a decade. ‘I drove the car one mile before starting work,’ Andrew admits. ‘It took four years, on and off, which included putting up with some very dodgy so-called specialists!’ Sorry, no, we can’t name names…

Andrew says he’s pleased with all the modifications he’s made to the vehicle, at any rate – including the move to Jeep Wrangler YJ

leaf springs, which are usefully longer than Suzuki’s standard units and allow significantly more articulation. All the same, he didn’t get what he asked for when he ordered them: ‘I wanted standard Jeep YJ springs, but I was supplied with +2.5” lift – and the shocks are too stiff.’

When you’ve fabricated your own spring perches, 100mm swinging shackles and spring/shock sandwich plates, all of which do exactly what they’re meant to, you may reasonably feel entitled to moan about stuff like this.

Andrew told us that the day after our photo shoot, he was going to pull the suspension back off the vehicle ready to be replaced with something he hoped would be more compliant. He had just dropped a gearbox in to be rebuilt, too – this will eventually replace the one currently in the vehicle, which he wasn’t happy with.

Behind the box is a transfer case with a 6.5:1 low-range gear set – essential for low-speed offroad work, especially when you’ve gone up in size on your tyres, and with 31” Cooper Discoverer STT Pros on the end of a set of Samurai axles Andrew has done just that.

This is definitely not your everyday Suzuki SJ interior. For starters, it contains seats from an Alfa Romeo 147 swathed in threepoint Corbeau harnesses and mounted on home-made brackets – and that really is just for starters, because ahead of them is a custom dash supporting the stacks and instrument cluster from an X90. The steering column is from the X90, too; Andrew used this so he could simply plug the stalks back in to the wiring loom, which was moved over wholesale from the donor vehicle

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Above: Andrew made his own quick-release hinges for the windscreen. We recently featured a hybrid Toyota whose air filter housing came from a 14-litre Class 150 train engine, and this SJ manages to go one better – because the release pins you see here come from a Chinook Right: Look at a standard SJ, and you’ll see that the junction between the bumper and front wheelarch is a lot less tidy than this. While blending in a set of aftermarket flares, Andrew decided to blend them properly, with a continuous flowing line following the underside of the arch So far, much of this could be the tale of a show’n’shine sort of a build. But that transfer box is a clue to the vehicle’s authenticity – and if you ever wanted proof that however shiny its diff pans, this is the real thing, then just take a look back at what else is on that dashboard. Three familiar looking switches operate an air compressor and a pair of ARB Air-Lockers – Andrew certainly hasn’t skimped on the spending in this build, and he’s got a supremely capable off-road machine as a result, however much of a princess it might look at first glance.

And that should come as no surprise, because he has plenty of previous in the off-road game.

‘In the 1980s, I used to go to events put on by the Peak and Dukeries Land Rover Club, back when Drew Bowler was competing in them. I usually

just went to watch, but I also bought an 1951 80” Series I and loved it.’ So he’s a man for proper old-school off-road vehicles, then – and for using them the way they’re meant to be used, too.

Which brings us back to what we were saying at the beginning of this article. Having created this absolute vision of a vehicle, surely Andrew isn’t going to mess it up by taking it off-road?

Well, there are two Air-Lockers and a set of Coopers right there in front of you to say hell, yeah he is. Safe to say he won’t be battering it about the way people would have back in those early days with the P&D, but he’s built it right not just to

make an impression but to make that impression last. ’Show not go’ is the ultimate insult in some circles, but if you were to level it at this Suzuki you’re soon be eating your words.

It might be a lot shinier than your average off-roader, this. And being a 4x4 from the old days, it might come across as a full-on classic.

But make no mistake – this is the real thing. Too good to use? No way. This superb Suzuki is too good not to use.

The drop-down windscreen definitely helps give the SJ that traditional ‘Jeep’ image. There’s something delightfully old-school about the chromed rhino bonnet ornament, too

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Astwood 4x4 Ltd LAND ROVER SPECIALISTS

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We specialise in restoring, rebuilding Land Rover Defenders, galvanized chassis changes, engine upgrade and all types of mechanical & body work.

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4x4 www.astwood4x4.co.uk 4x4 4x4

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INTERNATIONAL V

W

hen Land Rover created the NAS 90, complete with its 3.9-litre V8 engine, everybody in Britain wanted one. Nobody in Britain could have one, because it was only for export, but it didn’t prevent Brits from lusting after it they way they were, at the time, lusting after 50% of the cast of Friends.

The 90 in these photos has that same 3.9 engine. It’s not one of those highly sought-after Defenders, however – in fact it’s not a Defender at all. That’s because it dates from 1988, before the name was thought of.

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You’re lusting after it all the same, though, aren’t you? No need to think twice: anything other than a yes, and you’re lying.

Obviously, being a 1988 model with a 3.9-litre V8, this is Landy that’s spent some time inside someone’s workshop. Not just anyone’s, though.

What you’re looking at is the work of Legacy Overland – a company which specialises in turning old off-roaders into rebuilt, re-imagined works of automotive art.

The NAS 90 was already a work of art, of course. But so was the Heritage edition, which made its debut in 1999 and was reimagined in

2015 as a way of wringing as much money as possible from the last knockings of the Defender before production came to an end. And it’s the latter model that inspired this vehicle, with its instantly recognisable green finish, mesh grille and matching steel rims.

It wasn’t always like this. The 90 you’re looking at started life as a naturally aspirated 2.5 diesel whose appearance led with a coat of extremely tired olive green and followed up with lots and lots of dents. A full rebuild was definitely in order.

The 2.5 airhead is a very good engine, if you like ‘em slow, steady and utterly dependable. But

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VELVET

Dating from 1988, this Land Rover 90 is one of the smoothest you’ll ever see. And from the leather on its seats to the innards of its transmission, bringing it all together has been a truly international effort Words: Kaziyoshi Sasazaki Pictures: Legacy Overland

when you’re turning an old 90 into a super-exclusive toy for a client base with money to burn, it’s time to play the percentages. Which, very simply, means you put a V8 in it. A 3.9 EFi, in this case.

Legacy Overland knows a bit about fitting Land Rovers with crate LS3s, so actually what we’re looking at here is quite modest. You could say the use of an authentic Land Rover engine fits in with the Heritage look, too. Not that this was in any way an easy way out, though, because the vehicle itself wasn’t the only thing in line for a comprehensive refurbishment – the engine, too, came apart to be planed and ported then

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The 3.9-litre EFi V8 engine is the same as was fitted by the Land Rover factory on NAS Defenders. This one was completely dismantled then planed, ported and reassembled using new pistons, bearings, liners and so on. It was mated to a rebuilt ZF gearbox and transfer case supplied by Ashcroft Transmissions completely rebuilt with new pistons, bearings, liners and so on.

Behind the engine, the original five-speed manual box stood little to no chance of staying. Instead, Legacy Overland put in a call to Ashcroft Transmissions, which supplied a rebuilt ZF automatic box and transfer case. To make the necessary space, these live under a NAS 90 tranny tunnel.

Something else the 90 has now that it didn’t start life with is disc brakes. And while it did have coil springs from the word go, it’s now running a stiffer set-up which, as well as improving control under hard cornering, lowers the body slightly for

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a less wayward centre of gravity. Upgraded anti-roll bars enhance handling still further – though with 265/75R16 BFGoodrich All-Terrains gracing the 16x8” modular steel rims, this is definitely not one of those hot-rod efforts you find yourself cringing at from time to time.

The cabin shouldn’t make you cringe, either (unless it’s because you’re comparing it to your own). Legacy Overland calls it ‘a study in perfection,’ which is one of those phrases you desperately want to pick holes in but the more you look around the vehicle, the less holes you can find to pick. The company says ‘several thousand’ man hours went into the vehicle, and it shows.

The leather on the seats, for example, isn’t just leather. It’s ‘supple chestnut coloured furniture grade full grain leather from an artisan tannery in Italy.’ And it’s combined with ‘vintage Porsche heath coloured German square weave carpeting.’

These choices were inspired by the client who had commissioned the project, specifically his passion for Singer-restored Porsches and his interest in interior design. They add a couple of European stops to the world tour of suppliers, which has already called at, er, Luton for a gearbox as well as Solihull for the original vehicle.

The seats themselves aren’t just leather-clad Defender jobs. They’re taken from a Range Rover

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When you’re turning an old 90 into an exclusive toy for clients with money to burn, it’s time to play the percentages up front – while at the back is a set of custom jump seats. The dash is upholstered in black leather, while the sides and roof of the cabin are lined in alcantara – installed on top of the Dynamat sound-deadening material which has been used all round. All hardware around the cabin, such as door pulls and grab handles, has been replaced with black anodised metal items: ‘This interior is simply better than most living rooms,’ says Legacy Overland.

Naturally, the seats are heated, as it the windscreen. You wouldn’t expect a 90 of this nature not to have air-con, either, and sure enough there’s a custom system in place – in addition to a padded, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and LED interior light and a stereo featuring a Bluetooth media receiver and speakers from Pioneer. The front cabin is made more spacious by the addition of a bulkhead removal bar, and more LEDs are to be found in the bumper-mounted DRLs as well as in the tail lights.

Back on the outside of the vehicle, you’ll see a later Puma-style bonnet and a low-profile aluminium roof rack from Terrafirma. There’s an aluminium steering guard, too, as well as SVX side steps and a custom exhaust. And at the very rear of the 90, you’ll find another throwback to the days of official exports in the shape of a NAS style step towbar.

It might seem obvious, but this is perfectly judged to blend in with every other aspect of the vehicle’s design. From the body-colour wheels to the custom tan roof outside, from the white-faced instrument dials to the green piping on the seats

in the cabin, there are classy details everywhere you look.

That may or may not have been typical of the NAS 90, and indeed of the Heritage edition, but it certainly defines a Legacy Overland build. The company doesn’t build many vehicles, but every one of those it does is a masterpiece – and this

velvety smooth 90, which brings together the craftsmanship of so many nations in a homage to not one but two of Land Rover’s best ever Defenders, is among the best of them all. Many of us remember lusting after the NAS 90: you might not be old enough for that, but everyone with a soul will find themselves lusting after this one.

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29/08/2020 15:16

THE HOLY GRAIL

If you struck gold and discovered a good, Landcruiser , what would you do with it? build should be enough to make you see to start exploring the world…

Words: Gary Noskill Pictures: Steve Taylor

I

f there’s a holy grail in the 4x4 world, it’s probably finding a really straight, original, low-mileage 80-Series Toyota Landcruiser. If miracles were to happen and you were to stumble upon one, however (particularly one whose owner didn’t know exactly just how much it was worth), what would you do with it?

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Back in the days when decent 80s were still relatively plentiful, off-road enthusiasts were well aware of how good they were. In fact, if you were to conduct a straw poll of 4x4 fans in general and the only rule was that you couldn’t vote for whatever model you had as your own, the big Cruiser would almost certainly come out as the best vehicle ever built. That’s the reason why there are so few left now. The 80 would go on forever, even once its bodywork is beaten to death – but life as an off-road toy does require a steady supply of parts, and those are not cheap.

But let’s imagine you got lucky and found the Cruiser we all dream about. These days, you

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Toyota’s 4.2-litre turbo-diesel engine is one of the greatest things ever to come out of any factory anywhere. Seen here with 100,000 miles under its belt, it’s good for five times that with no more than just a good servicing regime. This one has been left well alone, though it’s fed by a Safari Snorkel and you’ll find an auxiliary air compressor and three Optima batteries under the bonnet – the latter a necessity thanks to the amount of electrical accessories fitted, which range from a winch down to a new and upgraded stereo.

The Cruiser would have had two batteries as standard anyway as it was fitted as standard with a 24-volt starter motor, but the three-way supply adds some serious meat, governed as it is by a Piranha management system

low-mileage 80-Series This beautiful expedition it as a sign that it’s time

probably wouldn’t turn it into a playday weapon or green lane warrior and start counting down the days until its panels resembled the stuff you find in the bottom of a bag of crisps. You might, however, do a different kind of mod job on it – and create the ultimate machine for overland travel.

And this gorgeous looking 80 might be your template for the job. It was built some years ago

by Geoff Daulman, who had previously had a Discovery 2 but decided to switch allegiances after its air suspension let go on the way to Timbuktu.

‘The thing we found out,’ he says, ‘was that in that part of the world, wherever we went there was an absolute dearth of spare parts for Land Rovers.’

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The other vehicles in the group on that fateful tour had all been Toyotas. ‘It was evident from the way they managed the terrain,’ says Geoff, ‘that they were extremely capable and far more reliable than the vehicle I was in. I put it down to the fact that the Toyotas always seemed to be working less hard to do the same thing.

‘We wanted to move on in our off-roading. Particularly in terms of reliability, and ability itself, to enable us to go further afield with peace of mind.’

Geoff’s answer was to put in a call to Frogs Island 4x4 – a company with a long-standard reputation as a specialist in both Landcruisers and overland prep. It sourced a VX model from 1993 with around 100,000 miles on the clock – end-oflife territory for some vehicles, but just nicely run in for one of these.

This was in 2006, so the Cruiser was a mere 13 years old. Before getting down to the fun stuff, however, first came a programme of servicing and remedial work – including a new timing belt for the 4.2-litre turbo-diesel engine, a new stainless exhaust and PAS pump, new fluids and filters all round, adjusted wheel bearings and a re-gas and new compressor for the air-con.

In addition, the front axle was fully refurbished.

This is the 80 Series’ achilles heel: the swivel seals tend to seep oil, which starts draining the diff housing and eventually the upper diff bearing runs dry. There’s no fix for this other than to strip the axle down and build it back up as new, replacing all the bearings, halfshafts, CVs and swivels, as well of course as all the seals and gaskets.

It’s a long and laborious process, but once it’s done your Land Cruiser will be ready for another 100,000 miles of action.

So, with the vehicle nicely refreshed and raring to go, the mods could begin. The last thing you want to do on an expedition truck is take its drivetrain and running gear miles away from standard, but the 80-Series’ lengthy wheelbase means a little extra height is useful to keep it clear of the ground on breakovers. On went a Terrafirma kit including castor correction and an upgraded steering damper, making room for six 285/75R16 Cooper Discoverer STs. Six? Yes. Protection equipment on the list included a Kaymar rear bumper with twin spare

wheel carriers, which is one of these items that manage to be both sensible and cool. Up front, an ARB winch bumper and bull bar flowed back into the same company’s jackable side steps via a pair of dedicated wing bars, while underneath an 8mm alloy guard looked after the transmission.

The winch on the bumper was a Warn M15000, wound with Plasma 12-Strand and powered by two of the three Optima batteries to be found under the bonnet. These were a Yellow-Top and two Red-Tops; a Piranha management system was installed to make sure they worked together as a team.

Also taking advantage of this extra power were an upgraded stereo, hard-wired in-dash GPS with remote aerial and 40-channel CEPT CB with remote speaker. In addition, the vehicle boasted a 1200-watt power inverter and 40-litre fridge-freezer from Waeco, the latter on a custom mounting deck, while additional lighting came in the shape of a fluorescent strip inside and two banks of 100 and 130-watt IPF spots up front. These days, it would be LED all the way, but back then this was state-of-the-art stuff.

Then came the home-on-wheels stuff. Frogs Island mounted up a roof tent and awning on a Front Runner alloy roof rack, which also gave a home to jerry can and gas bottle holders. Inside, a double-drawer storage system was installed along with an on-board air compressor with two-gallon reservoir and in-cab pressure gauge, a General Ecology water purification system and a heftily protected combination 100/60-litre fuel and water tank with special filler necks, fuel transfer pump and gauges.

The result? A big bill, but an even bigger result.

This 80-Series was a perfect example of how outstanding they can be when chosen well, refurbished with care and specced up with good intent – and even after a series of overland adventures, you could still expect a truck like this to be worth a hefty percentage of what you paid for it.

‘I wanted to do something in retirement other than play golf and read newspapers,’ Geoff commented to us when we met him and saw his truck. Safe to say that with a toy like this in your garage, few things could be further from your mind. He had, after all, found the holy grail.

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CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’ Expeditions and tourist traps don’t go hand in hand. But in California, Utah and Arizona,

Pictures: Jen Bright and Gav Lowrie

C

alifornia is a place many people dream of visiting, for one reason or another.

It’s not a destination you tend to associate with overland expeditions, however – which is odd, because on the face of it there could be few

more suitable parts of the world to explore on four wheels.

For sure, Cali is known for the urban excesses of Los Angeles and San Francisco, as well as some fullon upstate tourist traps. But large parts of it are composed of deserts, mountains and forests, and few

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you’ll find plenty to appeal to any overland traveller

places anywhere in the world offer such a dramatic combination of landscapes and wildlife.

So this is no place to rush through if you’re on a southbound trip from Alaska. Jen Bright and Gav Lowrie, whose travels aboard their Land Rover 110 we’ve been chronicling

4x4 6pp Ruby California.indd 45

intermittently over the last year or so, went a step further than even that – they paused for four months to put a much-needed top up in their expedition account by working at the Cowboy Bunkhouse.

This is a hostel with a wild western theme, which seems appropriate in

the Wild West. It’s actually based in Kanab, across the state border in Utah, but if you know anything about the world of off-roading you’ll recognise this as a well known magnet for 4x4 drivers too.

The couple’s tasks varied from front of house duties to doing the

cleaning and laundry. They were even put in charge of the evening entertainment at times – whereupon the whole cowboy theme tended to be abandoned in favour of a more British Name That Tune and obligatory tea and scones…

Kanab is well located as a base for visiting the state’s national parks. ‘When you cross into Utah, a billboard proclaims “Welcome to Utah – the greatest earth on show,” says Jen. ‘And this is not an exaggeration! Some of the scenery we saw rivals anything we have experienced on our trip so far.’

Zion Canyon National Park, for example, has the highest sandstone rocks in the world. It’s also home to 16 miles of river canyon – one of the many hikes they did here took them between The Narrows, a a gorge cut by the Virgin River whose 1000-foot walls are only 20 feet apart.

‘We were walking through thighdeep water at times,’ says Gav. ‘We got absolutely soaking wet!

But we dried off in the desert heat afterwards.’ Worth it, you’d say.

Another of Utah’s great national parks is Bryce Canyon. Again, the local geology stole the show: ‘The Amphitheatre, with its red sandstone spires of all unique shapes and sizes, called hoodoos, was like nowhere else we had ever visited.’

The couple hiked down into the bowl and among the hoodoos

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The Grand Canyon is nature at its most magical. Another kind of magic might be said to happen at Hogwarts, one of the main attractions at the Universal Studios theme park. Alacatraz, meanwhile, is really not very magical in any sense, though like so much of California it’s an absolutely fascinating place to visit before getting back behind the wheel and driving around all the park’s multiple vantage points. This required a trip across state lines into Arizona – where, of course, it wouldn’t have been right to visit all these canyons without checking in the most famous of them all.

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Typically, though, they didn’t follow the herd. ‘We crossed into Arizona and visited the North Rim of the Grand Canyon – where only 10% of the canyon’s visitors go,’ explains Jen. ‘It is considered one of the seven wonders of the natural world and it is easy to see why.’

In the mile-deep canyon, there are multiple slot canyons along the north rim. Formed by the erosive effect of water flowing through the rock, these chasms are very narrow – some less than a metre wide at the top – but can be up to thirty metres deep.

Antelope Canyon was a highlight for Jen and Gav, despite being the busiest with other tourists, because of the way the sunlight hits the rocks around midday to create wondrous colours and displays of light within the canyon. ‘We had never seen a canyon with such beautiful colours

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and rock shapes,’ says Jen. ‘We passed through it with awe.

‘Antelope Canyon was formed by erosion of Navajo sandstone. The water gathers momentum in the basin above the canyon and rushes through the slots, smoothing hard edges and forming characteristic flowing shapes in the rock.’

Back in Utah, the couple visited the Toadstool Hoodoos – astonishing rock formations whose huge flat tops appear balanced on narrow necks – then moved on to the Cedar Breaks National Monument. This has similar scenery to Bryce Canyon but attracts fewer visitors, which sounds like the perfect combination.

The 67 stone spires of the mighty Kodachrome State Park were also on the itinerary. So too was Monument Valley – which they visited en route the world-famous off-roading centre of Moab, where they stayed for three nights.

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Now, you might travel right round the world to Moab just to experience off-road trails like Hell’s Revenge and Poison Spider. But when you’ve spent months driving there aboard a 4x4 of your own, hiring a Jeep and taking it out to play might not actually be the first thing on your to-do list. So instead, Jen and Gav went (shudder) hiking, in the Arches National Park on the soaring the Island in the Sky trail and among the sandstone cliffs of the Capitol Reef National Park.

They stopped off in Las Vegas, which sounds like another kind of Hells’ Revenge, en route to another work placement at China Ranch Date Farm – on the southern edge of the Death Valley national park.

Expect hot weather to feature in the next part of this story, ‘It was a wonderful green oasis in the middle of the barren desert,’ say Jen. ‘China Ranch is a family-owned farm of about 130 acres, where

fifteen varieties of dates are grown on the various palm trees.’

Located 50 miles from the nearest shops, the farm stretches alongside a river through the desert.

It’s a startling scenic juxtaposition, and one which has attracted Hollywood in its time – the 2001 movie The Sum Of All Fears, starring Ben Affleck and Morgan Freeman, was shot here.

‘Wildlife was in abundance,’ Gav recalls. ‘There were numerous birds and coyotes which we saw regularly on the ranch, as they like to chew on the dates. There were a lot of insects too, like scorpions and lots of spiders and tarantulas.’ Nice.

‘At night, the place was silent except for the sound of coyotes howling or the wind whistling through the hills,’ continues Jen. ‘We didn’t have to walk for long for the skies to be illuminated only by the moon and stars. We saw the Milky Way almost every night.’

Due to the heat, the working day ran from seven in the morning until noon. Jen and Gav got involved everything from harvesting and sorting the dates to baking products for sale in the shop (just leave them in the sun for five minutes) and serving customers. They loved their time here so much that they extended the stay from four to six weeks – giving them more time to get out in their 110 and do some proper exploring.

Death Valley isn’t just called that for a laugh. It’s the driest and lowest of all the national parks in America – and one of the most hostile environments on the planet. ‘We explored the dramatic landscape on foot where we could,’ says Gav – though just driving around the place in their 110 was a treat. ‘It was a wonderful place to camp, too, with its dark skies and incredible stars.’

Talking of hostile environments, the couple were drawn back to

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The tall, needle-like ‘hoodoos’ of Bryce Canyon create a landscape like nowhere else on Earth. The Arches Nationa Park is pretty unique, too, as are the Toadstool Hoodoos elsewhere in Utah. If you want to experience nature at its most artistic, this is definitely the place to come. Zion National Park (below) is yet another natural masterpiece Vegas – though as well as the obligatory Strip, with all its lurid appeal, they also searched out a couple of more unusual attractions.

‘We visited the Mob Museum, which is dedicated to telling the story of organised crime in the US through artefacts and stories and is housed in the former Las Vegas Post Office and Court House,’ says Jen. ‘The other museum we went to was the Neon Museum – which

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is dedicated to collecting and preserving iconic Las Vegas signs.

We did a night tour and it was interesting to see all of the old signs and hear their history.’

Jen and Gav concluded their stay at China Ranch by treating the friends they had made there to a home-cooked dinner of steak and ale pie, chips and mushy peas – all very British, so it was entirely right that they should deliver it to

the ranch house aboard their Land Rover. Next followed yet another night in Vegas (you can see a pattern forming here), where the Defender stayed while its owners flew to San Francisco for three days of actual tourism.

Reunited in time for Thanksgiving (in Vegas, natch), the intrepid trio finally said goodbye to the Mojave Desert and set a course south. Their ultimate destination was Mexico,

but at this point they still had most of California to motor through.

Stop one was the Leo Carrillo State Park. ‘It’s right near Malibu Beach, where Grease was filmed,’ says Jen. ‘We walked along the beach and it was absolutely beautiful.’ Next came the Pacific Highway, taking in glorious views of the ocean and beaches, and Malibu, where they cruised past the homes of the rich and famous. There was time for a couple of hours exploring the vibrant Venice Beach and marvelling at its street performers, before honouring Arnie by dropping in on Muscle Beach.

On a Heart of Hollywood tour, Gav and Jen learnt all about the origins of the name – which stretches way back, many years before the glitz and glamour and the appearance of the world-famous sign.

‘It went back to the time when the name first appeared on maps in the late nineteenth century,’ says Jen. ‘We learned about when the movie industry moved here in about 1910, when the town didn’t even have a bar or movie theatre!’

‘We also saw some of the most famous buildings in Hollywood,’

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California is the sort of place where there are iconic things to be seen everywhere you look. Whether it’s the street art in Los Angeles or the classic buildings in San Franciso, Cali might be touristy but it’s a great kind of tourism. You don’t often get to see anything as distinctive as the famous Hollywood sign, for example – though the unrelenting twists and turns of Lombard Street run it close adds Gav. ‘Along the Walk of Fame, we saw the oldest house in Hollywood, which is where Charlie Chaplin’s kids went to school.’

Taking in more of the city’s culture, Jen and Gav also visited the downtown arts district, seeing yet more of the street art this part of LA is home to.

A visit to the Universal Studios theme park was definitely not your typical expedition experience, but even the most gnarly of overlanders has an inner child. Finally, Jan and Gav visited Griffith Park, overlooking the globally-recognised Hollywood

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sign, before spending a couple of days in San Diego prior to crossing into Mexico.

Here, they had time to reflect on four and a half months spent working and travelling in the western part of the USA. ‘America wasn’t in our original travel plans,’ says Gav. ‘And after their election result, Jen wasn’t so keen on the idea. But we are glad that we came. We’ve seen so much and loved it all.’

‘The curiosity, the kindness and the warm-heartedness of the people we have met has been

overwhelming,’ adds Jen, showing plenty of warm-heartedness of her own. ‘It’s such an incredibly diverse and beautiful country and we have loved its wonderful wilderness.’

They crossed into Mexico at Tecate – meaning they managed to avoid Tijuana, the busiest border crossing in the world. But that didn’t mean the passage was simple.

‘After dealing with US customs, as it turns out we should have walked through the border to get our tourist cards,’ says Gav. ‘But instead we drove straight through the border, thinking we could park – and

then we got waved straight through into Mexico!’

‘We ended up driving around trying to work out how to get back, but we couldn’t cross back to America,’ adds Jen. ‘So, we parked in the street and ran back in case we were stopped for being there illegally!’

It was almost as if America didn’t want to let them go. But a new chapter was about to open – one which would see them return to a more traditional form of expedition travel, in a land which America’s own overlanders often head for in search of adventure.

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ROADBOOK

EAST LEICESTERSHIRE

Field roads, farm tracks and woodland trails in the heart of England USING OUR ROADBOOKS Our roadbooks guide you through the countryside on a mixture of surfaced and unsurfaced roads.

The tracks we use are public rights of way, either Byways Open to All Traffic or Unclassified County Roads, all commonly referred to as green lanes.

NAVIGATION

We’ve deliberately made it as easy as possible to follow the route, using a mixture of instructions, tulip diagrams and grid references. We normally only include junctions at which you have to make a turning or don’t have right of way, so stay on the main road or continue straight ahead unless we tell you otherwise.

You’ll find a guide to using grid references on the legend of any OS map. Our aim is for you to be able to do the route without maps, whether paper or online, but you should certainly take a set with you.

SAFETY

The notes on thee pages advise you of how suitable the route is for your vehicle. These are just guidelines, however. We’ll warn you of any hazards or difficult sections, but the nature of any green lane can change quickly. Wet weather can make a huge difference to the conditions underfoot, and what’s wide open in winter can be tightly enclosed and scratchy in summer.

The responsibility is yours!

Our roadbooks are designed to be safe to drive in a solo vehicle. We do recommend travelling in tandem wherever possible, however. The risk of getting stuck can be greater than it appears – and even the most capable of vehicles can break down miles from anywhere.

RESPONSIBILITY

Irresponsible driving is a big issue on green lanes. In particular, you must always stay on the right of way. Never drive off it to ‘play’ on the verges or surrounding land, even if you can see that someone else has; doing so is illegal and can be tremendously damaging.

This kind of illegal off-roading is a key reason why green lanes get closed. If you see others doing this, they are NOT your friends. They’re criminals, and you are their victim.

If it’s safe to do so, film them in the act and pass it to the police.

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Elsewhere, let common sense and courtesy prevail. Keep your speed down, be ready to pull over for others and show the world that we are decent people just like them.

ANTIS

Anti-4x4 bigotry does exist, but it’s less common than you’d think. By and large, it’s limited to organisations who just want to get the countryside all to themselves.

These organisations are beyond being reasoned with, but it’s rare to encounter real hostility even from their rank-and-file members. If you’re friendly towards the people with whom you share the countryside, the vast majority will respond in kind. There are always bad apples, but no more so than anywhere else.

Likewise, most local residents will accept your presence if you’re driving sensibly. What suspicion you do encounter is likely to be from farmers worried that you’re there to steal from them, so be ready to offer a word of reassurance. Once satisfied that you’re not after their quad bikes, their mood will lighten.

DO…

• Keep your speed right down • Pull over to let walkers, bikers and horse riders pass

• Leave gates as you found them • Scrupulously obey all closure and voluntary restraint notices

• Ensure you have a right to be

there. We research the routes on our roadbooks very carefully, but the status of any route can change without notice Be prepared to turn back if the route is blocked, even illegally If you find an illegal obstruction, notify the local authority Stick absolutely scrupulously to the right of way Always remember that you are an ambassador for all 4x4 drivers

• • • •

DON’T…

• Go in large convoys: instead, split into smaller groups

• Drop litter. Why not carry a bin bag pick up other people’s instead?

• Go back to drive the fun bits, such as mud or fords, again

• Cause a noise nuisance, particularly after dark

• Get riled up if someone challenges you. Be firm but polite, stay calm and don’t let them turn it into a fight

4x4 29/08/2020 15:38

ROADBOOK When war poets of yore wrote longingly about Old England, it’s easy to imagine that the gently rolling hills of eastern Leicestershire are the landscape they had in mind. Not as picture-postcard twee as the Cotswolds, and far more real as a result, this is proper farming country. And it’s full of farm tracks and field roads with public access for 4x4s, making it a wonderful region to explore on four wheels.

This gently meandering route is mainly easy-going – but here and there, the landscape has surprises in store for the unwary…

4x4 10pp Oct 20 Leics Roadbook.indd 53

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29/08/2020 15:38

ROUTE GUIDE

is it suitable?

START FINISH HOW LONG? TERRAIN HAZARDS

TYRES

OS MAPS

Wymondham (SK 851 188) Thorpe Langton (SP 742 926) 49.9 miles / 5-6 hours Rolling hills and farmland Slippy in places when wet; occasional ruts; loads of hazardous road junctions Landranger 129 (Nottingham & Loughboro) Landranger 130 (Grantham) Landranger 141 (Kettering & Corby)

Step

1

SK 851 188

Start outside the Berkeley Arms, on Main Street in Wymondham. Zero your trip with the pub to your left and set off heading east

0.0 Step

2

2.8

WEATHER LOW BOX SOFT-ROADERS SCRATCHING DRIVING DAMAGE

Step

5

Step

SK 893 191

6 BLUE POINT

2.95

3.95

3

3.0 54 | OCTOBER 2020

10pp Oct 20 Leics Roadbook.indd 54

You’re on to a bigger track here

3.75 Step

4

This one gets a bit enclosed for a spell

3.1

Step

Step

At least an all-terrain preferable, especially when wet Avoid when ground is very wet Necessary in a couple of places Will struggle here and there Rare, moderate risk One or two tricky bits. Care needed on road liaison sections Shouldn’t be any unsual risk

7 Dead slow past the farm as you continue ahead on to the smaller track

Step

8

SK 879 210

4.4 4x4 29/08/2020 15:38

Step

9

Caution – this is a major road, and absolutely nobody ever drives slowly on it

5.2 Step

10 5.85 Step

11

Sproxton Saltby

112 3

SK 859 224

5.95 Step

12

SK 850 228

Caution – the road you’re crossing is hard to spot as you approach

Step

15

6.5

8.4

Step

Step

7.35

2.05

Step

Step

8.1

2.7

13 14

16

ZERO TRIP

Stonesby

SK 822 245

17 Step

18 2.75 Step

19

Stay on the obvious main track all the way along here

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Step 34: Immediately after the road junction, turn right through a wooden gate – not the metal one next to it – and stick to the right-hand side of the field all the way down the hill Step

20

SK 873 221

4.6 Step

21

Step

23 6.3

Take care immediately after the junction – there’s usually a bunch of vehicles scattered around, and as you approach them there’s also a sheer drop-off into an open culvert just to the right of the track

Step

Step

6.15

2.15

10pp Oct 20 Leics Roadbook.indd 56

112 5

24 0.5

72 | MAY 2020

Stapleford Melton

Step

5.15

22

ZERO TRIP

Stapleford 112 Whissendine 4

25 Leesthorpe Little Dalby

212 3

4x4 29/08/2020 15:38

Step

26

Caution – this is a deceptively busy road

3.55

(A 606 (S)) Whissendine 134

Step

27 3.65 Step

28

Caution – this is a major road

Step

32

4.4

8.65

Step

Step

29 6.75

33 Village Centre Burrough 2 Twyford 4

Step

34

7.15 Step

31 8.4

9.35 Step

30 NEWBOLD LANE

SK 765 091

ZERO TRIP

SK 759 077

Pass the road junction then immediately turn right through the wooden gate (not the metal one next to it). Follow the right-hand field edge all the way down the hill

0.05 Step

35

This is just a small ford. Straight after it, head through the gate and up the hill – it’s quite steep and gets a bit rutted, with one fairly big hole to get through on the way

0.3

Step 35-36: It’s a bit rutted on the way up the hill – in particular, watch out for this hole

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29/08/2020 15:38

Step 40 (inset): This is the start of a long, varied and eventful lane with some glorious views over the rolling Leicestershire hills. It doesn’t look like much at the outset, but it gets better and better Step

Step

36

39

0.8

2.25

Step

Step

40

37 1.7 Step

38 1.75

58 | OCTOBER 2020

10pp Oct 20 Leics Roadbook.indd 58

Melton Market Harborough

9 13

Caution – this is a busy road

Market Harborough Billesdon B6047

Cold Newton Hungarton

SK 732 053

2.5 Step

41

After the second gate, swing right to follow the right-hand field edge, watching out for the ruts

2.55

4x4 29/08/2020 15:38

Step

42

With the line of the track barely visible in the grass, swing right though the gate that appears in the tree line

2.7 Step

43 2.75 Step

44

Step

46 4.55

The next gate, a few car lengths after Step 42, is in fact two gates tied together with twine, vaguely hinged on one side and lashed to a derelict fence on the other. You can figure out for yourself how to deal with it (take a penknife and some twine of your own), but do make sure that once you’re through you put it back in place

Step

47

214

Follow the road ahead for Skeffington

5.55 Step

48

3.5

6.3

Step

Step

4.05

0.75

45

Tilton

49

Caution – this is a main road and traffic thunders along it

Market Harborough Billesdon

11 112

Another fast major road, which has been dualled for this junction.

Extreme caution as you turn right then immediately left again for Market Harborough

Step 42 (far left): It’s hard to spot where the track leads – look out for the gap in the tree line and head through the gate Step 43 (left): This gate is a candidate for the worst in England. It’s actually two tied together – the one on the left is hinged, sort of, while the one on the right is lashed very permanantly to a rotten old fence that falls over when you free it off

4x4 10pp Oct 20 Leics Roadbook.indd 59

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29/08/2020 15:38

Step

50

SK 723 015

The turning is hard to spot as you approach. For a landmark, it’s shortly after a road to the right with a black lorry sign reading ‘LCC Depot’

Step

53

1.75

3.95

Step

Step

51 2.55

54 New Inn Three Gates

3 4 3

1

4

6.2

Step

Step

3.2

7.15

52

SP 764 998

FIELD ROAD

55 Step

56 7.75 Step

57 8.3 60 | OCTOBER 2020

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4x4 29/08/2020 15:38

Step

Step

58

64

9.4 Step

59

HUNT’S ’ LANE

Turn left then immediately right on to the main road

ZERO TRIP

9.55 Step

60 61

This is just after you enter the village of Cranoe

Glooston

1

SP 750 958

62

65

Caution, yet again – this is a major road

Step

66

Tur Langton 134

This is as you come out of Tur Langton

Cranoe 234 Hallaton 5 Medbourne 6

7.05 Step

67

SP 737 947

The track is opposite the road for Stonton Wyville

8.45

3.0 Step

Step

5.3

2.0 Step

5.25

At the end of the road, it widens into a sort of parking area. Take the track ahead to the right of the village hall

Step

68

3.1

9.75

Step

Step

4.45

10.0

63

69

Be wary after a lot of rain – this one can get deep

At the end of the track, turn left into the car park (it’s actually at the back of a pub, though there’s nothing to tell you this) for the end of the route

Step 62: The road widens into a sort of apron when it ends; follow ahead on to the track with the village hall to your left Step 68 (right): This ford is quite long and can get very deep after a lot of rain. Approach with caution!

4x4 10pp Oct 20 Leics Roadbook.indd 61

OCTOBER 2020 | 61

29/08/2020 15:38

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

Bring on winter!

WHEN OUR QASHQAI came on board late last year, it wasn’t wanting for much. It’s the second example of Nissan’s vastly popular crossover to have taken a place in the 4x4 car park; the first was a firstgeneration model with two-wheel drive, which is a thing we would once never have countenanced running – but the idea of the project was to see whether a 4x2 on winter tyres would be better in the snow and ice than a comparable 4x4 on year-round rubber, and the Qashqai proved that point more emphatically than we believed possible.

What it also proved was that when Qashqai owners grumble on forums about various niggles with their vehicles, they’re not making it up. We had a few, and every single one came up as a common complaint when we asked around.

Still, it was a very good vehicle all-round and when we wanted to try another crossover project, this time with all-wheel drive, we weren’t hesitant to go back to Nissan. This

62 | OCTOBER 2020

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time, it’s the second-generation Qashqai – a very early one, indeed the Premier Edition model that launched the Mk2 into Britain back in 2013.

As we said above, it wasn’t wanting for much. But it was definitely wanting for tyres. It came to us with a Dunlop SP Maxx on one corner, a Pirelli Scorpion Verde on another, a Yokohama BluEarth on another and a Nexen Nfera on the fourth. If the aim of the project was something like ‘how do you make ditch-finders out of the world’s best tyres,’ we’d have started off by just waiting.

Oddly enough, though, it wasn’t.

So we got hold of the good people at Michelin and asked their advice. We wanted to combine the Qashqai’s all-wheel drive with the abilities of an all-season tyre, and the company’s CrossClimateSUV looked like a good call. It’s available in 225/45R19, too, which we suspect is a size it created specifically for the Qashqai.

We got a rather interesting response from Michelin’s technical team. ‘Some of these 4x4 systems are not tolerant of differences in rolling circumference between tyres and may not accept any tyre other than the original equipment.

(This) is about the thresholds in the software systems and the tolerance of the transmission systems to the differing tyre rolling circumferences which are permitted by the ETRTO (European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation).’

So, a vehicle supplied on 225/45R19s might not work on 225/45R19s, then. How to win friends and influence people, huh?

We got back to Michelin and reassured them that since each of the Qashqai’s four wheels was currently running a rolling circumference all of its own, and the electronic systems had never so much as blinked in protest, we didn’t think it was going to have a problem with the CrossClimates.

And soon afterwards, a nice new set

was on its way to the local garage we use for more or less everything a local garage can do.

Michelin says the CrossClimate SUV will offer excellent wet grip and braking both in the dry and on snow.

It was the first summer tyre to be 3PMSF certified as a winter tyre for snow use – and it can even be put to light off-road use. To which the Editor’s better half, who holds the keys on a day-to-day basis, says ‘don’t even think about it.’

Given what happened to a previous Qashqai when we tried to take it round Tong, she may have a point…

Interestingly, Michelin’s own website includes a variety of owners’ reviews about the CrossClimate SUV – some of them very positive indeed, but others quite the opposite. That’s a very brave thing to do, and hats off to them for it.

Having said that, surely by now there’s no-one left who believes anything they read online? Now that fake review agencies are a recognised thing, we’ll do what we always do and believe what we find out for ourselves.

For now, with winter yet to come but plenty of rain having fallen since the Qashqai got its new boots, we can say that they disperse water very effectively. We haven’t seen a shred of wheelspin when pulling away, even through deep puddles, nor has the ABS needed to come in when we’ve got on the anchors.

Lateral grip is good and strong, too, again with the road looking more like a swimming pool.

We’ve also been particularly impressed by the tyres’ refinement and lack of road noise. The Qashqai was noticeably smoother once they’d been fitted, and their sharply angled directional tread doesn’t generate any sort of resonance that we can make out. No, not even with the stereo turned off.

First impressions, then, are really very good indeed. This is a highly civilised tyre that grips well in dry and wet conditions alike. Now we’re just hoping for a snowy winter so they can prove themselves some more. As for their off-road ability, well, let’s just say some negotiation may be necessary…

4x4 30/08/2020 11:04

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4x4 Folios Classifieds 2020.indd 49

To advertise in 4x4 Magazine, call Ian Argent on 01283 553242 or email ian.argent@assignment-media. co.uk to discuss your marketing needs.

OCTOBER 2020 | 63

01/09/2020 20:29

4x4

NEXT MONTH IN…

The all-terrain bus conversion that’ll change the way you see overlanding

Tested: Lamborghini Urus goes green laning in the Peak District…

A Lightweight Land Rover still being used properly PLUS Truly sensational resto-modded G-Wagen

ON SALE: 11th Sept Step 40: Tur n left off the main track, embankment dropping dow then plungi n the ng straight into a water trough (right) rock Step n – there are sharp

71 34

Step

Step

13

13.3.1 12

Cautio the iate as you climb steps to negot hillside

Step

47

Caution over a steps as you short set of rocky drop down the hill

ROADBOOK: A route-of-your-dreams to follow in the hills of North Wales 15.0 a Abbey Strata Florid

8.75

track to the left Take the rocky track the main Cat A

Step

14

4328

Step

43

Step

15

Look out for you cross the the waymarker as ford

15.2

Step

Step

16

44

11.8

Join the Cat A

Step

17 18

It’s a steep, sharp climb up over a bigg er track – you and can’t see ahead over your bonnet to start with

Step

48

13.4

11.7

Step

followed by a long

There’s a coup le of huge wate troughs afte r r the junction

1312 .1 .6

10.9

12.8

More rock steps, water trough

Ste p Step

of

track

You may find yourself drivi a river bed ng along for a while…

13.65 Step

45 Fill in your name14 and .7 address and give this form to your newsagent track Drop off the main the gate and immediately before trough water into yet another

●

these axleentum to clear h bigger t need a bit of mom

Step Step 37: You migh -off to the right Please order 4x4 Magazine and reserve/deliver meis muc a copy every month warned, the drop twisters – but be

12.8 Name Address

88 | JAN UARY 2020

46

than it looks here

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

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4x4 29/08/2020 13:23

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