Pick-up Guide 2019

PICKUP GUIDE 2019 THE

EVERY UK DOUBLE-CAB REVIEWED – PLUS LOTS MORE

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010791 876000

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£7.99

WORK AND PLAY, STANDARD AND MODIFIED: Britain’s ever-growing pick-up market covered in depth from every angle

PLUS 14 Pages of products for pick-ups of every kind 2019 Pickup Guide Cover.indd 1

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THE AWARD WINNING ISUZU D-MAX

3 NEW COLOURS THAT WORK

CHECK OUT THE NEW COLOURFUL CHARACTERS IN THE ISUZU D-MAX PREMIUM RANGE

CALL 03303 335126 OR VISIT ISUZU.CO.UK TO SEE THE NEW COLOURS AND BOOK A TEST DRIVE #Over 40 MPG figure applies to manual transmission models. MPG figures are official EU test figures for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. Official fuel figures for the Isuzu D-Max range in MPG (l/100km): Urban 30.4 - 38.7 (9.3 - 7.3). Extra Urban 40.9 - 50.4 (6.9 - 5.6).

Combined 36.2 - 45.6 (7.8 - 6.2). CO2 emissions 163 - 205g/km. For full details please contact your local Isuzu dealer or visit isuzu.co.uk *3.5 tonne towing applies to all 4x4 models. **125,000 miles/5 year (whichever comes first) warranty applies to all new Isuzu D-Max models. Terms and conditions apply. Visit isuzu.co.uk

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Contents

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Every UK Pick-Up on Test 12 VW AMAROK

Entry-level 163bhp Trendline manual is the best of a very good bunch

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16 FORD RANGER

Tested in massively popular 3.2 TDCi Wildtrak form

24 TOYOTA HILUX

Base-spec Active and kitted-up Invincible models on test

28 FIAT FULLBACK

Fullback Cross is designed to be an off-thepeg workshorse and style wagon in one

32 NISSAN NAVARA

AT32 model lays claim to being the best off-road truck you can buy

38 MITSUBISHI L200

Barbarian trim is better than ever as the L200 continues to evolve

42 ISUZU D-MAX

Huntsman Plus option pack has almost everything you need for work and play

48 SSANGYONG MUSSO

Latest addition to the market is sensational value for money – and more besides

52 MERCEDES X-CLASS

Premium double-cab is actually at its most convincing as a work truck

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From the team that brings you…

Features 4

GALLERY

100 EARLY MODDED L200

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ONE-TONNE TONKA

104 MIGHTY RANGER

Utes from around the world doing what utes do best

When Toyota set out to build a real-life tough toy…

10 RED AUTO TECH

The Aussie start-up planning to electrify the double-cab market of the future…

56 PRODUCTS SHOWCASE

A massive 14 pages of the latest and best kit to help you modify, maintain and enjoy your pick-up to the very max

76 DV8 RANGER

A Midlands-made take on Ford’s smash-hit double-cab that’s shifting in big numbers

80 VISIONARY L200

A man with the bottle to treat a then-new double-cab to some unique modifications

84 DOUBLE-CAB CRUISER

A totally unique pick-up in the UK – a 200-Series Toyota Landcruiser that’s been turned into a dropside utility wagon

90 WORK AND PLAY

One of the first in the country to get a kitchen-sink build

Can’t get a Raptor? Not to worry, just build one instead…

110 LONGEST LAND ROVER Does the super-sized 130 double-cab make sense as an off-road wagon?

114 LONG-RANGE RANGER

Ford’s big beast becomes a highly evolved off-roader for far-flung action

120 EXPLORING PERU

A convoy of Hiluxes heads into the Andes for a serious trip back in time

126 FIERCE CREATURES

More Hiluxes, this time on safari amid the wild wild life of South Africa

132 DODGE RAM

A not very fond look back to the time when Dodge’s UK importer decided to give us a taste of American iron

KAP has become famous for its beautifully turned out utility conversions to Suzuki’s off-road superstar

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Assistant Editor George Dove Art Editor Samantha D’Souza Contributors Mike Trott, Paul Looe, Dan Fenn, Olly Sack, Gary Noskill Photographers Harry Hamm,Vic Peel, Steve Taylor Group Advertising Manager Ian Argent Tel: 01283 553242 Advertising Manager Colin Ashworth Tel: 01283 553244

136 L200 WALKINSHAW

Advertising Sales Manager Peter Topley Tel: 01283 553245

140 JEEP CREW CHIEF

Advertising and Exhibition Sales Executive Abigail Cooper Tel: 01283 553246

Mitsubishi’s pioneering coil-sprung doublecab was a little too far ahead of its time

Trek Overland’s Hilux is designed to be all things to all drivers

94 JIMNY PICK-UP

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

There’s a Wrangler pick-up on the way… apparently this lurid concept truck is full of hints as to what it’ll be like

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Advertising Production Sarah Lowe Tel: 01283 553242 Subscriptions Manager Catherine Martin Subscriptions Assistants Emma Emery, Kay Tunnicliffe, Abi Dutton Publisher and Head of Marketing Sarah Lowe Email: sarah.lowe@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

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Every effort is made to ensure the contents of The Pickup Guide 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 The Pickup Guide, 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 The Pickup Guide is published by Assignment Media Ltd, Repton House G11, Bretby Business Park, Ashby Road, Bretby, Derbyshire DE15 0YZ

© Assignment Media Ltd, 2018

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GALLERY In pictures: Utes and double-cabs of every kind, from all around the world, doing what they do best…

Above: A quintessentially Australian sight, this – a big, wide, dry landscape, with a gorgeous looking long-wheelbase 40-Series flatbed in the middle of it. Kind of makes you want to jack it all in and go off to work on a sheep station…

Toyota Landcruiser J40, by dave.see @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

Left: A beaten-up old ute and a dried-up lake bed in California… what’s not to love about this? Not sure if it’s a true beater or a carefully created rat-looker, but either way we’re jealous. Though the combination of Chevy badging and right-hand drive says it’s a truck with a tale to tell about how it got to be there The Ute, by Mitch Barrie @ flickr.com, CC BY-SA 2.0

Below left: We’re not saying that this is what the taxi service looks like at Santa Pekoa International Airport on Vanuatu. But it does seem to be quite a popular way of getting about – when you struggle to count the number of people sat in the back of a Hilux, you know it’s well loaded…

Pick Up Ute, by Michael Coghlan @ flickr.com, CC BY-SA 2.0

Below: And again. Half a dozen up, here. But, hi-vis, though. Cos, you, know, safety first

Hi Viz Workers Heading Home, by Michael Coghlan @ flickr.com, CC BY-SA 2.0

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Above: Safe to say the Holden Crewman is less familiar to us than the Toyota Hilux. But if you’re an Australian ute-spotter, apparently this is a hilarious case of a truck with a split personality. We’re just wondering whether that back door is designed for keeping people out or in…

Holden Crewman ute tray/caged canopy on Toyota Hilux 4X4 cre cab, by High ay Patrol mages @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

Top right: If you want to explore the wastes of the Al Badayer Desert in the UAE, it definitely helps if you like sand. Having the keys to a tidy looking Ford Ranger helps, too, though if it was us we’d probably feel a little more confident with some sort of visible recovery point somewhere…

Atop the

unes, by abih l- houry @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

Above right: Holden is synonymous with the Australian motor industry, but this example of one of the company’s early pick-ups is a bit out of the ordinary. Pretty sure that paint scheme wasn’t a factory option, for example… though if it was, it would be totally worth it Holden Ute, Silverton, by Chris ithall @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

Right: This picture of a Mazda B-Series was taken in August 2009 in the Dominican Republic, so the dust should be reaching you any time now Mazda B2000 Turbo, by Carlos Jose @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

Below: Bit of an odd one for the world of 4x4s, but interesting nonetheless in that it shows the early days of utes in Australia – this was taken in March 1938, more than a decade before the first Land over was unveiled to the world Cars parked outside Longreach ail ay Station, Capricorn High ay, Longreach, by ueensland State Archives @ flickr. com

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GALLERY

Above: Now, that’s what you call a proper truck.

Photographed in Hawaii, where things have been getting a bit hairy just recently – and while even the F-450 might not be any match for a volcano, a rugged great beast of a thing like this is just what you want when the going gets gnarly

200 ord -4 0 4 4 Super Cab latbed, by CC-BY-Car mages @ flickr. com, CC BY-SA 2.0

Right: Spotted in New Zealand, this appears to be part of the way between a ute, a van and a station wagon. Though mainly, it looks like what would happen if you brought Mad Max to life in the real world Holden Belmont 4W CC BY 2.0

Panel Van H , by iley @ flickr.com,

Below left: Another use for a flatbed Land Cruiser, as if they weren’t already capable of doing everything you can think of. We won’t comment on the issues raised here – save to say that in 4x4s-and-fracking news, one of the biggest fracking licence holders in the K is N S – part of the same group of companies that’s developing its own successor to the Land over efender Western Australia Ute Muster, by Lock the ate Alliance @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

Below right: And there we are, yet another use for a pick-up that you probably hadn’t thought of before. And finally a visit to dear old Blighty, too. While elsewhere we have them doing everything from conquering the Outback to campaigning for the environment, welcome to Birmingham – where they’re engaged in the far more serious business of promoting beer Bud Light - St Martin s S uare, Bullring Birmingham, by lliott Bro n @ flickr.com, CC BY-SA 2.0

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A ONE-TONNE TONKA Toyota celebrates as Hi-Lux becomes Australia’s top-selling car

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oyota’s Australian importer has modified a top-of-the-range version of the current Hi-Lux to create a unique concept truck – with a character that’s extremely distinctive but very familiar at the same time.

Based on the 2.8-litre SR5 model (equivalent to our Invincible, but with the bigger engine which we don’t get in the UK), the Tonka-themed vehicle was built to celebrate a sales landmark set during 2016 – when the Hi-Lux became the first commercial vehicle

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ever to become Australia’s highestselling car.

About 5.75% of the 16 million Hi-Luxes sold around the world to date have been bought by Australians – a breed of 4x4 users known for their ability to sort the wheat from the chaff when it comes to trucks. Toyota’s HQ in the country has a 150-strong product planning and development division – and it was they who designed and built the Tonka concept.

The vehicle rides on aftermarket suspension system giving it a massive 150mm lift – that’s just shy

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of six inches. This is achieved while retaining the standard format with an independent front end, and it allows 35” tyres to be slung beneath a set of lavishly extended arches on a suitably lairy beadlock alloys.

Up front, the vehicle runs a heavy-duty winch bumper and a carbo fibre bo et ith air

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scoops and a thoroughly Tonkaesque power bulge. The engine breathes via a raised air intake and a brace of LED bars are integrated into the bumper and roof pod, while tubular rock sliders are augmented by a 6mm alloy diff and sump guard. here s more carbo fibre at the back, in the shape of a lightweight

tailgate with an integrated spoiler and air vents. The pick-up bed, meanwhile, is home to a removable tubular frame containing mounting points for jerry cans and stowage boxes for recovery gear, as well as pioneer tools, a high-lift jack and a fire e ti isher ‘We have taken Tonka out of the sand pit and reinvented Hi-Lux

from top to bottom and from nose to tail,’ commented Toyota Australia’s Product Design boss Nicolas Hogios of the sensational looking truck. The concept isn’t intended to spawn a production model – but if you favour the HiLux for its formidable reputation, you couldn’t half have fun trying to build one like it.

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RED AUTOMOTIVE SET TO L ELECTRIC TRUCK IN LATE 2 Australian start-up plans electric off-road vehicle with range-extender engine •

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top speed of 150mph.

A 0-62 time under 4.0 seconds. Ground clearance and suspension travel of 375mm and 450mm respectively. A range of up to 750 miles. Towing capacity of 3500kg. And zero emissions.

That’s the extraordinary set of targets which this revolutionary Australian pick-up has set out to achieve. The as-yet unnamed vehicle is in the process of being developed by Red Automotive Technologies, a start-up company seeking to create a culture of specialist vehicle manufacture from the ashes of Australia’s collapsed car-making industry.

And this is not a mere softroader. ‘Our focus will be off-road capable SUVs,’ promises Red. ’And when we say “off-road capable”,

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we mean something that will leave the gnarliest Jeep or Land Cruiser way behind.’

Words are cheap, of course, b t the compa is co fide t that such a vehicle can be manufactured – and at the sort of price that will let it compete with trucks like the Ford Ranger and Land Rover Defender. ‘With breakthrough technology,' it says, 'primarily in drivetrain and suspension, we sidestep the compromises in conventional 4x4 designs.’

More than that, during the course of the truck’s development Red Automotive has found a secondary focus in what it calls PowerPlay – a patented technology allowing the vehicle to power its owner’s home. Its batteries are charged from the domestic supply at times when the weather conditions allow

peak production of wind and solar energy, and a diesel range-extender engine provides an opportunity to reverse the po er o he the grid is at a lower ebb – even to the point of being able to sell surplus energy back to your supplier.

The vehicle’s design includes an electric motor at each wheel, providing what Red calls ‘ultimate traction and control.’ Its battery pack will allow around 125 miles in electric-only mode, with the range-extender allowing it to cover as much as six times that between refills a d rechar es In terms of appearance, what you see on these pages is just a series of concept sketches. But, says Red, they ‘give an idea of the direction we are heading.’ Most of all, the company stresses that its trucks will be ‘contemporary,

innovative and tough to deal with Australian conditions.’

This is at the heart of what the company is trying to achieve.

Although it expects 90% of its production to be exported (with Europe an early target), it stresses that its vehicles will be built to prosper in the most testing conditions its home nation has to offer. Speaking to Motoring website, Red founder Paul van de Loo said: ’There’s no other country in the world that’s going to build an offroad vehicle better than we can, because we use them more than anyone else. We understand what it’s all about; we know that if you stop in the middle of the desert, you are probably going to stay there forever.’

Van de Loo is a Stanford-trained mechanical engineer whose

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O LAU C E 2019

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I

-TEC

90% of sales predicted to be exports • Prices in same bracket as LR Defender consultancy business Applidyne has been providing product and systems design services to a broad range of industries since 1993. His vision for an off-road vehicle built around modern technologies grew as Australia’s traditional car manufacturing industry started to collapse – in a way which some say mirrors the demise of Britain’s domestic motor industry.

The big three carmakers in Australia are Toyota, Ford and Holden – and a few years ago, all three announced the phased closure of their factories almost simultaneously. That left a huge pool of untapped talent – and, Red Auto Tech believes, a golden opportunity to reinvent the local car industry as a maker of specialised products.

‘Our goal is to manufacture and sell premium quality vehicles in moderate volume,’ the company says of its development plans for the future . ‘We will also license our intellectual property to automotive component and vehicle manufacturers globally here this does ot co ict ith selling our cars… and consider the sale of components incorporating our IP, such as transmissions, to other manufacturers.’

These technologies include a two-speed transmission system, which it believes is crucial to producing a vehicle combining classleading on and off-road skills.

‘There have been previous attempts at two-speed transmissions,’ it says, ‘but currently all s se a si le fi ed ratio Our novel transmission solves the problems encountered in previous attempts and incorporates braking, freeing space at the wheel thereby providing increased space to optimise suspension geometry and reduce unsprung mass.’

Another key area of innovation Red Auto claims is in the vehicle’s chassis architecture. The company talks of a ‘clean-sheet-of-paper design’ based around its electric

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powertrain, with none of the legacy issues that come with adapting a traditional platform.

Nonetheless, the company says it will base the vehicle on a donor chassis, citing Tesla’s use of the Lotus Elise for its original Roadster as a e ample o the cost savings that can be achieved this way while setting up as a car maker. In an interview with our sister magazine 4x4, va de oo e plai ed ‘We are using a ladder frame vehicle as the donor and replacing the entire rolling chassis. So within the constraints of body mounting hardpoints/ oorpa e have a clea sheet o paper design for our rolling chassis.

As it happens that doesn’t constrain us very much.’

Although he wasn't willing to reveal where the donor chassis will be coming from, van de Loo did also co firm that the vehicle ill have all-independent suspension. e are co fide t that e ill o er per orma ce that matches live a les off road and will be way better on-road,’ he told us, volunteering also that the project is using ‘key suppliers’ in the UK and Europe.

Applidyne has previously developed active suspension systems for heavy commercial vehicles, and van de Loo intends to create a team from his original company to work on secondment to Red Automotive. The new business will, however, also employ its own automotive specialists – taking advantage of

the skilled labour pool becoming available as Ford, Holden and Toyota close their factories.

Even before its downfall as a location for high-volume carmaking, stralia as t e actl o around the world for its motor industry. As most off-roaders will recognise, however, some of the leading aftermarket brands originated Down Under – ARB and are t o obvio s e amples a d ‘Aussie-made’ has come to be seen as a bad e o fit ess or p rpose throughout the market for overland a d e treme o road e ipme t

With this in mind, Red Auto’s radical electric off-roader should receive a lot of attention when it comes to the UK. The company says the vehicle’s market release is scheduled for late 2019, though a commencement date for UK imports is yet to be announced.

Red Automotive is one of several vehicles planing to launch new o road tr c s over the e t e years. Some are more credible than others – but few can claim to be o eri as radical a d e citi a departure from the traditions of ma act re

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DRIVEN

VW AMAROK 163 MANUAL

Entry-level version of Volkswagen’s premium pick-up makes a convincing case for being seen as the best model in the range DRIVEN Amarok 3.0 TDI 163 Manual

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ver since the revised Amarok came to Britain a year and a half ago, we’ve been praising Volkswagen for its premium approach to pickup manufacture. But we’ve also been saying that what the range needs is to expand downwards.

By that, we don’t mean we want the Amarok to become cheap and nasty. It’ll never be either of those things. But until now, it’s only

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been available with high-powered versions of Volkswagen’s 3.0 TDI engine spinning an eightspeed automatic box – and what we’ve been yearning for is a manual model.

There’s one overwhelming reason for this. In auto form, the Amarok doesn’t have a dual-range transfer box; to get that, you need to buy it with a manual unit, which has fi all arrived i the ra e after a rather longer wait than Volkswagen had originally planned.

The 3.0 TDI engine is now available in four different states of tune (with 163, 204, 224 and 258bhp), and the manual box is offered with the lower two of

these. You can only get a manual Amarok in entry-level Trendline trim, too; we’ve got it here with the 163bhp unit, which means that at £24,510 plus VAT this is the cheapest model in the range.

You’ve got to add on-the-road costs to that, of course, plus the VAT if you’re not registered. In the case of our test vehicle, too, there’s a range of options: sat-nav, alcantara seats, a chrome styling pack, load liner, locking rear diff and all-round parking sensors. Add in all that little lot a d o d be loo i at a fi al invoice for £35,039.

CABIN AND PRACTICALITY Some of the other base-spec pickups we’ve driven recently have felt noticeably utilitarian inside.

These include the Isuzu D-Max and Toyota Hilux – as well, perhaps more surprisingly, as the Mercedes X-Class. But although the Amarok feels less sumptuous in Trendline trim than we’ve become used to since its facelift, it still has a classy air to it.

We should add that the aforementioned base-speccers are all very good vehicles – in at least one case, our favourite from its range. But all have a buildingsite sort of air to them, which the Amarok doesn’t.

Those alcantara seats help elevate its image here, as does the fact that even at the bottom of the range, alloy wheels are standard. Even without its optional cabin enhancements, though, it still wouldn’t feel like a hose-out work truck inside. Obviously, a grand and a half’s worth of chrome accessories can hardly help but

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Volkswagen makes no apologies for positioning the Amarok at the premium end of the pick-up market. The Trendline model isn’t as sumptuous as others we’ve tested, but if anything that makes it more convincing. Its layout is convenient and build quality is top-notch, even if the sat-nav and alcantara seats seen here are optional extras twist your perception here, too (yes, really, that’s how much the option costs); our view would be that we’d happily spend that much on getting them taken away, but if you’re into that sort of look then fi e e d thi o d probabl be looking further up the range if you li e chrome that m ch tho h Getting back to the cabin, it’s trimmed in plastics which are hard to the touch but feel very de se a d sto t ild alit is extremely robust – there’s not a hint of brittleness to it, and hardly any creaking from the dash or

moveme t rom the oor co sole t eels absol tel b ilt to last The seats will be cloth-trimmed if you don’t think it’s worth paying £762 for alcantara, and knowing Volkswagen as we do we have no doubt at all that the fabric i estio ill be as sto t a d hard-wearing as it is grippy and com ortable t to test hat we’re given, it’s a very nice perch from which to drive; the seat’s back bolsters feel a little narrow compared to the base, but overall it’s as supportive as it should be and o do t a t or com ort

You do want for lumber adjust, tho h t this is o the optio s list, too – at a thankfully modest to cover both ro t seats t s always good when the stuff you don’t want costs silly money and the st o do is ice a d cheap In the back, our instinct is that the Trendline model has super knee room than the higher-spec Amaroks e ve tested he seat bac s are

deeply recessed, albeit with rather a severe ledge up top than can end up pressing sharply into the tops of your knees, but with a bit of give and take it’s possible for one six-footer to sit behind another with neither of them suffering unduly, and we certainly haven’t come away with that impression when we’ve driven the Highline and dve t ra models

Accommodation is well above average by the standards of the pick-up sector, with enough space in the two rows of seats to let one six-footer sit quite comfortably behind another. It’s not quite as roomy as the Ford Ranger, but it’s very close behind – and headroom is excellent, as is the view over a pleasingly low waistline

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The rear seats have just about enough legroom for a tall adult to squeeze in behind a driver of a similar stature. Headroom is poor, however, and a six-footer’s eye line will be above the top of the side window

Headroom is excellent in the back, too, as it your view out. The same can be said in the front, which is good and spacious, and a low waistline means a particularly good view to the side which can be very handy in tight situations both on and off-road.

Oddment stowage around the cabin is adequate, though most of it comes from a deep bin at the front o the oor co sole a d a lar e tra on top of the dash. The glovebox, by contrast, is fairly shallow, and the cubby box is more of a vertical slot as half the width of the console is lost to the handbrake lever.

The Discover Media system on our Amarok would add £672 to the bill, and it brings DAB digital

radio and sat-nav to the party.

You can certainly spend more to get less, but the Trendline model already comes with an excellent 6.33” touch-screen set-up running app-connect and a mobile phone interface with voice control, so you might take the view that that’s enough. Having said that, VW’s own navigation system is outstanding, and once you’ve got used to the wonders of DAB you’re unlikely to want to go back.

DRIVING This may be the 3.0 TDI engine in its lowest-powered form, but 163bhp from 2750rpm is hardly

weedy – especially when it’s backed up by 332lbf.ft from just 1250rpm.

And that’s the key. Use the manual box to dig out all that torqiue, and the Amarok surges forward with an urgency and illi ess that ma e the o ficiall quoted 0-62 time of 9.8 seconds sound thoroughly conservative. The box itself has to be changed with a bit of languor, as it has a mechanical nature to it that’s perfectly accurate but doesn’t encourage snappy shifts, but once you’re used to its operation you can keep the six-pot diesel in the guts of its power band – and whether you’re running unladen, carting a load or pulling a trailer, it’ll give you all the get-upand-go you need.

The action doesn’t back off on the way through the mid-range, and there’s little to differentiate this Amarok’s motorway performance from that of the higher-powered models. It cruises comfortably, with plenty in reserve, and there’s nothing much in the way of engine noise. Wind rustle is your main companion at speed, and needless to say there’s more than a trace of road rumble, though this model’s hi her profile t res eep a lid o the commotion.

You don’t need to make constant adjustments to the steering to keep it on line on the motorway, either, and even in this low-spec form cruise control is standard equipment. Move on to A and B-roads, and it handles with all the heft and body roll you expect of a tr c b t o e o the fid eti on poor surfaces. The rear is very well controlled, even when running unladen, making the Amarok one of the best-riding trucks there is, and the drop to part-time four-wheel drive on this model (autos have a full-time system) does nothing to detract from its grip and poise even when pushed. Naturally, all things being equal the full-time system will hold on for longer, but you’d have to ask some pretty extraordinary questions to get it to that point.

OFF-ROAD Off-road, what we’ve got here is the only Amarok to have. We’ve driven an auto model on tight, slippery woodland tracks and it remains as agile as ever, but you’re constantly holding it back on the brake. That’s no way to control a vehicle, but the presence of

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low range gives this model the drivetrain it needs to match its excellent chassis and suspension.

Size is always an issue with pickups, but of all those currently on the market we’d say the Amarok is the best at disguising its wheelbase and rear overhang when tackling extreme terrain. Its steering is precise on rough ground and its axles follow the terrain very smoothly. As always, a light rear end is prone to breaking traction on one side or the other, particularly when climbing over axle-twisters, but it still feels well balanced – and if the worst comes to the worse, you’ve always got that rear locker to fall back on.

At least, you do if you tick the box on the options list. Yes, that subject again. The good news is that once again, the stuff you really want

4pp VW Amarok 163 Manual.indd 15

is at the cheap end of the scale – installing a locker in the back axle will only set you back an extra £300. That’ll be a no-brainer, then.

As is always the case with pick-ups, the difference it makes is enormous, both in terms of what it can do and how gently it can treat the ground while doing it.

The 17” alloys on this Amarok are the smallest in the range, and looking at the vehicle’s spec they’re also the smallest o ca fit aro d its brakes. That cuts down your choice of all-terrain and mudterrain tyres, though nothing like as m ch as it sed to the sta dard fit 245/65R17s are just under 30” tall, which clearly isn’t enough for off-roading, but a moderate lift and something like a 265/70R17 would transform it into an extremely potent machine.

VERDICT

The six-speed manual gearbox is quite mechanical in operation, but it’s easy to get used to. It alone in the Amarok range is mated to a two-speed transfer case, making it the only one to choose for off-road use; this vehicle also has a locking rear diff, which at £300 on the options list is an absolute no-brainer

★★★★★

VW Amarok 3.0 TDI 163 Manual Adds a great price, and winning off-road ability, to the Amarok’s existing strengths That this is the best model in the Amarok range, at least if you’re buying with off-road use in mind, is beyond any doubt. Another grand or so gets you the next engine up, and we can see the appeal in that. But so long as you choose the manual box, you’ve got a vehicle with serious potential when you go off-road – and a genuinely premium demeanour the rest of the time too.

30/10/2018 21:39

DRIVEN

FORD RANGER 3.2 WILDTRAK

Low-spec, 2.2-litre version of the Ranger has already impressed us massively: so does the higher-spec version with the bigger engine score even better?

DRIVEN 3.2 TDCi Wildtrak

I

t takes a lot to shake up the car market to the extent that an anonymous alsoran can launch itself to the undisputed pole position in its sector. But that’s pretty much what the Ford Ranger has done since the model first came o t To be fair on the previous Ranger, it wasn’t an also ran. But with the Mitsubishi L200, Toyota Hilux and Nissan Navara of the time all providing massively strong competition, Ford struggled to make a game-changing impact

16 6pp Ranger 3.2.indd 16

be o d the hi h vol me eet markets in which it specialises.

Nowadays, the L200, Hilux and especially the Navara are far better than the models that went before. In each case, though, you’d talk about them in terms of evolutionary change. The Ranger, on the other hand, continues to ride the crest of a wave that was unleashed when a revolutionary new model arrived in 2012.

It’s hard to believe that this model, which was facelifted a couple of years ago, is already

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The pleasingly simplicity of the Ranger’s cabin is enhanced in the Wildtrak by premium materials and a load of equipment – including, of course, the orange seats you see here. The dash top is leather trimmed with orange stitching, and the dash is centred upon an 8” media screen getting close to the point where it’s due for replacement. That’s how fresh it still feels. And its popularity continues to endure, thanks to an impressively wide range of virtues – among which, the availability of a 3.2-litre engine developing 200bhp is one of the most notable.

That’s the model we have here, in the latest version of Ford’s range-

topping Wildtrak trim. As you might recall if you’re a regular reader, a 2.2 XLT example of the same truck ot a five star revie rom s a last winter, on the way to winning our Pick-Up of the Year award, so logic dictates that this more elevated model should be even better.

Enough to justify the extra money? That’s the big question.

The Ranger in these pictures would cost you £27,945 plus VAT, which is exactly £4500 more than the award-winning 2.2 XLT. Not too big a jump, you might reasonably feel, and you do get a good amount of extra kit for your money, but does the Ranger need anything extra at all on top of what that model gives you?

he first a s er is that i o upgrade to the Limited model with the same 2.2 TDCi engine, you’ll pay £26,095 plus VAT – that’s £2650 more than the XLT. The extra money buys leather seats with heating and electric adjustment, dual-zone climate, a bigger media screen, a sports bar for the pick-up bed, a refrigerated cubby box and

There’s plenty of space in both rows of seats – the Ranger is unique among pick-ups for the legroom in the back. The back of the rear bench also drops down to create load space, and the base lifts to reveal a couple of hidden bins

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Above left: An absolutely nailed-on choice in the options list is the Off-Road Pack. This includes a set of heavy-duty underbody guards, as well as a locking rear diff – which, when you’re off-roading in a vehicle with a one-tonne payload, can make a world of a difference Above right: Also on the options list, and you’d be mad not to tick it, is a plumbed-in power inverter. Located in the rear of the floor console, this has a proper three-pin output rather than needing a uro adapter various trim and styling details on top. This model also brings in the option of an auto box.

Carry on all the way to Wildtrak spec and the bigger engine comes as standard. In addition, you get a slew of interior and exterior styling bits, a soft-touch dash top, unique seats with technical fabric trim and exclusive 18” alloy wheels. If the

18 6pp Ranger 3.2.indd 18

Limited model is about adding kit, the Wildtrak concerns itself more with being seen.

Of course, the prices quoted above are what it will say in the windscreen. Ford dealers don’t tend to be backwards about cutting deals to seal a sale, and you don’t need to look very hard to be offered very si ifica t disco ts e ve see

online brokers quoting more than £5000 off the model tested here.

CABIN AND PRACTICALITY In lower-spec form, the Ranger’s cabin is attractive in its simplicity.

Here, it has the same pleasing layout, but with more equipment and fancier looking materials.

These are led by the trim on the upper dash, which looks like dark leather with contrasting orange stitching; Ford describes it as softtouch, and it certainly is softer than the wipe-clean plastics featured in most pick-up interiors, but it’s still

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not what you’d call plush. It’s pretty to look at, though – as is the 8” media screen, even if the carboneffect trim surrounding it is more likely to make you cringe.

The leather theme continues on the seats’ side bolsters. though the main trim is a tough orange fabric.

This isn’t the very grippiest of its kind, but we didn’t feel ourselves sliding around in hard corners or off-road side slopes, so evidently it does its job. It’s quite showy, though, and once again not as plush as some trucks’ fabrics.

The seats themselves are good, with plenty of support in the base and back. We found ourselves calling on the adjustable lumbar support quite early, however – leading us to speculate that perhaps the simpler perches in the XLT, from which we emerged feeling completely fresh after a couple of monster journeys, are actually better.

As with all Rangers, the seats give you an excellent driving position offering expansive views in all directions. This includes over your shoulder; obviously, a large load-bay canopy could mess that up, but this model does score over its cheaper kin by providing a reversing camera.

There’s plenty of room in the back, too, with generous knee room and well sculpted front seat-backs meaning this is the only double-cab on the UK market in which one

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tall adult can sit behind another in genuine comfort. Headroom is excellent, too, and the seat back and base alike can be folded to provide a variety of options for carrying large items within the cab.

With the rear seat base tilted up, indeed, a par of deep stowage bins are revealed which could be useful for hiding things like tablets away from prying eyes. Elsewhere, everyday oddment stowage is taken care of by a good big cubby and deep bi i the oor co sole as well as decent sized door pockets and a useful glovebox.

Much of this is common to all Rangers, of course.

Something we noticed in the Wildtrak, though, was its extra controls – not just because they were there, but because they weren’t always particularly well laid out or clearly labelled.

The multi-function steering wheel, for example, has an ‘OK’ button on either side of it, complete with four arrows pointing in all directions, but neither has anything to suggest what it’s actually for. Yes, of

course, you read the handbook and you learn about your new truck. But whatever the opposite of intuitive might be, that’s what it is.

The dual-zone air-con controls, too, are located rather a long way down, in front of the gearstick, and there’s enough complexity to them for you to have to take your e es rom the road to fi re them out. The air-con itself is excellent, though, and kept us cool and relaxed on one of those strengthsappingly hot days we had in July.

Whether the more basic air-con in a lower spec model wouldn’t

have done as good a job, we don’t know. But the XLT we tested six or so months ago had Ford’s Sync3 media system as an option, and the ease of using it contrasted somewhat with the bewilderment we felt while pressing all those buttons on the steering wheel without getting anything to happen.

DRIVING There are two big differences between this Ranger and the 2.2 XLT. One is the obvious, which is

19 30/10/2018 21:35

The 3.2 TDCi engine is one of the Ranger’s biggest attractions for many buyers. It develops 200bhp, against the 160bhp you get from the 2.2-litre alternative, and can be tuned for more, but we didn’t find it noticeably sprightlier than the smaller unit. For only an extra £800 plus VAT on the list price, however, it’s an easy choice to make

that is has a 3.2-litre diesel engine instead of a 2.2. The other is that it’s on 18” rims and 265/60R18 tyres, rather than 16” jobs and 225/70R16s.

To start at the beginning, the engine does pull strongly. More so than the 2.2-litre unit, though?

Well, yes, probably, though one suspects the difference will only

really become apparent when pulling or carrying a particularly heavy load. Outputs of 160bhp at 3700rpm and 284lbf.ft at 1500rpm for the smaller engine play 200bhp at 3000rpm and 347lbf.ft at 1500rpm for the 3.2, with kerb weights of 2050kg and 2189kg respectively, and the upshot of these fi res is times o and 10.9 seconds. A victory for the vehicle tested here, then, but hardly an overwhelming one.

To us, the 3.2 TDCi driven here felt tighter than the 2.2, whose revvier nature makes it more entertaining on B-roads – but no less civilised on the motorway.

Every Ranger we’ve driven has been an excellent cruiser, with a smooth drivetrain that draws the sting from long-distance journeys.

Around town, the 3.2-litre unit is as strong as an ox, allowing you to stay in a higher gear for more of the time without it starting to labour.

The 2.2 XLT we tested some months ago ran on 225/70R16 tyres and handled excellently on the road. This Wildtrak model has 265/60R18s and is just as agile, but it’s doesn’t ride any less pliantly whether on tarmac or at speed on rough surfaces like those below

20 6pp Ranger 3.2.indd 20

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PICKUP GUIDE 2019

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a d refi eme t either o repeat both are good and smooth on the motorway, and both can be chucked about with verve on the open road.

The Wildtrak is perhaps a touch fussier on poor surfaces, but there’s precious little in it, and in terms of handling there’s a kind of gung-ho nature to the way the vehicle’s body rolls in fast corners that means the XLT’s taller rubber actually suits it quite well. It’s not what a sportscar a ficio ado o ld ide ti as handling in the traditional sense, but if you’re used to putting your foot down in pick-ups it’ll please you no end.

Fact is, there’s very little indeed to criticise about any aspect of the way the Ranger drives. If we were being picky, we’d point to a little bit of engine, wind and especially road noise on the motorway, with the Wildtrak’s lo er profile t res perhaps addi a little to the latter, but really it’s very competent all round whichever model you choose.

★★★★★

Ford Ranger 3.2 TDCi Wildtrak Outstanding, as all Rangers are, but lacks the purity of lower-spec models

VERDICT

It’s not noticeably more brisk, as the pretty slender difference in sprint times would suggest, but it does make a little less work of getting about.

The accent is on ‘a little’, though.

Both engines are very, very good in everything they do, with the 3.2 perhaps better suited to doughty hard work while the 2.2 is easier to have fun with. The margins are very fi e tho h o the s b ect o which, the bigger unit only accounts for an extra £800 plus VAT on the Ranger’s list price. You’ll probably get that back come sell-on time, too, which might make it a bit of a o brai er less o either prefer the way the 2.2 drives (as we do), want the no-nonsense trim of a lower-spec model or, no small thing, ba l at e ficie c fi res mp and 221g/km when you could spend less to get a return of 40.4mpg and 184g/km instead.

There’s not a lot of difference between the XLT and Wildtrak in terms of their ride, handling

Our five-star verdict on the 2.2 TDCi was well earned, and the 3.2 is just as good. To us it’s not obviously better, though, and the extra equipment in the Wildtrak model leaves us largely unmoved, so on a personal level we wouldn’t spend the extra money. The vast proportion of Rangers sold to private owners, small businesses and user-choosers are high-spec 3.2s, however, so we’re happy to accept that that’s just individual taste taking. We do seem to find more to criticise towards the top of the range, though – but what it comes down to at the end of the day is that whichever Ranger you go for, you’ll get the best pick-up currently available in the UK.

24 30/10/2018 21:35

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/4x4andpickupshow EXHIBITORS INCLUDE 4X4 MANUFACTURERS | PICK-UP MANUFACTURERS | 4X4 CAR DEALERSHIPS | PICK-UP TRUCK DEALERSHIPS | HARD TOP MANUFACTURERS AND WHOLESALERS | SUSPENSION MANUFACTURERS / WHOLESALERS | SUSPENSION BUSHES | WHEEL MANUFACTURERS AND WHOLESALERS | TYRE MANUFACTURERS AND WHOLESALERS | TOOLS | LIGHTING | UNDERBODY PROTECTION | WINCHES | BRAKES | OFF ROAD EQUIPMENT | TOWING AND TRAILER MANUFACTURERS | ONBOARD STORAGE SOLUTIONS | ROOF RACKS | ROLL CAGES | SEATS AND TRIM UPGRADES | PERFORMANCE EQUIPMENT | SOUND PROOFING | ENGINE OILS AND LUBRICANTS | SERVICING | GARAGE UPGRADES | CUSTOM VEHICLE BUILDERS | OVERLAND EQUIPMENT | COMMERCIAL AND PERSONAL INSURANCE

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30/10/2018 19:14

4X4 FACTFILE

TOYOTA HI-LUX ON TEST Hi-Lux 2.4 D-4D Invincible

I

t s fi t ears si ce the first o ota i as b ilt he ve sold more tha o the thi s i that time simpl beca se it s bee the best tr c i the orld his is the ei hth e eratio i a d it bri s ith it the promise o a more car li e cabi o ota sa s it desi ed the vehicle to o er more space a d e ipme t reater com ort a d less oise a d vibratio as ell as a more sa et e ipme t tha ever be ore ost importa tl this is all based o the ri ht derpi i s etai i the o amiliar la o t ith a i depe de t ro t e d a d lea spr live rear a le the i o has a stro er chassis a d bod a d it p ts ri ht a clear ro i the old model b posti a to i ei ht five ear mile arra t is a bi improveme t o the old i too his poi ts to lo er hole li e costs as does a more e ficie t e t rbo diesel e i e

24 2pp Hi-Lux Factfile AK PAGE NOS.indd 24

he it comes to costs tho h the e i is ot a cheap tr c to b ested here is the vi cible model hich sits ba i the middle o the price ra e or the vehicle e ve ot the optio al a tomatic earbo here hich o ld mea a price ta i o do t et o r bac there s a tr c orth that m ch mo e o d thi it o ld be the i his is a ter all rope s hi hest selli o e to er o does it live p to its he t price ta a d he tier rep tatio ell there are areas i hich the cabi loo s as i it s strai i or e ect t hile a plastic mo lded dash top ith a a e leather loo all the a do to the stitchi mi ht be co sidered i d o lame the sta dard o co str ctio is top dra er o ca p sh it a d shove it hard as m ch as o a t a d it ll barel crea he seats are ver s pportive ith a e celle t drivi positio b t ot e o h le room i the bac or o e tall cre member to

ride com ortabl behi d a other he vi cible has cloth trim rather tha leather a d elt ot a bit less pleasi or it ddme t sto a e is ood too ith a e celle t do ble lovebo the hi hli ht r tested had the m ltimedia s stem rom the vi cible as a optio al e tra a d it does loo li e a e tra too a tablet st le to ch scree st c to the dash ot i te rated i to it smac s o the a termar et he e i e is all abo t tor e ith lb t rom rpm rs as mated to a a to bo a d bet ee them the deliver a civilised drive tho h ic i do o the motor a ets o a lot more oise tha actio t s ot slo ho ever tho h it does t eel as livel as competitors ith more po er l diesels he a to bo ma es it less pleasi to h stle o a d roads too t does ride ell tho h a d it steers ith eas co fide ce a d predictable bod roll e d call it vice ree rather tha e o able b t

ith a ma al bo e d e pect it to be the latter road the e i e has all the heave a d e ibilit o eed r tester s s t res did it o ood here b t ith a taller side all o co ld see the i bei master l partic lar all models have a rear loc er as sta dard a d that ma es a orld o a di ere ce ch a item o o road it sho ld be there o ever o e to er b t the i is rare i providi it itho t eedi to be as ed ost b ers ill be attracted more ho ever b other items hich is h ma ill fi d the e tra cash to stretch to the top li e vi cible he ci vible tested here is a ood compromise ho ever e act all thi the co model ma es most se se o all as it s ever bit as ood a tr c i real terms b t each to their o s it is hile the i is a price pic p e thi s hold their val e as stro l his is as ever a tr c o ca b ith co fide ce

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SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE

Type Capacity Max power Max torque

DOHC straight-four turbo-diesel 2393cc 148bhp@3400rpm 295lbf.ft@1600rpm

TRANSMISSION

Gearbox Transfer case

Six-speed manual Six-speed auto option Part-time

SUSPENSION

Front Rear

Coil-sprung double wishbones Leaf-sprung live axle

WHEELS AND TYRES

18” alloy 265/60R18

BRAKES

Front Rear

Vented discs, four-pot calipers Drums

PERFORMANCE

Max speed 0-62mph

106mph 13.2 seconds (12.8 auto)

ECONOMY

Combined comsumption Emissions

40.4mpg (36.2 auto) 185g/km (204 auto)

OFF-ROAD

Ground clearance Approach angle Departure angle Breakover angle Max gradient Wading depth

293mm 31° 26° 23° 42.1° 700mm

DIMENSIONS

Length Width Height Wheelbase Turning circle

5330mm 1855mm 1815mm 3085mm 6.7m

WEIGHTS AND CAPACITIES

Kerb weight Payload Bed length Bed width Braked trailer Fuel tank

2095-2155kg 1045kg 1525mm 1645mm 3200kg 80 litres

OWNERSHIP

Service interval Warranty Insurance group

60/100,000 10

Ex-VAT

OTR inc VAT

Single-Cab Active Extra-Cab Active Double-Cab Active Double-Cab Icon Double-Cab Invincible Double-Cab Invincible X Auto extra

£188,12 £20,370 £21,145 £23,291 £24,657 £28,003

£23,595 £24,465 £26,396 £28,970 £30,610 £34,625 £1500

LIST PRICE

VERDICT: Toyota Hi-Lux 2.4 D-4D Invincible A good midway point between max utility and max luxury

★★★★ You save more than £4000 over the cost of the range-topping Invincible X by dropping down a level in the Hi-Lux range. This does mean losing out on a number of desirable and even useful bits of kit – but if leather seats and reversing sensors don’t bother you, this is a very good compromise. And down below the bling, it’s the same rock-solid truck it’s always been.

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25 30/10/2018 22:54

4X4 FACTFILE

TOYOTA HILUX ACTIVE ON TEST Hilux Double-Cab Active

P

retty much everything that’s written about double-cabs now concentrates on the high-spec versions that have come to dominate the market. Which is fair enough, because they dominate the market for a reason – almost all the sensational growth we’ve seen in the pick-up sector has come from lifestyle models.

But if the people currently buying high-spec trucks in their thousands eventually wander off to fi d a other ad or more li el are driven away by a future Whitehall tax grab), there’ll be a core of customers that still remains. These are, of course, the ones who buy pick-ups for their original purpose as working tools.

There are manufacturers out there which have just about abandoned the work truck market, or at the very least treat it as a distraction from the serious business of selling pick-ups with big alloys and lashings of leather. Toyota is not among them.

Of course, the Hilux is available with all that stuff – in fact, it was o e o the first tr c s i the to offer blinged-up options. But it has always kept in touch with its roots – and the current model, despite bei more li e tha ever

26 2pp Hilux.indd 26

o ota s o claim that ca still be had in no-nonsense form.

That’s what we’re looking at here.

The Active model has 17” steel wheels, a black front bumper, fabric seats and a manual gearbox. It’s not all pared back to the bone, though – air-con is standard, as are steering wheel controls and an infotainment system operated through a large tablet-style display attached to the upper dash. There’s plenty of safety kit, too, along with a refrigerated glovebox and, everyone else please take note, a locking rear diff.

The engine is the same 2.4-litre, bhp diesel it that o ll fi d in the rest of the range. Not very sexy compared to some of the other units on the market, but good and strong – a bit of kit whose businesslike nature means it’s very well suited to the vehicle itself.

Inside, it’s all hard plastics as you’d expect. The dash is even quite scratchy to the touch, and it’s not what you’d call pretty, but it feels dense and incredibly stout a d there s a o fills appeal to its appearance – it’s kind of like a good pair of boots in this respect, and if you have a need for such a thing you’ll know how comforting that is.

Build quality in the cabin is absolutely rock solid, with next to o trim roa s a d a oor co sole

that feels like part of the chassis.

The dash design is clear and simple; there aren’t many switches, but those there are have a good, clear layout. The highlight here is certainly the media screen, which stands out both for its size and for the rather unsatisfactory way it’s mounted on the dash, not in it, making it look like an aftermarket add-on.

The system controls phone and stereo functions, with hassle-free pairing for calling and music alike.

It’s only mono, though, and the interface isn’t the clearest.

Elsewhere inside, a doubleglovebox and enormous cubby combine with decent door pockets, a big console bin and more cup holders than you’d believe possible to make the Hilux one of the best vehicles around for oddment stowage. The seat fabric is tough and grippy, the seats themselves are comfortable and the driving position is excellent, with a commanding all-round view and plenty of room in every direction.

You can even see what you’re doing when you look back over your shoulder – though this is just as well, as reversing aids are only optional on this model.

In the back, knee room is adequate when sitting behind a tall driver. It’s not the very best in this

respect, but it’s certainly a long way from being the worst. Head and elbow room are rather limited, however, but it still manages not to feel claustrophobic.

In the very back, once again it’s made for work. The model we tested had a stout plastic bedliner and four lashing rings, but as ever there’s a pretty much limitless range of options for keeping your cargo secure. The tailgate isn’t on gas struts, however, which we heartily recomme d o ot to fi d o t the hard way.

On the move, the big differences between this Hilux and others we’ve tested are its manual gearbox a d hi her profile t res he latter have the effect you’d expect – it rides with plenty of cushioning, taking all the harshness out of the many bumps that come through when running unladen. In corners, it s defi itel ot a hot hatch b t it handles the way a truck should, ith a la a t co fide ce o ll ic l fi d o rsel armi to The gearbox, too, is that of a truck, not a car. It feels quite mechanical, with a long throw that means you won’t be snicking it from gate to gate, but once you’re used to it hich a ai o t ta e lo there’s a positivity and precision that makes it a pleasure to operate.

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Cabin is built for work but not without its creature comforts – including a large media screen which, despite looking a bit aftermarket, works well

On the way through the gears, the engine pulls as strongly as you’d expect from something with 295lbf.ft at its back from down at 1600rpm. It labours if you try to let it settle in too high a ratio, though – we found that at a steady 40mph, anything above fourth gear was too much.

Up at a higher speed, the engine settles well to a quiet cruise at steady motorway speeds. In this way, it’s less anxious to drive than

the auto – it’s not sprightly when you put your foot down, but there’s none of the moaning you get from the self-shifter when it’s trying to wind itself up at this kind of pace.

The Hilux we tested would cost £23,057 without the VAT, or £27,540 on the road with everything taken care of (including £545 for the surprisingly good looking grey metallic paint). We’ve o reaso to do bt the o ficial fi re o mp b t most o all

this is likely to be among the best vehicles on the entire market at holding on to its value.

That’s assuming you don’t beat it to smithereens, of course, the way traditional pick-up users so often do. That’s a clear difference between people who buy work tr c s especiall or eets a d those who choose a high-spec

truck as their company car. All the same, the Hilux has long since had a reputation for being able to take an almost absurd amount of abuse – and of all the pick-ups on the market, it would still be a brave man who’d bet against Toyota’s ability to build a truck that can do exactly what you want of it in the world of work.

VERDICT

★★★★

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Toyota Hilux Double-Cab Active Every bit as robust and down-to-earth as an entry-level Hilux ought to be Whatever else happens to the rest of the pickup market, this is the kind of Hilux that’ll still be getting bought by local authorities and utility companies. Dispensing with the frills makes it a rock-solid proposition for work, but the kit list still includes a few pleasing essentials like air-con and a rear locker. It’s not the most jaw-dropping of performers, but in the real world it’s still the truck you’d most willingly trust with your life.

27 30/10/2018 21:40

ON TEST

FIAT FULLBACK CROSS

Range-topping double-cab is the only vehicle in the one-tonne market to combine full-time four-wheel drive with a locking rear diff

F

iat raised an eyebrow of two in the pick-up world when it decided to launch a badge-engineered version of the Mitsubishi L200. The Fullback could be described as a me-too model – or, more sensibly, as an expedient way of allowing eet c stomers to address all their light commercial vehicle needs in one deal. Either way, though, the new Fullback Cross is more than just someone else’s truck with a Fiat badge on it.

Sitting at the top of the Fullback range, the Cross is based on the already well equipped LX model.

This means it has full-time fourwheel drive as standard, along with a 180bhp version of the nowfamiliar 2.4-litre diesel engine.

What it also has is a locking rear differential. This is a feature that typically makes all the difference to a pick-up’s performance off-road; by nature they’re light at the tail, and lift wheels very easily, especially when unladen, and being able to lock the rear diff to prevent drive being lost this way is an important weapon in the driver’s arsenal.

Many manufacturers use traction control as an alternative to this – some of these systems work better than others, but in our experience none at all as are effective as the traditional technology.

The L200 is available with a locking rear diff – but only on models with part-time four-wheel drive. Higher-spec models gain the full-time system that’s also used on the Fullback Cross – but lose the locker. This is something that’s been r strati s si ce its bishi first launched the full-time system in 2005, so it feels rather as if this new Fullback is a case of Fiat making the L200 into the vehicle we’ve always wished it would be.

To go with the off-road potential this offers, the Cross is lightly ruggedised, if that’s not a contradiction in terms. It gains toughened wheelarches and side steps ith a matt blac fi ish as well as a satin-effect skid plate, and

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its 245/65R17 tyres are wrapped around black alloys.

If prepping vehicles for offroad work is your thing, you’ll immediately write all this off as mere styling, all of which would be unbolted and replaced with proper heavy-duty stuff from the aftermarket the moment you got your hands on it. That would be rather a harsh verdict, all the same, as Fiat is honest about the Cross being pitched as an eye-catching li est le tr c fit or or a d play alike, but there is indeed an element of show-not-go to its spec. In particular, the design of the six-spoke alloys means their faces are close to bei sh ith the tyres’ sidewall, which is a recipe for scratches when you’re churning your way through ruts.

Nonetheless, the Fullback Cross proves very competent off-road.

Even on standard tyres, it deals well with the sort of wet, sloppy conditions so many will encounter frequently in the course of their day-to-day working lives, following the ro d co fide tl itho t a sign of wanting to go sideways. With 317lbf.ft, there’s plenty of torque

for slugging away through mud or heaving itself up hills, though with this version of the engine you pay for the higher output by needing to rev it to 2500rpm before it’ll give you all it’s got – but despite this, it’ll scale very decent climbs at little

more than tickover, and the gearing in the six-speed manual box never feels high.

You’d need to put one on more aggressive tyres for the diff-lock to make an appreciable difference in the very muddiest conditions.

However at crawling speeds over uneven terrain, it comes very clearly into its own. The ground does need to be very rough – much more so than most owners will attempt to tackle in their expensive new trucks – but where two wheels lighten up at once, the locker allows you to keep on taking it gently rather than using extra speed to get through. And that’s good for the vehicle, its passengers, its load and the ground beneath its wheels.

On the road, the Fullback is a fi e per ormer ith a smooth quiet ride on the motorway which makes it very agreeable indeed. The engine hauls it up to speed without any problem at all and feels as if it has plenty more to give, even when o re eepi p ith the tra fic in the fast lane, and with the cruise control set it’ll rumble along all day without skipping a beat. You don’t eed to fid et ith the steeri to keep it in its lane, either.

On A and B-roads, the steering is more than just docile, too. It’s positively engaging, with plenty of feel and response as you chuck it into corners. Of course, there’ll be a certain amount of body roll, but it’s well controlled and doesn’t prevent you from enjoying yourself.

As always with off-road vehicles, the trick is to drive with its foibles, not against them – accept it for what it is, and it’s a big, cheerful bundle of laughs.

Ride-wise, poorer road surfaces do set up a bit of fuss at the back, at least when there’s not a load in there to damp it down, but even

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As well as offering the usual 4x2, 4x4 and low range positions, the transfer dial allows you to select four-wheel drive with the centre diff open for use on the road. Some other double-cabs do have this feature – but none of them offer it in combination with a locking rear diff

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when running unladen you can clobber it into an alloy-trasher of a pot-hole without feeling like the world’s coming to an end. efi eme t is per ectl ood b general pick-up standards, though the gearchange from the six-speed manual box is a bit mechanical.

Last time we drove a Fullback, we noted that the clutch had an oddly high biting point. No such trouble this time, however – no-one who drove it on or off-road had any problem, with not even the Editor managing to stall it. It’s as easy to drive as you want it to be, with the option of fulltime four-wheel drive adding an extra element of stability in wet conditions – and one which no other pick-up currently offers in combination with a rear locker.

Something else we grumbled about last time we drove a Fullback was its multimedia system, which defeated our every attempt to pair it with an iPhone and struggled to hold on to a DAB signal. This time, no such problem. We’d still like to know who it was that decided digital radio had to be so complicated to operate, but the sound and reception in the Cross ere st fi e a d havi pl ed our iPhone in to the USB port, it registered within seconds.

Elsewhere inside, it’s very similar to the LX, with climate control, heated leather seats and so on giving you the full luxury treatment. The leather feels tough

rather than sumptuous – as always, we’d sooner see good fabric than so-so hide – but the seats are perfectly supportive and, having done a lot of miles in the previous Fullback we drove, we know the lack of adjustable lumbar support isn’t to be feared the way it is in some vehicles.

Similarly the dashboard and oor co sole tho h the re fi ished i a hard plastic that strays a little too far into scratchy territory, are extremely well made – there’s almost no creaking from any part of them. It feels tough and rugged rather than luxurious, but all the top-spec kit does add something. It can’t work magic on the amount of space in the back, of course, but so long as you’re not carrying either tall adults or very young children in bulky car seats, there’s enough space there to let you get by.

One other complaint we’d have about the Cross relates to

its pick-up bed. This is dominated by a model-unique sports-style textured styling bar, which looks extremely cool and, we found from experience, is capable of protecting the cab roof if you’re carrying very long items, but the bed itself is protected by a liner which, tough though it may be, offers precisely nowhere to lash down your load.

We had to run ratchet straps around the sports bar itself, which we’re pretty sure is not the idea – for the want of a couple of O-rings, a chunk of practicality that could be there isn’t.

This would be a small mod to make alongside the heavy-duty bumpers and bash plates we’d add to make the most of the Cross’ standard spec, though. In terms of the details, we’d do some of it differently – but when it comes to the big stuff, few double-cab manufacturers have managed to get it closer to perfect than Fiat has with this truck.

AT A GLANCE Base price OTR inc VAT Auto extra Fuel consumption Emissions Payload Braked trailer Gross vehicle weight Service interval Warranty

£26,495 + VAT £32,863 £1800 40.9mpg combined 186g/km 1045kg 3100kg 2905kg 12 months / 12,427 miles 60 months /75,000 miles

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DRIVEN

NISSAN NAVARA AT32

Specialised off-road model comes from the dealer with lifted suspension, bigger tyres and a heavy-duty underbody protection, plus options like a snorkel and front locker DRIVEN Navara Off-Roader AT32

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he previous-generation Nissan Navara had the most SUV-like interior of any pick-up sold in Britain at the time. But it was a big, heavy thing, even by pick-up standards, which made it one of the most

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truck-like one-tonners to drive.

It was big and heavy, though, even by pick-up standards, and while it was a useful tow truck it wasn’t as good off-road as people had a right to expect. Buyers in mainland European got it with a

locking rear diff, but in the UK that was swapped out for a limited-slip effort – the result being that rivals like the Toyota Hilux trounced it in the rough.

That was then, though, and this is now. And this time, the Navara has a proper rear locker. It also has coil springs, and between them they make an enormous difference – today’s Navara feels composed, agile and light on its feet, both offroad and on.

Building on that is the model tested here. The Off-Roader AT32 is a specialist vehicle with +20mm lifted suspension and 32” tyres (275/70R17s, to be precise), as well as heavy-duty side steps, a full set of underbody guards and a variety of styling tweaks. The conversion is done as OEM and the truck is

sold as a standard model through Nissan’s main dealer network.

This means you don’t need to i s re the as a modified vehicle – and that Nissan’s warranty remains valid. In each case, of course, that’s so long as you don’t add any further mods of your own.

That will be relevant to anyone who considers a serious off-road vehicle to be incomplete if it doesn’t have a winch bumper up front. But probably not as relevant as the AT32’s price. At £39,640, it’s by no means the most expensive pick-up on the market, but it’s still £7100 more than the Tekna model on which it’s based.

With the optional extras it had on board, meanwhile, the Navara tested here would cost you £45,225. These do at least include

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The AT is based on the Tekna model, placing it firmly at the top of the range for creature comforts with sat-nav, heated leather seats on so on. t’s a good, stylish, well appointed cabin, though while it’s spacious up front there’s a distinct shortage of knee and head room in the rear

some really worthwhile kit, though, like a Safari Snorkel and ARB AirLocker for the front diff.

CABIN AND PRACTICALITY Being based on the Tekna, the AT32 comes with stuff like sat-nav and heated leather seats. There’s a

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s itch o the oor co sole or that front locker, but over and above that there’s nothing to differentiate it from being sat inside a standard one. Which is to say we’ll keep this bit brief…

It’s a good, comfy, well laid out cabin, with plenty of room in all directio s a d a fi e vie or ard across a bonnet whose lavishly curvacious shape might put you in mind of an old Chevy Corvette, if

you’ve ever driven one of those.

The seats are leather-clad; it’s not the most supple of hides, and the design is a bit basic, but they’re comfortable to sit in and easy to adjust, though the lumber cushion in ours felt a bit uneven.

In the back, it’s like every other Navara, which is to say it’s not very good at all. Children are okay in it, but an even remotely tall adult will sit uncomfortably with their knees pressed into the back of the seat in front and their heads into the roof lining. When the Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-Max, both of which were launched in 2012, manage to be so much more generous here, we really don’t understand why the more modern Navara is so poor.

You can at least fold down the back of the rear bench to create a cargo platform, and the pick-up bed is ready for work. The roll-top cover o o r tester as a bit fiddl to operate, however.

Moving back to the front cabin, the cubby box is surprisingly tiny and the door pockets are quite shallow, so oddment stowage isn’t

great. There’s a no-nonsense media set-up that does what it says on the tin, albeit without the elegance of a system using Apple Carplay to enable phone pairing.

DRIVING We’ll start with a brief recap on the standard Navara. It has a good, strong engine which, by diesel standards, loves to rev; its manual gearbox is quite slick, with a nice light action and precise changes; its steering does what you tell it; and its ride alit hile still firm at the back around town, is very settled, especially at speed.

How much does the AT32 conversion change that? Well, you immediatel eel the firm ess i the uprated shocks, which results in a slightly more nervous ride at lower speeds on everyday roads.

When the surface gets bad, however, the shocks come into their own. The AT32 is amazingly well controlled over big, harsh bumps, with no crashiness or unruly rebounds to disturb you.

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You can just see a glimpse of the Navara’s suspension here; it uses H&R springs and Bilstein shocks to achieve a 20mm lift. The tyres are 275/70R17s, which necessitate the flared wheelarches you see here not ideal for off-roading, but it looks cool and that’s what the majority of buyers will care most about. f you’re in it for the image, though, be sure to get the snorkel – it attracted more attention than anything else during our time with the truck

The springs’ extra height doesn’t result in any additional unwanted body movement, either, and this remains consistent at higher speeds.

Out on the open road, however, we felt that the Navara was less responsive in corners than we’ve become used to with standard models, with less feel on turn-in and a more pronounced tendency to wash wide. That’s not at the sort of speeds which you might expect to start asking questions of its all-terrain tyres; if anything, we found it cornered with greater alacrity when the suspension was being worked harder.

It’s not as planted on the motorway, either, with more frequent adjustments being necessary to keep it on line. Fast cruising is a particular strength of

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the standard model, but we never felt as settled in the AT32. That’s not to say it’s bad, and it’s every bit as refi ed as a other avara at speed, but if there’s one area where it drives li e a modified vehicle e d say this is it.

you more ground clearance. That’s always welcome on a vehicle with a long wheelbase and a rear overhang you can see from space, and it does make a difference. Not so much that our Navara’s steel side steps and heavy-duty underguards didn’t

come to the rescue as we wrestled it over a steep jumble of ragged rocks, but this is a situation where taller tyres mean greater agility and so it proved.

Another, less welcome consequence of the taller tyres is

OFF-ROAD Actually, there’s another area where the AT32 drives like it’s been modified hich is at it sho ld be because when you buy one of these you’re spending a lot of money on the conversion that gives it its OffRoader tag. irst thi s first he avara as already a good vehicle off-road, with ple t o e ibilit a d the bac p of that rear locker on hand. So the AT32 conversion is building on strong foundations.

At its most basic level, the suspension lift and bigger tyres give

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The Navara’s 2.3-litre engine is available in two states of tune across the range. Naturally, up here at top-end money you get the more powerful 190bhp version as standard. It’s a smooth, refined and very flexible unit that suits the truck well, though on these taller tyres it feels overgeared in low range for the sort of extreme off-road work it’s made to do

that the Navara’s overall gearing is higher. And this is most noticeable in the way it drives off-road. You spend much more time than you’d e pect i lo first he tac li the sort of technical stuff we’ve just been describing, and even this isn’t e o h to eep it rom r i away even on only moderately steep drops.

On the plus side, the Navara is fitted ith hill desce t co trol We’re forever saying that this shouldn’t be necessary in a vehicle with low range and a manual box, but in the AT32 we found ourselves having to use it in anger. This isn’t a proper solution to over-gearing,

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though: it’s certainly effective on long slopes, but it won’t give you a added fi esse at cra li speeds over very uneven ground. r i to hold o r vehicle bac o its bra es hile at the same time eepi it movi is ever a ood loo The conclusion we can’t help but reach is that before buying o e o these e d a t to o if there was a conversion available to give it lower gearing in the diffs or transfer case. It may be that the auto version would be more forgiving over extreme terrain, too, tho h that does t so d li e a proper answer to the question.

al i o di s to test the s loc ers e tried ta i it dia o all across a deep ditch to see how far it would get before losing traction.

Not very, is the answer, at least til the rear loc er e t it b t then the point came when even this wasn’t enough and we ended up with three wheels spinning away. a i i the ro t loc er e felt sceptical as to whether it was oi to ma e a di ere ce at all o ease it or ard i first ear ait for it to spin again and… nope, off we go. Now, the AT32 stayed with s the rest o the a ta i s to the top o the ba ith o trace whatsoever of wheelspin.

And that’s on all-terrains. We do dersta d h issa stic s ith these rather tha fitti a more aggressive pattern, but put on a set of muds and the AT32 will be a phenomenal tool. As sold, it can gain more traction than any other pic p obvio sl o ca o to the a termar et a d et s fitted into more or less anything, but nothing else can come out of the showroom with the same level of readiness for off-road action. al i o the a termar et ho ever the AT32’s strength is meant to be that it doesn’t force you down that route. But despite its

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We don’t know how much extra you pay for the badging and logos on the accessories. But we do know that, sneer as you might if you’ve got a farmer-spec approach to off-road builds, the AT32 is made from top-quality kit

excellence off-road, though, it’s not a complete package. No off-thepeg modded motor ever will be – not even with the snorkel and front locker installed (which, by the way, between them account for £4200 of the options’ price).

We’d be surprised if an aftermarket gearing conversion doesn’t become available, and for the sort of offroading it’s built to do almost any c stomer o ld a t to fit heav duty bumpers and a winch.

Those would need to be declared when buying insurance, which is only going to send your premiums in one direction. And even though the AT32 is covered by Nissan’s warranty, any extra mods on top of its Nissan-approved spec will give your friendly dealer an excuse to wash his hands of you. Whereupon t o o the bi est be efits o staying away from the aftermarket go up in a puff of smoke.

How relevant is this going to be to the typical AT32 buyer? Very, we’d like to think – but in reality, we’re not sure.

To us, it’s a truck you’d buy because you want to use it off-road.

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But we’ve spoken to very senior people in the pick-up industry who admit that they see conversions li e this as bei first a d oremost for people who want the image of driving a street-legal monster. And as i to bac that p all the o ficial AT models you can currently buy in the UK are based on high-speccers with leather, fancy nav and so on.

Off-road diehards can sneer all they want, though: there’s nothing wrong with having a truck like this just because you like the way it looks, and if that’s your bag we’d say the AT32 gets it spot-on. The badging, the kit itself, all the way down to little details like red valve caps, all create an image that’s undeniably cool. We’d recommend adding the snorkel, though, because during our time with the vehicle there was nothing that came close to it for attracting attention.

If you’re buying it for off-roading, the AT32 is still very compelling. But weigh it up carefully. Even if you’re using premium kit and getting it fitted b the pros o ll str le to make it cost as much as going down this route. You’ll get to spec

it exactly the way you want, too – though you won’t get the many unique decorative touches and, no small matter, you’ll be pulling the pin from a deprecation grenade.

There’s no open-and-shut case either for or against the AT32 in terms of value for money compared to the aftermarket. And while you do pay strong money for the

conversion, this is still a mid-priced pick-up by today’s standards – even with all the extras accounted for, you can still spend more on a onetonner without getting any of this model’s bolt-on goodies.

We’d be bolting on more besides.

But for sure this is a very good, very advanced starting point for any off-road project.

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VERDICT

★★★★

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Nissan Navara AT32 A winning off-road package for those who don’t want to spec their own trucks We’re fans of the Navara in general (so long as we don’t have to travel in the back). and the prospect of a ready-made off-road model is very appealing indeed. The AT32 does live up to those expectations, and its price tag is more realistic than those of some less capable rivals – though we think most people buying a Navara for offroad use would prefer to start with a standard one and spec if themselves.

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DRIVEN

MITSUBISHI L200 AUTO

High-spec version of the truck that created the double-cab market is good value for what you get – and no less so in self-shifting form DRIVEN L200 Barbarian Auto

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hesa days, the L200 may have lost its place at the top of the pick-up sales chart. But it will forever be credited for having brought the concept of the lifestyle double-cab to ritai its bi shi as the first car ma er here to reall fi re o t the potential of the market for high-spec trucks – and as a result, this is the third generation of L200 to tempt buyers with poshed-up models like the Barbarian.

If you leave out vehicles marketed under Mitsubishi’s Special Vehicle Projects brand, this is the range-topper in a line-up that also includes familiar names like 4Life, Titan and Warrior. All are well equipped – alloys, cruise, air-con, Bluetooth and USB are standard across the range – but in the model

tested here, you pay a premium of £6475 plus VAT over the entry-level model to add a range of equipment which, if you want a premium pickup, is well worth the money.

This includes obvious things like leather, climate and bigger alloys, plus full-time four-wheel drive and, as tested here, an auto gearbox (stick with the manual version, and the price difference quoted above shrinks to £5075). In addition, this model features a recently updated multimedia display with a touch screen operating various sat-nav and infotainment functions.

What you don’t get, which you do on the entry-level 4Life model, is a locking rear diff. In this way, the L200 follows the previous model; high-line versions with Mitsubishi’s Super-Select 4x4 system use

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The previous-generation L200’s interior always felt a little stark, even in high-spec form, but this model is absolutely spot-on. It’s very well suited to being dressed up with the sort of leather and high-tech toys you see everywhere in the Barbarian model – and the toys themselves have improved as time goes on, with a better multimedia system than was found in previous model years. Rear-seat legroom isn’t the best, however – you can fit a full crew of adults into the cab at a push, but there are other double-cabs out there with far more room in the back

traction control instead. You can’t spec a proper locker as an option, so if you want the full luxury works but also want to be able to work your vehicle off-road to the maximum effect, you’ll need to look to the aftermarket.

CABIN AND PRACTICALITY It may be at the top of the range, but the Barbarian doesn’t try to hide its true nature. Its dash is trimmed in hard plastics – however they feel strong rather than cheap, so they’re certainly becoming of a vehicle you’d put to work.

Likewise, while the seats are trimmed in an extremely stylish looking leather, it’s tough rather

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than soft. The driver’s seat is electric, too – though it doesn’t have adjustable lumbar support, and we found ourselves shifting about uncomfortably after an hour or so.

The seating position is excellent, however, giving you a good view all round – though the reversing camera on this model is a valuable aid nonetheless. The media screen in which it’s housed looks slick and as if it’s meant to be there (it’s mounted in the dash rather than on it, which is always a good start), and it works far better than those in L200s we’ve tested from previous model years.

In the back, our notes from those previous versions of the current L200 suggests we thought there was enough legroom for one six-footer to sit comfortably behind another. Which came as a

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The 2.4-litre diesel engine is very willing and pleasingly refine it’s bris with a manual gearbo an very smooth with an auto ven at range to ing arbarian level, the has alloys rather than anything less restraine , which means it’s suitable for general ic u wor straight out of the bo

bit of a surprise, because this is an area in which we feel the vehicle short-changes you somewhat.

Certainly, there are better options in the pick-up market – and when a six-year-old in his car seat is asking daddy to move forward so he can fit his le s i properl o o it s not generous.

Headroom in the back is limited, too i o re carr i a or cre of big lads, the ones here are apt to have their heads pressed into the roo li i he ll et a ood view of the world outside, though,

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which is the silver lining to the high seating position.

DRIVING This L200 has a 2.4-litre engine, which is a little smaller than those found on previous models – but is gruntier than ever. Its 178bhp and 317lbf.ft do a sterling job of winding up the auto box and shifting the truck, and even when you put the boot i the e i e does t raise its voice unreasonably.

The auto can also be controlled by paddles behind the steering wheel, which will forever strike us as being a bit incongruous in a work truck. However much they look like F1 technology here to claim refugee status, however, they allow you to keep things in the guts of the rev range by short-shifting.

The common-rail unit delivers its power very smoothly, at any rate here s little i the a o vibrations, even when its worked hard, though you do get a bit of road and wind noise at speed. Still,

the remai s a prett refi ed truck in which to travel – you can certainly do long distances in it without getting upset. a d roads it s act all pretty enjoyable to chuck around, though you do need to use those paddles to keep the gearbox up with the plot. Leave it in auto mode, and it does its thing unhurriedly hich is fi e or e eral tooli around, but can be frustrating if o re tr i to p sh o as it ta es its time to get the idea when what you want is a bit of urgency.

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OFF-ROAD As mentioned above, in keeping with other high-spec models this version of the L200 has traction control but no locking rear diff. We

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don’t like that, but we’ve got to give it credit where credit’s due.

Taking our test vehicle off-road on its standard tyres, we went looking for somewhere to make it break traction. Articulation isn’t the best, but it follows the ground well nonetheless and, when all’s said and done, we struggled to fi d a here that o ld bri its traction control into play. That says to us that if we had a locker instead, we wouldn’t have had to engage it often if at all.

An excellent combination of engine and transmission helps here, providing a smooth, controlled delivery of torque in low range. The auto box doesn’t misbehave when you’re taking extreme terrain at a crawl, and it even delivers quite effective compression braking so long as you control it with the paddles. Certainly, it feels as if it would get a long way on a set of mud-terrain tyres alone.

On that subject, the 4Life model comes on 16” rims as opposed to the Barbarian’s 17” units, so you’ll get a wider range of options in your chosen pattern – particularly if you’re looking to go up a size or two. That’s becoming less of an issue as more and mode all-terrain and mud-terrain patterns come on stream in 17” sizes and above, but

you’ll still get the greatest choice by dropping down an inch or two on rims. The fact that the 4Work comes on 16-inchers proves that they’ll make it around the L200’s

VERDICT

If that’s what you’re after, as far as we’re concerned there’s no substitute for a manual. But paddleshifting the auto works well enough to keep you happy most of the time, even if it doesn’t play on the truck’s gung-ho chuckability the same way as the real thing.

Ride-wise, too, the L200 demonstrates how well mannered it’s possible to make a vehicle on a live rear axle – even one with leaf springs. It doesn’t slop about in fast corners, and grip is excellent – even in 2wd with the traction control switched off, it didn’t get loose when provoked.

Instead, the L200 has that thoroughly reassuring feeling of hefty substance to its steering and handling which can be so endearing in a truck. We even tried to upset its poise by going too fast over a lengthy series of diagonally offest speed pillows at the worst possible angle, and it remained more composed and comfortable than we thought possible.

brakes, so if you want to spec a Barbarian that’ll really be capable of earning its living there should be nothing to stop you doing so using a set from the aftermarket.

★★★★

Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian A very fine lifestyle-spec version of the best L200 there’s been The 2 is a significant step up over the previous model, particularly in terms of interior quality, and there’s little to criticise about its engine and drivetrain. f you need an auto, too, this is a good one. We’d still like to see a rear locker, though, and the 2, -mile limit on the warranty looks very stingy, but prices compare well against the competition – and the 2 still has a rock-solid heritage in the UK double-cab market.

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O TEST

ISU U D-MA

U TSMA

Comprehensive option pack aims to turn mid-range D-Max Utah model into an off-the-shelf vehicle tailored for country pursuits

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t’s normal for pick-up buyers to accessorise their vehicles, and the aftermarket catering for those wanting to do so is enormous. Loadspace covers in particular are a common sight on trucks – but whether you’ve bought yours for work or play, surfboard toting or off-road action, long-range expeditions or being seen around town, bringing it home from the dealer is normally followed pretty much straight away by an extensive spell of shopping around.

As always, the manufacturers have cottoned on to this and taken to offering a range of approved accessories to try and get as much of the aftermarket to themselves.

But Isuzu has gone a step further, by offering an accessory pack for the D-Max which aims to give its target audience all the additional kit they need to tailor the truck to their outdoors lifestyle. hat a die ce is a ver specific o e pecific b t bi he a tsma is desi ed specificall for the professional, dedicated huntsman and countryman,’ to whom it ‘provides everything you need to enjoy the hunt.’ Apart from some animals to go after, obviously – but joking apart, this is one of the most comprehensive and purposeful sets of accessories we’ve ever seen offered as part of a dealer fit pac a e To start with the most obvious items, you get an Aeroklas commercial canopy with roof rails and vent (if you are indeed a huntsman, or indeed woman, you’ll be using it to carry dogs). Under this is a Gearmate aluminium drawer system, complete with lockable gun boxes, and below that is an under-rail bedliner.

The cab itself also has roof rails, in black, and this theme is continued around the vehicle – all the bits that would normally be chromed are i stead fi ished i a dar aptor coating. This could be construed as a form of inverse bling – though Isuzu says it’s there for a purpose, that being to prevent animals from

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The Huntsman is based on the Utah model, meaning it has a good general level of equipment without being ultimately plush. The seat leather is nowhere near as impressive to look at as in the range-topping Blade model, and it’s very shiny and slippery – which, combined with a lack of lateral support in the seats themselves, means you tend to slide around in corners and on side slopes. As always with the D-Max, however, it’s very spacious in all directions, and a useful double-glovebox and lidded dash-top tray mean it’s well above average for oddment stowage. own on the floor, the tailored heavy-duty mats with velcro attachment and gaiters running all the way up the carpeted side trim are exceptionally good – even if you don’t go for the full Huntsman pack, they’re very highly recommended as an option in their own right being alerted to your presence by light glinting off your grille, door mirrors and so on.

If you know the countryside and its ways, you’ll be far better placed

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than us to say whether there’s any tr th i that amo a e tho h (or ‘how not to be seen,’ if you remember the good old days of Monty Python), which is why you

can only get the Huntsman in grey, black or dark green. Anyway, what we do know about here is off-roading, and the package also includes the best set of underbody

guards we’ve ever seen on a dealersupplied 4x4.

We’re used to 4x4 makers’ idea of ‘protection’ being no more than plastic splash guards that come o at the first si o ro di o t But these are heavy-duty aluminium jobs, and they stretch all the way back from behind the front bumper to below the transmission, as well as beneath the rear diff. Perch the vehicle’s whole weight on one and, while it might not prevent you from getting stuck, it will keep the component above it healthy.

Further items on the list include a high-clearance tow bar with 13-pin electrics, a tailgate damper and a set of premium interior mats for both rows of seats. All of which count as good, sensible bits of kit chosen to do a job rather than ashi it p From our point of view, the opposite has to be said about the heels a d t res fitted to the vehicle. We don’t have any qualms at all over the Pirelli Scorpion ATRs, which is a perfectly all-terrain, but 255/60R18s on black alloys look to us like they’re preoccupied with style rather than substance. To be

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fair, the combination does knock your eyes out – but the D-Max is also available on 16” rubber, and if that size of rims can make it round a truck’s brakes, we wouldn’t go an inch bigger. he i chers fitted lo er down the range stand 29.5” tall, while the Huntsman’s Pirellis push that to 30”. That’s still on the original ride height as standard, however you can also opt for the Huntsman Plus pack – which adds a Pedders suspension kit comprising springs, shocks and rear anti-roll bar which lifts the vehicle by 1.5” o ficiall mm h s e ipped you could certainly see 265/75R16s sliding nicely in beneath its arches, and in the real world of off-road driving in the UK a set of mudterrains in this size is all you should ever need.

So that’s one thing we’d be looking to change about the Huntsman. But by our reckoning,

the package gives you more than seve ra d s orth o e ipme t for £5995 plus the inevitable VAT. That’s at Isuzu’s own genuine accessory prices, of course, but it’s a useful saving on those – especially if you add the Pedders suspension, which lists at almost a grand and a half more but only bumps up the package cost by £1000 plus the dreaded.

CABIN AND PRACTICALITY The Huntsman is based on the Utah model, which is second from top in the everyday D-Max range.

This means you get an integrated touch-screen media system, sat-nav, heated leather seats and so on, though it’s noticeably less plush and glamorous inside than the rangetopping Blade model. No bad thing, you might say – it’s a bit plain to look at but functionally ticks every

box, and it’s put together to a very high standard.

We’re not fans of the leather on the seats, though. It’s very shiny and slippery – and the seats themselves are low on lateral support, both in their bases and their backs, meaning o fi d o rsel slidi side a s all too easily on the way through corners or on side-angles off-road.

We would, absolutely, be investing i a set o fitted aterproo covers – no bad idea anyway in a high-spec vehicle intended for use in wet and dirty environments, but we doubt they’d ever come off except for washing. he oor mats o the other hand, are sensational. Their rubberised facing is tough and grippy, and their velcro-backed edges are shaped to protect every last scrap of carpeting in the vehicle fitted properl the cover it up completely. At £261 if you buy them separately through an Isuzu

dealer, we can’t recommend them highly enough.

Elsewhere, it’s familiar D-Max fare. This means a good driving positio ith a fi e vie ahead and an excellent combination of head, leg and elbow room – especially in the back, where you can stretch out as well as in almost any other double-cab currently on the market.

In-cab practicality is strong, too, with an excellent double glovebox and a useful tray under the steering column, as well as a lidded bin on top of the dash. The cubby is a decent size, too, though the door pockets are on the small side; overall, however, oddment stowage is well above average.

In the back, meanwhile, the rear seat bases are rear-hinged. They fold as good as vertical, leaving a surprisingly big and usable space for carrying cargo. It’s not hidden like the boot of a station wagon,

The Aeroklas Commercial hard-top is a sound, tough, no-nonsense unit fitted with roof bars and, with dog-carrying in mind, a ventilation system. Inside it, a Gearmate drawer setup provides an impressive degree of flexibility for carrying all manner of items and still leaves enough room on top to load bulky items. Decor-wise, the Huntsman pack includes de-chromed detailing to the grille, mirrors, door handles and so on – Isuzu talks about this providing a level of camouflage, though mostly if just looks cool

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The model tested is the Huntsman Plus, which adds a +1.5” Pedders suspension kit to the standard list of equipment included in the package. All Huntsman models get an excellent suite of heavy-duty aluminium underbody protection plates as standard (below), including guards for the front axle, sump, transmission and rear diff and nor it is as easy to access – but, in terms of the sheer volume it offers, the difference from simply chucking stuff on top of the rear bench is remarkable.

So too is the difference between the open back of an unimproved pick-up and highly evolved set-up you have here. If you want to pile it high with endless loads of sand or rubble, it won’t suit you at all, but for carrying equipment it’s spot-on.

Beneath the canopy, the Gearmate drawer system is s perbl fitted a d or s a treat There are two main drawers, one of them sectioned off; we won’t pretend to know what purpose this serves in the wild world of hunting, but if you’re taking the vehicle offroad it’s perfect for storing your ropes, shackles, snatch blocks and, in the second drawer, a full-length high-lift jack.

To either side of these drawers are gun cabinets, which we didn’t ma a e to fi d a se or b t the space left on top is still extremely sable e ma a ed to fit a rid e freezer in it for the obligatory tip run, which, considering the amount taken out of the loadspace height

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by the drawer system, we found pretty impressive.

Overall, the Huntsman is a very good example of how effectively a pick-up can be tailored to a tas he modificatio s made to it are desi ed or a ver specific purpose – and while it’s a different one to ours, it lends itself nearperfectly to being used as an offroad adventure wagon.

DRIVING The Huntsman we drove was equipped with the standard sixspeed manual gearbox, which suits the D-Max’s 1.9-litre diesel engine well enough. There’s loads of torque available, and you don’t need to go stirring the ratios to fi d it tho h that s a better thing than it probably ought

to be, because changing gear is rather imprecise and, while not obstructive, certainly not slick either o fi d o rsel operati it with the sort of slow, cautious precision that becomes second nature soon after you’ve bought o r first a d over e e der One criticism we’ve had of the D-Max since it went over to the 1.9-litre engine last year has been

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that it’s very noisy. As it happened, though, we drove the Huntsman immediately after a base-spec model of the same truck, and the difference was very clear – while it’s the same engine and drivetrain, the more premium version was oticeabl more refi ed You’d expect the biggest difference to be in its dynamics, however. Lifting a vehicle by 1.5” without doing something to its ride and handling takes some doing – but if there was a difference there, it was too subtle for us to spot.

We’ve had plenty of experience of Pedders kit, having had the company’s suspension on an old Land Cruiser we used to run, and we hold it in the highest regard – and once again, it performs admirably on the Huntsman. The vehicle’s weight is well controlled over sharp bumps and broken surfaces, and you can chuck it around in corners without feeling as if it’s going to get unruly.

Off-road, we have to be honest and say that on the terrain we

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drove, the 18” Pirellis did a pretty good job of rebutting out concerns abo t their lo profile he had plenty of grip – so much so, in fact, that we found the transmission starting to wind up during manoeuvring on wet and grubby ground, which takes some doing.

There was no sign of them showing any inclination to go sideways, either – and on the sort of ground that twists the axles, despite the lack of locking diffs in the D-Max’s repertoire it never broke away.

With so much tractability available at such low engine speeds, it’s very sure-footed indeed.

As an off-road package, while it’s very very good it’s still not complete. It seems odd that with all that heavy-duty metalwork underneath, the Huntsman still has fragile bumpers – we’d be budgeting for a visit to the aftermarket here, and of course the one at the front would need to be wearing a winch.

The side steps, too, don’t look like the kind you can lay into with a high-lift jack.

The big question, if you’re after a D-Max with off-roading in its sights, is whether you’d go for this or the AT35. Without having driven both on the same ground, we wouldn’t want to make a defi itive d eme t ho ever for real-world British off-roading, particularly on green lanes where width is always and issue, it’s easy to make a case for the Huntsman.

VERDICT No other pick-up manufacturer can match the imagination with which Isuzu markets the D-Max.

The Huntsman is a clever answer to a question people have clearly been asking – and while it’s pretty expensive by the standards of option packs in general, it’s an extremely comprehensive and well conceived way of turning a standard mid-spec double-cab into a tailored-for-purpose machine. It’s a more complete vehicle than the even pricier AT35, too – and our instinct is that for typical British off-roading needs, it’s the best truck we’ve yet seen. Certainly, it’s our favourite out of all the versions we’ve driven of the D-Max in its current form.

AT A GLANCE Base price (vehicle) Base price (option pack) OTR inc VAT Auto extra Fuel consumption Emissions Payload Braked trailer Gross vehicle weight Service interval Warranty

£24,354 + VAT £5995 + VAT / £6995 + VAT £37,324 / £38,524 £1000 + VAT 40.4mpg combined 183g/km 1095kg 3500kg 3050kg 24 months / 12,000 miles 60 months /125,000 miles

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DRIVEN

SSANGYONG MUSSO

Based on the award-winning Rexton SUV, the all-new one-tonner from the South Korean 4x4 specialist is a quantum leap forward compared to the old model of the same name DRIVEN Musso Saracen

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sangYong has been in the pick-up market for a long time. But the new Musso very much represents a fresh start for the company, and a clean break from the woefully outdated old model of the same name.

So much so that the company’s UK importer believes this new double-cab could come to account for more than 50% of its entire business. That says a great deal about the double-cab market, but also about the vehicle itself – whose platform, drivetrain and cabin are shared with the excellent Rexton SUV that’s our current 4x4 of the Year.

It may have the character of an SUV, however, but the Musso promises the engineering of a true work truck. One simple indication

of this comes from its payload and towing weight. At 1095kg and 3500kg respectively (obviously there’s a bit of variance between individual models), these are par for the course – but, SsangYong says, what makes the Musso different to most pick-ups is that it’s rated to run at both limits simultaneously.

Depending on your age, and what you’re doing with it, you might need a towing ticket and a tacho in the cab – but when it comes to the vehicle itself, you won’t be breaking the law by hauling a maxed-out trailer while running at gross vehicle weight.

Fitting a tonne into the Musso’s load bed might be easier said than done, however, as it’s rather on the short side – 1300mm as compared to 1485mm for, to pluck out a competitor at random, the Isuzu

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Based on the award-winning Rexton SUV, the Musso has one of the most car li e interiors you’ll fin in any ic u ui ment an buil uality ali e are e tremely goo , the front is very s acious an the rear is roomy enough to ta e averagely sized adults in comfort

D-Max. It’ll still take a Euro pallet, however, and SsangYong has plans to offer more – from the end of this year, the range will grow to include a long-wheelbase model

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whose load bed will be extended by 400mm.

The Musso is available in three spec levels, all of them powered by a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine

producing 181bhp and 295lbf.ft.

The entry-level EX model, which lists at £19,995 plus VAT, gives you essentials like air-con, 17” alloys, DAB, Bluetooth, electric windows and auto headlamps and wipers – but as always, there are premium versions available to satisfy the lifestyle market that’s driven the boom in double-cab sales.

Next up, the Rebel model costs £22,495 and adds 18” alloys, suitably convincing faux-leather seats, heated steering wheel, heated and cooled front seats and an 8” media system including Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a rear-view camera. Move to the top of the range, and the Saracen costs £24,995 and gives you 18” black alloys, nappa leather seat trim, powered front seats, heated rear seats, cruise control, 9.2” sat-nav,

cruise control and a variety of brightwork around the body.

There’s also a launch model, the Rhino, which for £28,495 gives you an auto box, 20” black alloys, General Grabber all-terrains and black details in place of the shiny stuff – as well as the satisfaction that comes with knowing your truck is one of only 100 like it.

In addition to all this, during the first phase o the vehicle s li e a initial batch of Saracen models is oi to be fitted ith chrome rims. You can decide for yourself whether these are stylish or ghastly (there’s not a lot of middle ground in this), but future stock will be specced with an altogether more s itable fitme t o ever da alloys. These big alloys will also be wrapped in Grabber AT3s, however, which is a tidy bonus.

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SsangYong’s 2.2-litre diesel engine pulls strongly through its whole rev range and only raises its voice a touch when pushed very hard. A small number of first batch vehicles were fitte with these olishe alloy wheels and lowrofile tyres some may still be hanging around in the dealer network, if you like that sort of thing All our experience of the Musso so far has been in the Saracen, however we’ve had a look around the other models too and none of them feel sparse. Indeed, even the entry-level version has a leathertrimmed feature panel across its dashboard, which comes straight from the Rexton.

So too does a cabin design that will take you by surprise if your expectations of SsangYong are rooted in the past. Material quality is good, and so is build – the dash

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is solid and creak-free, and there’s an impressive array of soft-touch materials as well as controls which are well laid out and very satisfying in operation.

The seats are well shaped, with plenty of support, and give you a good view of your surroundings in all directions – including over your shoulder, which is so often a problem area. The Saracen model includes a reversing camera to make life even easier here, which is good news if you’re

pla i to fit o e o the ca opies that are filteri o to the mar et both through SsangYong dealers and independent specialists.

Stowage throughout the front cabin is good, with a big glovebox and cubby and wide, deep door pockets, as well as a tray on top of the dash. It’s every bit as well thought out as the Rexton, and the impression it gives you is just as good. The Saracen’s media screen, for example, is both big and extremely crisp, and it’s integrated

into the dash, not plonked on to it like an afterthought.

In the back, knee room is a little cramped behind a tall driver, so fitti o e si ooter behi d another requires a bit of give and take. It’s achievable, though, and headroom is fi e so travelli i the back is much less of a chore than in most double-cabs.

‘Chore’ is a good word for more or less everything about the old Musso, but driving this one is no problem. You do need to get used

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The same can be said of other accessories such as snorkels, winch mounts, heavy-duty bumpers and underbody protection. All are commonly available for the more mainstream pick-up brands, but the aftermarket will need to see potential in the Musso if buyers are not to be left in the sort of position that once faced everyone in the UK who wanted to go off-road in anything other than a Land Rover.

That would be a shame, as this is a vehicle with real potential as an off-roader. SsangYong knows where the real sales volume will come from, however, having targeted agriculture, construction trades and outdoor professionals as the three big markets in which to compete.

With a 7-year, 150,000-mile warranty to go with its low price, the Musso clearly does have what it takes to compete, too. Residual values are still a concern, though the company says it’s working on these, but the main thing it its way is going to be unfamiliarity.

SsangYong calls this ‘the all-round pick-up’. You might argue that the point of every pick-up is that it’s an all-rounder – but, from its SUV-like interior to its unique hard-working abilities, the Musso does bring something new and different to the one-tonne market.

VERDICT

to the clutch on manual models, as it bites pretty sharply, but while it’s not a dynamic revelation it doesn’t do anything to disgrace itself.

SsangYong in the UK says it’s still or i o the fi al s spe sio settings for the vehicle, however, having had an ongoing dialogue with the authorities about the subject. Principally, it says it wants to improve ride quality at the back, which is indeed a little bumpier than most other pick-ups’, however it’s by no means disastrous even as it stands. Interestingly, though, we took the chance to drive both laden and unladen examples – and while 700kg distributed evenly around the load bed certainly damped out the unruliness from the back axle (which, incidentally, is coil-sprung), we felt that there was more coming back from the front wheels with this extra weight at the far end. As was said more than once during the launch, ye cannae change the laws of physics.

The engine pulls well throughout the whole of its rev range, only raising its voice to a slightly strained bark if, to put it bluntly, you leave it too late to change gear on the way up. Once settled at a fast cruise, it’s nice and settled – though wind noise takes over at this sort of speed, with plenty of rustle from around the A-posts and door mirrors and buffeting from behind the cab. That’s in a vehicle without any sort of canopy or load bed cover, which you’d imagine will help smooth that out.

Off-road, we were only able to glean a certain amount from a test route which, while plenty long and clearly representative of the sort of stuff a typical Musso will do in its day-to-day life, gave us no chance at all to explore its real abilities.

We know from past experience of a non-UK model that its back axle will articulate extremely well when asked, and there doesn’t appear to be any lack of traction available, but this was on baked-dry ground that hardly put the suspension to work at all.

One thing you can’t get on the Musso is a locking rear diff, and as always with double-cabs we could see this causing problems when running unladen over very uneven ground. It may be that the aftermarket will come up with a solution, especially as SsangYong is currently in the process of relaunching into the Australian market, however with the limited volumes it sells this is uncertain.

★★★★

SsangYong Musso Saracen A totally convinging double-cab that’s much more than just a cheap truck The Musso was always likely to be startlingly SUV-like, and with its Rexton underpinnings it doesn’t disappoint. But it’s a highly capable work tool, too, with the ability to both tow and carry huge loads – in addition to serious off-road ability.

The previous model was there only to be cheap, but this Musso is a very well rounded product – and the combination of a low price and vast warranty means it’s now a better deal than ever.

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DRIVEN

MERCEDES X250 D PURE

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DRIVEN X250 D Pure

M

uch of the buzz surrounding the arrival of the Mercedes-Benz X-Class in the double-cab market has come from the fact that it’s the first s ch vehicle to come from a premium manufacturer. But Mercedes has always been more than that – as well as the eyecatching performance and luxury cars the company makes, it’s also a prolific pla er i the commercial vehicle market – just one that’s never had a one-tonne pick-up in its range before.

The vehicle tested here is an X-Class from the utility end of the range, in base-spec Pure form.

This means steel rims, cloth seats and simple air-con instead of dual-zone climate, all of which are

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things that appeal to a good many off-roading types.

What we’ve got on test is not, however, an everyday example of the X-Class. The current range includes two versions of the same 2.3-litre diesel engine, with outputs of 163 and 190bhp; the

former comes exclusively with a manual box, whereas the latter is exclusively auto. But when our tester arrived, we found that it was powered by the 190bhp unit – mated to a manual box.

Merc explained to us that some customers want the more powerful

engine but don’t want it with an auto box. Hence this particular vehicle, which is classed as a special build. Not that mating the manual gearbox to what Mercedes calls the 250 d engine is anything new – Nissan has been doing it for ages in the Navara.

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The cabin furniture is made from hard plastics, but they’re stout and dense and feel like they’ll last. The media screen is standard on all models, even this base-speccer, which is also the only version not to get nappa leather – and all the better for it, in our opinion. The seats are well shaped and supportive, but after several hours behind the wheel you might start wanting for an adustable lumbar cushion We mention this because, in case you’ve been living on the moon, the X-Class is based on the Navara’s chassis and drivetrain. Merc is keen to stress that the vehicle’s design was re-engineered from scratch, but there are plenty of similarities between them.

While no manufacturer likes to admit to badge-engineering someone else’s work, at any rate, if you’re going to do it the Navara is a pretty good place to start. It’s set apart from the rest of the doublecab A-listers by the fact that it’s coil-sprung at the rear – and while this is by no means a magic wand for ride and dynamics, it presents its own set of opportunities for settling the uncivilised back ends for which trucks are known.

Despite all the hype about Merc’s premium credentials, then, the X-Class is a commercial vehicle rom a prolific commercial vehicle maker. And what we have here is not so much a premium pick-up as one which reminds you that Mercedes has plenty of form when it comes to building work trucks.

What we don’t have is a truck hose price re ects its e tr level status. The base-spec Pure model

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costs £29,310 plus VAT in 250 d auto form; with a manual box, this one should cost around a grand or so less but, being a special order, we wouldn’t count on it.

CABIN AND PRACTICALITY The X-Class feels good inside, even though the model tested here is as utilitarian as they come. Its dash is shaped from hard plastics, but they feel dense, stout and tough.

Longevity is unlikely to be an issue, though there was enough creaking from behind the dash to suggest that the odd trim rattle might surface some way down the line.

The trademark bank of air-con vents mounted on the main dash panel could be wobbled up and do too t the oor co sole is absolutely rock solid in its mounting to the chassis – and wherever your fi ers roam the s itch ear has a fi e positive eel to it The seats are trimmed in a nononsense fabric that feels as if it will last forever, and they’re well shaped to keep you in place under hard

cornering or side-slope action. We did a lot of miles in our X-Class, and after a few hours we’d have welcomed the adjustable lumbar support that comes with higher spec models, but even without this they’re very well above average for the pick-up market.

Oddment stowage is less than generous, though, with a rather small cubby and glovebox backed up only by an average set of door pockets. It’ll do, but in a vehicle designed to be your self-propelled workplace there’s very little about it to get excited about.

The front seats are as roomy as you need, but a tall driver will need to adjust his pew all the way back – making things a bit snug if you’re another six-footer trying to get in behind him. By far the biggest problem in the back, though, is a lack of headroom – – you don’t need to be freakishly tall for your eyes to actually be above the top of the door windows

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Right: The 2.3-litre diesel engine is available with two different outputs. The more powerful 190bhp version in the X250 d is only listed as being available with an auto box, but the vehicle tested here had a six-speed manual unit; Merc explained to us that this is offered as a special build Below: 17” wheels are now the smallest you can get on most pick-ups. Wrapped in 255/65R17s, these steels looked perfectly in keeping

The same can’t be said of the X-Class’ kit list, which even in this base-spec form is extremely good.

Highlights include Bluetooth and DAB, reversing camera, air-con, cruise control and LED loadbay lighting. In particular, the safety equipment is absolutely top-class – every safety item you get on the range-topper is also included in this model.

That means all the airbags plus autonomous emergency braking, la e eepi assist tra fic si recognition, ESP, hill-start assist and so on. Great kudos to Mercedes for not treating buyers of lower-spec

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vehicles like second-class citizens the way so many car manufacturers still do.

You might not feel quite so val ed i o fi d o rsel travelli in the rear seats, though. With the front seat fully back (which it needs to be to accommodate a six-foot driver), another tall adult can just about squeeze in behind it – but squeeze is the word. The front seats are soft-backed and sculpted to accommodate your knees, but you’re pressed against them rather than just touching – once again, it’ll do, but in this area the Ford Ranger co ti es to ipe the oor ith the rest of the market.

What won’t really do is the headroom in the back, or rather

the lack of it. Again, if you’re a sixfooter you’ll feel like you’re being pressed into the headlining rather than just brushing it. Your eye line will also be above the top of the window next to you, too, which is saying something. The C-post is well behind your head, though, so for smaller adults (and children, to be real about it) the accommodation in the bac is st fi e Another useful practicality point is that the base of the rear bench folds up against the seat backs to create a big space for carrying cargo that can’t be left in the pick-up bed. In this position it can swallow a surprisingly big load, which is useful if you want to park for more than thirty seconds

without the load in question dissolving in the rain or being transformed into stolen goods.

Does it feel premium? Yes and no. Those air-con vents are a Merc signature, and they do put you in mind of the company’s extremely nice SUVs. So too do the rotary controller and mouse-style click button which operate the infotainment system and which, in our view, is head and shoulders above most touch-screen solutions.

The system itself comes as standard with pre-wiring for a sat-nav upgrade, which had been optioned in our test vehicle. It’s a very good system – and, given that this is one of the few extras you can rely on to help you sell a

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DRIVING As mentioned above, the 190bhp version of the 2.3-litre engine normally comes with a sevenspeed automatic box as standard.

Here, however, we have it with a six-speed manual – which in our opinion is pretty much ideally suited to the engine.

We’ve also driven an X-Class with the same engine mated to the everyday auto, and while it’s per ectl fi e there s a eleme t of labouring under acceleration which is completely absent here.

The engine pulls like a train as you hustle it through the gears, but really there’s no need to do that – there’s so much in-gear pull available that you can take your time over shifting ratios and gather all the speed you need without ever having to hurry.

Even so, it can be a bit loud at times on the way up the box, with the occasional gust of over-run noise as you open the clutch. The engine’s strength is apparent at all times, though – and at motorway speeds, it settles to a smooth, iet cr ise hich is defi itel i keeping with the premium status the X-Class claims for itself. Its ride smoothes itself out, too, not quite getting to SUV territory but calming right down from the inevitable jolts and shudders you et o all b t the attest s r aces Yes, they are inevitable, even with coil springs. And at lower speeds, whether around town or on A or B-roads, ride quality isn’t quite so smooth. Those coils still need to be able to hold up a tonne – which means that when they’re not having to, they’re a tonne too keen for the weight of the unladen vehicle. The inevitable result is a fussy, jiggly ride over urban bumps and corrugations in general, which is no problem at all if you understand pick-ups and are used to them but will come as

a rude shock if you somehow think that by putting a three-pointed star on the front of a Nissan Navara and calling it premium, it’s going to ride like an S-Class.

As it is, the X-Class steers predictably, grips well under hard cornering and doesn’t loll around all over the place when you throw it from side to side. There’s only so much you can do with the springs in a pick-up, but even on the 255/65R17 tyres that are standard on this model there’s little sign of waywardness in its body control.

Those tyres make this the best X-Class to use off-road, at least in standard spec. If it were our money, we’d be raiding the options list to the tune of £715 plus VAT to add a locking rear diff and +20mm lifted suspension, but as it was supplied our X-Class was totally sure-footed in ruts and over rough ground. Before it was launched, Mercedes exhibited a concept model on Simex-pattern tyres, and while that’s a bit extreme you could certainly picture it being completely at home with a set of Mud-Terrains wrapped around its steel rims.

A rear locker is available, but only as an optional extra.

Without it, anything designed to carry a tonne in the back will always be compromised off-road. Further options include +20mm suspension, which we like the sound of

VERDICT

vehicle on again when it’s time to change, we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.

We’d be happier if the tabletstyle media screen was mounted in the dash rather than on it, though.

Merc is by no means the only manufacturer to do this, but to us it always looks just a little bit too much like an aftermarket bolt-on.

The screen has a very large border to it, too, so the actual image area is quite small given the size of the unit itself.

★★★★

Mercedes-Benz X250 D Pure As good a base-spec one-tonner as you’ll fin if yo c n stify the price Forget the stuff about it being a premium pick-up.

The X-Class is more than just that – and while it does come with a whole lot of kit, that would count for nothing if the underpinnings weren’t sound. It appeals to us in this low-spec form as being a very good example of what a no-nonsense truck should be – though Merc’s pricing means that whatever else it is, it ain’t basic. If you are in the market for one of these, anyway, we highly recommend this combination of engine and gearbox. You might have to order it specially, but more fool Mercedes for putting its customers through the effort of doing that for what in our view is the X-Class in its most appealing form.

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PRODUCTS

XS 4X4 LAUNCHES NEW AMAROK ACCESSORIES DIRECT FROM RUSSIA

XS 4X4 IS NOW OFFERING a new range of Rival protection equipment for the Volkswagen Amarok. This includes front are rear bumpers and side steps as well as a roof rack and hidden winch mount.

The Russian company, which specialises in fabricated items, has long been known for the extraordinarily wide range of underbody bash plates it makes. his i cl des e isti fitme ts for the Amarok – which are fully compatible with its new steel and aluminium heavy-duty front bumper.

The bumper weighs 46kg with s i stalled a d is ll certified for compatibility with the Amarok’s airbag system. It can be used to mount winches with a capacity of up to 12,000lb, and even includes

a number plate holder allowing access to the winch.

If you don’t want to go the whole hog, however, Rival’s hidden winch bracket keeps the vehicle’s frontal appearance as standard as possible while still allowing you to mount a winch of up to 11,000lb.

Made from 6mm steel, it adds 14.3kg to the front of the vehicle.

At the back, the rear bumper weighs 36kg with LEDs and provides the same level of heavyduty protection as the front unit.

It’s not designed to carry a winch, however – though it can be used with a 50mm towball, with a maximum trailer weight of 2500kg and nose weight of 100kg.

In between, the new side steps are made from 63.5mm steel tube

with a 1.5mm wall. The steps weigh ith their fitti s addi another 64kg, which says something about how well braced they ought to be once fully bolted up.

Pleasingly, the new roof rack is a lot lighter at 15.6kg. Obviously, this isn’t an accessory you’ll be looking to throw in with the others unless your work or play requirements point you in that direction, but if

you need to carry stuff up top it has plenty of strength and capacity without being bulky or unduly prone to getting battered by trees.

Rival kit is getting ever-more popular in the UK, and as the list of applications gets ever longer that’s not looking likely to slow down. To see what the company can do for you, whether you own an Amarok or not, pay a visit to xs4x4.parts.

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31/10/2018 03:13

STYLELINE STYLELINE LINE STYLELINE STYLE PICK-UP & 4X4 ACCESSORIES LINE STYLELINE STYLE TM

SPRAY-ON BED PROTECTION FROM SPEEDLINER EUROPE SPEEDLINER EUROPE INTRODUCED ITS UNIQUE SPRAY LINER. Speedliner Euro HS, back in 2011. As well as offering more stre th to h ess a d d rabilit the spra li er promises a si ifica tl quicker drying and curing process than other compounds.

This new spray-liner has proved popular and has helped the network grow, as Speedliner has continued supplying it to an ever increasing number of dealers and applicators in the UK, Europe and across the world.

Speedliner Euro HS provides a thick and especially tough, hard rubberpolymer coating. There is no loss of load space with the spray-on liner which will protect the truck’s load bed from rust and corrosion and, being a highly resistant polymer it won’t crack on you or warp over time. he bed li er s te t red fi ish provides a practical a ti slip s r ace or load carrying that is also easily washable. A selection of unique aesthetic fi ishes are also available ith c stomers able to re est i e colo rs should one of the twenty five optio s alread available ot fit the bill Aside from the Speedliner Euro HS, Speedliner Europe also offers its Speedliner Euro HC (Hygiene Coat) option. This spray-on liner is a long life, active anti-bacterial, anti-microbial spray liner coating for vehicles of all types in the UK and Europe, offering 21st Century vehicle hygiene control.

Speedliner Euro HC is often requested for applications to pick-ups that may carry police, security services and other high value specialist working dogs. This is as well as for many other specialist animal services, where the liner gives the carrier vehicles an extra level of hygiene protection and bacterial cross contamination prevention – not to mention peace of mind.

In testament to the quality of Speedliner products, a batch of Mitsubishi L200s driven by the RNLI utilised the Speedliner’s truck-bed protection.

To help the truck cope with the demands of life on the beach, Speedliner Euro HS was selected to protect against rust and corrosion that coastal co ditio s ca e co ra e he stro eet at erra porth each i Cornwall put their truck beds to the test, with daily life including carrying equipment and lifeguards across the beach. On average in the summer, each tr c ill la ch cra t i to the salt ater five or si times a ee hich could destroy their underbelly – but not with Speedliner Euro HS! Speedliner Euro HS is now applied by over 130 authorised dealers and applicators across the continent. This list is one that includes many specialist vehicle companies that range from bespoke coachbuilding companies, specialist conversion experts and numerous automotive bodyshops all over the UK. Specialist vehicle suppliers to the Ministry of Defence have chosen Speedliner products – as well as health service trusts, utility services and countless local authorities.

If you need protection for your loadspace, whether that’s on a pick-up or visit speedli ere ro com to fi d o t more abo t hat the company’s products can do for you. ew from Tuff-Trek is the ridge-Drop- lide. This fixes to the top of a drawer unit to let the fridge slide out towards the back door, before safely dropping down to a lower height to allow you to see inside and get easy access to the contents. t’s available in three sizes to suit most commercially available expedition fridges prices are 3 for the mall -litre unit, for the edium -litre and for the arge -litre. ind out more at tuff-trek.com.

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LINE STYLELINE STYLE VW Amorak Bonnet Guard

Ford Ranger Bonnet Guard

Dacia Duster Bonnet Guard

Ford Ranger Bed Rail Covers (3 pieces)

Ford Ranger 3D Floor Liners

Door Sill Protectors

Many applications for Pick-Ups and 4x4 vehicles. Please contact us for more details or visit online: www.rearguards.co.uk

✆ +44 (0)1525 853888 | sales@rgmouldings.com

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PRODUCTS

BUILT IN AFRICA TO TAKE ON THE WORLD: BUSHTECH’S ALUMINIUM CANOPIES BROUGHT TO BRITAIN BY APB BUSHTECH’S ALUMINIUM CANOPIES, which the company says are ‘built in Africa to take on the world,’ are available in the UK to fit a wide range of pickups. The company says its focus is to ‘deliver a superior product to the 4x4, outdoor leisure and commercial sectors, while offering the best customer service and knowledgeable advice.’

Brought to the UK by APB Ltd, the canopies are currently available for the Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max, Mitsubishi L200 (late models), Nissan Navara, Toyota Hi-Lux, Volkswagen Amarok and Land Rover Defender 110 and 130.

‘Africa will either make you or break you,’ says Bushtech.

‘As avid overlanding enthusiasts, we understand the importance of having a product you can trust to work for years to come. After more than 25 years in the 4x4 and motor vehicle industry, we saw a gap in the market to create a one-of-a-kind, customisable aluminium canopy that is easy to use for everyday activities and fully kitted out for overland trips, without compromising space and functionality.’

The company claims a level of strength for its canopies that it says is unbeatable. As if to prove the point, it’s released a rather eye-opening video in which a Land Cruiser on a four-poster is lowered on to one of them – whose flip-up side and end doors all still open perfectly even with this much weight trying to distort the unit.

The roof part of the canopy’s design has been weight tested to 2.5 tonnes, thanks in part to a custom suspension base rubber which has been specifically designed to cope with heavy loads and chassis movement and to dampen vibrations. A strong UV-stabilised, powder-coated frame and doors are standard features on all canopies, and the doors have a reinforced bracing to prevent flexing. Despite weighing only 70kg, Bushtech says the canopy can also act as a roll bar, providing an element of safety if your vehicle goes over and shrugging off tree hits on tight off-road trails without sustaining the damage you’d expect a moulded unit to suffer.

Another kind of strength comes in the units’ ability to keep dust and water where they belong. The canopies are equipped with a pressure equalising vent to neutralise any negative pressure in the rear of the load box, helping to keep dust out, and the door hinges are seamless and continuous – preventing water and dust from entering when they are opened.

As well as being built to cope with Africa, Bushtech’s canopies are designed to do whatever you want of them, whether that means installing false floors or mounting up a roof tent. APB has a wide range of tables, side cupboard and other accessories available which clip easily into position, allowing you to instal and remove items quickly and without the need for any drilling. Perfect for use by electricians, plumbers and farmers as well as for outdoor activities such as camping, off-roading and overlanding. ‘In minutes,’ says Bushtech, ‘you can go from an empty canopy to a canopy full of all your gear.’

As well as the canopies, APB offers a wide range of Bushtech accessories including shelves and cupboards, roof rails, dust guards and jerry can holders.

Prices for these items vary, as they do for the canopies themselves – but they compare well with the other options on the market. Check them out at www.expedition-equipment.com.

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PRODUCTS

MILNER OFF - ROAD ADDS MAXXIS WORM DRIVE ALL-TERRAINS TO TYRE RANGE MILNER OFF-ROAD’S burgeoning range of off-road tyres has grown ever bigger with the addition of the Maxxis Worm Drive – an all-terrain that’s brand new to the UK. This features a square tread contour design to ensure road contact remains excellent even under heavy loads, as well as zig-zag grooves for greater off-road traction and a reduced pitch ratio pattern to maximize tread life and improve the overall wear pattern. A spiral-wound cap ply enhances overall ride comfort and high-speed stability, and a new body ply design makes for greater resistance to punctures and bruising.

We’ve been big fans of Maxxis ever since we ran a set of its 764 Bighorn Mud-Terrains on our old Land Cruiser Colorado. So if you’re after an allterrai e rec o the compa s e orm rive sho ld oat o r boat. For the lowdown on the range available through Milners, pay a visit to www.milneroffroad.com.

130,000 MILES LATER, SUPERPRO’S SUSPENSION KIT IS STILL GOING STRONG ANY PRODUCT SHOULD be able to work right when it’s straight out of the box. But what about 130,000 miles later?

That’s how many miles SuperPro’s Isuzu D-Max has covered in the four years since the company bought it. And for almost all of them, it’s been running a set o modificatio s developed b the ell o suspension specialist which includes greasable shackles, uprated rear leaf springs, an anti-roll bar, rear dampers, front coil-overs and, of course, a full complement of SuperPro polyurethane bushes.

These enhancements were designed to overcome the issues that are common among pick-ups as a result of their load-carrying design – nervous ride quality and indifferent comfort coupled with lower rear-end stability and lateral grip.

When SuperPro Europe bought the D-Max, it had about 22,000 miles on the clock. Since then, it’s been driven day-to-day by UK sales manager Robert Hayward – who is in no doubt about the improvements his company’s products have made. he first started drivi the a he sa s it did t have the per ro p rades fitted did abo t miles be ore it as pdated ith the hole pac a e a d it tra s ormed the car he first thi o otice is the ride alit and it meant that normal day-to-day driving was a far more pleasant experience. other e be efit is the stabilit the vehicle has o ith less s a a d bounce at the rear and a far more precise feel to the steering, especially when turning in. In fact, the best way of describing it is that it now feels more like an SUV than a pick-up.’

Robert also says that over the four years and 120,000-plus miles he s covered ith the per ro pac a e fitted he s ot e perie ced any drop off in feel and performance from the suspension. And visitors to the recent Pick-up and 4x4 Show at Stoneleigh Park were given the chance to see for themselves, with the vehicle running on and off-road demo rides – and it would be fair to say that even the harshest of critics were impressed!

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PRODUCTS

BFGOODRICH LAUNCHES THIRD - GENERATION MUD -TERRAIN AS KM3 COMES TO BRITAIN MUD-TERRAINS COME AND MUD-TERRAINS GO, but for almost four decades BFGoodrich has been the name behind THE Mud-Terrain. And now the company has launched its new Mud-Terrain T/A KM3 – the third-generation version of a tyre which has become a ‘Hoover’ brand in the world of off-roading.

With the arrival of the KM3, BFG says it has ‘introduced technologies that further improve climbing, traction and toughness in the mud and over roc he compa promises a five perce t overall improveme t in traction on soft ground compared to the old KM2, thanks to ‘mudphobic’ bars on the tyre’s shoulders which aid self-cleaning by ejecting compacted material.

They’re aided in this by the tyre’s ‘Terrain-Attack’ tread pattern, whose large blocks are designed to grip on to hard ground, or bite into softer surfaces, whatever the angle of approach. BFG says the tyre’s compound makes it eight percent more effective than the KM2 over rocks, with a ‘Linear Flex Zone’ designed to wrap around hard surfaces when running at low pressures.

Performance over muddy and rocky surfaces alike is aided by notches i the t re s sho lders hich o do i to a ractio rmor ide all c lpt re hose rei orced str ct re helps preve t dama e to the most vulnerable part of the carcase. The sidewalls themselves are now an astonishing 27% tougher than the previous model’s, thanks to BFG’s CoreGard Max technology – as used on its Baja T/A KR3 desert-racing tyres – which helps prevent splitting or puncturing, with increased thickness to protect the ‘critical sidewall failure zone.’

BFGoodrich says the KM3 ‘was designed to conquer the toughest offroad challenges with extreme sidewall protection, pinch shock resistance and chip-and-tear resistance on gravel.’ But just as importantly, it also offers ‘solid street performance and acceptable on-road noise levels for the drives to and from the trail.’

‘The KM3 tyre is designed for extreme toughness and traction and is essential equipment for serious off-road enthusiasts,’ says BFG general manager Harold Phillips.

‘Whether simply driving for off-road fun, or the extreme capability to access outdoor activities, this tyre was made to take drivers anywhere they want to go.’

The KM3 is currently in the middle of a phased launch which will ultimately see a total of 42 sizes available, 21 of them new, by January 2019.

Not all will be available in the UK, however at the time of writing there are ten listed on the company’s UK website. To stay abreast of developments, the website in question is waiting for you at www.bfgoodrich.co.uk.

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PRODUCTS

TUV APPROVAL ENSURES ROAD - LEGAL STATUS FOR IRONMAN’S SUSPENSION KITS

IRONMAN 4X4 HAS GAINED formal approval for a range of suspension kits designed to fit almost ever pic p tr c c rre tl o the mar et he stralia o road specialist sa s it is the first a termar et s spe sio compa to be ive approval b erma s ord a d ederal otor ra sport thorit or these prod cts ro ma hich is imported to the b est oast oad e tre spe t more tha mo ths o meeti the erma or a isatio s testi sta dards avi do e so it o sa s that the certificatio coveri these prod cts provides co ormit ith all national and international road la s mea i the ca be le all i stalled o road oi vehicles herever o live hat s o small matter as ro ma s its are sold i more tha co tries orld ide a d sed as ori i al e ipme t b a mber o ma act rers ro ma s li t its t picall add mm aro d o s spe sio hei ht li e ma s spe sio ma act rers the compa o ers a e tremel ide ra e o optio s ivi c stomers a choice o com ort per orma ce a d co sta t load spri s a d as oam cell a d oam cell pro shoc s additio to o e to e pic ps the its are also available or the c rre t eries o ota a d r iser hich is the model c rre tl o ered b o ota s o ficial importer he ll applicatio s list is sho i the pa el o this pa e or rther i ormatio o to iro ma com or visit est oast oad e tre at estcoasto road co

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APPLICATIONS LIST o ota il o ota a dcr iser s a its bishi issa avara ord a er maro ercedes lass iat llbac • Renault Alaskan

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Foam C

Foam Cell Shock Absorbers

Large size and capacity - suitable in all conditions • 40mm Piston • Foam Cell Technology • 60mm Body • Twin Tube Construction • 18mm Piston Rod

Foam Cell Pro Shock Absorbers WCORDPS(1)091017

Maximum size and most robust design - suitable in all conditions

Untitled-2 1

• 45mm Piston • Foam Cell Technology • 66-72mm Body • Twin Tube Construction • 20mm Piston Rod

31/10/2017 11:02

Cell and Foam Cell Pro Suspension Kits 50mm Lift • Comfort and performance options • Load carrying, or un-laden solutions

SUSPENSION KITS FROM

Ford Ranger Mitsubishi Triton Toyota Hilux

£

1026

Foam Cell

Isuzu D-Max Volkswagen Amarok Nissan Navara (coil/coil) - £728

SUSPENSION KITS FROM

Ford Ranger Mitsubishi Triton Toyota Hilux

£

1199

Foam Cell Pro

Isuzu D-Max Volkswagen Amarok Nissan Navara (coil/coil) - £876 All prices include VAT, but exclude delivery and fitting

01704 229014 71 Gorsey Lane, Banks, Southport, PR98ED Untitled-2 1

31/10/2017 11:02

PRODUCTS

WEST COAST OFF - ROAD BRINGS IRONMAN WINCH BUMPERS TO UK

A WINCH BUMPER is one of the first accessories to be added to a improvi o r approach a le a d si ifica tl improvi o r ro tal protectio ro ma i ch mpers help protect o r vehicle rom a imal stri es he drivi o remote roads a d provide co ve ie t locatio s to mo t other accessories s ch as i ches li hts a d aerials ro ma s b mpers are desi ed e i eered a d tested i stralia est oast oad e tre based i o thport stoc s s pplies a d fits this sa e stro a d smart esse tial accessor hich retails rom st i cl di B-G STYLING HAS INTRODUCED A NEW RANGE OF BED RAILS which it says is universal to all

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models of 4x4 pick-up truck. The rails are available in two different sizes – 1060mm, for full-length single-cab pick-ups, and 500mm to suit double-cabs with a shorter bed.

Sold in pairs, the rails are manufactured from T304 grade stainless steel. They’re made to a 1” diameter and hand-polished to a mirror fin e nt ve nt n points at either end, while the 1060mm jobs have a third at their mid-point for extra strength.

ver ro ma i ch mper is care ll cra ted rom premi m rade materials a d compo e ts to deliver the most comprehe sive ro tal protectio a d st li available he b mpers are care ll modelled si preci sio vehicle sca i tech i es to achieve optimal cosmetic desi hile also providi ma im m vehicle collisio protectio ll ro ma i ch mpers are ll i ch airba a d compatible to e s re that o a d o r amil s sa et ot to me tio o r le alit are ot compromised o ca see the ll ra e o i ch b mpers available at estcoasto road co

Both versions promise straightforward installation wt n tt n e e ey fit e t y n t t e truck and bolt into place from underneath, so no bolts are visible – keeping a nice, clean look and removing temptation from the inevitable casual thieves with whom we have the misfortune to share this planet.

Prices per pair are £32.99 for the 500mm rails and £69.98 for the 1060mm units; both include VAT, so if you claim yours back they’ll be that much e e fin t e v t www n

PICKUP GUIDE 2019

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PRODUCTS

WITTER WESTFALIA LEADING THE WAY ON TOWBAR SAFETY With more than 150 years of towbar manufacturing excellence between them, it is fair to say that Witter Towbars and Westfalia Automotive are e perts i their field he compa ies have lo bee at the ore ro t o developme t i the to bar a d to i accessories i d str The two iconic brands are part of the Horizon Global group of compaies the orld s lar est ma act rer o to bars trailers a d accessories They have launched a new initiative in the UK that will ensure customers can choose the correct towbar and electrics kit for their vehicle – and have it fitted to the hi hest sta dards b e perie ced a d ell trai ed fitters Witter/Westfalia wants to offer the highest possible level of service to the consumer through the entire journey of purchasing and installing the compa s prod cts he eeside based compa has more tha fitti o tlets atio wide and the decision to select a number across the country to become Approved Service Centres is explained by E-Commerce and Demand lfilme t a a er dre o les ‘As market leaders, we feel it is important that our customers get the best possible e perie ce he p rchasi o r prod cts rom the mome t they go online and place an order, to the point where they drive out of the service centre with the job completed, we want them to be completely satisfied ith the levels o service a d e pertise that the have received he level o sophisticatio i vehicles i trod ced i the last te ears has developed to s ch a e te t that fitti a to bar a d iri sho ld o l be derta e b a specialist ho has the ecessar s ill set a d e ipme t he to bar a d iri is the sa et critical item that oi s the vehicle ith the carava trailer a d eeps o r amil sa e itter est alia thi s it is vital that all moder cars sho ld be fitted ith a vehicle specific electric it rather tha a iversal b pass rela he latter are cheaper altho h o l s all b b t sa s itter e ca t stress e o h the costs vehicle electrics save i the lo r he o fit a vehicle specific it a d recode the vehicle s o are ivi o r car access to all the i ormatio it eeds to o ho to ad st its sa et eat res accordi l o he o hitch p o r trailer carava etc o r vehicle reco ises o have added to the ormal operati parameters a d ad sts per orma ce accordi l his mi ht mea ad sti the tor e a d po er setti s to the heels to mai tai rip cha i ear ratio a d bra i intensities to allow for the additional weight and forces being placed on the vehicle, and changing parameters for braking assist or proximity detectors, so the e pa d their field o visio a d react more ic l to pote tial ha ards A universal bypass kit, meanwhile, will do just as the name implies – bypass all safety features and not inform the vehicle that it has an extra two tonnes or more o ei ht behi d it t as a at ral pro ressio o les co ti es to loo at the fi al li i the chain, which is of course the service ce tres rom desi a d ma act re to the products leaving our premises, e have total co trol o proceedi s However, at the most critical point of the tra sactio the fitti e had o i p t here ore ith the ll cooperatio o the fitti o tlets e have established the criteria by which they can be awarded the Approved Service Centre ma tle ltimatel it is i their o interests to meet the criteria, as it will mean increased sales for those selected outlets; when a customer is booking on line through our WEBFIT booking system, wherever possible we will direct them to the nearest Approved Fitting Centre because we can be sure of the service the ill receive Want to know more about Witter’s Approved Service Centres programme? rop dre o les a li e o aro les hori o lobal com or pa a visit to itter to bars co

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PRODUCTS

PEDDERS LAUNCHES REAR DISC BRAKE CONVERSION FOR HILUX THE TOYOTA HILUX IS, to put it simply, a legendary vehicle. The current model builds on the reputation of a brand that’s sold more than its i the fi t ears si ce its la ch b t hile it s a brillia t bit of kit at all sorts of levels, it does still have drum brakes on its back axle. his is mai l o a b t i o re pla i to fit a s spe sio li t a d bi er t res there s al a s the spectre o bra e ade l r i i the bac ro d d i o ve e perie ced it o ll o hat a ver scar thing that can be. ith edders e ra r der disc bra e co versio or the c rre t il that ll be o e bi thi less to orr abo t his replaces the dr ms ith eomet coated slotted bra e rotors hich are clamped b evlar ceramic pads deliveri i creased stoppi po er better pedal eel a d modulation and much easier maintenance. edders sa s the disc bra es ill ta e lo er to o i to ade tha dr ms as the have a ider s r ace area e posed directl to air he re also better at drai i o ater hereas dr ms te d to trap it more easil ll ver ell b t does it ma e a di ere ce ccordi to independent test results quoted by Pedders, yes. Under braking from mph o avera e a il ith the co versio stopped metres soo er tha o e itho t You don’t need to be running huge tyres for this to sound like very ood e s he il s le e d as b ilt first a d oremost o heav to i a d load carr i a ter all a d i either o these sit atio s the better o ca stop the better o ca do it efi itel a ood idea pedders co16:53to fi d o t more Pedders Ad - PICKUP GUIDE 2019 - PRINT.pdf head 1 to 30/10/2018

PICKUP SUSPENSION & BRAKES C

M

Load Carrying & Towing Kits

Lift Kits

Brake Upgrades

Y

CM

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FULL range of suspension and brake solutions for your pickup.

www.pedders.co.uk

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info@pedders.co.uk

www.pedders.co.uk

01296 711044 PICKUP GUIDE 2019

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PRODUCTS

LAZER LAMPS LAUNCHES INTEGRATED GRILLE KIT FOR VOLKSWAGEN AMAROK

THE VOLKSWAGEN AMAROK recently became the most powerful pick-up on the market. With power comes pace, obviously – and the quicker you’re going somewhere, the better you need to be able to see where it is.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the Amarok’s standard headlamps. But there’s also absolutely nothing wrong with bunging in a load more light on top, which is why the LED market is probably even more buoyant than the pick-up market itself. And the pick-up market is currently more buoyant than Clive Buoyant

of Buoyanthampton wearing a buoyancy suit to celebrate national buoyancy day.

Anyway. Lazer Lamps has just launched a bespoke LED grille integration kit for the Amarok, allowing its owners to see, and be seen, at the sort of distance JRR Tolkein used to write books about.

The kit mounts two of Lazer’s well known Triple-R 750 high performance LED spotlights in the Amarok’s grille, adding road presence and, of course, visibility.

Available for all versions of the Amarok from 2011-on, including post-facelift V6 models, it comes

ith fi i s a d brac ets that are fully weather and chemical resistant.

Fitting the lights is simplicity itself, as they mount directly to the Amarok’s standard grille. The LEDs

themselves are mar certified and therefore fully road-legal, and o ca fi d o t a thi else o need to know by paying a visit to lazerlamps.com.

DEPLOYABLE SIDE STEPS FOR NAVARA Terrafirma has introduced these deployable side steps for the current-model Nissan Navara. Almost completely hidden when stowed, they deploy automatically when the door is opened – providing a perfectly positioned step up into the cabin. Close the door and they automatically retract back into the stowed position, meaning the vehicle retains its breakover angle with no vulnerable hardware hanging down beneath the sills. Terrafirma promises ‘amazing quality and unbelievably good value’ for the steps, which it’s currently selling for £499.99 including VAT. To find out for yourself, pay a visit to www. terrafirma4x4store.co.uk.

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PRODUCTS

THERE’S MORE TO GOOD SHOCKS THAN JUST PURE LENGTH: BILSTEIN OPENS UP ON THE NEED FOR DAMPING CONTROL…

IT’S COMMON KNOWLEDGE that if you want to get the best from your vehicle, the right choice of dampers is absolutely crucial. For most of us, however, the primary concern is to fit a set o shoc s that ll ive s the best possible travel. t there s more to it tha st being able to match the extra height of your new springs. When the terrai closes i o r shoc s performance starts to matter more and more – and, no small matter, staying in control is a pretty big deal he o re rel i o a vehicle with lifted suspension and outsize tyres to get you home safely, too.

In the world of suspension, ilstei is a ame o re bo d to o ell he erma compa has been a world leader in damping technology for more than half a century, and during that time it has come to offer an array of options for most popular off-road vehicles so it s ell placed to o er advice on what really matters once your quest for extra inches is at an end.

‘One of the most important considerations when choosing uprated suspension for an off-road vehicle is where you plan on using it sa s ilstei rtic latio reall is e t s esse tial to e s re that the tyre remains in contact with the ground as much as possible, and your choice of damper plays a huge role in this.

oo so t a d the damper ill “bottom out” when placed under compressio the b mp stro e leadi to a loss o co trol oo firm a d the damper ill be able to deal effectively with the effect of smaller bumps. he ip side o the above is “rebound,” the rate of damper extension when no longer under ll load his is dictated b the relationship between the damper and the spring and as such is harder to fi e t e he ideal set p is the o e that s best able to control the release of built-up energy created by the i itial b mp stro e his release of energy needs not to impact the relationship between the tyre and the heel

most applicatio s ilstei s dampers have a monotube co str ctio his the compa sa s ma es them per ectl s ited to hostile conditions by allowing the nitrogen inside them to be placed under direct, even pressure at all times his reatl red ces cavitation, the term for the separatio oami o as a d oil molecules when placed under load. avitatio res lts i a mar ed drop-off in damper performance, leading to a loss of suspension articulation and, in due course, a loss of traction. Bilstein says its monotube dampers are also able to dissipate heat faster than twin-tube desi s tha s to there bei o barrier between the pressure tube and the atmosphere. d the there s the trip home his is here o mi ht be e pecti ilstei s rep tatio as a motorsport supplier to come into its o a d the compa is t oi to disabuse you of that notion. ‘Our engineering team goes to staggering lengths to ensure that all our dampers are every bit as suited to the hustle and bustle of the public highway as they are to the rigours o o road competitio it sa s he compa promises a comprehe sive ra e o fitme ts too, including the subtly uprated B8 range of OEM-style dampers. It has applications for most popular ma es a d models i cl di a ide ra e o o e to e pic ps a d do ble cabs a t to fi d o t more? Head for www.bilstein.de.

GOODRIDGE HAS LAUNCHED a new braided brake hose kit for the D40 Nissan Navara. The famously hefty pick-up, made from 2005-2014, has long since been popular among truck users with an eye for off-road action, and Goodridge’s heavy-duty hoses promise to shrug off the sort of ying stones and other debris that can damage rubber units – while also ensuring the best possible pedal feel.

The kit includes four lines as well as all the banjo and threaded fittings required to make it a simple two-spanner job for DIY mechanics. Goodridge says the hoses will ‘reduce your stopping distance, eliminate sponginess under pressure and improve your drive.’

The hoses are individually pressure-tested to 2000psi and guaranteed to be leak free.

They’re corrosion-resistant, too, and come with a lifetime warranty. Goodridge says you’ll also notice ‘a considerable improvement in braking modulation and increased control over pedal pressure generally’ with these items fitted, and best of all they come in a choice of 13 colours including a glow-in-the-0dark option.

The kit comes at a retail price of . 3 plus the T. To find out more, or go looking for a dealer, pay a visit to www.goodridge.co.uk.

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PRODUCTS

GEARMATE EQUIPMENT HELPS MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR PICK- UP’S POTENTIAL GEARMATE IS A BRITISH COMPANY which specialises in load bed storage systems for pickup trucks. These go beyond what you get from a canopy by providing a variety of drawer options as well as the Gearslide – a slide-out load bed base with an extended capacity of 400kg.

‘As pick-up truck drivers ourselves,’ says the company, ‘we became frustrated at the limited utilisation and accessibility of our vehicles’ load beds. So we decided to do something about it.

‘Using many years of engineering experience, we got to work on designing a solution, initially for our own needs only. We very soon realised that what worked for us would work for others. The main goal was to improve the driver’s daily life, at work and leisure, allowing 4x4 owners to maximise the potential of their vehicle.’

In addition to the Gearslide, Gearmate’s range of core products includes twin drawers with three different heights. The company also offers a range of accessories i cl di rac i sol tio s i fill pods and dog boxes – and has a bespoke service which clients can sign off before production begins.

Gearmate’s customers include private i divid als as ell as eet users running multiple units. It says it has systems to suit day-to-day life as well as professional use – and its products, which are compatible with all pick-up models currently on sale in Europe, are fully transferable from one to another with only additional brackets required to make them suit their new home.

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Providing 75% load bed extension, the Gearslide has four lockable positions and costs £799. The Gear Drawers, meanwhile, have heights of 226mm, 300mm and 500mm and cost from £950 to £1450 depending on whether you want single or twin units.

‘Our design team’s primary goal is to produce automotive standard products that offer different solutions to different users while following a common theme of bringing your load out to you,’ concludes Gearmate. o fi d o t more abo t the company’s range of high-quality pick-up kit, pay a visit to www. gearmate.co.uk.

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PRODUCTS

NEW RANGE -TOPPING CANOPY FROM SNUGTOP THE SPORTMAX PRO sits at the top o top s ra e o pic p load bed covers top s o ords it s a ele a t et practical additio to a tr c ble di i ith the bod or a d o eri more space a d sec rit o str cted as a si le piece the tops are reliabl stro a d top s promises that it ill per ectl match ever tr c s actor colo r rther stora e is added b roo rails a d the accessories or them i cl de bi e rac s a d ladder mo ts he tops are la ed to the sides a d bac ith a all lass

tail ate ivi ma im m visibilit ea hile the side i do s pop o t a d a protective eopre e la er covers the oor reat additio s i o r tr c bed is ever sed or tra sporti a imals he li hti mi ht a ai be se l here altho h it is li hti so he is t that se l etral loc i adds ot o l sec rit b t peace o mi d too so o o that i o r tr c s sec re so s all o the ear i it he res lt is a a tastic hardtop o all ro ts that betters the o that it replaces i the top ra e hich as a ver ise

choice i the first place o satis a remai i c riosities abo t

the portma s top co

ro chec o t

PRO//TOP GULLWING CANOPY EQUIPS HILUXES RUN BY MAJOR UTILITY FLEET SCOTTISH AND SOUTHERN ELECTRIC (SSE) has equipped its latest eet o o ota il es ith ro op ll i ca opies rom hese heav d t hard tops eat re top hi ed side access pa els a d a i te rated roo carr i s stem ith a capacit o he ro op is e cl sive to hich s pplied the cabopies to via specialist co verter i a stems he ro op ll i as a obvio s choice or i a s a d or their il eet comme ted s imo hodes o the deal t reall co ld ot be better s ited to the eeds o eet sers both lar e a d small esi ed a d co ceived here i the the hole ro op ra e is specified to meet the ropea re ireme ts o commercial sers ro op o ers a heav a e material str ct re a d a reat pai ted fi ish b t ith the added optio s o side access a d hi h sec rit solid rear tail ate doors ll this bei available e deliver direct rom s s bsta tial stoc s at competitive prici ma es or a compelli o er cottish a d o ther lectric oi s the viro me t e c a d or shire ater i si do ble cabs e ipped ith these ca opies ro op has certai l athered real tractio i the mar et across all pic ps here a proper commercial hard top ca op is eeded hodes added o see h pa a visit as at com

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01803 262002 edgeoffroad.co.uk edgeadventuresoffroad Edge.indd 1

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PRODUCTS

ON AND OFF - ROAD PERFORMANCE ON OFFER FROM GENERAL GRABBER AT3

WITH EVERYDAY PUNTERS, the single item that has the biggest effect on a vehicle’s abilities is often overlooked. Yep, the tyres. But that doesn’t happen in the 4x4 world.

Us lot are more than aware that even the best vehicle is useless without grip. We know that to make the most of the ability our pride and joy has built into it, we need the right tyres on all four corners. o some people that mea s fitti r bber that ca rip l mps o t o co crete o others it mea s fitti r bber that o t et l mps ripped o t o it b ell a thi ood all-terrain tyre will be civilised and dependable on the road, sure-footed off-road, incredibly hard-wearing and capable of shrugging off the sort of damage that comes with being put to work on a 4x4 pick-up. hese are all thi s o ca e pect rom the e eral rabber his ver hi hl regarded all-terrain has a tread design that offers off-road grip thanks to edges that interlock with loose surfaces and an open tread shoulder that facilitates effective self-cleaning to maintain traction in mud.

Protecting the main body of the tyre from rocks, large sidewall lugs offer peace of mi d e ectio ribs divert obstacles a a rom the t re to preve t p ct res a d a rim protection rib shields the wheel bead area from kerbing damage and off-road hazards.

Made from a robust compound, the reinforced blocks of the tread design make it durable and stable under stress – as do strong steel belts that run along the edges of the carcase.

Undeviating block geometry provides a smoother ride and even tyre wear over time, and helps the tyre maintain a level of comfort on the road. ith a ide ra e o si es rom to the e eral rabber o ers d rabilit a d rip to almost all the a d pic p mar et or more details o the chec o t www.general-tire.co.uk.

NLG has announced a new version of its classic Hurricane Hawke alloy wheels in gunmetal grey. These 9-spoke rims come in an imposing 2 diameter and are designed specifically to fit the Ford Ranger from 2012 onwards.

Also new for the Ranger is the Cobra Grille, which NLG says is for customers who want something subtler than the full-on Raptor look. It’s suitable for all cab styles and models from 2016-on, including the Wildtrak. Find out more at www.nlg.co.uk.

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PRODUCTS

MILNER OFF - ROAD LAUNCHES UPRATED REAR SUSPENSION FOR COIL- SPRUNG NAVARA MUCH HAS BEEN SAID about the current Nissan Navara, which when it was launched became the first mai stream pick-up truck in the UK with coilsprings at the back rather than the traditional leaves. If you believe the mainstream car magazines, this alone was enough to create a magic carpet where previously there were only mediaeval carts; anyone who knows what they’re looking at will be able to tell you that it’s much more complicated than that, but it certaily is the case that the Navara rides with great suppleness both around town and on the motorway.

But do the coil springs work as effectively as leaves when the vehicle is heavily laden or towing a trailer approaching its capacity of 3.5 tonnes? If you ask Milner Off-Road, they’ll tell you about the feedback from its customers which

has prompted the company to introduce a heavierduty suspension kit for the vehicle.

This includes upgraded coil springs, along with the heavy-duty shock absorbers necessary to control them. Milners says these will maintain the Navara’s rear ride height and steering characteristics under a heavy load, making it far easier, more comfortable and safer to operate. The company also promises that comfort won’t be compromised when running unladen.

The kit is available directly from Milners, priced £225 plus the dreaded o fi d o t more visit milneroffroad.com.

RHINO LININGS GROWING FAST IN THE UK RHINO LININGS has more than 2000 application centres around the world – including a growing network here in the UK, where the company is continuously expanding.

Suitable for personal, commercial and agricultural vehicles alike, the company’s specialist product is a spray-on lining which can be applied not only on the bed of your pick-up truck, but also on its grille guards, bumpers and rocker panels. The lining is designed to offer increased longevity, with resistance to corrosion and chemicals as well as less likelihood of the treated areas becoming scratched.

When applied on a truck bed, the coating offers improved grip to help prevent cargo from slipping around – as well as impact resistance to stop it from getting damaged. For the driver’s be efit the li i also deade s oise rom vibrations and impacts, improving the truck’s refi eme t Rhino Linings UK works with several associated companies that share a background in high-quality protective coatings. These include surface protection experts Paintseal Direct in the UK and Europe, Central Lotus car and carbon fibre composite e perts a d o co rse hi o Linings USA. The Rhino Linings network continues to grow, a d rece tl a o ced its first ll a thorised hi o e tre i the tesfield oach Works Ltd covers all Rhino Linings work in the Bristol region.

The lining costs £499 plus VAT – a price which includes all the preparation work on your vehicle before the full application takes place. Whether you’re a 4x4 owner looking to get it protected or a prospective applicator looking to join the company’s UK network, www.rhino-linings.co.uk is the place to go next.

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PIECES

DV8 Works offers a high-end customisation programme with its Armoured Plus Ford Ranger. This eyeball-grabbing double-cab mixes off-road ability with work-truck practicality and street-machine styling – to create one of the most appealing variations there is on our recently crowned Pick-Up of the Year WORDS: DAN FENN PICTURES: DV8 WORKS

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OF 8 F

ord Rangers are all the rage at the top of the bespoke pick-up business. With its size and in-your-face styling, not to mention a 3.2-litre engine, the vehicle has surged to the top of the truck market in the UK – and a thriving industry has grown up around the dema d or modified e amples As always, you can just throw a few accessories at a vehicle and hope they work.

While you’re at it, you might also have to hope they don’t make it illegal, or dangerous, or impossible to sell on when you’re done with it.

But a specialist worthy of the name won’t lead you down that road – whether you want your truck prepared for off-roading or turned into an eyeball-grabbing street machine.

DV8 Works is one of the newer names on the scene, and the Rangers it builds are a bit of both. ather tha bei prepped or e treme o road se at the e pe se o ever thi else the re enhanced with the ability to perform beyond standard whether for work or play – while also standing out in a crowd.

That’s unless it’s a crowd of other DV8-built Rangers, obviously. Because while each is unique, all the vehicles in these pictures are produced to the company’s Armoured Plus spec – which i cl des a e tremel tast ra e o mods to make the most of what is already the best truck on the market.

For starters, Armoured Plus models run on +1.75” medium-load suspension. This uses a Pedders spring and shock package which was developed in consultation with DV8, whose

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customers had asked for a system that would keep on working even with a heavy trailer on the back – something almost all these vehicles will be used for. Bigger suspension lifts than this are certainly available, but this strikes the right balance while allowing an upgrade to 305/50R20 tyres – whose 32” height and 12” width gives the truck a suitably purposeful appearance.

This is aided by a +10 offset on DV8’s own 20” alloys, which are rated to 1100kg each – giving them the strength to cope with the Ranger’s heavy-duty capacities. This isn’t a throwo fitti the compa sa s it as thoro hl

though. ’It generates a 4.88% increase in rolling circumference and so a speedo reading of 60mph would generate an actual speed of 62.93 mph. In addition, we found anything larger than this was a struggle for the gearbox to work with.’

Said gearbox is the six-speed automatic unit that comes as an option with the 3.2 TDCi engine. And on the subject of options, the engine itself can be pushed usefully beyond its standard power output.

DV8 uses a tuning box remap which it says has bee tested o more tha five vehicles a d gives a consistent 20% increase in power and

torque alike over the standard vehicle. On top of this, you can opt for a Stage 2 Performance Pack consisting of a PWR Intercooler, ITG Air Filter and straight-through cat-back exhaust; this can be tailored to each customer’s requirements, but DV8 quotes 240bhp and 450lbf.ft as a com ortabl achievable fi re Also optional is a 20” Discreet Light Bar, hich has the be efit o bei approved – meaning it can be wired in to the headlamps to operate with the vehicle’s main beam for use on the road . This sits behind DV8’s custom grille, which it describes as a ‘labour of love’.

Above left: Suspension is by Pedders, but it’s not an off-the-shelf solution – DV8 worked in consultation with the UK importer to get a 1.75” lift that maintains the Ranger’s body control when towing Above right: The taller springs and shocks make room for a set of 305/50/20 Maxxis Bighorn MT764 on 20” DV8 Armoured Plus alloys. These have a 1100kg load rating – so once again, they’re about more than just lobbing on something pretty and hoping for the best

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The grille is DV8’s own work, which the company describes as ‘a labour of love.’ A discreet light bar can be fitted behind the grille as an option, and as well as the additional LED spots seen here you get colour-coded guards for the front lights and smoked rear LEDs with separate fog lights

The company removes the original grille and s rro d atte s o t the a er lo o the fits its o he a o al mesh rille to create its signature aggressive appearance. his is e ha ced b a lo er d e bar hich as lo ered ot o l to loo better b t to avoid rubbing on the bumper. The vehicle also then ets colo r coded s a d li ht ards as ell as smo ed rear s ith separate o li hts – something DV8 says is necessary to comply ith re ireme ts e r a sta dalo e o li ht mo ti it sa s o to either the rear b mper or to bar depe di o the vehicle

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rther eat res o the rmo red l s model include privacy glass on the rear doors a d b l head i do a d a detailed pai t pro ramme hich describes as o e o the fi er details o et rom its level o service e strip a d repai t the complete ro t e d s li ht ards rille door ha dles roo bars i mirrors the complete it ot st the caps rear sports hoop a d rear b mper d fi all e rap the side steps as bei chrome pai t o ld o l be a short term sol tio he res lts ell o ca see them or o rsel he rmo red l s do ble cab is a

serio sl p rpose l tr c eve b the a er s ormal sta dards a d hile it s ot bee p shed to the limit or o roadi it s ever bit as capable as it loo s o as the e perts the ll al a s tell o that i o re oi to modi a vehicle o sho ld start ith the best sta dard o e o ca a ord t s a bit o a t ist o that advice b t starti ith hat is the best tr c o the mar et i sho room spec orm p ts o i pole positio to b ild o e o the best modified vehicles a d s re e o h the do t come much better than this.

30/10/2018 21:46

Family Fortunes Manraj Flora only thought he was buying a four-door family car.

But when that car turned out to be a Mitsubishi L200 Trojan, it was the start of a something way more special than that… WORDS GLYN BARDSEY PICTURES STEVE TAYLOR

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Manraj was quoted a frankly outrageous £3000 to import a bumper from Australia, so he sketched out what he wanted and beat a path to efinitely Tough 4x4 in Warrington. A week later, for a tenth of the price, he was the proud owner of a unique heavy-duty winch bumper. Shaped snugly around the front body and finished off using fillets of chequer plate, this is a lot more elegant than some of the designs you see costing several times the price – and unlike some of them, it’s already fitted with recovery points as well as mounting a similarly heavy-duty bash plate

I

f you’re going to turn a pick-up into a hardcore off-road machine, you’ll probably start with an old one. Actually, you’ll probably do it the other way round and turn your vehicle into a pick-up as part of a hardcore off-road build.

Manraj Flora’s 2009 Mitsubishi L200 Trojan isn’t hat o d call hardcore t it s defi itel a tidil prepped off-roader – and one which shows that extreme mods aren’t necessary when you’ve got a good truck to start with.

Most of all, unusually for a late-letter project it’s been done using ingenuity and thought rather than just a wallet and no brain. So if you’re a hardened cynic who’s ready to stop reading at the first s i o a e pe sive mod do so at o r peril eca se i e start at the ver ro t e fi d Manraj looking for a heavy-duty winch bumper.

‘I wanted something different. I did a lot of research on the internet, and I found a similar

design to this in Australia – but they quoted something like £3000 for me to bring it in.

‘So I spoke to a few companies in the UK and o d efi itel o h rod cts ave the guy there a sketch for it, and he designed and fabricated it from scratch. It took a week: I used to get pictures every day of what he’d done. And it only cost me £300.’

When we spoke to Manraj, he had also drawn up sketches for a heavy-duty rear bumper. But that’s nothing – even his snorkel is home-made.

Yes, seriously.

It didn’t start that way, of course. Rather than following the herd, he imported a distinctively styled unit from Thailand – home of the L200 itself, of course, so not a bad place to go shopping.

But then his cool new snorkel was delivered. t as made o e tremel thi fibre lass recalls Manraj, presumably from between gritted teeth. o he it arrived it as bro e i to five pieces What you gonna do? Email customer services?

It might be that you’d get an apology, a refund and a new one in the post, but even if this dream scenario were to happen the replacement would still be as fragile as before. And if being shipped in its box was enough to destroy it…

‘So I used it as a mould and remade it myself,’ continues Manraj. ‘And it’s quite tough now.

You can bash it into a tree and it won’t do anything to it.’

This hasn’t put him off the idea of importing st ho ever he he first decided to have a

Here’s what you could probably describe as something of a cautionary tale. Manraj imported the snorkel from Thailand – only for it to arrive on his doorstep broken into five pieces. Despite the uselessness of it manufacture, though, there was nothing wrong with its styling, though, so he used it as a template to take back-mouldings for one of his own. The snorkel feeds in air via a housing containing a K N filter

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Left: There’s a lot you can do to get the 2.5 DI-D engine running more effectively. Most people content themselves with chipping it, but a more original mod here is the addition of the intercooler from an Evo IX Below: Mounted on offset steel rims, 265/75R16 Hankook Dynapro MTs are far better suited to all-round on and off-road work than the L200’s original rubber. This is on standard suspension; Manraj told us his plan was to fit a lift kit then, once these tyres were worn out, replace them with taller 285s

go at modding the L200, he joined a forum based in Australia – ‘where,’ in his words, ‘they really modify their trucks.’ He told us he was looking Down Under to source crawler gears for the transfer case and a 2” suspension lift – for which he’s impressed by Ultimate Suspension’s lifetime warranty against sagging.

That much lift is enough to make space under the arches for a set of 285s. All the same, Manraj

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told us, his plan would be to stick with the 265/75R16 Hankook Dynapro MTs in the pictures until they needed replacing anyway.

He also told us he was planning to chip the engine, which is one of those things that makes tuning a late-letter diesel so easy. As we saw it, however, the 2.5 D-ID unit was warmed up b a air filter vo i tercooler a d de-cat exhaust.

here s a set o slotted discs a d Green Stuff pads under there, too, which was ood beca se a ra o ed ith s abo t fitti the tr c ith a hev t least e thi it was a joke…

We took him a lot more seriously, at any rate, when he talked of adding a dual-battery system and roof tent and one day setting off on an overland journey through Africa.

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Above left, centre: s it worth upgrading to vented, grooved or slotted brake discs when they’re just going to fill up with mud? Not if mud is all they’ll ever see, no, but this isn’t just a playday truck. When you’re prepping with overlanding in mind, you’ll be driving on rock and sand – where, apart from anything else, the ability to brake effectively at the right moment is all-important. Besides, when you’re forever looking for more power and you plan to fit bigger tyres, combatting brake fade is a very good idea. Hence the EBC Green Stuff pads tucked away inside those calipers Above right: Reversing is always a bit of a guessing game in a double-cab, with so much rear overhang to consider and a terrible view at the best of times. So Manraj has installed a rear-view camera – not only handy when he’s parking at Tesco, but a huge bonus in tight off-road situations As always, for that kind of off-roading you want to keep the mods to a minimum. But it’s fair to say that buying his truck stimulated Manraj’s imagination – in terms of what he could do both in the workshop and behind the wheel.

Let’s not forget, this is an owner who bought his truck not for its potential but for its practicality.

‘It was one of those things,’ he recalls, ‘either buy a standard saloon or a 4x4. I sold my old Peugeot 205 GTi to buy this. So it was quite a change!’

When you see a late-letter 4x4 being modded to such a degree, it’s easy to assume the owner is one of those loadsamoney artists who throw in kit willy nilly in a bid to be seen. But this L200 is the polar opposite of that. It’s a carefully, cleverly do e e ample o the modifier s art at its best conceived on a sheet of paper and carried off to a budget using sensibly priced local fabricators rather than big-ticket branded gear. here are those ho ll fi d a lt ith the a the truck has come together, simply because the idea of basing a project on something so new sticks in throats. But this is an extraordinary build on an extraordinary vehicle, and the end result more tha stifies the ris a ra too he he decided to start pulling it apart.

It’s more than just a looker, this truck: it’s a fi e e ample o a e tre d that promises to turn double-cabs into the vehicles we all want to modify.

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TOYOTA LAND CRUISER -SERIES DOUBLE-CAB U I UE O E-O OR T E START O A CRA E

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ne-off customised vehicles tend to be used for play, not work. The moment you take a truck away from its manufacturer’s standard specificatio the theor oes o make it less reliable – especially, perhaps, if the manufacturer in question happens to be Toyota.

The Land Cruiser is, after all, a byword for dependability. It’ll do the thi s o a t it to do itho t doi a o the thi s you don’t want it to, and with the ri ht servici it ll eep o doi it more or less forever. Just look at the number of old ones you can fi d i the small ads ith a arter of a million miles or more on the clock, and compare that with how re e tl o ever see a thi else etti there You certainly do see people modi i a d r isers ho ever – even if in the main, they do it by addi accessories peditio ear is a avo rite tho h i additio to this it’s not uncommon to see them bei t r ed i to e treme off-road toys.

But it’s very uncommon indeed to see a 200-Series (known in the as the bei t r ed i to a double-cab. Unless you happen to be in Australia, of course, where

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converting big Cruisers into utes has long been a popular way to go.

We’re not in Australia, however.

We’re in Oxfordshire, which is where Rob Browne is a farmer.

It’s the family business, and has been for, he says, at least four generations – which is pretty much as long as Land Cruisers have been in the family, too. ‘They’re just good, reliable trucks,’ he says, ‘and second-hand values are so good that once you’ve made the initial outlay, they don’t actually cost very much to own.’

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That explains why pretty much all his close relatives drive them.

He’s had Nissan Patrols, too, as well as Hiluxes and, more recently, a Volkswagen Amarok, but the unique 200-Series you see here is the latest (and possibly last) in a long line stretching back through the 100-Series Amazon to perhaps the best vehicle of all time, the ma ifice t old He’s owned the vehicle from when it was about a year old and had something like 10,000 miles on the clock. Fast forward to

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earlier this year and that mileage had another zero on the end of it – but, while the Cruiser was doing a sterling job as Rob’s daily driver and tow barge, regularly hauling heavy loads between his farms in Wiltshire and Oxfordshire, something wasn’t quite clicking for him. ‘I always found there was somethi co ld t fit i the bac he says – and that’s what got him thinking about a double-cab.

The double-cab in question was actually an HZJ79 being sold by Nene Overland. Unfortunately, though, being sold was exactly what it was doing – but having missed out on that, he started thinking about turning his 200-Series into one. With a little encouragement from Nene boss Andrew HarrisonSmith, naturally.

Andrew quoted an estimated build time for the project, Rob quoted a budget and around April time this year, away they went. ‘I think I took it there on a Thursday,’ Rob says, ‘and by Saturday they had cut the back off!’ No messing about, then.

What the Nene team did was create a new back to the cab, with a at bed mo ted to the chassis behind it. The chassis itself didn’t eed a or tho h the filler neck had to be remade and the cap relocated. On top, removable corner posts frame the tailgate and a pair of drop-down sides, allowing the bed to be loaded with more or less anything from more or less anywhere.

On the back, the original light clusters have been replaced with

turret-style lamps from the back of a Land Rover Defender. ‘If I smash one,’ muses Rob, ‘it’s pence to replace. Rather than thirty quid.’

The work that’s gone into the body looks very tidy indeed, with no external sign of where the sides and roof were cut. To use a well worn phrase, it looks like it was meant to be that way. It’s beautifully fi ished i side too ith carpeted panels trimming the entire rear of the cab as a fi ishi to ch there s even a tailored recess for the original jack in there.

In true pick-up style, the bed gets used for absolutely anything and everything. Building materials are a common favourite, and during harvest time it was regularly carrying tools and spare parts for combine harvesters. The bed structure also carries a couple of

lockers behind the rear wheels, which provide further stowage for the sort of stuff you don’t want to leave lying around.

Finishing off the new image is a set of the sort of wheels you want on a truck. That is, 17” steels, which look a lot more in keeping than the original 20” alloys would. The 245/75R17 tyres wrapped around them have far more sidewall height than standard, too, and Rob is a big fan of the effect this has – in particular to the way it handles, which may surprise you if you don’t recognise the joy of chucking around a vehicle with the lavish body roll of a true off-roader.

Interestingly, Rob doesn’t bother with all-terrain or mud-terrain tyres. The road-biased Dunlops currently on board seem to do the ob st fi e eve tho h the re

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visibly worn in places, they’ll still haul the Cruiser around perfectly compete tl o st bble fields or ro h arm trac s heir hi h profile size makes them pretty much pothole-proof, too, which Rob says is a big improvement over the old 20-inchers.

Helping the tyres is a +50mm s spe sio it hich as fitted before the truck conversion happened. Rob went to the aforementioned West Coast OffRoad Centre for it, which means it’s Ironman kit – and he’s very happy indeed with both the results and the service he got while buying

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them. ‘Paul was very helpful, and if I phoned to ask for advice he’d always call me back himself. I’d go back to them any time.’

Driving the Cruiser as it is now, it rides and handles impeccably – even when it’s being spanked over the eve fields here it earns its living. Without wanting to make ridiculous comparisons, the feeling of bracing yourself for an impact that never happens is somewhat reminiscent of being in a good comp safari vehicle – its huge body is very well controlled, and damping from the Ironman shocks is masterful. There are

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plenty of brands and suppliers out there that some people rate and others wouldn’t touch, but you’ll o a lo a to fi d someo e with a bad thing to say about ro ma a d the ssie o tfit s strong reputation is borne out by the s perbl r ed a ob s 200-Series deals with the ground.

Not surprisingly, its 4.5-litre V8 engine remains an absolute powerhouse of a thing, and the auto box behind it is as sure as ever in operation. There are two good reasons for that: one, it’s Toyota, and t o ob loo s a ter it cha i the oil i e i e a d earbo ali e a

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more frequently than the service boo as s or Does he have any criticisms of the or that s bee do e o the vehicle ot reatl e d li e the pic p bod to have bee made rom thic er steel he sa s b t accepts that by the time it was built he as oc i o to ards the top end of the budget he’d given Nene for the job. ‘I’d recommend them for doing it, he says. ‘They fi ished it o ver ell

To our eyes, certainly, the co versio loo s li e it s sta di up well to the hard use it gets. And i terms o the tr c s ro t to rear weight balance, there’s nothing wrong with it at all.

Converting station wagons into pic ps is ot e b t i ritai it’s been pretty much exclusive to iscover s a d a e overs If we had as many Land Cruisers and Patrols here as they have in stralia o do bt ob s tr c

wouldn’t be so very unique – but if you’ve got the need for an extralar e pic p a d o a t it to o o orever this is defi itel o e a to combine extreme luxury with extreme utility.

You do need a few quid to spend i the first place o co rse t once it’s in your hands, any Land Cruiser is an asset that’ll stay with you for the long-term. And this one is a asset that or s or its livi ever da o the ee

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As you like it Pick-ups are capable of doing all sorts of different jobs. But what if you need your truck to do two which aren’t compatible? With Trek Overland’s clever Work-and-Play conversion, a doughty dropside pick-up can turn into a fully featured overland warrior before your eyes WORDS FRANK FROGLY PICTURES STEVE TAYLOR

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magine that you drive a pick-up truck for work. Behind the cabin, a drop-side body works for its living every day of the week.

But on Friday afternoons, your truck transforms into something else. A quick hose out and you back it into your garage, where a block and tackle is lashed to the rafters – and a ll fitted campi bac is aiti to be lo ered into position.

That’s the idyllic image conjured up by expedition specialist Trek Overland with its Trojan

Work-and-Play conversion – on which a highcapacity pick-up bed becomes the mount for a demountable modular leisure body. Seen here on a Hi-Lux but suitable for any vehicle with a rear bed it s desi ed to be completel co fi rable allowing you to run an everyday work truck that can be turned into a fully kitted travel wagon in the twinkling of an eye.

‘Twenty minutes after returning home from work,’ says Trek, ‘you should be able to slide off the drop-down sides and lift on the whole of

the back body, and in that back body you can have your kitchen, your fridge, your water tank, additio al el hatever o a t t ca be fitted out to whatever the customer requires.’

Obviously, having some means of lifting is pretty fundamental to being able to pop the Trojan unit on and off. Even with its fully aluminium construction, it still has the capacity to get pretty heavy once you start kitting it out, and on top of that it’s pretty sizeable. We mentioned using a pulley block, and this could indeed be feasible,

With the accent on family adventures, a bespoke roll cage from Protection and Performance is more relevant than ever.

Especially as it provides a handy mounting point for so many bulky accessories – including solar panels, recovery gear, spotlights, waffles and a tent Below left: The custom back body incorporates its own crossmember, complete with designed-in recovery points

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though Trek says that a lot of its clients are builders or farmers and thus have the equipment to lift large items as a matter of course.

As for the size of the unit, this varies depending on the base vehicle. In effect, a basic structural concept underpins what becomes a custom design for each truck.

That’s been well practiced on every kind of Land Rover pick-up, but this Hi-Lux demonstrator represents Trek’s determination to show the rest of the one-tonne market what it can do.

‘These pick-ups are becoming so popular,’ it says.

‘There’s no reason why we couldn’t get something designed and built in-house for any of them. e re fi di more a d more i es comi to us now, and it does seem that it’s becoming another vehicle of choice for the overlander.

Overlanding used to be just couples, but there’s much more families coming in now, and the Defender isn’t the most comfortable ride in the second row. But the Toyota is really comfortable, it’s just so reliable and it’s got a huge space.’

But what if you just want the dropside back – or indeed the camping module – and swapping from one to the other isn’t necessary. Well, each can be supplied separately – though this could sound a little ungrateful, considering the whole bea t o the s stem is i its e ibilit There is, however, nothing to stop you getting one part now and adding the other later on.

Which in turn goes back to the whole beauty of the s stem bei i its e ibilit The camper unit is left empty on the demo truck, the idea being to let people’s imaginations run riot. But between Trek and its sister company, Mobile Storage Systems, the range of drawers, lockers, sliding shelves and so on that you can have it fitted o t ith is almost e dless If you want it to house a fridge-freezer or a slide-out kitchen unit, that’s not a problem in any

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Top: With so much unused space under the floor, the obvious answer was to… use it. Hence the lockers which in effect form the rear portion of the wheelarches. Note the rubber seals around their mouths – this is a conversion that’s been thought through with wet and dusty environments in mind Above left: Also making use of the space beneath the load floor, the licence plate is mounted on a handy drawer this can be unclipped and slid out to provide easier access to the spare wheel Above right: The Trojan unit is made from 00 aluminium. ts floor is formed from extrusions combining extremely low weight with huge strength – by the time you get even halfway to their load limit, you’ve far surpassed that of any pick-up’s rear springs ight: The front bumper is an ARB Sahara unit carrying a Warn . xp winch. Beneath it, the same company’s bash plates protect the steering and front axle – and they carry on all the way back to cover the full length of the vehicle

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way. If you want your fridge-freezer to keep on working when the top’s off the vehicle, that’s not a problem either – it can be supplied with a mains hook-up for when it’s sitting on a pallet in your garage waiting for its next adventure.

On top of all this, the Hi-Lux in these pics is fitted ith a ide ra e o other mods rom suppliers for which Trek acts as an agent. Crawl all over it and you’ll see a 1.5” Old Man Emu lift, a Protection and Performance cage and a winch bumper plus steering, sump and fuel tank protection plates from ARB.

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The cage, which was created as a bespoke item for the vehicle, is home to a set of spotlights, a pair of solar panels and, the piece de resistance, a Howling Moon 1.4m Stargazer roof tent. It also provides plenty of storage for off-road recovery hardware – and with the truck’s suspension lift, it doubles as a useful grab handle for kids when they’re climbing in and out. Remember what Trek was saying earlier about people taking their whole family on safari?

With this in mind, and given that your truck and its back are both built to last, the fact that it’s

won’t come cheap should be reassuring rather than off-putting. Not doubt there’s a factory somewhere (you know where, but we’re probably ot allo ed to sa it oc i o t fi th rate co jobs that look like this kind of kit when you’re buying them online but, once delivered, turn out to be about as long-lasting as a choc ice.

As a very vague guide, the conversion you see here would cost about the same as two, maybe three, holidays with the kids at a decent resort hotel on some costa or other. Which means that after just a few big outings, it will have paid for itself. The holidays will have been incomparably better, too – and for years to come, you’ll be the proud owner of a top-quality capital asset that can be used to turn your truck into an adventure wagon whenever you want, as well as making it more usable than ever the rest of the time.

To put it another way, how much would it cost to run not one but two 4x4s, one for work and one for play? As people are always saying, a doublecab is the perfect dual-purpose vehicle. Except that really, you need to make some mods to get it where you need it to be for either purpose, and they don’t necessarily complement each other.

The Trojan back is very different to that. It proves that two into one will go, and it has the potential to give you a truck with two very different sides to its personality. And you’ll be glad to know both of them.

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Factory

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’ashions change. Twenty years ago, hybrid Land Rovers were in their heyday. Move on a decade, and everybody was falling over themselves to build Suzuki Jimnys.

Now, we’re seeing the irresistible rise of the pick-up truck.

Pick-up trucks are very much the opposite of Jimnys, of course. They’re big, long and heavy, with dire breakover angles and rear overhangs you can see from space. But there’s a breed of

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pick-up that manages to span the generations of changing off-road fashion – and while it’s not new, it has recently reached a level of maturity that p ts it firml i the bi lea e It’s about a dozen years since Yorkshire-based i specialist first hit o the idea o converting Jimnys into pick-ups. That’s not pickups in the Hi-Lux and Navara sense, of course: that would be a classic case of trying to convert a vehicle into something it’s not, but KAP’s

Landmaster, as it’s called, is still a Jimny at heart.

Which means, of course, that it’s still small, light and agile.

The Landmaster was conceived as an alternative to UTVs like the Kawasaki Mule and John Deere Gator. Compared to these vehicles, however, it’s very high on creature comforts, with air-con, a stereo and even leather seats available depending on the spec of the original Jimny on which it’s based.

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Fresh

Over the course of a decade and more, KAP’s Landmaster conversion has become an increasingly popular option in the light-duty pick-up sector. Based on a Suzuki Jimny, it’s much more civilised than a traditional UTV – and to make it look more appealing than ever, the company has turned a brand new example into a factory-fresh demonstrator WORDS: DAN FENN PICTURES: RICHARD HAIR

Typically, this will be a used vehicle, meaning a Landmaster also makes for a cheaper all-terrain solution than a traditional side-by-side. But just recently, KAP has taken the unprecedented step of doing the conversion on a brand new vehicle – demonstrating that if you’ve got the budget, you can have a Jimny in full pick-up trim and yours will be the only name on its log book.

‘Demonstrating’ is a good word, because the vehicle you’re looking at here is KAP’s

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own Landmaster – and if you show up at the company’s premises asking to be shown around o e it s hat o ll fi d o rsel sitti i s such, it’s based on a range-topping 17-plate Jimny – though while KAP also sells a range of kit for modding Suzuki’s best into a hardcore off-road machine, the company has been commendably restrained with that side of the build.

Obviously, the pick-up bed KAP instals instead of Suzuki’s original bodywork adds a great

deal of ground clearance around the edges of the vehicle. To lift the rest of it, the company’s +2” suspension package is installed, using its own Prospec springs and Pro-Comp shocks as ell as e te ded e is or the bra es a d the standard 15” alloys are wrapped in 215/75R15 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains.

KAP could have adorned the vehicle with CDS high-droop radius arms, adjustable panhard rods and heavy-duty mounts for the transfer

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Above, right: Both axles are standard, but they support the vehicle itself on KAP’s +2” Prospec lift springs and Pro-Comp ES3000 shocks. No need for any relocation work with a lift of this size, though the brake flexis have been extended to suit the extra height and travel

Below: It must have been tempting to make a chocolate box build out of this vehicle. After all, KAP’s hardcore offroading arm offers kit like CDS radius arms, adjustable panhard rods and heavy-duty transfer case and rear lower shock mounts. But none of that, good kit though it is, is really relevant to a utility truck designed to work, not play, on the land – though if it’s that you want, say for harder work on swampy or rocky ground, KAP’s Landmaster Max model brings it all to the party. Here, though, what you see here is Suzuki’s factory-original equipment – which has served its purpose perfectly well for thousands of Jimny owners over the years

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Above: You know all those crusty, muddy old Jimnys you’ve read about down the years in these pages? This is what they looked like once…

Right: Aside from sports models, how many other UTVs can you name that come with alloy wheels? No, we can’t either. Suzuki’s rims are shod here with 215/75R15 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains, on which the Landmaster drives comfortably on and off tarmac; in response to customers’ requirements, previous builds have finished up on a range of rubber including high-flotation ATV tyres

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The pick-up bed, and the work done to the Jimny’s body to blend in with it, is the undoubted star of the show here.

This is where KAP’s history comes into play; it’s approaching 25 years in business as a bodywork specialist, and has the skills to do this right. ts pick-up bodies are digitally formed, meaning the results are as consistent as they are flawless

case and rear shock absorbers. But by doing that, it would have been demonstrating what it can do for people building extreme Jimnys for off-road competition, playdays and green laning – and while that’s been a strong market for the company down the years, it’s one whose crossover with the utility side is slim.

You can get a vehicle built with all that on it if you want, at any rate – KAP calls it the Landmaster Max. But what matters most to customers is that they’re getting a vehicle that’s fit or p rpose as a or i tool d it s here that KAP’s experience in bodywork and paint prep is i val able beca se a pro essio al fi ish

plays a crucial role in convincing buyers who have every right to be cautious with their cash. ot to p t too fi e a poi t o it t r i a everyday Jimny into what is basically a small pick-up truck is largely about being able to do stuff with bodywork that most 4x4 specialists, however good, wouldn’t know where to start

Underneath, the pick-up body sits on laser-cut brackets with KAP’s initials cut into them. These are the touches which help illustrate that while you might fancy trying to cash in on the company’s good idea by copying it, in terms of quality and finish you might as well be trying to nail jelly to the ceiling

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Left: If you’re in the market for a UTV, this interior might as well be out of a Rolls-Royce. Leather, carpets, air-con, a stereo… oh, and doors that close to create a weatherproof cabin – it’s small by today’s SUV standards, yes, but it’s genuinely well equipped and, for the job the Landmaster is there to do, just fantastically civilised Below: No mods to report – but, if you’re the type of person who skips straight past the stuff about new vehicles when you pick up your copy of 4x4, you’ve probably never seen an engine bay this clean before

with. KAP’s bodies are digitally formed and mounted on laser-cut brackets, meaning the res lts are both co siste t a d ree o a s a d a state-of-the-art spray booth gives its vehicles a tip top fi ish Obviously, being a Jimny specialist helps too – meaning KAP is in a unique position to serve the market it has created for itself. ‘It’s an ideal alternative to a traditional utility vehicle,’ says company boss Darren Wilson. ‘They’re cheaper to run, more user-friendly and much more comfortable to ride in, with a heater, power steering and electric windows.

‘And being based on a road-going 4x4, you can use one as your everyday road car.’

Looking at this latest example of the Landmaster, you certainly couldn’t argue with

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that. It’s immaculate inside – and while you wouldn’t expect it to remain so perfectly immaculate for very long in the hands of a typical user, the thought of being able to buy something brand new that’s so strongly focused on a primarily off-road role will come as a culture shock to many of you reading this.

Fact is, this is a beautiful vehicle.

Whether you see it as a Jimny, or a pick-up, or a work tool, or an off-roader, it’s picture perfect. With a dozen years of sales under

its belt, KAP is well on the way to proving that a perfectly focused vehicle can ride out whatever changes in off-road fashion may come along.

Maybe pick-up trucks aren’t the opposite of Suzuki Jimnys after all…

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K eep on truc

When you prep trucks for a living, you’re used to working ic ly n efficiently t even for one of the co ntry s leading pick-up specialists, being given a ten-day deadline in which to complete an entire build meant it was time for all leave to be cancelled WORDS: GLYN BARDSEY PICTURES: STEVE TAYLOR

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rom wildlife programmes to expedition documentaries, outdoor survival shows to celebrities in jungles, if you regularly watch TV you must surely have noticed the enormous number of programmes located in remote, exotic and faraway regions. Having effectively formed its own genre, tropical TV now makes up a sizeable portion of the broadcasters’ weekly listings. hile the s perb or o te acio s film crews and their high-tech cameras are often credited for providing us with such entertainment, the vehicles that actually enable teams to

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access these hostile areas usually go completely ignored. The fact is though that without the daily use of a tough, highly-prepped 4x4, the camera crews would be unable to achieve any of the stunning shots that have us all gasping in wonderment each evening.

At TBR, they understand this better than anyone. Why? Because producing these vehicles is something the company does for a living.

TBR built the Mitsubishi L200 on these pages for a TV production company covering the Mongol Rally. A case of keeping the customer satisfied this beca se the same o tfit had alread

used them once before to prep the support vehicles for Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman’s celebrated Long Way Round adventure.

The crew were obviously happy with what they got, because when they got the job of covering the Mongol event they beat a path back to TBR. But they turned up with an interesting demand: thanks to the sort of deadlines the TV business always seems to work to, the vehicle had to be prepped and ready in ten days.

Cue an exhausting round-the-clock struggle to et the ob fi ished o time he base vehicle was an L200 Warrior dating from 2005, which

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ucking…

When you’re building a vehicle to be rugged but reliable over thousands of miles, every modification needs to make a case for itself. There are those who’d argue that messing with the suspension is asking for trouble, but in a big truck like the L200 a bit of extra height is worthwhile. Hence a 2” lift created by matching these Koni shocks with front torsion bars and rear leaves from Old Man Emu

puts it towards the end of the old-shape truck’s production run, and it had been selected for its sound, unmolested condition – the ideal base for what was going to be a project like no other.

As if doing one vehicle build in ten days wasn’t enough of a challenge, indeed, the TBR guys pretty much had to do two. First, there was the business of turning a standard L200 into a toughed-up long-distance off-road warhorse.

Then there was the more specialised side of it, in which the truck was prepped as a mobile filmi statio carr i a d r i the camera team’s equipment as they followed the rally over

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more than 10,000 miles from London to Ulan Bator, Mongolia.

Let’s start with that side of things. A truckload of media luvvies carries a whole lot of toys, from cameras and monitors to laptops and mobile phones, and it all needed to be charged and/or run from an in-car mains supply.

This is the sort of demand TBR is well used to dealing with, selling as it does a wide range of in-car power solutions. In this L200, it installed a solid-state Genisys power management system along with a bank of IBS inverters and extendable JCB outlets. The latter allows kit like cameras

and lights to be plugged in to a mains supply about to 20 metres from the vehicle, while the biggest inverter in the range is rated to a mighty 800W and is therefore well capable of powering the sort of kit the pros earn their living with.

Used mainly in emergency vehicles, the Genisys unit basically provides a completely manageable supply to all the vehicle’s auxiliary equipment, from work lamps and winch to split chargers and low battery cut-outs. An easily understood interface on the rear bulkhead allows the crew to program it exactly as they want. ‘For example,’ says TBR, ‘if you want the work lamps to come on automatically when the vehicle goes into reverse, it’s easily done.’

Without having the system to govern all the vehicle’s electrics, its interior would have been, to quote, ‘a complete mess of wires.’ Also helping keep it tidy was a set of African Outback roller dra ers fitted i to the rear load ba o their own galvanised steel chassis and promising to function perfectly, without any squeaks and rattles, no matter how heavy the objects stored inside them. A very neat feature here is that there’s a 25mm gap between the drawer and top deck to prevent you from getting your hands trapped, and the whole lot is topped off with 6mm thick industrial carpet that won’t get damaged by having heavy items sat on top of it.

The whole lot was housed beneath a T-Top canopy bolstered with internal racking to help protect the equipment being carried inside it.

Ahead of this, an aluminium roof rack provided further stowage capacity, along with a home for 620 Watts worth of Lightforce spots.

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Above left: A Warn .

C winch is mounted in a front bumper from A B. This flows down into the first in a series of ASFIR skid plates protecting the steering, sump, transmission and fuel tank Above right: Protecting a truck’s rear overhang is always tricky, but this tubular unit from ARB brooks little argument.

It provides proper recovery points, too, as well as a mounting point for a 50mm tow ball Below left, centre: An Outback roof rack in aluminium provides additional cargo space for the minimum possible weight gain. It’s also home to a high-lift mount and a bank of four Lightforce spots, putting out 2x140W and 2x170W, which in TBR’s words provide ‘a massive driving beam and a broad spread of light’ Below: It’s not a huge surprise that with so much electrical equipment depending on it, the vehicle was wired up using a pair of heavy-duty batteries. These are Optima Yellow-Tops, and their output is governed by the Genisys unit to feed everything from the winch to the Bluetooth

Below right: When the truck’s own lights aren’t enough which we can’t imagine is very often , this 00W Surefire rechargeable torch does the job. It’s kept ready for action by a charger that’s plumbed in to the vehicle Below right (bottom): Extendable mains sockets from JCB can be pulled up to 20 metres away from the vehicle, allowing it to power major items without having to be close enough to get in the way

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Here’s what several grand’s worth of state-of-the-art in-car electrical gear looks like on the bulkhead of a double-cab. On the right are the Genisys unit’s input-side ECU and output module, while to the left are two IBS inverters delivering mains power with capacities of 300W and 800W respectively. The Genisys control panel is inset, illustrating the scope it offers for system management Further illumination up front came from a set of dual-beam Warn SDB-210s, mounted along with a 9.5 XDC winch from the same company on an ARB front bumper. This was part of a wide range of protection equipment which also included ARB side steps and rear bumper, plus a full set of 6mm aluminium underbody skid plates from ASFIR. A different kind of protection came from a Safari Snorkel, while the whole vehicle was lifted by two inches thanks to an Old Man Emu suspension system backed up by adjustable o i aid shoc s a d fitted si pol retha e bushes from SuperPro.

All that extra height and weight can only mean one thing. And if you watched Long Way Round and remember that shot of their L200 on its roof in the middle of nowhere, you’ll know what that is. So to put a bit of stability back into the mix, the standard Mitsubishi alloys were mounted on 30mm Hoffman spacers havi first bee shod ith Goodyear Wrangler MTRs. All of which is very well and good, but entirely useless if you can’t get where you want to go because it’s hundreds of miles away and what with it being on the far side of a desert, you are t oi to be passi a filli statio s e

The African Outback drawer system is expensive, but you get what you pay for. Based on a sturdy galvanised chassis, it promises not to squeak, rattle or stick, however heavy the items you put in it, and up top its thick industrial strength carpet won’t wear through if you pile heavy kit on top of it

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route. Hence the appearance of a long-range fuel tank – which in turn meant that one of the ASFIR plates needed to be extended to maintain full coverage of the delicate bits.

Not just mods, but modded mods – that’s the level of prep we’re talking about in this truck.

Pretty good for a rush job, really – even from a professional workshop allied to an importer for hom all the it fitted to the vehicle as at the time part of the range it carried in stock.

It’s certainly the case that the level of expertise and workmanship that went into the L200’s build is there for all to see. It served the TV company well on the road to Mongolia, and following this became the prototype for an all-terrain ambulance concept requested by another client. Which goes to show just how e ible a ood ca be It’s often said of proper off-road vehicles that when you buy one, it’s a blank canvas for you to create exactly the truck you want. We’ve featured a number of L200s down the years, ma o them modified i to serio s o road warriors, but this one’s something else altogether. As well as being a showcase for what its builder could do, it’s a perfect example of a project with a purpose.

From the basics to the details, that’s a purpose or hich it as totall fit o co ld b ild an L200 like this because it looks cool, or you could do it discreetly without making a song or dance about what’s going on beneath the surface. Either way, you’d have a truck to appreciate.

And this one’s got as much show as it has go – and whether it’s chasing rally cars or saving lives, that makes it more impressive than ever.

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WILD AT H

re tin one of rit in s est o ifie its ishi s sn t eno h for De n ones ven efore it s finishe he s pl nnin his ne t pro ect f ll-ho se For R n er il tr ilt for nli ite off-ro vent re WORDS: GEORGE DOVE PICTURES: HARRY HAMM

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EART

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D

ean Jones is a well known name in pic p circles e first b ild as a e tremel e e catchi its bishi arbaria lac ditio hich as mai l hite obvio sl t as a st i tr c to loo at b t obvio sl it s ot hat this eat re is abo t mate a ed me to sell it to her or a lo time ea admits ve t all ave i a d sold it t at the time it or ed or me a ted a a er he bo ht the b t there as a aiti list o mo ths elli the its bishi eve tho h a ted to fi ish it allo ed me to et m a er o drivi a post aceli t ord a er ildtra il e o h it s the o e i all the pict res ea has st c to the same philosoph he modi i it as he sed ith the t r it i to a capable overla d vehicle a d ma e s re it t r s heads a er is m dail driver a d e o the loo s it ets i tra fic he admits t s o s rprise that it ar ers its air share o la ces oo at it he all blac colo r a ri ht do to the rims a d blac ed o t rear li hts is strai ht o t o the bo racer loo boo di o re ho est this tr c ears it better tha a to o ve see hobbli over speed b mps a d cr i tho h its scarred e ha st i e ma a atics ea had a pla lo be ore he had his tr c pre er the tech ical side o o roadi he sa s o the pla is to have a tr c that is capable o a trip across orocco b t also o e that ca se ever da t as oi to be the be ore b t the trip mi ht ot happe or a e ears so ve ot time to et the a er read or it i stead ve tho h this loo s li e the fi ished prod ct it is still ver m ch a or i pro ress o t mis dersta d ple t has bee do e alread t d e to ea s astidio s moddi st le m ch o it so ar has bee ro d or or t re pla s o ever aspects o t o his co trol have bee less methodical ter selli his its bishi it as a other o r mo ths be ore ea drove home i his a er e a ted o e alread e ipped ith ord s o road pac b t o e ere available so

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eventually he took one without, opting to do more spanner work himself to make up for it.

After all, the plan had always been to turn his Ranger into the complete overland vehicle; now the project just required a little more elbow grease than initially planned. ith ea s pla s altered the first phase o modificatio o oc sed o bri i the a er up to where it would have been if the Off-Road pack had been available. he he fi all arrived home ith the a er he got straight to work – right there on his drive.

‘The truck stayed standard for the drive back. he air filter as cha ed as soo as it ot home a d the first lot o i e as do e b a a week later.’ that first ee ea asted o time at all fitti prett m ch ever thi that as o the Ranger at our photoshoot in time for his appoi tme t at i e i e most o s i the o road ame ea likes to do as much of the work on his truck as possible himself. But he does have to call in help from time to time. ‘I try to do as much of the or as ca m sel t some obs li e fitti the front coils, are too sketchy on axle stands.

How long did the truck stay standard? ‘For the drive back from the dealer!’

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This is all very well, but what we really need is more Line-X. The guards for the bonnet and lights, as well as the Ford Raptor grille with its integrated light bar, are all gloriously coated in the stuff. In addition, Daz at Line-X sprayed the wing mirrors, side skirts, wheelarches and rear bed, as well as the exterior accessories, totting up enough points on Dean’s loyalty card to gain the coveted and very slick Line-X badge on the Ranger’s front wing.

Rich Davidson at Vehicle Preparation Services then made sure the covered areas all matched the paintwork… Dean wants his truck to be ultra-capable, but he wants it to be an attention-grabbing daily ride too

Finally, something that’s not black. The engine cover and cool box are still adorned with Line-X, though…

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Above left: Dean had an Old Man Emu suspension kit on his L200, and clearly liked it as he used the Aussie company’s springs and shocks on the Ranger too. But he likes it even more now, saying he can’t believe how much better it is second time round. The suspension up front was specced with the weight of a winch in mind, which will help settle it once the next phase of the project is complete. Oh, and note the raised white lettering on the inside of the tyres… it wouldn’t do to interfere with the moody all-black look, now, would it?

Above centre, right: It’s Old Man Emu at the back, too, with aftermarket wheelarches keeping the big Coopers honest.

Some people have gone to coils when modding double-cabs, but really there’s no need so long as you fit a good set of leaf springs – such as the 600kg constant load jobs under here, which stabilise the bed and make the ride more comfortable for the Line-X covered cooler in the back I had to get a garage and a ramp involved to fit those ea s sed the same ld a m li t it as the o e he p t o his its bishi a d is some hat m stified as he pre ers it o the ord he it is so m ch better o this tr c tha the do t o hat it is b t eve tho h the ride is sti er ith the heav d t spri s o it still rides better

o ma have oticed the re ere ce to the first phase o ea s pla earlier t s c rre tl the o l phase to have bee completed there are three i total bet ee them desi ed to t r ea s a er i to a r ed lobetrotter e t o the a e da is b ildi o the ro d or alread i place his phase ill e s re that the vehicle is capable o ma i its a tho h ro d or over a thi orocco has to thro at it d rid e d too he e t set o it he s loo i at i cl des a ro t i ch a d a d al batter s stem as ell as roc sliders a d a s or el bvio sl i tr e ea o es ashio all e ter al mods are sched led to be ive the depe dable i e treatme t at some poi t the fi al sta es be ore the trip some areas o the a er ill be re modded or their rica adve t re he lo term pla or the s spe sio

Inside, we come upon a rare deviation from the whole black on black on black theme. Those brown seats look pretty sharp – though you might shed a tear or three if you owned a truck like this and a day’s off-road action got out of hand to the point where the cabin ended up as muddy as the body panels. It happens…

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Above left: The winch isn’t in place yet, but the Ranger is ready for it. Replacing the front crossmember is a Front Runner hidden winch plate – which, naturally, has been coated in Line-X Above right: ne day, this view of the anger will be filled with lots of canvas and who knows what else in the way of exotic overlanding equipment. or now, though, what you see is the ront unner roof rack whose job is going to be to carry it all is to replicate that of the Ford Raptor, the biggest and baddest of the Ford pick-up family.

This will entail Dean looking at the set-up of the aptor a d simpl fitti the same ear to his own Ranger. There are then plans to upgrade the tyres again for the trip to a more rugged, no-compromise set of rubber and add a roofmounted tent and awnings to turn the Ranger into expedition HQ. Despite all his spanner work, Dean has seldom done much to the engines of his trucks. This has

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mainly been because he doesn’t need to, but also to ensure that he doesn’t hamper their reliability.

However, having plenty of time to research and e ec te a modificatio s the a er is li el to be an exception.

The attention to detail in this Ranger is evident throughout. Those four months in limbo were used to plan every detail. Everything has been thought about, from the parts bought to the re-spraying of the Line-X to match the bodywork. Aesthetics and performance are

being entwined along the way in what really is an exciting build – very capable, but very stylish too.

By the time it’s ready for that trip to Morocco, this Ranger is going to be even more of an eyeful than it already is now.

We photographed Dean’s Ranger at Whitecliff 4x4, which offers driver training for everyone from juniors to professionals in a superb site near the Forest of e n n e te e fin t e y v t to www.whitecliff4x4.co.uk

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F

our-door pick-ups seem to have been growing exponentially in popularity for as long as anyone can remember. But there was a time, before the Isuzu-built a hall rava became the first apa ese do ble cab o ficiall o ered i the he the market consisted only of personal imports and one solitary, seldom-seen version of the Land Rover Defender. his first appeared i bad ed as the a d over i e the a d it as amed

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after its wheelbase, and also like them it was available ith a choice o bod t pes he didn’t get a double-cab option until more than a decade later b t the as o eri it rom well before the arrival of Tdi engines and, with them a cha e o ame to e e der By then, it was already a hit with utility companies and armed forces alike. Its ability to transport crews and equipment into the back of beyond was pretty much unmatched, except perhaps by much bigger vehicles with running

costs to match a d the e ibilit it o ered its customers was enormous. a sa d s are still i service ith the sort of operators who need what they alone ca o er t st as the is more pop lar tha the ith o road e th siasts the lo est Landy is seldom seen on green lanes or at playday sites. That wheelbase makes it a handful to manoeuvre at the best of times – it’s not quite lo er tha a b t it s ma times less convenient to pilot through the woods.

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A LONG STORY

Back in the day, the only way of driving away from a main dealership aboard a four-door pick-up was by shelling out for a Land Rover 127. Many local authorities and utility companies i th t tho h even with the passage of time, not many enthusiasts have taken them on as they’ve passed into private hands.

Those that do, however, tend to be very happy with their choice…

WORDS: GARY NOSKILL PICTURES: STEVE TAYLOR

One thing you do notice of people who own 127s or 130s, however, is that they tend to absolutely love them. And when you cast doubt upon their choice’s off-road ability, you’re likely to get an answer which is full of praise for what their vehicles can do.

People like Mark Townsend, for example, who bought his 127 from a friend and set about modifying it for life as an off-road training vehicle. t as re istered i p tti it i the first year of production – but, by the time he was

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fi ished ith it boasted a level o spec m ch more i eepi ith a later he ar ope ed his o road trai i ce tre he decided he a ted a vehicle that co ld accommodate five people i or ard aci seats hile also providi a separate stora e area or m dd e ipme t ith o o ble ab o the mar et at the time there as o l o e vehicle that as p to the ob loo ed all over the place he told s a d o d it reall to h to so rce a dece t o e he comma d a premi m i the re i ood order so as determi ed to spe d m mo e isel s it t r ed o t that mea t p tti m ch o it to ards replaceme t parts a d heav d t mods to help his chose a d cope ith the rele tless o road li e it o had ahead o it he e i e a d earbo or e ample ave a to the di a d combi atio that became sta dard ollo i the move to the e e der ame t that as st the be i i t the bac all sa d s ere fitted ith a alisb r rear a le t p ro t ar compleme ted this ith a heav d t spli e it hich havi come rom a e i ed proved strai ht or ard to fit ei a earl o e the alisb r a le le t olih ll ith dr m bra es ar told s he as orever cleari m c o t o them a ter o

road sessio s a d also that he as pla i to replace them ith discs hich remai s a commo thi to do o old a dies ess commo is fitti fiddle bra es b t he rec o ed that ith discs o board this o ld ma e it a lot easier to sle the vehicle aro d the place hile li i it p to fit thro h arro aps bet ee the trees i the oodla d here his trai i ce tre as based other mod to help et over the vehicle s le th as to fit c stom b ilt ro t a d rear propsha ts made rom steel t be ith a arter i ch all thic ess he propsha t at the rear is the first thi to hit the ro d he e plai s o it s orth spe di the time a d mo e to ma e s re it is stro e o h to ta e a e oc s e too a similar approach ith the steeri bars replaci them ith heav d t its to be able to cope ith impacts o the ro d tho h o co rse e e der o ers o all heelbases have bee doi this si ce time immemorial he heels a d t res etti t r ed b the steeri bars ere ompomotive allo s rapped i e eral rabber d errai s ar chose these as a compromise bet ee the eed or tractio i the oods a d civilit o the road here he comme ted that the as al a s a pop lar si ht he he pic ed his ids p rom rser

elpi as ma people see it as possible a d ma i room or those bi t res as a ro ma s spe sio li t combi i e te ded spri s ith spacers or improved e ibilit a d a reatl e ha ced ride hei ht ith the e tra ro d cleara ce the vehicle has st as ood a ramp over a le as a he told s t ma es a real di ere ce to its per orma ce o road ther mods ere as the sa b ilt ot bo ht tho h the ere bo ht b other people as ar sed to sell them hese i cl ded the derbod ards a d the ca e over the rear load ba as ell as the ro t b mper hich as home to a ilemar er i ch ther modificatio s i cl ded a s or el a d raised a le a d tra smissio breathers as ell as a iliar li hti a d a al mi i m roo rac side mea hile o d fi d a po er i verter a da litre o board rid e ha d or eepi all those o roadi st de ts re reshed here as still more o the cards he e photo raphed the s ch as loc i di s roc sliders o r li s spe sio a d a ll e o ca e t alread this as a o a ver hi h sta dard i deed ch o the or ma have o e i to addressi the limitatio s its heelbase created b t ith that do e it became a ver ood advert or thi i o tside the a d bo

‘I looked all over the place, and found it really tough to source a decent one. They command a premium if they’re in good order, so I was determined to spend my money wisely.’ 112 4 Townsend 130 [can go to 3].indd 112

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Wise

o n ith oo c r nee s to e stifie s i the n in the hat in cult movie Wise Blood. And this blood red Ford R n er is here to tell yo th t neither l ro n nor ny of the c sto ers ho thro in their lot ith his co p ny re oin to nee ny stifyin t ll WORDS: BEN BOWES PICTURES: VIC PEEL

A

couple of issues ago, we featured Andy Smith’s highly prepped Ford Ranger, which is in the process of being turned into a full-house expedition truck by PB Customs. The company is gaining a strong reputation among the sort of vehicle builders who like to manage a project rather than do the spannering themselves – and its own Ranger, which you see on these pages, is becoming an ever mode impressive calling card for what the guys there can do.

The vehicle is a pre-facelift T6 Limited with the m st have five c li der ie i e ith abo t bhp i sta dard orm this it is one of the main reasons for

the Ranger’s fast-growing popularity towards the upper end of the modding game; you can tune it for plenty more, too, though the truck’s owner, PB Customs’ main man Paul Brown, has left well alone.

That’s not to say he hasn’t already made an improvement under the bonnet, though. Not that it was the fun kind. Rangers of this one’s e eratio ith the litre diesel have a iss e whereby the oil pump can fail to prime after the sump has been drained, with predictably dire co se e ces he fi is to replace the p mp with a different unit, as used on later models – not the most pleasing thing to have to spend your money on, but a whole lot better than having to spend much more on a new engine. oi

that would be enough to wipe out most vehicle b ilders e tire modificatio s b d et act it would probably be enough to wipe out most vehicle builders’ entire project budget, truck and all. Much better to spend it on cool kit from the likes of ARB and Old Man Emu. hat s the i d o st a l fits to his c stomers cars e s a firm believer i the spend it once, spend it right approach to vehicle building, and would prefer to invest in a topbrand product than save a few quid in the sort term then live with the fear of having to do it all again this time next year. That could be a seen as a legacy of the places where he worked while lear i his trade he started o t at evo 4x4 and had a year at Nene Overland before setting out on his own, and neither of those are companies you tend to associate with doing stuff on the cheap.

Paul spent his days building bespoke challenge trucks in his evo ears a d co ce trated o special vehicle builds at Nene, so he defi itel o s abo t this sort of thing. His own history as a 4x4 owner started, as they so often do, ith a i a d at prese t he o s a e e der hich he s in the process of converting into a pop-top overlander.

These things take time, of course, especially when you’ve got customers’ builds constantly muscling in on the queue. A nice problem to have, but one which

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blood

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Above left: What was the likelihood of a company called PB having a dealer called PB? That’s how it’s worked out: if you live in the UK and you want a set of PB Brakes’ drilled, slotted and vented discs and six-pot calipers for a 4x4, PB Customs is where you’ll end up. Not entirely surprisingly, this is the conversion that’s in place on Paul’s Ranger; the rotors you see here are mm in diameter, and even with the biggest tyres you can fit under its arches it’s hard to imagine brake fade ever becoming an issue Above right: Beneath a set of 35mm wheelarch extensions lurks these 18 x 9” Boost alloys from Method. They’re shod with 33x12.50R18 Radar R7 mud-terrains – not one of the more common brands you see, but one which is becoming increasingly popular thanks to the choice of off-road tyres it offers to fit larger rim sizes

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Above: Ford’s 3.2-litre diesel engine is one of the main reasons why the Ranger has become the vehicle of the moment for builders who can afford to start with one.

It’s good and powerful out of the box, and you can modify it for more – though the only change Paul has made thus far has been to stump up for what he describes as the ‘dreaded oil pump upgrade’ to prevent the risk of calamitous damage which can be caused by the original unit failing to prime after an oil change Above right: Air is ducted to the engine via a Safari Snorkel – one of the very best ways of making a cool truck look even cooler, and also one of the best ways to keep your engine healthy if a wading escapade goes wrong Right / below right: The big change underneath is in the suspension department, where an Old Man Emu BP51 kit provides a heady combination of lift and race-bred damping. When you’re going in hard with something as long as a Ranger, it pays to have as much clearance underneath as you can get – and when you’re doing big mileages in somethnig as high as this one, it pays to make sure your suspension is kept under complete control Below: Talking of control, SuperPro’s adjustable upper control arms are among the many bits of quality kit the company makes for the Ranger and other pick-ups

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ne of the great things about A B’s Summit rear bumper is that at first glance, it doesn’t look much different from standard (note the integrated reversing sensors and number plate light, for example). Another of the great things about it is that if it takes a whack on a rock or tree stump, or someone carelessly ploughs into it because they didn’t have a dirty great six-pot disc conversion, it’s very much not the thing that’ll come off second best

Underneath, a full set of 6mm aluminium bash plates protects the delicate bits from inevitable comingstogether with terra firma – and also acts like a giant ski for when the sort of breakover angle endemic to longwheelbase vehicles like the anger threatens to become its Achilles’ heel

Left: aul says the igidek is one of the best mods he’s made, because ’it’s very easy to chop and change.’ Behind it, the tailgate drops down on an EZDown damper Above: The eye-catching graphics are a one-off design created for aul by umpkin rint in Corby means that having owned the Ranger for about six months, what you see here is not so much the fi ished article as merel ho ar he s managed to get. His to do list i cl des fitted an ARB Air-Locker in the rear or e ample and mounting up a Warn Zeon 10S on a Rhino i ch b mper all o tsta di it b t it ll be a lot more o tsta di

he it s o lo er sat o the shel aiti to be bolted p hi s he has ma a ed to fit so ar i cl de a mmit rear b mper a ari or el raised air i ta e ld a m s spe sio li t a d i ide load cover here s a ll set o ival protectio plates der the vehicle too as ell as vario s ilder ess i hti arra s a d four 33x12.50R18 Radar R7 mud-terrains on 18 oost allo s rom ethod ace heels d that s st or starters s ell as the a oreme tio ed i ch b mper a d loc i di a l has lo term pla s to develop the a er i to a ll overla d machi e ite ho he ll manage to drive both it and his 110 around the orld at the same time is somethi e ca t

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There is, as they say, no such thing as a finished project. And sure enough, since we took the original set of pictures in this article aul has never stopped improving the anger’s spec. The rear has been the focus of no end of work, with a one-off aluminium mount being made here to support a Hannibal roof tent and annexe. Beneath it, the pick-up bed is home to a set of rontrunner Wolf cargo boxes as well as a Cobb BB cooker and etboil, and there’s also an ngel T4 Combi fridge-freezer stored in there fi re o t b t e do t s ppose it matters beca se i the immortal ords o rad o ri i ise lood a d i deed o that i istr shirt o sed to ear o a ith ood ar eeds o e stified here s certai l o da er o him bei acc sed o r shi it at a rate part rom the i evitabl slo pace that comes rom p tti o r c stomers eeds first this o e s or o i o ve ever se t o r vehicle to a compa the o d o rsel o deri h it s still there mo ths later hile the re ashi their latest e sho motor aro d the place a l did t st leap o to the a er a d start p lli it apart o stoms is a i trol a e t a d i o ve ot a vehicle hose chassis eeds bri i bac rom the ed e or preve ti rom stra i close to it i the first place it s the place to o

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i itrol is ood st b t that co ts or little i the perso appl i it is a mo e r a co bo r a mo e or i or a co bo ver spra rotti p o r shoc absorbers a d i er aci t re alls t happe s a l is the ma i itrol se ds its o c stomers to beca se he ta es the time to prepare vehicles chassis properl a d mas o the bits here the chemicals are t mea t to o a d that as the first thi he did to his a er a ter etti it home t ma o l have had t o o ers be ore him b t ho o s hat it mi ht have bee thro h a d besides h o ld t o do somethi that ll press the pa se b tto o chassis r st or a decade or more he o re preppi a tr c or the sort o o road se that p ts o r li e i its ha ds

that s more releva t tha ever t it s also st a ver ood e ample o ho e sho ld all treat o r vehicles li e treas re that sho ld be ept immac late or as lo as possible ai tai i it li e o love it mea s o ca drive it li e o hate it a d all that hich is etti o the poi t a little t the act is or ma o stoms p ters their vehicle is a ver si ifica t i vestme t a d the a t to spe d that mo e isel his blood red a er is here to tell o that a l is a ver ise ma to spe d it ith We photographed Paul’s Ranger at Silverdale, a playday site near Stoke on Trent which is normally open on the third Sunday of every month. It’s n y e y fin t e t www exploreoffroad.co.uk.

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IN SEARCH OF THE CLOUD WARRIORS

The mountains and jungles of Peru are home to countless stunning relics from the days of the Incas – as well as many wonders of the natural world. Peru Safari’s new Kuelap tour includes no end of extraordinary off-road driving alongside destinations which include one of the world’s highest waterfalls and the soaring jungle citadel that was once the home of the Chachapoya people – the mythical ‘Cloud Warriors’ of the Andes WORDS: GEORGE DOVE PICTURES: SUPPLIED BY PERU SAFARI

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n the ever-growing world of overland travel, Peru has long been a popular destination. In particular, of course travellers will head into the Andes and make for the world-famous Machu Picchu. The Incan fortress is spectacular and worthy of all the attention it gets – but Peru has much more to offer.

In a country scattered with artefacts and sites from the Incan Empire, there are numerous gems that have only recently been discovered.

The latest itinerary created by Peru Safari, which

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specialises in 4x4 travel in this wonderful nation, looks to uncover one of these – namely the fortress of the Cloud Warriors in the jungle-clad mountains of Kuelap.

With a starting point in the capital, Lima, the reconnaissance team set off to the north and into the coastal desert via the town of Huaral.

Cutting inland at Aspero, where a 4500-year-old mummy was recently discovered, the company’s off-road prepped Hiluxes climbed upwards on the steep tracks of the Huayhuash mountains,

edging further into the high Andes range as the afternoon progressed. he first stop o poi t i the e peditio as the family-run Hotel Nogales. In the tiny village of Chiquian, looking out over the Andes, the traditional architecture of the hotel sits among vibrant greenery. Stopping in Chiquian isn’t just for the views, though – it’s tactical. With years of experience of the mountain range, the team e that the road ahead o ld be a di fic lt one – it’s important not to try and head too far

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Before the Spanish Conquistadores arrived to smash up South America’s ancient cultures and steal their land, Kuelap was home to as many as 3000 people. Nestled high in the mountains, its walls contain countless small buildings – many of which remain remarkably intact today. One reason for this is that it lay undisturbed for centuries – less than forty years ago, it still took around two months to reach from the nerest road into the mountains to quickly and risk getting stranded in the Cordillera Blanca.

Pushing north after a single night’s stay in Chiquian, the expedition breached the National Park of Huascaran. Then, after a few hours’ driving through the mountainous park and lunch at a rural, traditional local eatery, it was time to do something rare in South America.

The peaks of the Cordillera Blanca mountains sit 6300 metres above sea level, and around 1000 metres below that the Pastoruri Glacier sits in their shadow. Glaciers are uncommon in the South American tropics, and the four-kilometre

crossing is a beautifully bizarre section of a breathtaking journey.

On the other side of the glacier, the climbing continued throughout the afternoon, all the way up to Llanganuco Mountain Lodge (honestly, this is not in Wales) for a well-earned rest – and a well deserved Pisco Sour, which went down a treat on the terrace! Looking back from here over the glacial peaks and the thousands of metres climbed. Mount Huascaran dominates the Andean skyline. The nearest town of Huaraz, meanwhile, sits a long, long way below your soaring vantage point.

Llanganuco Mountain Lodge is ideally placed for hiking in the Andes. Only a stone’s throw away is Keushu, with its ruins and even a lake to take a dip in. It is also home to the Patagonia Gigas, the world’s largest hummingbird. Before pushing on with scouting the route to Kuelap, the Hiluxes explored a shorter, local trail with an ideal picnic spot beside the turquoise lagoon with spectacular glacial views.

There is a path which, depending on the weather conditions, leads to one of the earliest pre-Columbian sites in existence – Chavin de Huantar. The Chavin culture spanned from

The Gocta Falls weren’t discovered until 2002. Now, you can do this (below) with the 771-metre cataract in the background. Reason enough to visit properly before it gets any more established on the tourist trail

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‘Canyon del Pato is single track and unpaved, so the driving is tough. Steep rocky walls cover almost all of the 45km track, which takes you through 35 different tunnels in the jagged rock face’ 900BC until around 200BC and got its name from the site at which most of its artefacts were o d t as the first ma or reli io s c lt re i the des a d despite oods a d earth a es the twelve-metre Lanzón deep inside the temple still stands. The Lanzón is the principal statue of the central deity in Chavin religion and is reached via an eerie labyrinth beneath the Old Temple. Face to face, the huge growling mouth and inverted eyes are imposing and impressive in e al meas re ac at the lod e a to h da e plori the local area a d its la dscape as fi ished o b a lo fire a d a co ple o dri s ame o es ive that the ollo i da s drive as e pected to be one of the toughest of the whole trip. he ma orit o a o del ato is si le trac a d paved so the drivi is to h teep

roc alls cover almost all o the m trac hich ta es o thro h di ere t t els i the a ed roc ace The drive is undeniably a challenge, but it is o e o the most re ardi e perie ces i all o er here are t a barriers paved roads or abundant wildlife along the dramatic mountain pass – but there are snow-capped mountains set o brillia t bl e s ies a d the cr stalli e clear io a ta river r s belo oo i bac o the da s s ccess rom the friendly and welcoming Mama Wasi Hotel in Huamachuco, the long day of driving had been tough – but every effort was worth it.

Nearby are the ruins of Marcahuamachuco – 1600-year-old pre-Incan archaeological site which is believed to have been the centre of political, religious and military happenings well before the

Incan Empire. Construction began in 800 AD and lasted ears the site is re erred to as the ach icch o the orth hich o ht to tell you something about how impressive it is. arl the e t mor i the il es be a the tre to a locatio that is pivotal i the histor o er a amarca as the setti or the fi al da s o the ca mpire as pa iard ra cisco i arro be a his co est he colo ial architect re o a amarca boasts a bea ti l cathedral a d delicate ch rches o a Francisco, Belén and Recoleta. The city’s rich c lt ral histor is dotted aro d the la a de rmas er a ari s base here hich is the ideal starting point from which to go and learn about a amarca a ter a ood i ht s sleep he e t da as spe t e plori the streets a d lear i ho i i arro be a his

Left: If you go down to Darkest Peru tonight…

Right: Around Laguna de las Momais, caverns in the rock face were used thousands of years ago as tombs. The mummies still sit today where they were laid to rest in millenia past

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Right: Kentitambo means 'Hummingbird Hotel' – and the wooden-built lodge attracts the birds in huge numbers ruthless decimation of the Incan Empire at the Battle of Cajamarca. Following that, it was time to get back behind the wheel – and head into the Amazonas region.

This is a relatively undiscovered area, packed full of both natural and ancient archaeological wonders. The Laguna de los Condores (Lagoon of the Condors), also known as the Laguna de las Momias (Lagoon of the Mummies), is an enormous lagoon surrounded by towering rock faces whose history was unknown until fairly recently. It gained these names as those ho first discovered it o te sa the lar e birds habituating the area, and also because several mummies were found around the site.

In the jagged rock faces are a number of tombs i hich m mmified bodies have rested or thousands of years. As you sit beside the lake,

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the water, rock faces and wildlife make a truly unique setting.

From here, it isn’t far to Kentitambo Lodge, a hotel based in a former hummingbird observatory. The name means ‘Hummingbird Inn’ in the local Quechua language – and, made from ecologically-sourced timber with plenty of feeders, it blends into the cloud forest and attracts the tiny birds in numbers. Relaxing on the terrace of the room, overlooking the hotel’s museum and pond, is the perfect way to wind down and prepare for the main event – the destination after which this expedition is named.

Kuelap remains remote and, largely, unknown.

Less than forty years ago, it still took two months to reach from the nearest road.

Stone walls run tall around the perimeter of Kuelap fortress, which stands 3000 metres up

on the mountain top, enclosed by cloud forests of air plants, orchids and beautiful jungle foliage. ilt b the hachapo a people the ortified jungle citadel was home to the ‘Cloud Warriors’ of Peru. Hundreds of ruins lay inside the walls, serving as a reminder of a rich culture now lost to history.

One of the biggest stone monuments in the New World, Kuelap had a population of up to 3000 people between the 6th and 16th centuries.

Despite the notion that the Chachapoyas were conquered by the Incas during the 15th Century, it seems that Kuelap and the Cloud Warriors outlived this. It wasn’t until the Spanish conquistadors swept across Latin America in the 16th Century that their culture buckled. The site was then abandoned completely, until the outside world rediscovered the ruins in 1843.

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The Peruvian government has now installed cable cars to allow simpler travel to the historic site – but you don’t need those when you’ve got Hiluxes, and the trucks managed the steep drive up without issue.

Kuelap is simply magical. The scale of the walls and the ruins are other-worldly, and the site is di fic lt to leave he tired ess is defi itel orth it for the privilege of simply standing among it and taking it all in. Very little is known about those who lived here – imagining how it must have been in its heyday, you can’t help but try to work it out yourself.

Gocta Andes Lodge is very different to the stone forms the Cloud Warriors made, but it certainly is a treat. Waking up to a view that was designed to take in the falling water at Gocta, which at 771 metres is one of the world’s highest cataracts, is sensational. All of the lodge’s balconies and terraces look out to this, and the view can also be enjoyed from gardens – or pools which merge into the landscape 1800 metres above sea level.

The lodge also serves as the starting point for hikes to Gocta falls, and there is an option to travel there on horseback. En route, there are ple ti l h mmi birds a d b tter ies a d o might see the occasional toucan or monkey, too.

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Very few have been to these falls, which were only discovered in 2002. But those who do are in for a treat – the sheer height of this natural wonder is truly breathtaking. he fi al three da s o the recce headed bac to Lima via more sites of cultural and historical si ifica ce irst came the aba do ed cit o Chan-Chan, ancient home of the Chimu people, which conveniently is within walking distance of Gocta. Then, further down the Pan-American highway, the last location before returning to Lima was Caral. Here, the remote Hotel Empedrada Lodge is a tranquil oasis overlooking the archaeological Caral complex whose remains created a stunning silhouette in the sunset to end the last night of the trip.

Strolling around Caral the next morning, it was clearer than ever that Peru has more to offer than just Machu Picchu. The great fortress is truly one of the honeypot destinations in world

travel – but while you’d never suggest giving it a miss, you’ve not truly discovered Peru until you’ve delved deeper into what it has to offer.

Customers on Peru Safari’s Kuelap expedition are going to delve into largely unchartered territory – both for themselves, and, indeed for modern man. e e e

t fi e n t e t e e ve y n ve n e e t n y t n e e ny we te t www n t n e nt te v

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Where the wil

The seventh-generation Toyota Hi-Lux has only recently gone off sale. Its replacement promises to usher in a new era of SUV-like pick-ups, but there’s no sign of it becoming any less of an off-road hero. Though even the old model was already going that way – as we found out when we rubbed shoulders with South Africa’s wildlife, back when the 3.0 D-4D was new WORDS: ALAN KIDD PICTURES: STEVE TAYLOR

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e’ve got it easy in Britain.

Mother nature might not be particularly dramatic here – no extremes of weather, no exotic species, no uncharted wilderness. But you’ve got to be very unlucky, or very stupid, for the world about you to pose a mortal threat.

That’s not what it’s like in South Africa. Here, people in the towns and cities might wear suits and drive to work in Range Rovers – but out in the countryside, any resemblance to Britain quickly disappears.

Yes, they drive on the left. And road signs are mostly in English. But when one of those road

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signs bears a stark, one-word warning that simply says ‘Baboons,’ you know you’re not in Swindon any more.

Baboons are more of a menace than a threat, but South Africa is full of creatures that want to do you in. Popping my head out of my tent in Zululand Rhino Reserve and seeing an elephant strolling by was a good reminder of that.

Wind up an elephant, after all, and you’re going to get your head kicked in. Rhinos aren’t famed for their subtlety, either. Buffaloes, on the other ha d ill stal o o t a o a d he o think you’ve lost them, sneak up on you from behind. And as for hippos, well, they’re so grumpy

that they actually kill more people every year than lions.

Not that a lion, nor a leopard or crocodile, needs to be grumpy to give you a good wasting. It just needs to be hungry. Much can be said about all the other big cats indigenous to Southern Africa, indeed – with the possible exception of cheetahs, which are much more likely to run away from you than towards you.

Cheetahs are also almost uniquely friendly towards humans, given the encouragement.

Which is ironic, since no other big cat with the exception of the tiger has suffered so badly at the hands of us lot.

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ild things are

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Toyota put on this cross-axle demonstration to show that the limited-slip diff in the 3.0-litre Hi-Lux’s back axle was as effective as the 2.5-litre model’s full locker. To us, it suggested the opposite – but it certainly did its job in the real-life part of the test, as not one vehicle became stuck all day long ot that o have to loo ar to fi d rie dl a imals i the rica b sh act did t have to o loo i at all he mor i a ter m elepha t e perie ce o e p to fi d that a tic o some sort had decided to start establishi a ver determi ed rie dship ith m arm d i b the si e o it it as alread ell thro h the mai co rse i act he ave it a t to see i it as still attached it respo ded b stretchi i the i d o satisfied st had m di er pose o mi ht adopt a ter polishi o o r o ei ht i t r e be ore sitti do to dri port a d moc sorr atch the ee s peech o it o ld have seemed elcomi to ive s ch a ea er te t est the boot especiall as it did i deed t r o t still to be attached d besides d read that o re ot mea to st a tic s o o rsel beca se that a o e d ith their heads still embedded i o a d a ter a e da s the start to rot o childre e have a imals that a t to crash i to o a imals that a t to eat o a d a imals that a t to p lti der o r s i sho ld o dare to come bet ee them a d their brea ast etti the impressio et that o th rica is home to ite a lot o rather

da ero s creat res h a d a ar i as still ri i i m ears that e ere t to et o t o o r vehicles i lo rass beca se lo rass ca have lo s a es i it a d lo s a es ca have lo teeth ompared to this lot thi s li e ira es impalas ela ds a d artho s are less co cer ed abo t illi o tha abo t tr i to avoid o illi them ot a ise positio to adopt ive that these creat res are at re s e ivale t to r er i hat s h hereas the reserve s elepha ts a d rhi os simpl did t care abo t a pla e o o ota i es b i aro d their territor more v l erable species li e this too o r arrival as a si that it as time to r a a artho s are best o or their l aces hich is iro ic as all o ever see o them is a eei bottom he eed t have orried ith so ma arl critters aro d e ere t etti o t o o r tr c s or a thi ite apart rom the act that e d had the ear o od p t i to s b all the ver ma optio s available or a splash a d pai l death o r tr c s ere sa e a d com ortable d air co ditio ed d most o all the ere vi cible

r co vo as made p o o otas mai l i es b t ith a e ort er statio a o s thro i or ood meas re he i es ere models that as the local desi atio or the top speccer o as the vi cible i the s o ll be able to see i the pict res this as bac be ore the e model came o t it s po ered b a litre e i e there s also a litre it hich ma or ma ot come to the later b t the tr c s e ere drivi all eat red the the ra e toppi his e i e had alread o iversal praise i the eries a d r iser a d he it arrived it t r ed the i rom the most po dero s tr c o the mar et i to o e o the stro est ac he e drove it i o th rica it as mated to a choice o old school five speed ma al a d o r speed a to bo es b t a ear or so later both ave a to later si speed ma al a d five speed a to its ei that the litre it as a ra e toppi e i e o r choice as limited to the top t o models i the i li e p his had t o ver ood co se e ces e as that the oppressivel h mid heat o a o th rica spri as ept rom o r cabi b the a oreme tio ed

As well as the Hi-Luxes on this event, there were also a few Fortuners going around. This Hi-Lux based station wagon has never been offered in the UK, presumably because it would clash with the Land Cruiser, however there are territories in which both are available. In Panama, for example, Toyota customers can choose between the FJ Cruiser, 4-Runner, Fortuner, 150 and 200-Series Land Cruiser, as well of course as the Hi-Lux. Without wanting to stir up a hornet’s nest, the market gets the products it deserves…

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air-con. The other was that we were had an excellent touch-screen sat-nav charting our progress on the lengthy yomp from Zimbali, near where the vehicles were built in Durban, to the wildlife paradise of Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park.

Hluhluwe (the letters ‘h’ are pronounced like an ‘sh’) is home to the world’s largest population of white rhino, as well as hundreds of the endangered black rhino. It’s not the only one that’s endangered: so will you be if you get on its wick, because it’s noted for being even more stroppy and anti-social than the white variety.

Not that it was easy to do anything other than just stop and say ‘ahhhh’ when we saw a family of rhinos chilling a little way from the side of the road the park. Mum and Dad were lying there bas i i the fierce s hile their o calves jumped about in the bushes. Baby rhinos can be best described as looking like the dog out of Tintin, but drawn with a bad hangover.

More surprisingly, the zebras we came across right by the side of the road didn’t bad an eyelid when we brought our Hi-Lux to a halt so close it was almost possible to reach out and touch them. Tourist vehicles are a familiar sight here, so the animals have clearly learned not to fear

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people, but it was still surprising to be accepted so matter-of-factly as part of everyday life. If we actually had reached out and touched one of them, though, it would have let us know what it thought in no uncertain terms.

It was noticeable, too, that there was a big difference between the animals in Hluhluwe and those in the much wilder Zululand reserve. In the former, we stopped and watched some giraffes munching away happily at the treetops, a safe distance from our Hi-Luxes but still close enough to get spooked if they hadn’t been comfortable with us being around. The following morning, having got up early to search out animals in the area around our campsite in the latter, we caught just a glimpse of another three, maybe a quarter a mile away, as they saw us coming and turned to run.

The other reason for getting up early was that we wanted to spend a good, long day getting to grips with the Hi-Lux on the sort of terrain for which the vehicle is built.You don’t buy a truck like this to perform the most extreme off-road stunts, but to shrug off endless hours, days and years of punishment on rough, bumpy tracks that constantly pound the chassis and suspension,

working every moving part so hard it has to be right up to the job if it’s not to surrender meekly almost straightaway.

Of course, the Hi-Lux is famed for being almost uniquely capable of carrying on forever in conditions like this. Toyota has a titanic reputation in Africa, built on the strength of this vehicle and the Land Cruiser dynasty, and that speaks volumes for its engineering and build quality.

The Hi-Lux Invincible might be dressed up as a lifestyle accessory, and the model which has now replaced ours sets out its stall to be much more SUV-like than before, but it’s still based on absolutely the right stuff for wild country like this – and that fact alone is worth all the alloy wheels in the world.

Big, tubular chrome side steps are less likely to make it through a life of off-road work, on the other hand, and on occasion we had to be careful to position the vehicle so as to avoid any danger of clouting them on rocks. Not that there was any shortage of ground clearance, even with an independent front end to be taken into consideration. And even with the early gearboxes, there as ever a di fic lt i accessi all that lovely low-down torque.

Less lovely was the fact that whereas the 2.5-litre Hi-Lux came with a locking rear diff, the litre model as fitted i stead ith a limited slip affair. During a pause in our efforts to spot exotic animals, ideally before they spotted us, Toyota had organised a carefully planned roughterrain demo in which one of its instructors piloted a vehicle over a set of wheel-lifting axletwisters. This was designed to demonstrate that the LSD is as effective as a full locker, but in fact convinced us of exactly the opposite.

There’s no denying that an LSD does have its advantages, however. Despite being less effective in the most extreme situations, it does at least operate all the time, so for general aboveaverage off-road duties which stress the vehicle’s drivetrain without actually lifting any wheels off the ground, it probably does more to help you out. The fact that we all made it round the reserve without incident, even after an electrical storm the likes of which would have people calling the police in the UK, it testament to that.

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Zebras are skittish and warthogs are scared of everything, so neither is an animal you’re likely to see close up. Buffaloes, on the other hand, are animals you definitely don’t want to see close up. Once they’ve decided they don’t like you, they’ll stalk you and wait until you drop your guard before moving in to exact their own very heavy-duty form of revenge We were very excited, therefore, when prelaunch publicity material for the new-generation Hi-Lux spoke of it having ‘locking limited-slip differentials.’ As it turns out, it seems that something had been lost in translation here, as there’s been no further mention of such a masterpiece in any of the literature we’ve read.

The new model does, however, have a proper locker in its back axle once again – despite there being more torque from its 2.4-litre engine than we had to play with in the 3.0-litre models we drove in Africa.

That’s one reason why the new Hi-Lux’s claim to be more SUV-like shouldn’t worry you. It’s the most family-friendly truck Toyota has yet made, for sure, but it’s still every inch the off-roader down below.

As the high-spec Hi-Luxes we drove in South Africa show, the move towards a more comfortable era at the top of the pick-up market is nothing new. Happily, though, unlike with SUVs this hasn’t yet taken its toll on off-road ability.

We expect the new model to be just as good as those that went before – and to build on the skyhigh standards we already experienced on our safari in Africa.

So, it’s going to be more at home on the school run than ever before. And if your school is in the middle of a jungle, it’ll be no less able to get your kids there than ever.

Throw in a few rhinos and elephants, and it’ll be in its element. Just as the Hi-Lux always has been. While some car makers are happy to trade on their heritage, Toyota’s continues to be built with as much diligence as ever.

The just-departed Hi-Lux showed as much on this sojourn in the wilds, and we have no doubt that the new one will too. It might not be able to protect you from burrowing insects when it’s parked beside your tent – but you, and your ticks, could hardly be more sure of getting home safe and sound.

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  It’s more than a decade since Dodge’s UK importer decided to bring a batch of Ram pickups to Britain. So s o r first offici l American truck as good idea as it loo e or st c te p licity st nt for less e citin c rs to come? And what s rhe le cy of these fifty o lec s for the rey r et n for yers still to co e WORDS: GARY NOSKILL PICTURES: STEVE TAYLOR

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ust over a decade ago, with the doublecab market growing fast and the economy oati i a pre crash b bble od e s importer too the s premel bold step o bri i a batch o am pic ps to these shores The market for American trucks had always bee a iche o e served b a a le o perso al importers hose clie ts had the desire a d the means, to be different – but suddenly, here or the first time ere fi t o ficial e amples o perhaps the most ico ic pic p co ic or s re he am s place i histor as ara teed the mome t od e decided to fit it ith the epic litre e i e rom the iper m scle car

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the time these o ficial ams came alo that had ro to litres toda s sta dards bhp rom a e i e that bi so ds like small beer, but with all of it going to the back wheels (22” back wheels, since you ask) the model as all street a d rom o r poi t o vie o cred t aimler hr sler as the compa as then called) also brought in the Ram you see here the litre aramie ad ab That this leviathan was the baby of the range sa s somethi it ma have had o l litres b t the combi atio o po er ll si e ei ht and a front end with the aerodynamics of Mount Rushmore was only ever going to mean the sort

o el co s mptio that ma es o a e pi a cold s eat What most British truck buyers would really have armed to as i aimler hr sler had bro ht i the am ith the litre mmi s diesel o ered i merica at the time realit ho ever the compa had somethi m ch bi er o its mi d he it decided to import the am t the time aimler hr sler as i the process o i trod ci od e to the as a budget car brand with a strongly American ima e ehicles li e the aliber itro a d o r e were to follow, with varying levels of success, b t the real poi t o the ams that came here

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

  

was to help drive the Dodge name into people’s minds. The Corvette did something similar for Chevrolet when General Motors decided an American badge was what it would take to get people buying Daewoos: in each case, if the idea didn’t really work out, you needed to look to the products that followed rather than anything to do with the evocative nature of the ‘halo’ vehicles used to build the brands.

Having said that, when we drove one of the o ficial ams bac i e o d the experience rather surprising. Not in a very good way, either.

A big part of the problem was that nothing imported in such limited numbers could help but

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be priced as a premi m prod ct d the am was basically a tradesman’s tool.

Obviously, there was enough chrome on the outside to be seen from space. But when we stepped inside, we were staggered by how much of it was pure Jeep Cherokee.

There are worse things to be, of course. But so much of the switchgear, and even the stereo, came straight from Dodge’s stablemate – and surrounding it was a hefty expanse of cheap looking plastic which did nothing for the feeling of specialness we felt entitled to expect from such an arresting looking vehicle.

By pick-up standards, on the other hand, the am s per orma ce as defi itel ite special

cce t o the ite tho h the e i e made a nice noise and slugged out enough in the way of lazy power to keep a smile forever close to o r lips b t o o ld at times fi d it eeli like it was having to work for its living – and even when it wasn’t, single-digit fuel consumption was more than just something you’d come out with for surely-it-can’t-be-as-bad-as-all-that dramatic effect. he am had part time o r heel drive meaning all its 345bhp had to go to the rear wheels on surfaced roads. Even wet surfaced roads ith a chassis a d rear spri s desi ed to carr that as o l ever going to mean one thing.

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Below left: This is where the magic happened. The big V8 engine sent 345bhp to a part-time four-wheel drive system, meaning it could perform a disappearing trick on the rear tyres’ tread, the fuel in the tank and the entire back end Below right: What happened here was not magic. The dash display and switchgear reeked of KK-model Jeep Cherokee, and the plastics felt cheap as chips. It was, frankly, a disappointment

Sure enough, as well as being tail-happy in the wet, the Ram would understeer for a laugh on turn-in – before snapping into a vast power slide if you dared to give it even a trace too much throttle. On dry roads, by contrast, there was a surprising amount of grip at both ends, though unsettling it with a series of fast corners could be enough to get its rear end acting rowdily.

Even on the straight, the over-sprung rear produced plenty of bumping on all but the smoothest roads. This did at least always feel quite distant, but harder to ignore was a lack o bod co trol hich made the am a di fic lt vehicle in which to relax. The cabin was fairly noisy at speed, too, with a lot of road rumble coming through. Our impression was that even

by the standards of other full-size American pickups we’ve driven, the Ram was short on civility.

One thing it did have plenty of, however, was sheer presence. Given that this is another way of saying it was absolutely sodding enormous, it translated into load space, too – though how many buyers actually needed the capacity it offered is open to question.

What we said at the time was this: ‘What you’ve got to ask yourself is whether a vehicle this large is genuinely practical in the context of your life. Unless you’re able to accept the same compromises as someone who drives, say, a longwheelbase Transit, you’re going to struggle. What this means is that before having a Ram in your life, you should think through the car parks you’ll

need to get it into and the streets you’ll need to leave it o o ve ot specific load carr i duties in mind, you should check the size of the pick-up bed – it’s big, but it’s not endless. And don’t be blinded to the engine’s remarkable appetite for fuel: a combined 16mpg is, from hat e o d ite a optimistic real li e fi re So you should be factoring in endless visits to the pumps if you plan to use one of these as everyday transport.’

You’d also need to have been factoring in a much lower level of interior quality and practicality than you could have got in a more conventional vehicle for the sort of money the Ram cost in the UK. Which was an inevitable problem for DaimlerChrysler. People bought it

‘The Ram had part-time four-wheel drive, meaning all its 345bhp had to go to the rear wheels on surfaced roads. Even wet surfaced roads. That was only ever going to mean one thing…’

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because they wanted to be different – but when you look at what you could get for the price by being a little less different, you see a long list of reasons for doing that instead.

This was a proper utility truck, not a lifestyle pick-up. Yes, it had some kit, like cruise, climate, leather and all that chrome, but ultimately it was all about being big, brash and V8-powered.

As premium pick-ups go, the Ram was hardly unique in putting toys like these within a tough, knockabout environment crafted from hard plastics. It’s just that they looked and felt that much harder, and cheaper, when you were paying £25,995 plus VAT (at a time when almost nothing else breached the twenty grand barrier) to sit among them. And if there was any other vehicle available at that price whose interior featured exposed screw heads, it passed us by.

Nonetheless, they sold the lot. Not exactly like hot cakes, and as history now shows the response wasn’t enough to make them bring in any more. So the lovely Cummins never became a o ficial prod ct hat batch o fi t as e o h to spoil the party for the personal import business, however. Specialists we spoke to at the time said aimler hr sler had ooded the mar et which says something about the market, if just fi t vehicles is all it too to do that

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If you look at the market for used Rams now, though, is there a spike in 2006-2007 models being offered for sale? No. Which suggests one thing: people who own these trucks keep hold of them. It would be interesting to know how many have been LPGconverted to help make if possible to do that, and to see how those Rams’ interiors are holding together after a decade of use, but the fact is that if you love these trucks, owning one doesn’t change that.

So DaimlerChrysler may have known something the rest of us didn’t all along…

This isn’t your average pick-up bed. But then in Britain at least, this isn’t your average pick-up. It’s a reminder that the Ram was very much a utility truck – albeit one priced as a premium product and offering running costs that were completely off the scale

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A H EA D OF IT S

Most 4x4 pick-ups still use leaf springs to deal with the need for a 1000kg payload. But back in 2008, Mitsubishi teamed up with Walkinshaw Performance to create a version of the L200 with coil-spr n c le ith the enefit of hin si ht s it decade ahead of its time?

WORDS: ALAN KIDD PICTURES: STEVE TAYLOR

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T IM E?

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4pp L200 Walkinshaw.indd 137

W

hen it was introduced in 2015, the current Nissan Navara was credited by most as bei the first pic p i the ith a coil spr bac a le hat s partiall tr e the avara as i deed the first mai stream o e to er ith coils t bac i its bishi so ht to bla e a trail b teami p ith motorsport specialist al i sha er orma ce to create a hi h spec ith a rear s spe sio set p all o its o he coil spr co versio as act all developed b al i sha as a i depe de t pro ect a ear earlier t its bishi sa it as a opport it to p sh the pic p e velope a d la ched a al i sha er orma ce editio o the to ma e the most o hat the e set p o ered ddl this did t act all have the coil spr rear e d as sta dard hat s beca se or its bishi to o er it thro h its dealer et or it o ld have to be s bmitted or t pe approval a d so o probabl e s ri i the process that it o ld ever be cost e ective stead c stomers ho a ted it ere p t i to ch ith al i sha er orma ce hich or pl s o ld do the or o hat co ld be called a approved a termar et basis he or i cl ded loppi o the lea spri s a d replaci them ith a short arm set p si e al le th pper a d lo er traili li s a d a pa hard rod spe sio as ta e care o b o i per orma ce coil overs hich ere also replicated at the ro t a d the sta dard b shes ere replaced b prated r bber its at the chassis a d pol retha e at the a le al i sha s retro fit pac a e also replaced the s sta dard e ha st ith a stai less steel t i e it ob hich reed p a lot o as o i the e tra oise it made as a thi to o b his as added to a chipped versio o the e i e ood or bhp at rpm a d lb t at rpm to prod ce a tr c ith the firm i sta t shove to o ith its chromed p loo s at rall this as a hi h spec versio o the ith leather sat av cr ise l etooth a d a a tocha er top o its e eral bli i ess it also came with 20� alloys wearing 255/50R20 tyres

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Walkinshaw’s coil-sprung conversion for the L200 replaced the leaf springs on the back axle with a shortarm set-up using equal-length upper and lower trailing links and a panhard rod. The vehicle’s focus on handling was signalled by the use of Koni performance coil-overs all round, and the standard bushes were replaced by uprated rubber units at the chassis and polyurethane at the axle

– not what you wanted to see if your off-road sensibilities were twitching at the thought of a coiled rear a le b t ideal or oati the boat of the very many pick-up punters who love the lairy look.

Did it all hang together? Looks-wise, we’d say so eve i lo profile road t res are t o r idea of what makes for a tasty truck. But to drive?

Well, here’s the thing.

To qualify as a commercial vehicle for tax purposes, a truck has to be able to carry at

least 1000kg. This means its rear springs have to be able to hold it up with that much in the back – whether or not you actually intend to put anything in it.

So when the vehicle’s unladen, its springs have at least 1000kg of extra capacity. Put another way, it’s a tonne too light for its own suspension.

And if you ask a spring to push back on, say, 1000kg, when it’s designed to push back on twice that much, it stands to reason that it’ll push back twice as hard as you want it to.

Does it matter whether that spring is a leaf or a coil? Well, when we drove the L200 in these pictures we felt the back wheels had perhaps slightly less of a tendency to chatter under really hard cornering on grotty roads. But we also felt you’d not notice the difference without absolutely hammering it – which, admittedly, at least some buyers going for the Walkinshaw Performance might be minded to do.

We also felt it was harder work to drive than a sta dard ith the reater e ibilit at

Chipped to produce 165bhp at 3800rpm and 296lbf.ft at 2000rpm, the 2.5 DI-D engine gave the L200 a stronger throttle response – it wasn’t racecar fast, but it was definitely more in keeping with the Walkinshaw edition’s dramatic looks

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‘This version of the L200 promised much – but provided a hefty reminder of the old adage about not fixing what ain’t broke’ the back allowing it to lean further than normal while the front continued to crouch on turn-in the way it was meant to. The result, we found was that there was ‘a sort of gung-ho grin factor to it. But while it is fun, it’s exhausting fun.’

Our biggest concern over this L200, however, was with its ride. We noted ‘a constant commotion from the back axle that presents itself over all but the very smoothest of surfaces.

It doesn’t jar the way leaf springs can, but it shudders and bounces exactly the way you’d expect from over-sprung coils. Every time the back tyres hit something, the springs try to compensate for a tonne of loading that’s not there, and you don’t need a degree in physics to appreciate what that’s going to do to the vehicle’s poise.’ e ere t a s o those lo profile t res either, noting that more basic versions of the had a profile t re p tti a a l lot more sidewall between you and the road than the Walkinshaw’s 50s allowed. It was hard to know how much of the vehicle’s ill-mannered ride came from its tyres and how much from its suspension, but no sooner were we on the motorway than we started noticing a tendency to tramline. ‘The steering never really settles down in the straight-ahead position,’ we

4pp L200 Walkinshaw.indd 139

complained, ‘with imperfections in the surface constantly distracting its attention.’

All in all, we were huge fans of the old L200 b t ot o this model perime ti ith coil springs was a bold move, but the conversion didn’t catch on. And while the Walkinshaw edition sold well enough, with its aggressive looks and chipped engine, what it comes down to is that he the fi th e eratio model came out in 2015, there wasn’t a coil spring to be seen.

As we now know, Nissan took that plunge when it brought out the current NP300 Navara. This has been on sale in the UK since late 2015, and it’s soon to spawn two related models in the Renault Alaskan and Mercedes X-Class both o hich ill have coil springs on their live rear axles.

Does this point towards the end

of leaf-springs on pick-ups? Perhaps that’s the way the market will go, yes, as the nascent SUV market went before it. But while the Navara shows how well they can work, the latest L200 demonstrates that a traditional set-up can do so every bit as well if it’s properly set up. Back in 2008, however, this version of Mitsubishi’s hugeselli tr c promised m ch b t or s provided a hefty reminder of the old adage about ot fi i hat ai t bro e

30/10/2018 21:32

HIDDEN SECRETS OF THE Jeep’s new-generation Wrangler is set to become available as a concept vehicle contains hints at the features we’ll be seeing on co p ny s first o ern- y te or of the off-ro potenti l it ill WORDS: BILL BUMLEY PICTURES: JEEP

O

f all the concept vehicles Jeep unveiled at this year’s Moab Easter Safari, the Crew Chief 715 has become the most talked about.

When you consider that the others included the sensational 707bhp Trailcat Wrangler and the beautiful retro-styled FC150 forward control, that takes some doing.

140 4pp Crew Chief.indd 140

hat ma es the re hie so si ifica t Not that it’s the latest (and last, they say) Jeep concept to feature a nose job inspired by the Kaiser M715, nor indeed the military theme that ranges from aviation-style diff lock switches to 40” army tyres. More importantly than any o that this is the first do ble cab eep has presented to the world.

That’s by no means a coincidence, either.

Jeep’s replacement for the Wrangler is in the late stages of development – and the company has made plai that it ill be available i five seat pick-up form. at rall this ill have a fi ed roo i stead o the fabric hood seen on the concept – though in keeping with the rest of the Wrangler range,

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THE WRANGLER PICKUP double-cab pick-up. The company says its Crew Chief 715 the production model – but is this a vision more of the nle sh hen the o el ye r hits the sho roo s

a soft-top pick-up is sure to be an option. But while the more exotic elements are apt to change, Jeep has hinted broadly that there are elements of the Crew Chief which will appear on the production model when US sales begin late next year.

Quoted in Outside magazine, Jeep Chief Designer Mark Allen joked about it being ‘odd’

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Could ana 0 axles be one of the Crew Chief’s features that make it on to the next-gen Wrangler? A Rubicon model with locking diffs in a set of these beasts would certainly be something to get the pulse racing – and with a double-cab now confirmed as part of eep’s plans for the vehicle, such a thing could actually be possible. The +4” suspension with remote-reservoir ox dampers won’t be standard on anything, but it’s the sort of kit that will already be available for the Wrangler before the first one even lands in the K

that the re hie as the first do ble cab the compa has b ilt eve oi so ar as to add a hi t hi t a ter ards here ma be thi s o see o the re hie that o mi ht see o that tr c he added re ere ci the orthcomi ra ler that ill deb t or the model ear lle s ested that the retro st led tail ate ill li el spa a prod ctio versio tho h he added that or prod ctio reaso s this o t be stamped the a the co cept s is ore

dame tall the se o mi ht reat a a a les be eath the re hie holds o t the tempti prospect o s ch thi s bei available o a heav d t versio o the e t bico hich ritish o roaders sho ld be e cited to hear is oi to be the first ever available ith a diesel e i e the re hie the bi a as are t r ed b the litre e tastar e i e o di the c rre t bico he re shod ith militar t res hich fill the space created b

a s spe sio li t si remote reservoir o shoc s hile o e o this ill be sta dard iss e eve o the bico as ith the c rre t model the ill be desi ed ith modi i i mi d a d a h e a termar et as ell as eep s o opar operatio ill be o eri p rade its lo be ore deliveries o the vehicle itsel have be other o the hi ts lle is li el to be tal i abo t is the move p to three heelbases or ra ler prod ctio he ill o co rse

Not quite as military as the rest of the truck, but every bit as hard, the bumpers are Mopar units mounted with Warn winches. These are modelled on the units originally designed for the Rubicon 10th Anniversary JK, but have been modified slightly to suit the Crew Chief’s army theme

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It’s a Wrangler underneath, which means it’s a Wrangler inside. No sooner had the Crew Chief been unveiled than Jeep purists and military vehicle lovers were getting misty-eyed about the idea of one with a basic steel-plate dashboard, but there’s a different kind of rugged in the world these days. In this case, it’s a kind with multimedia, climate control and heated leather seats, but the dash still has the wipe-clean feel to it that we all love. The locker switches are a wonderful touch, anyway – even if the compass below the nav screen looks like the sort of thing you might pick up for £1.99 by the checkouts at Wilko retain the classic two-door format as well as the now well established four-door Unlimited shape, however for use under a double-cab its chassis will need to be longer still. Land Rover watchers don’t need a long memory to remember how squat looking, and cramped inside, the Defender

110 Double-Cab turned out to be, so the Wrangler pick-up is more likely to be Jeep’s equivalent to the 130.

It’s uncertain whether the Rubicon treatment will be meted out to the new double-cab or reserved for Wranglers with the traditional

soft-top and station wagon body styles. Either way, at least some of what you’re looking at in the truck on these pages is destined for production. ‘We’ve hidden some hints about what’s going on behind the scenes,’ promised Allen. ‘Right in front of you.’

Jeep says that when you examine the Crew Chief’s design, you’ll see hints towards the next-generation Wrangler – which is going to be available as a double-cab. Those 40x20 NDT tyres won’t be among them, though the option of a full-cabin fabric hood might be

4pp Crew Chief.indd 143

30/10/2018 21:26

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