4x4 Magazine September 2018

4x4

NEWS • PRODUCTS • TRAIL GUIDES • WORKSHOP • CALENDAR • OFF-ROAD SCENE DRIVEN: Isuzu D-Max Utility Double-Cab

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

NEW WRANGLER

Will Jeep’s all-new JL Wrangler go straight to the top of every off-roader’s wish list? We have the first verdict from behind the wheel…

Chevy-engined Defender 110: the ultimate street sleeper

£4.75

NEW! Roadbookstyle green lane guides. This month: Derbyshire Dales

SEP 2018

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19/07/2018 12:56

ARMOURED+ EDITION

Ford Ranger 3.2 TDCi Wildtrak Double Cab Pick up 4x4 4dr

DV8WORKS.COM DV8Works

dv8_works

Stratford-upon-Avon, England, 01789 774882

TERRAFIRMA RECOVERY STRAPS Recovery straps of varying lengths are a vital part of any off roader’s kit. Terrafirma recovery straps will suit all recovery situations involving light to heavy 4x4 vehicles.

Terrafirma snatch straps are constructed from a complex bright orange material designed to stretch up to 20%, which when used to recover a stuck vehicle uses the kinetic energy stored in the strap under tension to help extract the vehicle from its bogged situation. A snatch strap should be used in all vehicle to vehicle recovery and towing situations as the stretch provides a much more forgiving and less jarring connection between the vehicles.

Terrafirma tree straps are wider than other recovery straps, this is important to prevent ring barking or damage to trees when using them as a suitable anchor point when winching. Tree straps are produced in a bright green colour to clearly identify them from other recovery straps.

Terrafirma extension straps can be used for towing but as they do not stretch they give a hard connection between the two vehicles, the most suitable and common use is to extend the length of the winch cable in situations when the recovery vehicle or the only tree in sight is out of reach.

Terrafirma extension straps are made in bright purple to clearly distinguish them from other straps in your kit bag.

Terrafirma recovery straps all come with reinforced eyes and are sleeved to protect the stitching. The capacity and length of each strap should be carefully considered when selecting to suit the weight of the vehicle and circumstances in which they are to be used.

All Terrafirma recovery straps come with reinforced eyes and sliding sleeves to help prevent wear and come in nice bright colours to aid quick identification when rigging and to make them highly visible in the forest.

TFTS5M Bright green polyester tree saver strap, 80mm wide to help protect the bark of the tree, 5m long with a MBS of 12000kg.

TFSS11000 Bright orange snatch strap, made from Nylon to give a 20% stretch. 80mm wide by 9m long with a MBS of 11000kg.

TFES11000 Bright purple polyester winch extension strap for when your winch rope just isn’t quite long enough. 80mm wide by 20m long with a MBS of 11000kg.

ALSO AVAILABLE TF3311 Recovery rope 22mm 30ft 13000kgs

TF3309

TF3310

Extended winch cables (4m) and isolator switch

11mm soft recovery shackle

TF3312L Recovery gloves large

TF3312M Recovery gloves medium

TERRAFIRMA A12000 ELECTRIC WINCH The A12000 incorporates all the features requested by commercial users, as well as recreational and competition off roaders.

The new Terrafirma winch combines 12000lb of pulling performance and modern styling with high quality synthetic rope and wireless remote control as well as the standard cable remote.

A powerful 6hp 12v motor and low noise 3 stage planetary gearbox produces 12000lbs of power pulled through a silvergrey synthetic rope and rated safety hook, of course with the synthetic rope comes a cool black alloy hawse fairlead.

The winch is designed with a modern look and finished in stealthy matt black with matching compact solenoid pack with 2 green LEDs to indicate ‘winch live’ and ready for work.

The solenoid pack has the added benefit of being able to be mounted in multiple mounting positions.

Multiple mounting options for solenoid pack

WHAT’S IN THE BOX...

12000lbs (5443kg) rated line pull Off Road – Utility winch 6hp series wound motor for high performance and fast line speed 80’ (25m) Dyneema synthetic rope with rock guard and safety hook

Easy to operate free spool control High efficiency low noise 3 stage planetary gearbox Modern ‘stealthy’ design

Alloy hawse fairlead

Heavy duty stylish textured black coating for corrosion resistance

Wireless remote control (cable remote control included)

Double green LED ‘winch live’ illumination feature

Automatic in the drum brake

IP67 Rated

E AND FINALLY, HI-SPEC, AFFORDABL CH! IN W A M O FR E IC RV SE G IN ST LA The Terrafirma A12000 winch is built on the standard frame size of 10x4.5� to allow fitment to most popular mounts and bumpers.

Find your nearest stockist: www.terrafirma4x4.com Shop online at: www.terrafirma4x4store.co.uk

September 2018

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92 12 ISSUES OF 4X4 – FOR JUST £12!

This has got to be the best value offer in the history of publishing… subscribe to 4x4 for a year and it’ll only cost a quid an issue!

News 14 16 17 17

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Suzuki Jimny Details emerge of the all-new mini off-roader LR Discovery Hot new diesel for the big family wagon Alfa Stelvio Quadrifoglio NRING is fast but expensive Coming Soon 4x4s of every kind due in the near(ish) future

Tested 18 22 26 30

SsangYong Musso High-value double-cab is more than just cheap Volkswagen T-Roc It’s cute – but so much more, too Isuzu D-Max Utility Base-spec D-Max is as honest as they come Vauxhall Mokka Perennial favourite in the small SUV market

Every Month 4 6 8 10 12 33 80 96

Alan Kidd In praise of restification Gallery Where playing off-piste is actually encouraged Destinations Darvaza: The scariest campsite on the planet Lost Lanes Remembering the lost beauty of Roych Clough What Jeep Did Next… The mighty Mopar Wrangler Recon Products Handy bits and wantable kit for your truck and workshop Roadbook Step-by-step laning route in the Derby Dales Next Month Get to grips with a pair of sensational Arctic Trucks

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Features 40 44 48 56

Jeep Wrangler First drive of the all-new JL holds a lot of promise Sleeper 110 Beautifully restored – and packing a mighty V8 punch Restified LJ Sensational Suzuki both restored and modified In Search of Pie A lane run with a very serious purpose…

Our 4x4s 68 82

Defender 90 Conquering Two Dales in, er, one-wheel drive…

Skoda Kodiaq How much can you fit in one SUV?

Off-Road Scene 68 69 70 88 74

Landies do Goodwood What’s that coming over the hill…?

Win a 90 And all you have to do is… buy a 90 Welsh Landy Fest Club takeover of a county show. Good skills Powys Lane Repairs A local authority actually doing its job Valhalla Challenge Hard going in the annual team challenge

Off-Road Calendar 69 75 78

UK Convoy Tours Tag-along runs on public rights of way Pay-and-Play Events Go in as hard as you want Overland Travel Long-range adventures in your 4x4

‘The song “Can’t Stop Now” always reminds me of the time when my old Discovery 2 suffered a bout of brake fade in the Yorkshire Dales…’

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Alan Kidd Editor

R

Why just restore an old truck when it’s more fun to restify it?

estification is one of those odd words that doesn’t make any sense at all until you understand what it means and then it makes all the sense in the world ost people refer to restified trucks as resto modded’ but to me restify’ is a very tidy description of what you do when you save an old from the knackers yard while at the same time turning it into more than it ever was in the first place bviously it’s been a big big thing in and over circles since time immemorial ou could argue that hybrid building was a form of restification after all those vehicles’ identities tended to come from the clapped out ange overs upon whose butchered chassis they were created nd if you want to build a modified ange over these days you’re almost obliged to do it as a restoration ob because it’s pretty rare to find a first generation e ample nowadays that isn’t either already restored and therefore worth a king’s ransom or desperately in need of it hen of course there are all those s and s hese are vehicles designed for the sort of work that means they’ll need a ma or freshen up while they’ve still got plenty of life left in them and sure enough there are efenders out there on their second or third cycle of restoration maybe more nd of course with each one there tends to come a new suite of mods iven that the price of a eep Wrangler whether new or used has in recent times climbed faster than the security budget for onald rump’s visit to the U it’s hard to imagine anybody scrapping one of those either We’re still some way from the point where aftermarket companies start making galvanised chassis for them the way they do for old andies but the demand for services of that nature will surely grow ike the efender and indeed like all proper off road vehicles the Wrangler is ripe for modifying straight out of the bo t the launch of the new model which you can read about in this issue a senior eep bigwig said that Wranglers stay stock for about five minutes’ and the size of the company’s own parts and accessories programme illustrates how big a business

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this is eepers in the US are more likely to invest in a new vehicle as their off road toy than we are in ritain but restification is a huge thing over there too and if you want to you can do a whole pro ect without looking past you local main dealer ot that it’s ust about eeps over there ne of the best vehicles we’ve ever featured was a restified Series and ruiser from alifornia in fact another of the best vehicles we’ve ever featured was another restified Series this time from fordshire which goes to show that the mericans don’t have a monopoly on cool trucks nd if you want to see a classic e ample of a restified look no further than this here magazine he Suzuki you’ll find was a literal show stopper when it first appeared Its builder took it from a rusty wreck to a living embodiment of the ultimate he dreamed about as a kid restoring it to showroom condition while also modifying it into a beautifully enhanced version of Suzuki’s original he same can be said of the you’ll also find in this issue In this case however you’d be hard pressed to spot any differences between it and a stock one until you try to burn it off at the lights… hat to me is the difference between restification and the straightforward classic car scene raditional restoration has an air of anoraks rivet counting or whatever other cliche you fancy It’s a bit earnest estification is a fun version of that It’s like sticking two fingers up to the rules and to the soaring values associated with the back to standard restoration game It’s about bringing back vehicles that deserve to be saved and then some o me that’s recognising what makes those vehicles worth saving in the first place

el Email: en uiries assignment media co uk Web: www totaloffroad co uk www i com Online Shop: www toronline co uk Facebook: www facebook com totaloffroad www facebook com ag Editor lan idd Assistant Editor eorge ove Art Editor Samantha ’Souza Contributors ike rott ary oskill aul ooe an enn ip vans lly Sack Photographers Harry Hamm Vic eel Steve aylor ichard Hair omasz arecki Group Advertising Manager Ian rgent Tel: Advertising Manager olin shworth Tel: Advertising Sales Manager eter opley Tel: Advertising Production Sarah idd Tel: Subscriptions Manager atherine artin Subscriptions Assistants mma mery ay unnicliffe bi

utton

Publisher and Head of Marketing Sarah idd Email: sarah kidd assignment media co uk o subscribe to 4x4 incorporating Total Off-Road or renew your subscription call urrent prices for issues U issues urope irmail W Surface W irmail Distributed by Marketforce; www.marketforce.co.uk Every effort is made to ensure the contents of 4x4 are accurate, but Assignment Media accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions nor the consequences of actions made as a result of these. When responding to any advert in 4x4, you should make appropriate enquiries before sending money or entering into a contract. The publishers take reasonable care to ensure advertisers’ probity, but will not be liable for loss or damage incurred from responding to adverts Where a photo credit includes the note ‘CC BY 2.0’ or similar, the image is made available under that Creative Commons licence: details at www.creativecommons.org 4x4 is published by ssignment edia td epton House retby usiness ark shby oad retby erbyshire

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edia td

4x4 15/07/2018 11:07

Step up in Style!

Discovery 4 Electric Deployable Side Steps

See them in action at www.britpart.com/DA1512

DA1512 Discovery 4 > Easy access to your Discovery 4 > Never available from Land Rover as an OE option. > Smart design. Enhance the look of your Discovery 4. > Tucked away when driving, prevents damage. Fixed steps susceptible to damage when driving off-road. > Side steps automatically lower into place when a door is open and raise once door is shut. > Safety cut-off should step encounter an object. > Function to lower step with door shut ideal for accessing the roof. > Manufactured from aluminium - strong and light.

GALLERY

In pictures: 4x4s and off-road stories from around the world

In Britain, publicly owned forests and national parks tend to try their best to keep 4x4s out – in most cases, even when we have legal access to rights of way that run through them. In America, on the other hand, here’s what the Bureau of Land Management does. It creates recreational areas for off-road vehicles, builds rock-crawls along the side of the main tracks and advertises its forests as an attraction, free for the public to use, knowing that the 4x4 drivers who come to visit will bring valuable trade to local businesses. In other words, what it does is treat motor vehicle users the same as anyone else. Dangerously radical thinking that must be stamped out, we’re sure you’ll agree.

Shotgun_Creek_OHV_Trails, by Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

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                   

            

          

        

   

  



          

DESTINATIONS

The world’s greatest 4x4 travel adventures caught on camera – this month, the fire-spewing crater in Turkmenistan that’s known as The Mouth of ell’

Darvaza Gas Crater huge hole in the ground with fire belching out of it non stop arvaza as rater is known among locals as the outh of Hell ’ How this fearsome thing was created is shrouded in mystery but conventional wisdom has it that engineers were drilling for oil in the desert of urkmenistan when the ground collapsed eologists subse uently discovered that poisonous gases were escaping from the crater that had been formed so in order to prevent it from drifting towards nearby arvaza village they set it on fire It was e pected to die out within a couple of weeks but years later it’s still burning ferociously ou can walk right up to the edge of the crater but first you need to actually get there it’s in a part of the remote arakum esert accessed only by rough stony trails his makes it perfect for visiting as part of a e pedition or on one of the adventure tours that take it in here’s even an area near the rim that’s used as a camp site though how easy it might be to sleep when it sounds like there’s a et engine running ne t to your tent is another matter ain ic ar a a, aika ac @ flickr.com, CC BY tai ics a ak ra @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

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A DV E RT I S I N G F E AT U R E

GENERAL GRABBER AT3 AND X3:

3 GRIPPING FACTS

GENERAL GRABBER AT3 Access to any adventure!

FACT 1: EXCEPTIONAL TRACTION To get you out of very thick mud, the Grabber AT3 has an open shoulder tread design that ensures efficient selfcleaning – enabling the tyre to get the traction it needs. To prevent you from slipping and sliding on loose surfaces, this all-terrain tyre has traction ribs and sipes cut at different angles so your vehicle travels over the surface easily, with features that interlock with the ground for better grip. The exceptional traction achieved will provide you with more confidence both off-road and on the road.

FACT 2: OFF-ROAD CONFIDENCE When driving off-road, your tyres are expected to endure more punishment. If you’re looking to invest in tyres that will work longer for you, the AT3 has been designed with a robust rubber compound that gives excellent cut and chip resistance. The tread blocks have also been reinforced to reduce deformation. Both features improve tread life so that, particularly if you’re driving in rugged terrain, with a heavy load or even using a highpowered off-road vehicle, you will surely feel more confident.

This is known as General Tire’s DuraGen™ Technology.

FACT 3: A MORE COMFORTABLE DRIVING EXPERIENCE For a smooth and quiet driving experience, both on and offroad, the Grabber AT3 has been designed so that you will feel more comfortable on any terrain. This is the result of how the tread blocks are distributed in a uniform fashion that allows for an even footprint, giving you a smoother interaction with the surface. In particular, for an all-

terrain tyre, you will enjoy a considerably more comfortable and pleasant drive on the road.

Did you know? The Grabber AT3 has the M+S mark and snowflake symbol, meaning it’s suitable for use as a cold weather, all-season and winter tyre. A true all-round performer!

GENERAL GRABBER X3

Conquer your terrain with the extreme!

FACT 1: EXTREME MUD Driving in the mud can be extremely good fun, but it’s a problem if you’re not equipped with the right tyres. With the Grabber X3, you’ll enjoy extreme off-road conditions thanks to the tyre’s open tread design – which ensures high traction levels not just in the mud but in dirt, sand and gravel too. In between the tread blocks are channels that allow water and mud to clear quickly for efficient self-cleaning, which is

an essential feature you should always look for when choosing a mud tyre.

drilling, helping to extend the life of the tyre and providing added assurance.

FACT 2: EXTREME DIRT If you like playing off-road or driving in the dirt, you need an extreme 4x4 tyre that will enhance your experience.

And the X3 does just that, with superior grip on loose surfaces. The X3 has lots of biting edges for powerful hill climbs and controlled descents, a feature that’s coupled with an open pattern for when you’re driving on undulating surfaces in all sorts of conditions. The tyre is also protected with stone bumpers at the base of the grooves to prevent stone

FACT 3: EXTREME ROCK If you’re a fan of rock-crawling, you will be able to conquer the terrain with confidence and master extreme off-roading with excellent grip thanks to the X3’s highly engineered tread design. Its gripping edges set at different angles, giving it grip in every direction for when you’re driving on unpredictable rocky terrain. Protecting the tyre from debris and hidden objects are large sidewall lugs and deflection ribs – so you can be sure that you can master offroad driving even in deep ruts!

Did you know? The Grabber X3 also benefits from a 3-ply* tread design as well as fullwidth extra-strength steel belts in order to ensure extra protection in the most extreme and challenging conditions. This too is General Tire’s DuraGen™ Technology in action. *255/55 R19 111H XL has a 2-ply sidewall.

For further technical information and details of your nearest 4x4 specialist and the General Tire product range, visit WWW.4SITE4X4TYRES.CO.UK or telephone 0870 112 9401

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30/07/2018 15:47

LOST LANES

In memory of Britain’s many rights of way which, over the years, have fallen victim to petty politics and local self-interest

Roych Clough When a right of way has its motor vehicle rights removed by a national park committee whose chairman belongs to an organisation that campaigns for motor vehicles to be banned from the countryside, you might be forgiven for feeling like giving up. But the local authorities ombudsman said it wasn’t a con ict of interest so that’s alright espite the availability of several alternative management solutions, Roych Clough and the neighbouring Chapel Gate were closed for good in etween these and many other erbyshire lanes which have suffered a similar fate they attracted hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of tourist income to the area every year: now, the businesses that benefited are that little bit poorer the countryside is that little bit less diverse and walkers have that little bit more land to use as a dog toilet without having to worry about sharing it with people in 4x4s.

10 | SEPTEMBER 2018

4/5pp Gallery etc Sep.indd 10

4x4 25/07/2018 21:51

Extreme performance and durability on all surfaces

The General Tire X3 delivers outstanding off-road performance and superb road-going capabilities.

Designed with an aggressive tread and sidewall pattern for enhanced traction in mud, dirt, sand, snow and gravel

An efficient self-cleaning tread pattern The complete range has a speed capability of a Q-rating (99mph) – highly unique for this pattern type

Provides a 3-ply construction on all sizes* with a tough compound for durability and ultimate stability (DuraGen™ Technology) General Tire. A brand of Continental.

Visit our website for further technical information and details of your nearest 4X4 stockist

WWW.4SITE4X4TYRES.CO.UK | 0870 112 9401 TESTv2.indd 2

10/01/2018 15:43

WHAT JEEP DID NEXT…

Historical highlights of the concept vehicles Jeep builds every year for the Moab Easter Safari. This month: an off-road titan from five years ago

2013: Wrangler Mopar Recon The Wrangler Mopar Recon was a perfect illustration of what Jeep’s Easter Safari concepts are all about – building a vibe around the brand, while at the same time showcasing kit sold through Mopar’s Performance Parts programme.

Here’s how it’s done. Take a brand new Wrangler JK Unlimited, fetch out its engine and drop in a 6.4-litre HEMI lump fresh from the crate olt it to a five speed bo then replace the a les with a pair of ana s to cope with the engine’s bhp output. Bolt up a set of 39” tyres on forged beadlock rims, and instal 4.1:1 diffs to correct the overall gearing. Easy, right? here’s more too hose a les were located by a prototype long arm suspension kit featuring remote reservoir o shocks giving an lift of plus the e tra height of the tyres Elsewhere, the Recon featured modded bumpers with a front stinger and winch mount, high-clearance arches, rock rails, a Rubicon bonnet and a swing-away spare wheel carrier. On went front and rear half-door and window kits, the hard-top made way for a full canvas hood the headlamps were prototype s Inside, a slightly odd US Navy theme was carried off using maritime camou age and blankets to trim the seats We’re pretty sure this didn’t allude to any sort of other-worldly ability the vehicle had to be driven on water, though it would certainly have taken something pretty deep to stop it.

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4x4 25/07/2018 21:51

Jeep Parts and Accessories Tel: 01482 666491

Jeepey Jamboree Off road weekend for Jeep Owners 30th June – 1st July, Held at Carlton Towers DN14 9LZ – Visit Jeepey.com for more details and to book.

4x4 TOR Folios and classifieds.indd 51

SEPTEMBER 2018 | 13

30/07/2018 08:11

4x4 NEWS

MORE DETAILS ON NEW JIMNY Three-link live beam axles front and rear • 1.5-litre petrol engine with 101bhp and 95lbf/ft

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urther information has been released on the first new Suzuki Jimny in twenty years, as the old 1.3-litre engine grows and a raft of new safety tech is introduced – but the underlying traditions of the off-road design that served the old model so well remain firmly in place The new Jimny will utilise a 15% lighter litre petrol engine producing bhp and lbf ft While these figures are hardly epic in their own right, the vehicle’s kerb weight of little more than kg puts them in conte t suggesting the new Jimny will be usefully sprightlier than the old model he imny offers approach breakover and departure angles of and degrees respectively It also gains a traction control system which applies the brakes in cross a le situations to send tor ue to where it will be most useful.

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3.5 News Sep.indd 14

s we reported last month the Jimny remains based on a traditional ladder-frame chassis.

However the new structure is significantly stronger with three e tra crossmembers providing greater torsional rigidity. Hanging from the chassis are front and rear a les located using three link systems ideal for providing the best possible articulation and of course far easier to lift than any sort of independent set up The 1.5-litre engine is mated to a choice of five speed manual and four speed auto bo es both of them driving all four wheels through a part time system with high and low ratio transfer gears.

Rather than an electronic dial, the transfer bo remains operated by a traditional lever on the transmission tunnel helping keep the imny as simple and therefore reliable as possible

This doesn’t mean Suzuki has rejected modern technology, however In a giant leap forward from the old model, the new Jimny features autonomous emergency braking lane departure warning weaving alert, high-beam assist and road sign recognition.

These features will not necessarily be standard on all models in the UK, however

uropean consumers tend to demand the most highly specced versions of any car and that’s no different even in the case of an off-roader like the Jimny. We’ll learn more as the vehicle’s introduction approached and with the first media drive due for mid September we’ll be able to bring you our first verdict from behind the wheel in two issues’ time.

4x4 25/07/2018 21:53

4x4 NEWS TEN-OFF EDITION CELEBRATES PIKES PEAK SUCCESS FOR BENTAYGA SPECIALIST 4X4 VEHICLE DISMANTERS JEEP - LAND ROVER AND MOST MAKES AND MODELS QUALITY GUARANTEED USED PARTS SOME OF THE VEHICLES WE HAVE RECENTLY DISMANTLED:

IT RAISED A FEW EYEBROWS when Bentley announced that its entrant into this year’s Pikes Peak was going to be a Bentayga. But it paid off, as the vehicle set a new record on the climb for a production SUV. Rhys Millen piloted the course in 10:49.9 – covering the 12.42-mile sprint almost two minutes quicker than the previous record. he entayga was modified for the challenge although not by much Alterations consisted of racing seats in the front and none in the back, an krapovic e haust a roll cage fire e tinguisher and sticky irelli tyres In celebration of the achievement, a very limited run of 10 Pikes Peak Edition Bentaygas will go on sale in August. They’ll have the same W12 engine and will be available in the same Radium green as the record breaker, though there will also be a black paint option if you don’t feel quite that bold. Wheels are 22” alloys with Radium accents and the seats are trimmed in colour co-ordinated leather and alcantara. The dashboard, meanwhile, bears a graphic of the world-famous hillclimb.

No price has been advised. But with such a limited production run, and being on offer to both American and European customers, the Bentayga Pikes Peak is sure to sell out very quickly – however much it might cost.

2015 JEEP WRANGLER JK 2.8CRD

2007 DODGE NITRO 2.8CRD

2016 RANGE ROVER EVOQUE 2.0 TD4

2014 RANGE 2016 ISUZU 2014 JEEP ROVER SPORT 4.4 D-MAX 2.5 DIESEL CHEROKEE MK5 V8 DIESEL KL 2.0 MULTIJET

Prices announced for new-look Santa Fe 2010 JEEP 2007 LAND ROVER CHEROKEE MK4 DISCOVERY 3 2.7 KK 2.8 CRD TDV6

Hyundai has announced that its revised Santa Fe will be priced from £38,995 in 4x4 form. All versions of the new-look seven-seater will be powered by a 2.2-litre diesel engine with 197bhp, 324lbf.ft and a choice of six-speed manual and eight-speed auto boxes.

The four-wheel drive option, which is available with the upper two trim grades, includes three drive modes providing a choice of torque splits between the two axles. All are predominantly front-biased, however there’s also a 4WD Lock position which splits output 50:50 front-to-rear for off-road use. Sales are due to commence at the start of September.

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2008 HONDA CRV 2.2 CDTI

2006 JEEP GRAND 2006 NISSAN CHEROKEE WK PATHFINDER 2.5 5.7 V8 HEMI DCI Charlton Recycled Auto Parts Vehicle Recycling Centre, Gravel Pit Hill, Thriplow, Cambridge, SG8 7HZ Tel 01223 832656 Email parts@charltonautoparts.co.uk PLEASE VISIT WWW.CHARLTONAUTOPARTS.CO.UK SEPTEMBER 2018 | 15

26/07/2018 15:42

4x4 NEWS

NEW ENGINE FOR DISCOVERY Twin-turbocharged 3.0 SDV6 • 302bhp, 516lbf.ft • 7.0-second 0-60 time, 36.2mpg combined

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and Rover has updated the Discovery with the addition of further driver aids – as well as a new twin-turbocharged diesel engine.

This is the 3.0 SDV6, whose output of 302bhp and 516lbf.ft makes it the most potent diesel option in the Disco range.

Fuel consumption for the engine is quoted at 36.2mpg combined, while the 0-60mph sprint is despatched in a suitably strong 7.0 seconds. Towing capacity, naturally, remains as usual at the legal maximum of 3500kg. As with all Discoverys, the unit is available only in conjunction with the eight-speed automatic gearbox.

The twin-turbocharged lump has a revised intake system featuring twin intercoolers, plus an eightnozzle injector design to balance performance and efficiency In line with recent updates made to other

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models powertrains are now fitted with particulate filters to help keep a lid on emissions.

Clear Exit Detection has been added to the Discovery’s stable, alerting passengers if vehicles, cyclists or hazards of any other nature are approaching from behind when exiting the vehicle. warning light ashes on the doors should an obstacle be detected, alerting occupants and decreasing the likelihood of them opening the door (or indeed jumping out) into its path.

Another addition is a Stop and Go function to the adaptive cruise control, which means it will automatically slow the vehicle to a stop with traffic then if it moves again within three seconds, set off with it and maintain a set distance behind the vehicle in front. Pricing for the new Discovery SDV6 starts at £55,665 OTR.

Levante GTS makes world debut at Goodwood

Premiered at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed was Maserati’s Levante GTS. Boasting 550bhp and 538lbf.ft from a twin turbo, 3.8-litre V8 built by Ferrari, this can hit 62mph in 4.2 seconds and carry on to 181mph. The vehicle is still to be confirmed for the UK market, however sources close to Maserati say it will arrive here before the end of the year with prices likely to be shadow the Porsche Cayenne Turbo – meaning precious little change out of a hundred grand.

4x4 25/07/2018 21:53

4x4 NEWS SsangYong announces monster warranty

C O M IN G S O O N Forthcoming 4x4s due later this year and beyond

At the recent launch of its new Musso double-cab, South Korean 4x4 specialist SsangYong announced a bold new warranty for the vehicle – with all models now qualifying for seven years and 150,000 miles’ worth of cover.

The same guarantee will also be offered on the Rexton, which shares the Musso’s underpinnings – even retrospectively on vehicles which have already been sold. Owners will be contacted by their dealers and offered a choice between the new cover and a shorter-term policy with unlimited mileage.

ALFA ROMEO HAS ANNOUNCED a price tag of £89,500 OTR for the Stelvio Quadrifoglio NRING, a 108-strong special edition celebrating the vehicle’s record-breaking lap of the Nurburgring last autumn.

Powered by a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 with 510 bhp and 442lbf.ft, this has a 0-60 time of 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 176mph. In addition to standard uadrifoglio spec it comes with Sparco carbon fibre racing seats carbon-ceramic brakes and a Mopar gear lever and a leather and alcantara wrapped steering wheel – both with carbon inserts. here s plenty of carbon fibre on the outside too he grille surround is made of the stuff, as are the mirror caps and inserts in the side skirts.

Inside, the infotainment module is Alfa’s top-spec 8.8” touchscreen Harman Kardon DAB sound system.

Each of the 108 examples will also get a numbered plaque on the dashboard ade from carbon fibre naturally nd each will come with uthen ticity ertification’ from Heritage as well as a goody bag containing Sparco driving gloves, a customised soft shell jacket, an Alfa Sports bag, Quadrifoglio cuff links and original footwear by Car Shoe, as well as a 1:18 scale model of the vehicle itself. uyers will receive a place on a driving techni ues course at the ing in 2019, too. It all goes together to make the vehicle itself almost sound like an after thought but you shouldn’t need long behind the wheel to figure out that that’s not the case at all. Hopefully at least some will be driven rather than laid down as investments.

4x4 3.5 News Sep.indd 17

Abarth 500X Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo Aston Martin DBX Audi SQ2 Audi Q4 Audi Q6 e-tron Audi Q8 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid BMW X4 BMW X5 BMW X7 Citroen double-cab Cupra Ateca Dacia Duster DS 7 Crossback hybrid Ford Edge facelift Ford Ranger Wildtrak X Honda CR-V Hyundai Kona EV Hyundai Hyundai Santa Fe INEOS Grenadier nfiniti Jaguar F-Pace SVR Jeep Jeep Cherokee facelift Jeep Cherokee Desert Hawk Jeep Compass Trailhawk Jeep Wrangler Jeep Scrambler Jeep Grand Commander Jeep Wagoneer Lamborghini Urus Land Rover Defender Land Rover Discovery SVX Lexus UX Maserati Mercedes G-Class Mercedes-AMG G-Class Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Mitsubishi Shogun Sport Van Nissan Juke Nissan Navara AT32 Peugeot double-cab Rolls-Royce Cullinan Seat Ateca X-Perience Seat 7-seater Skoda Kodiaq Coupe Ssangyong XAVL Ssangyong Korando Suzuki Jimny Toyota Hilux Invincible X Toyota Land Cruiser Van

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SEPTEMBER 2018 | 17

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DRIVEN FIRST DRIVE SsangYong Musso

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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 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 also 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 short – 1300mm as compared to 1485mm for, to pluck out a competitor at random, the Isuzu D-Max. It’ll still take a Euro pallet, however, and SsangYong has plans in place to offer more – from the end of this

year, the range will grow to include a long-wheelbase model 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 essential luxuries including air-con, 17” alloys, DAB, Bluetooth, electric windows

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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, faux-leather seats, heated 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, powered front seats, heated rear seats, cruise control, 9.2” sat-nav, cruise control and a variety of trim brightwork.

There’s also a launch model, the Rhino, which for £28,495 gives you auto transmission, 20” black alloys, General Grabber AT3 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 a hundred like it.

In addition to all this, during the first phase of the vehicle’s life an initial batch of Saracen models is going to be fitted with 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 suitable fitment on everyday alloys. These big alloys will also be wrapped in Grabber AT3s, however, which is a tidy bonus.

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 can say that none of them feel sparse.

Indeed, even the entry-level version has a leather-trimmed 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 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 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 planning to fit one of the load bed canopies that will become available soon after the Musso’s on-sale date at the start of August.

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 creates is just as good.

The Saracen’s media screen, for example, is both big and extremely crisp, and it’s integrated into the dash rather than being attached on to it like an afterthought.

In the back, knee room is a little cramped behind a tall driver, so fitting one si footer behind another requires a bit of give and take. It’s achievable, though, and headroom is fine as is the view out, so travelling in the back is much less of a chore than in most double-cabs.

INTERIORS AS INDIVIDUAL AS YOU ARE

GUARANTEED RUSKIN INSIDE

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To arrange a Bespoke Design Consultation Call 0116 277 3701 or Email bespoke@ruskindesign.co.uk

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SEPTEMBER 2018 | 19

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TEST AREA

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

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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.

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 now, 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 more or less everyone in the UK who wanted to go off-road in something 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 the Musso will compete.

With a 7-year, 150,000-mile warranty to go with its low purchase 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 standing 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 clearly does bring something new and different to the one-tonne market.

4x4 25/07/2018 22:01

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•

DRIVEN

VOLKSWAGEN T-ROC

Volkswagen’s smallest SUV to date looks like it puts form before function – but turns out to be far more practical than you’d ever expect ON TEST T-Roc 2.0 TDI 150 4x4 SEL

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t’s hard to know what a die-hard off-road warrior will hate most about the Volkswagen T-Roc. Its name, possibly, or its cutesy coupe-like styling. Maybe, despite all the water that’s gone under the bridge in the last decade and a half, the fact that it’s a Volkswagen. If you’re one of those people who hates popular things on principle and would

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sooner drive a Humber Pig to the shops just so, you know, everyone can see that you’re your own person, this is the kind of 4x4 that will affront you at every level.

So let’s get it over with; you won’t see one of these on mudterrains or with a winch on the front. But it’s a very modern sort of SUV – and, though it’s not made to shrug off tree hits the way a

Defender is, in 4x4 form it’ll still get places with a sure-footed vigour that will get firmly on the nerves of that chap in his Humber Pig. Volkswagen’s slogan for the T-Roc is born confident ’ and there is indeed a ballsy sort of attitude to its styling. We can see it appealing hugely to the sort of girls-abouttown who listen to the Regrettes and tell everyone who’ll listen that Tinder is SO boring because, you know, EVERY right swipe is a match.

That’s probably just as much of a generalisation, and just as inaccurate, as our crack about Humber Pig man. But hey, impressions count, right? Which is why a coupe-cum-SUV exists in the first place

Said coupe-cum-SUV is, all preconceptions aside, a smart looking little number, And it looks funky inside, especially if you choose the orange leather option for the seats orn confident remember, which you’d need to be about what’ll happen when you come to sell it again.

Inside, it looks the way you expect, with Volkswagen’s typically slick, unfussy styling. Material quality isn’t quite as good as other models higher up the like-a-Tiguan ladder, with some hard and even quite scratchy plastics around the dash, but build quality is excellent and, with a big media screen dominating things in the SEL model we drove, it’s thoroughly attractive to look

4x4 25/07/2018 21:42

The T-Roc’s cabin is styled with the same class and simplicity as the rest of Volkswagen’s SUV range, though the tactile quality of the materials isn’t always as good as on more elevated models. There’s plenty of space in what is a very comfortable driver’s seat, and plenty of places to stow your odds and ends. Whether you’ve got enough guts to specify the optional orange leather (below) is up to you, but it does look better than we ever thought such a thing could at. The materials might not be as sumptuous as those on some VWs, too, but the quality with which the cabin is put together is rock-solid.

Whatever you think of the colour orange, the seats are excellent, with a classy feel to the trim and loads of support. They’re so comfortable, in fact, that we did several hundred miles in our T-Roc before realising that they had been optioned with lumbar adjust. There’s a good view from the driver’s seat, too, even if the windscreen is quite shallow and steeply-raked by SUV standards.

Also perhaps surprising is that there’s plenty of headroom.

Elbow and leg room are good, too, though the seats do need to be fully back if you’re in six-footer territory – which means that someone of the same height will find it a little cramped if they have to sit behind you. It’s better than you might expect, though, and the seat-backs are deeply hollowed to accommodate your knees.

More surprising still is the amount of headroom in the back, which makes the T-Roc a genuinely comfortable car in which for four adults to travel. The seats don’t slide or recline, but that’s alright

4x4 3pp T-Roc.indd 23

because they don’t need to – in fact, to our astonishment, we found it more spacious than in the second row of a Tiguan Allspace.

Another surprise is the amount of stowage space around the cabin, highlights of which include a good, big glovebox and deep, wide door pockets. There’s a big slot at the front of the oor console too we could name several much bigger SUVs that don’t do as good a job in this area.

For bigger cargo, the rear seats fold close to at with a split creating a cargo bay that’s as long as you could ever hope for given the size of the vehicle. There’s a slight lip at the tailgate, but the aperture is good and wide, so big items will go in as easily as possible. n the road the I engine is as masterful as ever, with the bhp output of this mid range version proving to be all the T-Roc needs to whisk it around. It’s very nippy in town, with all the in-gear pull you need, and on the motorway it has a level of composure you’d expect from a bigger car. It rides smoothly and quietly and, on the sensibly sized s of our test vehicle, didn’t need constant corrections to keep it on line.

On the sort of road where fun things happen, its body control is excellent and its steering is lively without being hard work. You can chuck it about with a big smile on your face rather than beads of sweat running down your temples. ecide for yourself whether this is a good or bad thing, but if it’s the latter there’s a chance that you’re reading the wrong magazine. ur oc was a otion model with a quartet of drive modes,

including an off-road programme in which it can be wrestled over reasonably tricky terrain. Always bearing its ground clearance and shallow approach and departure angles into account, not to mention the extremely road-biased tread on its tyres it’ll fight for all the traction it can find even in the sort of sloppy, mildly rutted terrain in which 99% of Land Rover efenders or these days ord Rangers and Nissan Navaras) earn

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Above left: Legroom in the rear is better than you expect, and headroom is far better. It’s actually more spacious here than in the second row of the seven-seat Tiguan Allspace

their day-to-day living, it’ll keep moving pretty competently.

Back on the road, further technology includes a load of safety assist functions such as adaptive cruise, pedestrian detection, lanekeeping assist and autonomous braking his was in fact the first test vehicle in which we’ve ever experienced this kicking in in anger, when we tried to mount a bank of sand and it thought we were driving into a low wall. It doesn’t mess about, we can tell you.

Given the way car prices have gone in the last few years (clue: it’s

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not down), all this for just £28,345 sounds like a bit of a bargain to us.

The vehicle we tested had a variety of options fitted that would take it up to £31,900, but even then it’s a good deal for your money – especially if you’re a bit of a fourwheeled fashionista.

Not the kind who wants to go to Tesco in a Humber Pig, obviously.

But even if you don’t know who The Regrettes are, and swiping right on Tinder gets you knocked back most of the time, the T-Roc still looks like a winning entry into the small SUV market.

VERDICT

Above right: The T-Roc isn’t built to be the ultimate load-lugger, but a small SUV built on the same platform as the Skoda Kodiaq can hardly help but punch above its weight in this area

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Volkswagen T-Roc Looks like a style wagon but sets a new benchmark in the small SUV market

The T-Roc is much more practical than you would expect – and much, much better in the back seats. It’s all-round excellent on the road, too, and as well as being keenly priced it comes with a stack of equipment. If you don’t like its styling, you’re not the kind of person it’s out to attract – but if you do, it’s looking a lot like the new one to beat in the small SUV market

4x4 25/07/2018 21:42

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www.polaris-britain.com *Ɨ Subject to terms and conditions and credit approval. Finance available for new Polaris Utility ATVs, UTVs, Sport and Leisure excluding Youth. Finance offer ends 31st December 2018. Please contact your local Polaris dealer for details.

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01/05/2018 12:37

DRIVEN

ISUZU D-MAX UTILITY

Latest version of Isuzu’s popular double-cab offers an unparalleled range of high-spec and specialised options – but makes a strong case for itself in simple work-spec form ON TEST D-Max Double-Cab Utility

I

suzu has done a pretty aggressive job of grabbing itself a piece of the pick-up action with the D-Max. The company offers plenty of premium options indeed it was the first in the UK to offer a version built by Arctic Trucks, and it doesn’t come much more premium than that. But its strategy of targeting the rural market means the base-spec Utility

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model has a particularly important role to play in the D-Max range.

Priced at £19,604 plus VAT (£24,430 inclusive on the road) in double-cab form, this version of the D-Max comes out punching in terms of value for money.

Predictably, it’s not over-burdened with luxuries, however you do get air-conditioning and all-round electric windows, as well as the

full set of safety items. Hill descent control is included, too, even if it ought to be completely redundant on a vehicle with low range and a manual gearbox.

Inside, the seats are trimmed in a tough, grippy fabric that feels like it ought to wear well, even with a similarly heavy-duty set of overalls being launched on and off of it several times a day. The owner of said overalls will most likely invest in a set of waterproof covers, at any rate, as they’re likely to be covered in a toxic blend of wet substances most of the time.

The same is sure to apply to your boots, only more so, which is why the D-Max Utility comes with vinyl ooring rather than carpets

This means you can hose it out after a dirty session in the fields or forests without having to worry about whether the mushrooms that appear in your footwells the following morning are edible.

The dash panels are predictably plain and simple, moulded from hard plastics that won’t win any design awards but also won’t object to being wiped down with a wet cloth. The whole of the facia is laid out with the sort of basic simplicity that comes from there not being many toys to operate – it’s been a long time since we drove something whose steering wheel didn’t have any controls on it for the stereo, nav, phone, ejector seat and so on, but we survived to tell the tale.

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e e si et t it e t e

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he oor console is a tough solid ob with a decent sized cubby bo in it ahead of which you’ll find a lever operated handbrake and a big chunky dial to operate the transfer case his is a little vulnerable to getting knocked inadvertently which could lead to you setting off in four wheel drive or even low range after lobbing a load of shopping on to the passenger’s seat but you’ll probably agree that that’s a detail ore important is an e cellent range of stowage options which in addition to that cubby includes a superb double glovebo good door pockets a dash top bin and a hidden tray under your seat alking of seats these are supportive but not enveloping ou might not choose this model for an eight hour stint on the motorway nor an e hausting session on your favourite road but for the sort of work you want from a vehicle in the real world it’s right on the money hey’re comfortably s uidgy around town too and the view you get in all directions including over your shoulders is e cellent So too by the standards of the pick up market in general is accommodation in the rear seats egroom and headroom alike are

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among the best you’ll get it’s still not as good as riding in the back of a large SUV and nor can it match the perennially outstanding ord anger but we’ve long since found the a to be the best of the rest and this one despite being in low spec form is no different side from the obvious lack of toys indeed about the only tell tale sign of this being a basic model was that the engine seemed to us to

be louder than in more e pensive versions hat’s not something to be dismissed as the litre unit powering all versions of the a is hardly famed for being uiet in the first place in the sort of conditions for which a person buys a utility pick up it shouldn’t be of any concern but if what you’re really after is a lifestyle truck for long motorway runs and all round family duties line it up alongside

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the seats as reasons to think twice before signing on the line side from that this a drives no differently to its more elevated brethren he engine definitely does its best work without being revved as you’d e pect and the manual bo is well udged to let you keep it at the top of its tor ue curve though changing gear does re uire uite a slow deliberate action

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Above left: Double glovebox is a highlight of a cabin which is tough and straightforward but as practical as they come, it t i se ts d se t i

One thing we particularly like about this version of the D-Max is that it comes on 16” steel rims, as opposed to the 17” jobs which are now the norm for base-spec pickups. These are shod with 245/60R16 Dunlop Grandtreks, which stand about 29.5” tall – enough for most, but we’d be tempted to invest in the Pedders suspension kit Isuzu offers as an accessory in order to make room for 265/75R16s. Even then, you’re only talking about an extra inch under the diffs, but who among us can say they couldn’t do with an extra inch?

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There’s no appreciable impact on the truck’s ride from its higherprofile tyres nor on its handling In each case, it’s still a D-Max, with just that bit more noise than the premium versions if you ask it to put in a shift on the motorway.

That, however, would be a simple case of bad vehicle choice. If you want a lifestyle D-Max and try to save a few quid by plumping for a Utility model, you’re making a false economy. Choose it for the right reasons, though, and this is a trustworthy tool of work that’s absolutely fit for purpose

VERDICT

Above right: Front and rear seats alike provide good legroom, allowing one six-footer to sit behind another in more comfort than in almost any other double-cab

HHHH

Isuzu D-Max Double-Cab Utility A no-frills example of what a work truck ought to be like The D-Max is available in a wide range of lifestyle forms, and credit to Isuzu for the imagination it’s put into this. But when you drive a high-spec model, the refinement of its en ine and drivetrain are thrown into focus – whereas in this model, it seems to fit pretty much perfectly. This is a true stripped-back work truck, at a price that makes it feel all the better to be keeping it real.

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DRIVEN

VAUXHALL Mokka X ON TEST Mokka X 1.4T Elite Nav

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auxhall’s 4x4 range is a bit of a strange one.

The company launched an SUV offensive last year – but the new Crossland X and Grandland X models don’t actually have four-wheel drive. At all.

Anywhere in the range.

That leaves another newcomer, the Insignia Country Tourer, which strode off with the Crossover Estates category title in our 2018 4x4 of the Year awards. It does have the option of all-wheel drive, so that’s a step in the right direction.

And then there’s the Mokka X, an actual SUV with a smattering of 4x4 options throughout the upper half of its range.

The Mokka X is available with two engines, a turbocharged

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1.4-litre petrol and a 1.6 CDTi diesel. Each unit can be had in 4x4 form with any of the the top three spec levels out of a range of five what we have here is the 1.4T in Elite Nav form, which is one step down from the top.

Inside, the cabin has a tidy, light, airy feel to it, with chic styling that’s clearly aimed at a youthful audience.

The materials look good – better than they feel to touch in some cases, though there’s nothing to fault in the way it’s put together and oddment stowage is better than average for such a small SUV. The vehicle’s diminutive size doesn’t prevent you from getting comfortable up front, and there’s s good, high driving position which gives you an excellent view all

round. We found the seats a little at in the base but head and leg room are in generous supply.

Space in the rear is a lot less generous, with limited leg room meaning it’s definitely best suited to children. The seats don’t fold or recline, but they do drop down with a 60:40 split to create a decentsized cargo bay. The folding system is pretty old-school, with the squabs tilting forward to make space for the backs to nestle into. This allows them to fall nearly at they do live a bit of a slope, but no step for you to wrestle your stuff over.

The tailgate aperture is as wide as you could ask for, if a little rounded at the bottom corners, and the oor is nice and low his does mean you have a lip to lug your

shopping over, but that’s the price you pay for gaining every last scrap of cargo capacity.

The typical Mokka X buyer is likely to be more interested in the vehicle’s infotainment offering, at any rate. And this is very good, with all the usual high-end features like sat-nav, DAB, Bluetooth and phone mirroring joining the list as you move up the range. Vauxhall also offers the OnStar system, which gives you features like a 4G wi fi hotspot vehicle tracking and enhanced phone pairing features.

Want to be able to find your vehicle in a crowded car park by using an app to honk the horn and ash the lights? It’s done On the road, the Mokka X is a very easy SUV to drive, with light,

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Above: The cabin has a light, airy feel to it and is well put together, even if some of the materials are better to look at than they are to touch. Infotainment options in particular are a highlight Ri t 4 s it e se ts d e t it t e old-fashioned but effective squab-tumbling mechanism.

The result is as good a cargo bay as you can reasonably hope for from a vehicle of this size

4x4 2pp Mokka.indd 31

was a Lotus Elise (sorry, a Vauxhall VX220), but for real-world Mokka drivers it’ll be ust fine The engine is good and quiet, too, with nothing to note in the way of drivetrain vibration to disturb you. The suspension does get a bit fussy, though, with pattery jolts coming into the cabin on all but the smoothest of surfaces. It does a good job of damping out the impacts when a jagged-edged pothole jumps up to get you, though.

Noise-wise, the engine remains quiet at speed, though wind and road noise build to the point where they’re a bit intrusive on the motorway. Here, the feeling of lightness that makes it so good around town has a tendency to turn

itself into an element of brittleness that makes it harder to feel settled.

Thus the Mokka X is not a bad SUV – just one that needs to be chosen forthe right reasons. If the vast bulk of your miles are done around town, or at lower speeds

on country lanes, it may well be a better answer to your needs than you’d expect. And if four-wheel drive matters to you as much as it should, it’ll give you something no other SUV with a Vauxhall badge on its bonnet can deliver.

HHHH

VERDICT

direct steering that makes relaxing work of city streets. You pay for this at higher speeds, however, where the lack of weight becomes a lack of feel.

Nonetheless, handling is perfectly fair, with all the grip you could reasonably want and a bit of body roll to keep you honest in corners.

It’s not trying to be a sports car, but if you drive it for what it is the results are perfectly satisfying.

Performance-wise, the 1.4T engine has plenty of zest and the manual gearbox to which it’s mated in 4x4 models has a really slick, light action that’s well suited to easy driving around town. You might find it a bit short on crispness if you wish every car in the world

Vauxhall Mokka X 1.4T Elite Nav Friendly, approachable little SUV that’s best suited to the town It may sound like damning with faint praise to say the Mokka X is in its element around town, but really it’s just recognising the vehicle for what it is.

It will appeal to mums with young families, and it has just the right blend of youthful appeal and high-tech modern equipment to appeal to parents and kids alike. Its rear seats aren’t so good for adults, however – but, while it lacks an element of refinement, it s up for it on most roads.

SEPTEMBER 2018 | 31

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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 allterrain we reckon the company’s new Worm rive should oat your 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 of modifications developed by the well known 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.

When I first started driving the a ’ he says it didn’t have the Super ro upgrades fitted I did about miles before it was updated with the whole package and it transformed the car he first thing you notice is the ride uality and it meant that normal day-to-day driving was a far more pleasant experience. nother key benefit is the stability the vehicle has now with less sway and 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 with the Super ro package fitted he’s not e perienced 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

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 includes e isting fitments for the Amarok – which are fully compatible with its new steel and aluminium heavy-duty front bumper.

The bumper weighs 46kg with s installed and is fully 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

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with a 1.5mm wall. The steps weigh kg with their fittings adding 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.

4x4 26/07/2018 16:46

Wheel and tyre packages available Untitled-1 1

0800 030 6887 www.xs4x4.parts sales@xs4x4.parts 30/07/2018 08:02

PRODUCTS

SIX-TONNE WHEEL CHOCKS FROM IRONMAN PROMISE TO KEEP YOUR TRUCK WHERE IT IS IRONMAN 4X4 has added these 6-Tonne Wheel Chocks to its seemingly never-ending range of offroad accessories. Designed to withstand the responsibility of holding a parked truck if a brake should fail, they’re made from UV-stable urethane that is chemical and corrosion resistant and are light enough in weight to be easily shifted about.

Sold in packs of two, the chocks come complete with a mounting bracket which allows for neat stowage – as well as quick and easy access to the chocks when you need them. Like the rest of the Ironman 4x4 range, they’re brought to Britain by West Coast ff oad you ll find them at westcoastoffroad.co.uk.

RUGGED RIDGE LAUNCHES TUBULAR DOORS FOR NEW WRANGLER

GOT A WRANGLER JL ON ORDER? We know at least some of you have. And if you’re one of them, you’ll struggle not to feel a bit of a frisson when you check out these tubular doors from Rugged Ridge.

Available for short and long-wheelbase models alike, the doors have a single-piece 50mm tube running around their outer perimeter, plus a contoured latch plate with a powder coated finish to provide a strong muscular appearance High uality rotary latches and rubber bumpers provide a secure closure for what Rugged Ridge promises will be a rattle-free performance.

Supplied in pairs the doors come without mirrors but with ad ustable pins to match the factory hinges hey carry a five year warranty too ou needn’t e pect this kind of kit to cost sweeties naturally based on ugged idge’s uoted selling price in the US budget for about per pair and you won’t be too far off o find out more check in to www ruggedridge com

36 | SEPTEMBER 2018

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PRODUCTS

ULTRA-SLIM INSPECTION LAMP FROM RING SHEDS LIGHT IN THE SMALLEST GAPS WORKSHOP LIGHTING EXPERT Ring has launched a new slimline inspection lamp designed to light up even the narrowest, gloomiest crevices in your vehicle’s innards . he e Slim is ust mm thick meaning it can get light into those hard to reach spots while also providing broad illumination for the entire engine bay It features chip on board W s that emit up to lumens with a white colour temperature that makes for comfortable working conditions. he e Slim includes a torch for a focused beam making it ideal for detailed work It has a magnet for hands free use and a ratchet to position light where you need it It is rechargeable and cordless with an operating time of up to five hours he e Slim solves one of the most common problems when working on a how to get light into a narrow space in the engine bay’ says Ring’s Jim Gross. ‘We’ve combined high-umen output and a narrow design to create an inspection lamp that gives excellent general illumination, as well as the ability to get light into the hardest to reach spots.

‘As with all our inspection lamps, we’ve designed it with the workshop in mind. So as well as providing exceptional illumination, it is lightweight, comfortable to hold tough enough to withstand knocks and drops and comes with a ratchet and magnet for hands free use ’ he e Slim is part of a wide range of ing products all of which are e tensively tested in its on site IS accredited uality ssurance facilities o find out more about any of these visit ringautomotive com

Your 4x4 can do anything, right? Sadly, wrong. There’s no such thing as a truck that can’t get stuck. No, nor a driver. Not that that applies to your good self, of course, but one can’t help who one goes off-roading with, can one?

Hence the need, and it is one, for recovery kit in our lives. But, like drivers, there’s good and there’s bad. Nomad Webbing very much makes the former, having over 50 years’ experience in using, designing and manufacturing recovery gear. So, if you’re going to trust anyone’s product to get you unstuck safely, trust theirs. Their repertoire covers bridles, tree strops and slings, tow straps, kinetic tow ropes and load restraint. To view the full range, visit nomadwebbing.com.

BEARMACH INTRODUCES HEAVY- DUTY WHEELARCH TRIM KIT FOR DISCOVERY 3 AND 4

THE LAND ROVER Discovery 3 has been called a good many things, no small amount of them by exasperated owners. But few people would try to deny that of all the premium SUVs made in the last fifteen years or so few came with more off-road ability designed in. That makes it an interesting choice now for a go-anywhere toy – and if you’re brave enough, or rich enough, to use one as you all-terrain chariot of choice the aftermarket has long since started creating kit to help you do it.

The latest addition to this growing range of equipment is this heavy-duty wheelarch kit from Bearmach. Suitable for Discovery 3s and 4s alike, it’s a like-for-like replacement made from more

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durable plastics than the original trim. Give these arches the sort of whack, or scrape, that the Discovery’s basic ability allows you to dish out, and they’re that much more likely to take it.

Bearmach says the kits are easy to install, and they come complete with all the clips you need for fitting them to your Discovery 3 or 4. o find out more pay a visit to bearmach.com.

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‘THE GREAT E WRANGLER

Jeep is making no bones about it: the new Wrangler is the best off-roader it’s ever made. But as Britain prepares for its arrival this September, can the new JL model do enough to justify what’s going to be a hefty price tag?

WORDS: ALAN KIDD PICTURES: JEEP 40 | SEPTEMBER 2018

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T EST R EVER’

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his is the big one. The off-road world has been waiting for a long time for the new Jeep Wrangler – and come September, at long last you’ll be able to buy one.

You really WILL be able to buy one, too, if Jeep stays true to its promise that it will make more room on the production line for right-hand drive Wranglers. This should mean the endless supply issues that seemed to dog the outgoing model will now be a thing of the past.

The new Wrangler remains a traditional offroad machine in every way, with a ladder chassis, beam axles and a separate two-speed transfer box controlled by a manual lever. Despite this, it’s a lot lighter than before, and while it looks similar to the old one it’s different in a whole host of ways.

Under the bonnet for e ample you’ll now find a choice of 2.2-litre diesel and 2.0-litre petrol engines. Both are turbocharged, and both are mated exclusively to an eight-speed auto box – there’s no longer going to be such a thing as a manual Wrangler.

A major improvement over the old model, however, is that the transfer case will allow you to run in four-wheel drive on the road. The new Selec-Trac unit has two 4H positions, with and without a locked centre diff, in addition to the usual 2H and 4L options.

Something else we’ve been longing for is a diesel version of the Rubicon model. This is the Wrangler in hardcore off-road form, with deeper low-range transfer gears, rock rails, heavy-duty Dana 44 axles, locking front and rear diffs and a disconnecting front anti-roll bar to aid articulation.

In the previous Wrangler, the Rubicon was only ever available with a big petrol engine.

People were forever crying out for a diesel option; Jeep did offer this in LHD markets, but in the UK we’ve had to wait for it until now.

The Rubicon takes its place in a model line-up which encompassing four spec levels and two wheelbases in addition to the choice of engines.

For ‘everyday’ Wrangler buyers, there’ll be the familiar Sport and Sahara trim lines, augmented

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25/07/2018 21:32

The Wrangler’s interior is still that of a truck, not a car, but it’s massively improved over the previous model. Materials are good, the switchgear has a solid, chunky feel and you get that king-of-the-world driving position – though you still can’t see the corner of the wheelarches over the huge, curved bonnet, which makes it tricky to place on (and off) the road

on the latter by an optional Overland styling pack. This is aimed at image-conscious buyers who want to make it as luxurious as possible.

We drove a variety of models on the launch, starting with a Sahara Overland – whose interior was enough to make it obvious that Jeep has raised its game with the Wrangler. The dash design is extremely good – it’s still as upright as ever, but the materials and styling are very appealing and the layout of the dials and controls, with a sizeable media screen dominating the upper part of the facia does a fine ob of making you feel in charge.

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So too does a traditionally upright seating position, which gives you a suitably towering view of the road ahead. You have to crane to see the front corners, as the sweeping curve of the bonnet obscures your view of the wheelarches, but visibility is otherwise excellent.

The seats are comfortable, too, though in typical Wrangler style there’s very little room between them and the door ne t to you so ad usting your position won’t be the easiest of tasks if you have big hands.

We can’t yet comment on space in the rear seats, however the three-door model is very

short on luggage room while the five door has lots. No change there, then.

But there is a change on the road, and it’s a change for the better. The previous Wrangler was pretty truck-like here, but the new model rides with what is, by the standards of a traditional offroad machine, remarkable composure.

The launch took place in Austria, in an area where the roads appear to be almost completely lacking in imperfections. So the Wrangler will still have something to prove back on the scrappy surfaces of Britain. But the Overland and Rubicon models alike glided along with no sign of harshness or vibrations – and in the latter case, that was on mud-terrain tyres, too.

Handling is never going to be a strong point for an off-road machine, but the advent of fulltime four-wheel drive means a new level of grip on the road. Previous Wranglers have been tailhappy customers in the wet, which can be pretty hilarious but doesn’t fill you with confidence when you’re trying not to hold up traffic on the open road; with this model, once you’re used to the way it steers you’ll be able to chuck it around to your heart’s content.

To aid you in this, the 2.2-litre diesel engine pulls pretty well. It’s the only one we’ve driven thus far; it doles out 200bhp and 332lbf.ft, the latter from 2000rpm, so there’s no shortage of get up and go, and it feels strong throughout without ever raising its voice enough to disturb the peace n that sub ect even at a fast cruise on the autobahn we were able to hold a normal conversation without any intrusive wind or road noise to get in the way. t present pro ected economy figures with the diesel engine are in the 35-38mpg bracket, with emissions ranging from 195-209g/km.

4x4 25/07/2018 21:33

We’re yet to hear what the petrol unit returns, however it’s usefully more powerful with 272bhp at 5250rpm. Torque is down a little on the diesel at 295lbf.ft at 3000rpm, however, so we know which one most people will go for.

Whichever engine you choose, a major disappointment for a significant number of drivers will be the Wrangler’s rated towing limit. he three door can pull up to kg with the five door taking this up to kg armers will have stopped reading here. It’s not obvious why this is when the previous five door model was able to pull kg when it first came to ritain but it reinforces the common perception of the Wrangler, which Jeep itself admits to sharing, as a big boy’s toy rather than a working tool. earing this in mind first impressions continue to be of a Wrangler that’s still every inch a Wrangler – but far better inside and far, far better on the road. Which, literally, leads us to the main event.

The off-roading we were given the opportunity to do on the launch was basically a combination of Cat A forest tracks and green roads whose surfaces were at times moderately rutted or pock marked with e posed tree roots. It certainly wasn’t bountiful in its traction but, had our Rubicon’s mud-terrains failed to take it at a stroll, something would have been badly wrong.

There were no rocks of any kind, though, nor anything to require using the vehicle’s difflocks side from a few moderate a le twisters moreover, the suspension was never put to a meaningful test.

To put it another way, the Rubicon was totally untroubled by what was a fair indication of the off-roading it might be asked to do on a fairly gentle green lane run. As it should be.

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ne thing the e perience did prove is that the automatic gearbo performs admirably on steep terrain nocked into low first it behaved e actly as a manual would holding the vehicle at a controlled crawl; the Wrangler doesn’t have hill descent control and this bo demonstrated that even with an auto, fancy electronics like that shouldn’t be necessary. o some e tent the Wrangler has nothing to prove here. The JK was brilliant off-road and we always knew the JL would be too. It’s on the road that it needed a great leap forward, and thus far that’s what it looks to have done.

Sadly, something else that is looking to have made a great leap forward is what the Wrangler will cost. UK specs and prices are some way from being finalised however a eep spokesman told us that the entry-level three-door Sport model is going to cost in Italy ranslate that into sterling, and it suggests that we’ll be paying from somewhere in the mid k region when the vehicle goes on sale here. At the very best, it’s looking like at least a 10% hike over the outgoing

model and by the time you get up to the five door ubicon we e pect it to be into the fifties So that’s something like two and a half times more e pensive than the was when it was launched in 2007, which shows a certain amount of confidence on eep’s part iven the enormous demand there was for the JK, it’s a confidence that’s probably ustified but we’d imagine there are plenty of people reading this who’ve been ready and waiting for Jeep to convince them not to order that Ranger after all, but who are looking up their local ord dealer even as we speak…

High prices never stopped Jeep from selling all the Wranglers it can bring in before, however.

And now the Wrangler is looking a great deal better than ever, and more suitable as an allround everyday car, they’re easier to justify. It’s a lot of money – but you’ll get an awful lot of off-road ability for it.

You get a true off-road icon, too. And we all know how few of those there are to choose from these days. Safe to say, the Wrangler is back.

25/07/2018 21:32

STREET SLEEPER

Some people like making their Landies as eye-catching as possible. Others are content to drive something like this old 110, which looks almost completely standard – until you discover what’s lurking under its bonnet…

WORDS AND PICTURES: MIKE TROTT

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S

treet racing isn’t something you would necessarily associate with Land Rovers of any description, nor is it a pastime that this well-behaved publication would condone. We all like to have fun in our toys, but with Land Rovers you’re more likely to think about making tracks in the grasslands of Africa, rather than how long your elevenses (the two black tyre marks running parallel to each other may be at the traffic lights down in your city centre.

Of course, partly this is down to Land Rovers not having much of a reputation for their pace.

Let’s face it, old chap, you’re never going to set any quarter-mile records turning up with a 200Tdi unit in your engine bay – at least not for the right reasons anyway.

But this is where things can play to our advantage. We can seize the initiative and play on the fact that others will mistakenly assume that they can make a dog’s dinner out of us and scamper off into the distance. All you need is the right tool for the job.

So what’s this then? Looks like a regular old Land Rover 110 - hell it’s not even technically a Defender! But wait – can someone tell me why there’s a Chevy LS6 engine under the bonnet?

We all know how customisable Land Rovers are, and you’ll never see two the same, but there’s a lot to be said for being understated.

After all, it’s just the quality you need to give you the element of surprise.

Brendon Frost holds the keys to this ‘street sleeper’. And he thrives on it being something

4x4 4pp Frost 110.indd 45

out of the ordinary. ‘I bought this as a toy and I like stuff that’s not 100% normal,’ he smirks.

Normal on the outside it may be – but driving a 110 with such a V8 under the hood is bound to blow your cover at some point.

‘I can’t remember exactly when I got the Land Rover, but it was around three years ago,’ re ects rendon he conversion was done by a previous owner with the work first done in the 90s. Not only that, but the vehicle was originally a truck cab model before being changed to a hard-top version.

‘Then the owner apparently wanted to convert it into a military hard-top; wanted to make it stand out but ended up giving it these horrible after fit windows ’ gain sometimes less is more, but it never hurts to have a trick or two up your sleeve, it’s just that Brendon’s trick is a massive great big American lump of a trick.

Back to the story, and said previous owner had now managed to get bored of changing his every five minutes and had shoved it in a barn and forgotten about it. Time passed, but eventually the 110 fell into the hands of one of Brendon’s acquaintances. Naturally, Brendon put in a word for the 110 in case it ever became available – who wouldn’t want a Chevy-engined 110, right?

Like the pace of your typical Land Rover, the story was a bit of a slow burner, with more years passing until one evening Brendon was having a beer with his pal.

‘Whatever happened to that truck with the LS6 engine inside?’ questioned Brendon. ‘Funnily

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25/07/2018 21:39

Like the vehicle’s bodywork, its cabin has been brought back to a tidy, original state with the subtlest of enhancements to make it more pleasant to live with. There’s nothing here that’s not working for its living – even the steering wheel, which you might expect to have been replaced with a prettier, smaller diameter item, is just as it should be, and the tid i i i t e is t e e t d t ise t e t t s is d es t e e d is i i st the value of a good-looking truck, though – as he describes it, before he bought it the 110 was in a properly nasty state outside and in. It’s just that his idea of what looks good was to keep it on the down-low rather than getting all shouty and laying on the bling with a trowel enough, I’ve still got it tucked away in the barn!’ came the reply.

Like a lifeguard rushing to the aid of a stricken shoreline swimmer, Brendon could see the 110 needed rescuing. ‘It was in an awful state,

wrecked really,’ he recalls. ‘But it would have been a shame to break it up. The whole body needed changing again and it was in a horrible army green colour with no interior and the transmission tunnel missing. There appeared

to be about 20 different layers of paint on the bulkhead, too.’

No matter. This was a Land Rover with a rather enticing USP, and so with the 110 now in his possession, Brendon started to strip down

‘It was in an awful state, wrecked really. There appeared to be about twenty different layers of paint on the bulkhead, too. But it would have been a shame to break it up’

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25/07/2018 21:40

It's hard not to lose count of the number of ways in which a Chevy V8 is beautiful, and that's without even being able to hear it. Helping ensure only the good stuff gets heard is a Noisekiller sound deadening kit, which you can see taking up almost the entire background of all three pictures here the chassis which had come from Saudi Arabia and therefore was completely free from rust. A bonus if ever there was one.

But work still needed doing. The 110 was given a new roof and sides along with a new Td5 bonnet, while the tub turned out to be OK, but the wheels were rusted out. Brendon’s truck now runs as a tidy looking hard-top and, to the casual eye, a low-powered cumbersome machine that would struggle to carry itself to the end of a driveway, let alone burning off Daz and his mates who are looking for a drag race in the car they’ve just bought from Toys‘R’Us. I’m a big fan of this 110, I must say. Everything from the engine, to the looks, to the interior – it’s been finished perfectly rendon tells me it was previously a Marine Blue, and while this may not be that exact colour, the bodywork has been

finished in a true and over tint in this case the dark blue from the early Td5 Defenders.

A quick mention about that interior: there’s soundproofing from oisekiller running throughout on the bonnet and bulkhead, acoustic carpets inside supplied by Exmoor Trim and the roof lining has been given additional insulation so that even on a run, and despite its van-type form, it’s not as unrefined as you might think ‘It’s understated, has a GM Chevy exhaust and just sounds like a Rover V8 out of time if you’re cruising along normally,’ smiles Brendon. ‘To drive, it’s very docile and there’s loads of torque, but when you want it to be it’s stunningly quick.

It’s the torque that makes you laugh, though, there’s just this wave of it.’

And what about that V8 noise? Well, I think the 110’s owner sums it up pretty well. ‘When

I try and describe it to people, the only way I can is to say that it has a note like God clearing His throat!’

You can picture it, can’t you, Brendon on the way home from work one day and sitting patiently at the lights. Up rolls some delinquent in a shoebox thinking he’s going to screech off into the distance, with his engine making the same sound as the driver once being kicked in the plums.

Cue the throat clearing, the green light, that all-American thunder and a big grin across Brendon’s face as he sees the shoebox diminish into his mirrors. All hypothetical, of course. his is a great and over and a classic case of substance over style It’s a and over well saved and, in this machine, Brendon has the most perfectly concealed weapon.

This might just be the greatest example of understatement you'll ever see in your entire life. With a snorting great beast of an engine inside it, you’re looking at a 110 that could surely get away with running around on a nice set of alloys. But instead, it’s on heavy-duty steel rims – truly the stuff of a vehicle that’s staying true to its roots

4x4 4pp Frost 110.indd 47

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25/07/2018 21:40

A MINI MA S

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A STERPIECE

Restoring a classic 4x4 is fraught with hazards. Take it back to the original, and you risk creating a mere ornament, but too many mods can turn an old treasure into a ghastly mess. When Neil Barber resto-modded this gorgeous Suzuki LJ, he got the balance absolutely right WORDS: OLLY SACK PICTURES: STEVE TAYLOR

O

nce you’ve got off-roading in your blood, they say, you’ve got it for life. But the same goes for all sorts of motoring addictions: the smell of burning rubber, the sound of a tuned V8 at full chat or the sight of a dozen E-Types coming round the corner in close convoy. All are evocative, wonderful and utterly habit-forming.

So, too, is the unique satisfaction that comes from restoring a tatty classic to its former glory.

And that’s what got Neil Barber into the world of 4x4s. A service manager for a Peugeot dealer, and therefore someone who can be relied upon to know one end of a spanner from the other, Neil has restored a good many classics over the year. Most have been motorbike-engined

4x4 5pp Barber LJ.indd 49

erkeley sports cars from the fifties but in addition to this Neil has always been interested in 4x4s, too – thanks to the Series I his dad had while he was growing up.

Not that he was ever just an exclusive Land Rover man. Instead, his motoring tastes drew him to anything with the elegance of a simple off-road design – which is why he always fancied the notion of one day owning a Suzuki LJ. ‘I’ve always loved the LJ80,’ he says. ‘I can remember when they were new, I was about twenty at the time, stopping off at a dealer with my brother to look at one.

‘Also at around that time, in 1981, Alternative ar had an article on a modified

by Heron I kept a copy of the magazine, which inspired me

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‘I’ve always loved the LJ80. Only a few are left – I’m happy to own a rust-free example’

to do the rebuild. I even painted it powder blue, the same as the one in the article!’

Now, let’s face it, who among us can say that they don’t share Neil’s love for the LJ? Anything that’s small, simple and old is sure to get the thumbs-up from the public at large – even if it’s a bit rubbish, as we found our to our astonishment many years ago when driving through Croydon

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in a mud-covered Mahindra CJ3, and especially when it’s a sensationally presented example of a true off-road legend.

But though there’s a place in all our hearts for the LJ, Neil has the almost unique distinction of having done something about it. He actually went out and bought one, from a fellow LJ fan called Jason; it had been laid up for four years,

but three months later it was to emerge from his workshop fully restored and good as new.

The signs were good when the Suzuki, an LJ80 V commercial model defied those four years of inactivity to fire up first time hat wasn’t enough to save it from a full strip down and rebuild, however – nor indeed to discourage Neil from treating it to a new engine from an SJ410.

4x4 25/07/2018 21:31

Add-a-leaf springs and body mount blocks create a 4” lift between them.

31” tyres could in turn create some interesting brake fade, which is why Neil installed a set of front discs from an SJ410

When we talk about a full rebuild, we’re not joking. ‘I started by stripping off all the body parts, down to a bare shell, and boxing them.

Then I removed the engine. With the body off and the chassis supported, I stripped it of axles and so on, then it was painted along with the running gear.’

It was after this that what could have been a simple restoration project became something far more interesting.

Neil’s intention had never been just to take the LJ back to the way it was when it left the factory; inspired, perhaps, by the nicely improved BJ40 Land Cruisers you see in France and America, he added a set of mods which make it something else besides – without stopping it from being itself.

Add-a-leaf suspension was first on the list, and in combination with a set of 40mm body spacers this lifts the vehicle by around four inches – making plenty of space for a set of 31x10.50R15 Mickey Thompson Baja Claws. With the new 1.0-litre engine driving a five speed bo the does an adequate job of turning the bigger tyres, and front discs from the same source mean they won’t keep on turning when they’re not meant to.

4x4 5pp Barber LJ.indd 51

We mentioned the body lift just there, but at the start of the job there wasn’t a whole lot of body to lift. As is traditional for old Suzuki 4x4s, the LJ was a study in rust when Neil picked it up, with e tensive work needed around the oors and rear wings. That’s exactly what they got, aided by the fact that Jason also sold him a pair of brand new wings plus a rear crossmember, all genuine Suzuki stuff.

With a 12,000lb Winchmax winch at the other end, perched upon a fabricated steel bumper, the LJ was coming back together nicely and looking like a tidily modified e ample of the breed, too. Not too much, though – the bumper in question, for example, was specially designed so as to look as original as possible, and rather than any fancy alloy rims the big Mickeys were wrapped around a modest set of white

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Incredibly, given that the LJ had been laid up for four years, the engine t ed e d fi ed t t e fi st time of asking. Even more incredibly, given that the engine turned over and fi ed t t e fi st ti e s i Neil promptly fetched it out and replaced it with a 1.0-litre unit from an SJ410. Straying quite well into hot rod territory, there

steel modulars (with freewheeling hubs adding yet more authenticity at the front). Even the plastic extensions on the wheelarches are Suzuki originals.

This is all as you’d expect, of course, from a man who understands what it is to restore a classic car. While doing something like coiling an LJ might not be quite as sacrilegious as, say, slamming an original Model T or building a prostreet E-Type, going too far in a project like this is no way to treat an old lady.

That’s something Neil clearly does know.

And while he’s not tried to roll back the clock on the vehicle he certainly has modified it with maximum respect. ‘Only a few LJs are left,’ he says. ‘I’m happy to own a rust-free example, and am thankful to Jason from Bristol who sold her to me and helped with the original panels.’

What you’re looking at on these pages is the realisation of a lifelong dream for a man who’s no stranger to bringing cars back from the dead.

It might not be the kind of classic that gets rivet

counters hot under the collar, or the kind of offroader that puts the fear of God into challenge competitors, but in its own way it’s more than either of those things. It’s a 4x4 that keeps it really real, a perfect example of how to restore an old truck… and the best LJ we’ve ever seen.

With a combined lift of four inches and a set of 31” mud-terrains under its arches, the LJ looks absolutely pukka. It has the stance of a grown-up Tonka toy, but without a trace of any ludicrous mini-monster vibes. Many of the enhancements are subtle – the rims are white steels, not lairy alloys, and even have freewheeling hubs on the front, while the wheelarch extensions are genuine Suzuki parts

5pp Barber LJ.indd 52

25/07/2018 21:31

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WE’LL MEAT Our long-term Korando has been demobbed after a winter of service in the x eet.

But before it went home, we took it on a quest that’ll be close to every off-roader’s heart – to track down Britain’s best pork pie WORDS: GARY NOSKILL PICTURES: VIC PEEL

T

he first Ssang ong orando wasn’t a modestly proportioned medium SUV ack in a company called Ha ong hwan commenced assembly of licenced eeps which after passing through more pairs of hands than sa sa abor ended up as part of the Ssang ong conglomerate he remained in production until ut by then it had gained a new name ollowing the somewhat cavalier decision by one of those previous manufacturers to ignore an international embargo on sales to ibya

4x4 6pp Korando Pie Hunt.indd 54

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AGAIN…

the rights to make the vehicle were bought

by Geohwa Corp – which decided to make a break from the past by redesigning its front end and replacing its name with something more distinctive. And so the Korando was born.

We don’t know for certain, but it’s probably fair to assume that the name was a deliberate corruption of the word ‘commando.’ If it’s not, at least that’s definitely how it looks That image was certainly in keeping with the original CJ-based model, as well even as the second-gen Korando – which was a proper

4x4 6pp Korando Pie Hunt.indd 55

off-road motor, albeit a particularly ugly one. It might be a bit harder to carry off, however, with the current model, which went into production in 2010.

This is much more of a soft-roader – albeit the sort whose 4x4 system has a locking centre diff to help make the most of what it’s got for off-tarmac use. It’s coming towards the end of its lifespan, and there’s a replacement on the way in the middle distance, but it’s still very much part of SsangYong’s current model line-up – and, while it might not be built for commando

missions the way its ancestors were, it’s still up for an adventure.

On the subject of adventure, we ran a Korando for a couple of months over the winter.

And before it went home to SsangYong, we fancied taking it on a bit of a mission. In a perfect world, we’d have headed for somewhere with a link to Britain’s own Commandos – soldiers who volunteered for missions behind enemy lines in the Second World War. But since their training took place at Achnacarry, near Spean Bridge in the Scottish Highlands, it would have meant

SEPTEMBER 2018 | 55

31/07/2018 17:16

nothing but tarmac. There are loads of trails up there which absolutely would be open to motor vehicles if Scotland had a proper rights of way system, but in place of this is a giant bodge which, to be honest, is jarringly at odds with how well the country normally handles its social legislation.

So that was out. Instead, in another kind of nod to the Korando’s off-road heritage, we stayed closer to home and set off on a mission to track down the definitive pork pie Contrived? Hell, yeah.

Do we care? Hell, no. There’s pie involved, didn’t you hear?

Relevant? Absolutely. Just take a look in anyone’s lunch box at an off-road event. And more to the point possibly for the definitive pork pie you’re going to be heading straight for Melton Mowbray – which means there’s plenty of opportunity to reach your destination via an extensive network of green lanes.

You can approach Melton from almost any direction and get yourself on to the trails before reaching the town. Come at it from the south, in fact, and you could spend a good couple of days laning before being rewarded by any pie

action. If you’ve got a free weekend and are happy with the sort of lanes people actually use for getting from A to B, indeed, we’d heartily recommend it – not least because as well as having plenty of rights of way to explore, the region east of Leicester is not short of excellent places to eat, drink and stay. Melton, a sign tells you, is the ‘rural capital of food,’ and while this does sound like the sort of airy-fairy claim that marketing agencies dream up in the knowledge that no-one will ever challenge them to explain what it actually means, it definitely does punch above its weight for pub grub. As well as being home to the original pork pie, the town also gave stilton cheese to the world; there’s a sodding great dog

food factory in the middle of it too, but let’s not spoil things.

Spoiling things is something a few people unidentified but plenty of locals probably know perfectly well) have done on the rights of way to the east of the town. No, we’re not talking about off-pisting and lane vandalism (there are signs of this here and there, but thankfully it’s very

‘As well as being home to the original pork pie, Melton Mowbray also gave stilton cheese to the world. There’s a sodding great dog food factory in the middle of it too, but let’s not spoil things’ 56 | SEPTEMBER 2018

6pp Korando Pie Hunt.indd 56

4x4 31/07/2018 17:15

OVERLOADING IS COMMON

YOUR INSURANCE COULD BE INVALID IF YOU’RE OVERLOADED

– What would your thoughts be if you were told your vehicle, trailer and everything carried on it and in it were not insured?

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

When was the last time you checked your vehicle weights?

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

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

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

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

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localised but about y tipping gain it’s more localised than e tensive but here and there we saw signs of both household litter and builders’ waste having been dumped in the countryside with green lanes used as a convenient way of getting there bviously it’s foul to look at and on top of that at one point we had to move old bits of timber with nails poking through them which would certainly have taken out our orando’s tyres We’re not saying these were put there as deliberate traps that happens and planting such things is a far worse crime than anything a driver has ever done but at the same time these piles of waste certainly weren’t there by accident either hat’s not a nice note to have to sound when

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you’re talking about a day out in the country but sadly it can be part of the e perience gain though it’s a localised problem and even though it did ruin the e perience on a couple of lanes overall this green gently rolling corner of the idlands was looking as beautiful as ever s beautiful as ever but more wet than normal nd it’s normally pretty wet at the best of times hat’s because the rights of way are typically well surfaced bumpy and undulating but pretty firm on top which of course means rainwater gathers into big deep pools Which in turn makes them more fun than ever you don’t want to go hitting them at speed because that does no good to the tracks or your vehicle but there’s always something satisfying about sloshing

along from puddle to puddle nd even when they proved especially deep the orando didn’t miss a beat or was its four wheel drive system troubled by the muddier parts of the route bviously on road tyres and without a means of recovery we weren’t about to throw it at anything deep but wet grass and a surface that’s basically li uid for the first couple of inches can easily put you into difficulties With its centre diff locked however the orando easily picked its way through these bits this model might be a long way short of the eep derived ruggedness of its forebear but as a modern SUV it did more than enough to ustify Ssang ong’s claim to be orea’s answer to and over

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Which is all good, because when there’s a promise of pie at the end of the road, getting stuck is definitely not what you want to be doing We wound our way towards elton on a variety of farm tracks and woodland trails many of them skirting field edges and some providing the most direct route between the picture-postcard villages sprinkled around the countryside It’s a bit of a hidden gem round here – people tend not to think of the idlands as a beautiful place largely because the main roads tend to go through such featureless parts of the region, but in rural Shropshire the erby ales and the incolnshire Wolds you have a swathe of very fine countryside and the area between the Vales of atmose and elvoir are right in the heart of it Small stone built villages nested in folds between the rolling hills, with church spires poking up in the distance and fingers of wood smoke from cottage fireplaces rising above the hedgerows… it’s all so uintessentially nglish and while it sounds like a desperate cliche, or something from the fanciful imagination of a poet, there are places where that image is actually real ertainly e ploring the green lanes running in and out of this landscape is a pleasure uch more so than driving in elton itself which we did after a lengthy set of meanderings along the highways and byways to its east he town is

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handsome enough, but it must have more traffic per head of population than anywhere else we’ve visited inally through the morass of its main roads, we fetched up in a car park with two ticket machines and a variety of signs warning you of the terrible things that would happen if you used the wrong one for the space you were in Wonder how many people have bought one from each ust to be on the safe side? nyway after all the messing about on the town’s roads its centre turns out to be very pedestrian friendly if a bit prone to turning into a wind tunnel and a mural on the wall ne t to one of the side streets adds a nice creative touch to the whole scene his is ne t to the market place where there still is a market and ust round the corner is a thing called e lde ork ie Shoppe Seriously there is Without a hint of irony or shame ust a wonderful hand-painted facade sprinkled with completely unnecessary but admittedly very uaint additional uses of the letter the answer to every red blooded off roader’s prayers nd e ld ork iees themselves are not half bad either beautifully baked variously topped with

cranberries chutney or whatever else tickles your fancy and filled with a depth and uality of meat that makes the pies you get in supermarkets look utterly silly We came looking for the real thing and we’ve found it With the years racking up since it was first launched, the Korando might be getting a little crusty round the edges too ut deep down it’s aging far better than any meat product ever would When it arrived we said it was the first product of a newly reborn Ssang ong and that it pointed to a bright future for the company and since then that forecast has been proved right he ne t generation orando might be less like the based original than ever but we’re not telling porkies when we say we fully e pect it to bring home the bacon too

25/07/2018 21:34

OUR 4X4S: PROJECT OFF-ROAD 90

Two Dales, one wheel One of the trickiest rights of way left in England recently had its byway status confirmed after a public enquiry. But we’d heard that its surface has become rougher than ever – so we went to see for ourselves. Shame we were in such a forgetful mood…

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his is a story of rocks, wheelspin and hot rubber. It’s a story of winching, even. But this story does not end well for me.

It starts with my in my usual state of deep thought… sorry, not being able to make my mind up In other words I’m still trying to figure out what to do with our 90. It’s a project vehicle, after all and if we’re going to re ect what people are doing with Defenders right now we should restore it back to its original condition and buy a Ford Ranger for our off-road truck instead.

Which does hold an element of appeal, given that almost all our adventures come with a wide order of long motorway journeys, but that’s another story. And anyway, the 90 had got under my skin the way 90s do – and having bought it as an already-modded off-road wagon, it’s certainly nice to have something around that we can just jump in and take laning at a moment’s notice.

Yes, it’s a tough job, and all that. But with the sun thrashing down relentlessly (it’ll probably all be a memory by the time you read this), the 90 and I had a mission.

Earlier this year, following a public enquiry into the status of Two Dales, a right of way near Matlock, a planning inspector found that the lane

should be reclassified as a byway. Yes, shock horror, a planning inspector actually being able to reach the correct conclusion rather than being forced into a ridiculous one by legislation designed to strip 4x4 drivers of their rights.

The news was particularly welcome as Derbyshire has been purged of so many of its best rights of way.

The legislation basically says that in order for a road to remain a road, it has to pass a satisfy of historical criteria which are almost impossible to meet because no-one kept any records back then, what with it being a time when everyone was happy just to get along.

So Two Dales was saved, but the story doesn’t end there. It would be quite a short story if it did, after all. The lane itself is mainly drive-it-ina-car easy – but at its southern end, there’s a rocky section which is among the most technically challenging bits of driving you’ll find anywhere on a British lane.

We’ve known about it for a long time, having first come across it about five years ago Since then, readers have told us that thanks to a succession of hard winters, its surface has become much rougher. It was always rocky, we were told,

but what used to be a series of steps has now become a sheer wall.

Well, I hadn’t had an opportunity to test the 90’s Britpart DB9000 winch in anger. And Two Dales is only an hour up the road from where the magazine is based h and the office was absolutely stinkingly hot, whereas the 90 is an XS model and therefore has air-con. What more reason could a person need to go green laning and call it a day’s work?

En route, I thought I’d listen to some music.

But the 90 had other ideas (some would say hurrah for that). Reason was that the kill switch had been off since I last listened to the stereo, so it needed its code inputting. Easy? Oh no. I typed in the four numbers, and four completely different numbers came up on the screen. You know that sinking feeling you get sometimes…?

Top: Actual air-conditioning. In our actual 90. The loose grille just adds character, but what matters is that it blows ice-cold – and on one of those roastingly hot days we had towards the end of July, that’s all the excuse we needed to go laning and call it work Left: You see so many offensive, threatening or deliberately misleading home-made signs on public rights of way, so let’s hear it for the landowner who addresses green e s i e t is d et s e s et i e se t et e t e s se se fis e i ed i t t it t e e i t e fi st e

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OUR 4X4S: PROJECT OFF-ROAD 90 What's this got to do with anything? Only that when you're inputting the security code in an original Land Rover stereo of this vintage, there are six numbers on the keypad and you wouldn’t actually need to press '1' or '2' at any point for the screen to end up showing what you see here. At least it’s not confusing…

So I actually found myself reading the 90’s original handbook yes it’s still there to find out how to enter the code If you want to put in say you have to press the ’ button twice the ’ button three times the ’ button once and then the ’ button si times hen you hit the fast forward button to enter it and interference erupts from the speakers ather than trying to get a radio station I went for the CD button. Yes, Land Rovers already had players in urns out the disc that’s been in it for more months than I can remember is by eane it’s called Hopes and ears which when you think about it is actually uite a good epigram on the whole sub ect of owning a efender This got me thinking that Keane might actually be efender owners themselves udging by the

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number of songs they’ve done that sound like they might be about androveritis you know that roken oy’ needs no e planation does it? isconnected’ could be about more or less anything electric and an’t Stop ow’ reminds me a little too much of the time when my old Discovery 2 suffered a bout of brake fade in the Yorkshire Dales.

These are the thoughts that go through your mind when you’ve got your player working and had a moment of feeling triumphant… before finding out that e pecting it to keep doing so when the vehicle’s actually moving was a little too optimistic It’s not like you’d want to have music on while laning anyway ot when you can listen to the note of the engine, the sound of the tyres on the

terrain and so on nd when you’re inching your way over wildly uneven agged rocks it’s not ust a case of not wanting it you specifically need to avoid it because you need all five senses to be giving you as much info as you can possibly get about what’s going on down there here’s something else you need which is to be paying attention ulling off the road and on to the end of the lane, I knocked the 90’s transfer lever into low range and started inching my way along pausing to note a home made sign saying please refrain from removing stone from this wall to fill in the erosion on the lane.’ That’s something I’d never do, but it saddens me that there are those who would nyway the surface started getting stony then uneven and then we were on to the first of

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The original-pattern BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain was a legend among off-road tyres, and there were many who mourned its passing when the KM2 came along to replace it about a decade ago. Ours have done around 50,000 miles, with a lot of off-roading thrown in, and they’ve worn very well indeed on it the axle-twisting rock steps. First thing to say is that no, it’s not a sheer wall. It’s perhaps a little rougher than last time we drove it, but I’d come here wondering if I was going to be faced with something undrivable. Instead, the 90 was waltzing along the e ibility of its suspension keeping its wheels firmly on the ground so that… oh Wheels are spinning.

I backed up, gave it a squirt of gas this time and pop, up she comes. Now will that smell of hot rubber please go away? he hot rubber in uestion is a set of first gen eration BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains. It’s probably quite a while since you last saw any of these, but the ones on the 90 have done a good 50,000 miles and still look… well not like new that would be a stupid thing to say, but the tread is still good and deep and the shoulders still have sharp enough edges to pick up on dry rocks while running at road pressures. If the new KM3 proves as good, strong, tractable and long-lasting as the original, it’ll be a worthy successor, and since BFG says it’s better in all these areas it ought to be very worthy indeed.

H

/lancasterins

The next rock step looked far bigger and more technical than the one that had just tripped us up, but to my surprise the 90 strolled up it. To a point, anyway, which on investigation came when the front left wheel landed squarely against a foothigh vertical rock face.

This time, I wasn’t going to try and boot my way through – the erosion on the lane isn’t going to be helped by spinning tyres, so instead I found a friendly tree and spun out the winch rope. This involved a lot of jumping in and out of the vehicle, with an ever-bigger hole getting ripped in the seat of my shorts each time (if you’re used to driving a Defender, you’ll know), and it also involved quite a lot of grunting as the winch clearly hadn’t been run out for a while. Before long, I gave up on trying to haul it out on freespool.

The pull itself was a cinch, anyway. The DB9000 on our Defender is looking a bit old and tatty, but it hasn’t lost any of its strength With the dragged over the biggest of the rocks, I de-rigged the pull then had another look at the next bit of terrain (an evil side slope), before jumping back in rrrrrrrip and easing it forward in low first

S WH

@lancaster_ins

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01480 220 147 www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk olicy benefits features and discounts offered may vary between insurance schemes or cover selected and are sub ect to underwriting criteria ancaster Insurance Services is a trading name of Insurance actory imited who are authorised and regulated by the inancial onduct uthority o or mutual security calls are recorded and may be monitored for training purposes

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OUR 4X4S: PROJECT OFF-ROAD 90 When you're already on a side slope, running over a rock on the high side can very quickly turn things critical

I don’t like side slopes, and the one on Two ales absolutely put the wind up me first time I drove it hat was in the aforementioned iscovery which was on the same lift and s as the efender but this time it seemed a whole lot less dramatic he angle is still bonkers way steeper than it seems possible for a photograph to illustrate but the ust picked its way along without a fuss lmost at least owards the top of this section there’s a rock sticking up from the high side of the track ne of the first things they teach you at how to off road school is that a non critical side tilt can be turned into the other kind very uickly by subtle changes in the terrain so my radar was on but the main problem turned out to be that as the ’s front right wheel mounted the rock it broke traction hat I was not e pecting he last thing you want to do is hit a potentially critical side angle fast enough to be out of control but happily this one ust needed a thread more gas to get us through raction broke again at the end of the side slope section however where there’s a bit of an a le twister as you climb back up on to at ground it was loose and dusty enough for me to be e pecting that this might

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happen, but by no means severe enough of an angle to have the lifting wheels so again it probably shouldn’t have he s dug in though and got us there with the minimum of fuss he rest of the lane is a stroll and having recently had its hedgerows trimmed back it wasn’t all scratchy either ust how recently this was done is something we learned when we came up to the back of the tractor doing it which was parked up while the farmer had a chat with a chap in a urns out this was the end of the lane so I reached down to knock the back into high range… and noticed that when I put it into low I’d forgotten to shift the lever over to the left to engage diff lock Which means the tyres and

indeed the vehicle had done better than ever to scale those rock steps with so little drama though it doesn’t re ect uite so well on ours ruly ry it on as a boast ’I’m the guy who did wo ales in one wheel drive ’ ope However you say it that’s going to make you sound like a numpty old you this story was going to end badly for me

4x4 25/07/2018 21:56

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SEPTEMBER 2018 | 65 30/05/2017 09:49 30/07/2018 08:16

OUR 4X4S: SKODA KODIAQ

All in a day’s work…

Back to everyday life for our Kodiaq this month, with the twin delights of a gigantic house clearance and a trip to the beach.

Incredibly, both presented opportunities for it to prove it worth not just as a self-propelled holdall but as an off-roader, too

A

fter last month’s laning adventure in the wilds of West Yorkshire, during which we had to make a couple of U-turns to avoid rearranging our Kodiaq’s bodywork, this month’s proceedings have been a little more mundane.

Well it depends how you define mundanity but at least all four wheels have been on the ground most of the time.

Not always on tarmac, though. It will sound amazingly trivial if you own a big ruffty-tuffty expedition wagon, but the Kodiaq’s ability to go beyond the end of the tarmac has proved handy

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on a couple of occasions these last few weeks in particularly unexpected ways.

First was the inevitable tip run. Everyone with a 4x4 knows someone who will eventually ask them to help them moving house or otherwise making light of a domestic crisis (the editor was once called upon to provide emergency winch assistance when a panicked relative needed rid of some pampas grass after hearing a rumour that having this growing in your front garden is like a masons’ handshake between swingers). And sure enough, we were called upon when a house sale was nearing completion and, as always seems to

be the case, several decades’ worth of old junk had to be relocated from the attic.

So, part one of the Kodiaq’s working month was very much done in all-seats-down mode. The third row folds totally at and the second as good as, so you really can get a lot in there – we packed it and packed it and packed it until we got to the point where the electric tailgate was registering an obstruction and refusing to close.

A potential problem with the new tech, that. All of us in Ye Olde land are familiar with the business of slamming a tailgate down on a crammed boot, all the while hoping that the most prominent

4x4 25/07/2018 21:44

A mischievous cargo is best kept within arm's reach, we've discovered. Also noticeable here (or, more to the point, not) is the fact that there are two 12-year-olds in the third row of seats, who very much didn't want their picture taken. If there's enough space back there for two 12-year-olds to completely hide themselves away, it's defi ite t ed

hard point in the jumble within was going to hit something other than the rear window. Leave it to electric motors, and you could reach the point where it’s actually not possible to shut the boot at all. We’ve had test cars that baulked and baulked at closing in this situation, but good for Skoda – when the Kodiaq’s didn’t want to go any further and started rebounding, we found we were able to press the button to stop it and finish the job by hand.

What does any of this have to do with the vehicle’s off-road ability? Well, the house we were emptying was just far enough away from the nearest car park to be annoying. Which, when you’re shifting armfuls of unk is not very far So with fingers crossed that no-one was going to be a loser about it (and, happy days, no-one did), we backed it up and over the grass bank separating the road from the front door. A small victory, you might think, but it saved loads and loads of grief at the time – and in terms of actually useful off-roading, as opposed to just having fun, actually more than some dedicated 4x4 fans will do in their lifetime.

Having disposed of that little lot, next came another of those classic SUV-in-an-advert missions.

You’ve probably heard of Rutland Water, the huge

reservoir a little way east of Leicester; well, did you know that every summer, they build a manmade beach there as an attraction for families who like to be able to eat their picnics without getting into a punch-up with a gang of seagulls?

Now it was time for all three rows of seats to be folded back up again. You tend to assume that the younger a child is, the further back they should go, but actually the presence of a booster seat can be too much for the space in the third row. So too can the presence of a mischievous four-year old, so we housed the younger kids within reach and asked if the older ones (late preteens, since you ask, who, cos pre-teens, steadfastly refused to be in any photographs) would mind squeezing into the back.

As it turned out, they reported that the third row was absolutely fine in terms of bot space and comfort. So it wasn’t a squeeze at all. We also managed to get everything required for a day at the beach packed into the luggage space that’s left behind the third row, which in fact was way more generous than you’d think, so happy days all round.

Best of all, the car park at Rutland Water is the sort where there are gravelled hardstanding areas surrounded by grassy banks, and it’s a bit of a

free-for-all as to where you leave your car. Needless to say, the easy spots were already gone by the time we arrived – but we saw an opportunity on a crest in one of the grassy banks and, once again making the most of the Kodiaq’s all-wheel drive and willing ground clearance, managed to perch it in position with its e ible suspension keeping all four wheels on the ground efinitely a place to leave it in gear, though…

On a far more mundane note, this month saw the odia asking for its d lue tank to be filled up for the first time It’s the first e perience we’ve had of the stuff, and since it’s made from ammonia we were expecting it to be pretty smelly, but it wasn’t at all. Either that or we’re pretty smelly too and we cancelled it out. Anyway, the AdBlue canisters you buy at the filling station have their own nozzles attached, so you don’t need to worry about carrying a funnel and/or spilling the stuff everywhere – which is important, as it’s no good for your paintwork.

Talking of which, the Kodiaq remains unscratched at this juncture. However we’re into summer now and we all know what that can mean when it comes to green laning. At least this time we won’t have to cope with any pampas grass.

House clearance duties stretched the Kodiaq’s cargo capacity to the limit.

Getting the elecrtoic tailgate to shut on this load needed a certain amount e s si t i e s e s it d t e st e d e fi st experience of an AdBlue top-up was simple enough – this canister cost £16.99, which isn’t very good value compared to what the stuff costs at HGV pumps, but at least it did come with a nozzle to keep it from sloshing out all over the Kodiaq’s paintwork

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OFF-ROAD SCENE

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HISTORIC LAND ROVER PARADE STEALS THE SHOW AT FESTIVAL OF SPEED

WHAT DOES THE GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED have to do with 4x4s? Not a lot on the face of it, unless you count the world of desert racing or the performance SUVs that have become familiar sights in among the Lambos, Astons and competition cars for which the event is famous.

This year, however, one of the star attractions at Goodwood was a very slow-moving cavalcade of Land Rovers. In celebration of its 70th anniversary, Solihull organised what was the biggest ever procession of vehicles to make its way up the famous Goodwood hillclimb, featuring every model from throughout its history as well as every year of production from 1948 onwards.

The millionth Land Rover (a 1976 Series III) featured alongside other Series trucks including fire engines military and aircraft rescue trucks, African expedition legends and more. Each generation of Range Rover was represented, including

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the Trans-Americas Expedition number that crossed the Darien Gap in 1971, and each of the five iscovery models was featured too.

In the Disco contingent was a round-the-world expedition car, as well as the millionth example built. Defenders were present in great numbers too, naturally, and the parade was finished off with an example of each of the current Land Rover models – Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Velar, Discovery, Discovery Sport, Evoque and Evoque Convertible.

The size of the commemorative parade wasn’t the only record set

by Land Rovers over the weekend, though. Stunt driver Terry Grant posted a new record for the fastest mile… in a car on two wheels.

Using a ramp to lift a Range Rover Sport SVR on to its driver’s-

side wheels, Grant proceeded up the hill at speeds of up to 60mph and set a record of 2:24.5 – beating the record he set in 2011 by more than half a minute.

Land Rover also offered the chance to get involved on an obstacle course, showcasing the brand’s off-road capabilities, and there was a remote-controlled version for younger fans. The Works

V8 Defender, launched earlier this year to cash in on Land Rover’s anniversary, also ran up the hill twice a day.

What will they come up with to beat that when Land Rover hits three quarters of a century?

Well, for starters they ought to be making a thing called the Defender again by then. Those seventy years of heritage certainly deserve it.

4x4 31/07/2018 17:19

OFF-ROAD SCENE

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Arkonik competition gives you the opportunity to buy one Land Rover – and win a second!

OFF-ROAD CALENDAR

UK Convoy Tours 11-12 August UK Landrover Events Wiltshire

1 -1

ugust

UK Landrover Events Coast to Coast

18 August Trails and Tracks Yorkshire Want to to win a Land Rover Defender? It can be done, thanks to Arkonik – and all you have to do is… buy a Land Rover Defender.

From Arkonik, naturally.

The Somerset-based bespoke Land Rover restorer specialises in left-hookers for customers in the US and Canada. But it builds vehicles for those closer to home, too. Every Defender it sells has been stripped down and treated to a full nut-and-bolt rebuild using the original parts – so important to preserving the originality required to ensure safe passage into North America.

The competition, which is running until the end of September, offers a efender as first pri e. Painted in iresand ran e, with a contrasting black canvas soft-top from Exmoor Trim, the vehicle also features KBX wing-top vents as well as Sawtooth alloys from Bearmach dressed in BFGoodrich All-Terrain rubber.

Inside, black leather seating features contrast stitching that mimics the bodywork, with matching door cards and black aluminium gear knobs and door furniture. An Arkon X steering wheel and Lock Box from Exmoor Trim compete a smart cabin retrim.

So how do you get your hands on this very wantable Land Rover? t s a simple pri e draw the less simple bit bein that to enter, you need to have put down a 25% deposit on an Arkonik vehicle by the September closin date. fine case of makin your own luck, you might say – or, if you’re a bit on the glass-half-empty side, of their being one law for the rich. Either way, if you were thinking about ordering an Arkonik vehicle, this competition should get you thinking that bit harder. To get you thinking hardest of all, just pay a visit to www.arkonik.com.

As well as restoring Land Rovers to the very highest standard, Arkonik is known for the creative touches it brings to the vehicles it produces.

Last year it exported this 110, named the Anejo, to the USA – and it was a landmark Landy, as it was the 150th the company had built. If you think it looks good from the outside, just wait to see how the interior was finished which you can do when we profile this remarkable Defender in next month’s issue of 4x4.

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18-19 August Protrax Wales

19 August Protrax East Midlands UK Landrover Events Peak District

25 August Ardent Adventures The Lake District

26 August Ardent Adventures The Lake District

1 September UK Landrover Events Lake District

1-2 September Compass Adventures Wales Trails and Tracks Lake District / Yorkshire Dales

UK Landrover Events Eden District

8-9 September 4x4 Adventure Tours Welsh Borders Atlas Overland Wessex Protrax Wales

15 September Trails and Tracks Northumberland

21 September UK Landrover Events Yorkshire Dales

23 September UK Landrover Events Northumberland

29 September Ardent Adventures Mid Wales

29-30 September 4x4 Adventure Tours North Devon Atlas Overland Wessex

30 September Ardent Adventures Mid Wales Protrax East Midlands

2 September Protrax East Midlands

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OFF-ROAD SCENE

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WELSH ENTHUSIASTS TURN COUNTY SHOW INTO LAND ROVER FESTIVAL

Words: Andy Kendall Pic: Shenstone Photography

AS YOU’VE NO DOUBT HEARD many times over during the last half a year or so, the design for the original Land Rover was drawn in the sand on a Welsh beach. So it seemed most appropriate to have a celebration in Wales for the 70th anniversary of that same Land Rover.

Having spawned the idea, the South Wales Land Rover Club made arrangements to host a ‘Welsh Festival of Land Rovers’ in association with the Royal Welsh Show Spring Festival in Builth Wells.

And having done so, it put out an appeal for suitable show vehicles to participate across the weekend of the event.

Space was limited, but there was enough room in the showground for 45 high-class vehicles to be put out on display. The number of

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visitors was impressive and it was obvious from talking to people that the vehicles brought back many fond memories, especially for those in the farming community.

Information was on hand from the Green Lane Association, promoting responsible rights of way use, and there was also a display by the Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team – which had sadly lost its own Land Rover in a devastating fire at its premises A highlight of the event was a parade of Land Rovers, featuring 18 special vehicles and led off by the SWLRC’s youngest drivers, Huw and Rhys, in their police Toylander.

The earliest production vehicle was Colin Pugh’s 1949 Series I, which was the first land over to be sold in Radnorshire to the then Major (later Lord) David Gibson

Watt. It has undergone a full but sensitive restoration in recent years and really does look spectacular.

Models followed in chronological order, so it became easy to spot the evolution of the Land Rover brand.

Series IIs were represented by a wonderful IIA pick-up, which had been through a complete rebuild, and a very rare IIA Shorland armoured vehicle as used by the RUC border patrol.

Among the Series IIIs was Bryn Jones’ 1972, qhich is still on its its original engine and continues to be used as a working vehicle. Coilers were led off by ‘Lola’, an original Land Rover demonstrator for the 110, and there were many special conversions on show – including Tony Johnson’s superb 6x6, designed for an upcoming world tour, and ‘Katy’, one of only 48 Marshall 127

Ambulances made, whose own adventures have been featured in the past in this magazine.

Discoverys and Freelanders interspersed with the Defenders and the parade was completed by a brand new Evoque, which the local Land Rover dealer, Likes of Brecon, had supplied complete with a 70th anniversary design.

Thousands came to the event, which would not have happened without a lot of hard work from the members of the SWLRC. The club would like to host further events in Wales and are in discussions with the Royal Welsh Show committee. If you would like to get involved and keep up to date with regards to possible future events, please drop an email to andy@swlrc or marc@swrlc so you can be added to their mailing list.

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SEPTEMBER 2018 | 71

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OFF-ROAD SCENE

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REPAIRS COMPLETED ON POPULAR POWYS BYWAYS

POWYS COUNTY COUNCIL has overseen repairs to three extremely popular byways in the heart of the county, following reports from the Green Lane Association and Powys Byway Users Group of degradation to the surface of the lanes. he first two rights of way to be addressed, both in the Glascwm area south-east of Llandrindod Wells, were Black Yatt and Giants Grave. The former was suffering damage from water scouring, which was causing oods and ruts to form in two main areas, while the latter was becoming unsafe due to a retaining bank beginning to collapse as a result of long-term saturation beneath the surface.

Black Yatt was repaired by a local contractor which reinstating drainage channels and installed bunds to direct rainwater across and away from the byway surface.

On Giants Grave, another

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contractor was engaged to remove the old timber retaining structure and replace it with large boulders, grade back the bank and install a pipe to carry water under the track and away from the area.

This work was done late last year, following which the bank was reseeded. Come spring, it was apparent that the new growth has bedded in successfully and coped with what was a very tough winter.

‘The works on the Black Yatt byway were needed after the survey identified damage that was being caused where water was owing along the surface,’ commented Cllr Aled Davies, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Countryside Services at Powys County Council.

‘The result of the works means that the water is being directed away from the byway surface and it is now in a much better condition for all users and greatly improves this popular route.’

Turning to Giants Grave, Davies said: ‘The works on the Giant Graves byway have provided a longterm solution to the bank stability at this point and safeguarded an important multi-use link over the hill between Hundred House and Glascwm. I’m sure the works that have been carried will be welcomed by all those who travel along this byway on a regular basis.

‘The importance of maintaining our rights of way network shouldn’t be underestimated. Our public rights of way network can play a vital role in maintaining the health and well-being of the people of Powys.’

In the light of this willingness on Powys County Council’s behalf to address issues such as this on public rights of way, the Green Lane Association announced that it would contribute 50% of the cost of remedial work on another byway, this one just east of Llandrindod

Wells between the A44 and Bwlchllwyn. The contribution was capped at £2500, albeit with a further £2500 also to be donated for works elsewhere in the county.

With a number of large holes having appeared in the surface of this byway late last year, the need for repairs were particularly urgent as users were being forced to divert around the damage – taking them on to private land. Following a temporary closure over the winter, the money donated by GLASS meant the work was able to be done in June – following which the closure was lifted, earlier than had originally been expected.

Writing in the GLASS Bulletin, the association’s CEO Duncan Green said: ‘This is a considerable sum for us, and shows how pleased we are with the work they are doing on byways and the improved working relationship we have built over the last few years.’

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HOT FAVOURITES FALTER AS VALHALLA CHALLENGE PROVES A GREAT LEVELLER

Words: Pip Evans Pics: Tomasz Jarecki

THE TEAM FROM VIKING 4X4 CLUB have become well known as the organisers of some of the best winch challenge events in the country. In addition to its longrunning one-day challenge series, currently sponsored by Odyssey, the club has in recent years started running two-day events – of which the Valhalla hallenge was the first This year’s event was again held on the Boughton Estate, near Kettering, and nature smiled on organisers and competitors alike by providing glorious summer weather for the whole of the

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weekend. Once again, the event was sponsored by Goodwinch, which is one of the most iconic names on the off-road scene. Competitors may use all manner of different winches, but you will generally find that they are powered by Goowinch’s Bowmotors – and that challenge trucks are hauled to their objectives at the end of a the company’s Bowropes.

Fifteen teams of two vehicles each were booked in for the event, which means the club needed a huge number of marshals to keep things running smoothly. Thus

a small army of volunteers was despatched to positions around the Weekley Woods site in readiness for a 10am start – though with

sixteen sections clustered around the start point, the early action was very much centred around one small area.

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OFF-ROAD SCENE

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OFF-ROAD CALENDAR

Pay-and-play events 12 August 4x4 Without a Club

9 September

Essex, Rochford and District 4x4 Club

4x4 Without a Club

Hilll N Ditch Mouldsworth, Cheshire

Slindon Safari Fontwell,West Sussex

with huge tyres and loads of grip, and with the bone-dry, rock-hard ground several crews were able simply to drive up what had seemed like impossibly steep and rugged terrain – leaving the organisers aghast with incredulity.

The layout of the courses would not allow for this approach on every section, however. So there was still plenty to tax the abilities of the teams’ winchmen.

There was a titanic battle going on for the early lead, with hot favourites Allen Sharp with Alex Wilson, and Duncan Smith with Ben Robinson, being matched sectionfor-section by Tom Hirons with Tom Wilson and Stuart McClurg with Dominic O’Reagan. As the morning progressed, however, delays because of electrical issues on Smith’s truck, plus a roll, meant the favourites only completed 11 of the 16 sections – knocking them back down to third place by the lunch break.

Essex, Rochford and District 4x4 Club Rayleigh, Essex

Slindon Safari Fontwell,West Sussex

16 Septmber

19 August

Avalanche Adventure Sibbertoft, Northamptonshire

Explore Off Road Silverdale, Stoke-on-Trent

Explore Off Road Silverdale, Stoke-on-Trent

Frickley 4x4

Frickley 4x4

Frickley, South Yorkshire

Muddy Bottom Minstead, Hampshire

Mud Monsters East Grinstead,West Sussex

Frickley, South Yorkshire

Muddy Bottom Minstead, Hampshire

Mud Monsters East Grinstead,West Sussex

26 August

22 September

Cowm Leisure Whitworth, Lancashire

Burnham Off Roaders Tring, Hertfordshire

Kirton Off Road Centre Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs

23 September

Slindon Safari Fontwell,West Sussex

Burnham Off Roaders Tring, Hertfordshire

Whaddon 4x4 Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire

Protrax

27 August

Slindon Safari

Hilll N Ditch Mouldsworth, Cheshire

30 September

2 September

Cowm Leisure Whitworth, Lancashire

Devil’s Pit

Devil’s Pit

Frickley 4x4 Frickley, South Yorkshire

Muddy Bottom

Minstead, Hampshire Picadilly Wood Bolney,West Sussex

9PP VERSION Scene.indd 75

Harbour Hill,West Berkshire

Whaddon 4x4 Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire

Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire

4x4

Tong, Bradford

Harbour Hill,West Berkshire

Rayleigh, Essex

The area itself was chosen for the severity of its terrain, while the format of the morning’s action was designed to give spectators as much as possible to look at from one vantage point. Each of the sections had a 20-minute DNF time, and the teams had three hours in which to complete as This meant there were 30 vehicles in a tightly packed area, so they had to be careful not to drive into each other. However it also meant there was plenty of recovery to hand for anybody who had one over, but as it happened there were remarkably few such moments.

These morning sections were called TT (Tight Technical) sections, and as the name implies they required multiple pulls to get the trucks around the twists and turns inside the sections en route to the punches. At least that was the plan. Modern challenge trucks have evolved into powerful monsters

Parkwood 4x4

Yarwell, Northamptonshire Fontwell,West Sussex

Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire

Frickley 4x4 Frickley, South Yorkshire Kirton Off Road Centre Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs

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Team Hirons/McClurg, meanwhile, bagged 15 sections to take a commanding early lead. Ryan Lawrence with Paddy Burman and nthony Waterfield with hris Cater were also having a good, run and completed 13 sections to leave them in second spot at lunch. Team Trowbridge/Carter completed 10 sections, placing them in fourth behind Sharp and Smith.

As with all challenge events, however, it’s not just about outright pace – what really matters is being able to survive the war of attrition.

Keep the faults and breakages to a minimum, and you’re more likely to succeed. Team Hart/Ward can usually be relied upon to be up there with the best, but a couple of winch line issues, brake pipe damage and a broken shaft had

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them playing catch up in fifth by the end of the first leg The mandatory lunch break started at one o’clock, and a 100-point penalty per minute of lateness helped ensure everyone was back in time. A quick bite to eat was, for some crews, followed by a frantic hour of fi y uppy to get ready for the afternoon’s sections.

By the time the second driver’s briefing was held at two o’clock amazingly all but one team were still in the game. Charlie and Vince Harper were the sole casualties.

Afterwards, the teams were led back over to Weekley Woods by a marshals’ vehicle for leg two. The afternoon consisted of si speed sections (SS), with each being driven once. Speed is a relative term, however – the sections

were considerably faster than the morning’s TTs, but the tight, twisty courses, in between trees and over obstacles such as hidden gullies and tree stumps, meant that the average speed did not e ceed mph

These sections are designed to be drivable, so it gave the winchmen a rare opportunity to sit inside the vehicle and take it easy instead of charging around dragging a winch rope. There was ample time for the

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teams to get around all six sections and return to the paddock by the five o’clock deadline indeed most managed this with ease and were back with an hour to spare. his gave them a chance to rela or ust as likely to repair their trucks in readiness for the third leg. s usual however some teams failed to complete all six SS sections. Most notable of these was eam Sharp Smith who were desperately trying to catch Hirons/ c lurg only for electrical issues this time for Sharpe’s truck meaning they only managed to do four of the afternoon sections. eam awrence Waterfield on the other hand maintained their pressure on the top team in second spot. The top four places remained the same as at the end of eg indeed but things were e tremely close between the rest of the field with only 1800 points separating 5th and 11th places. he third leg of day one which started at five o’clock was the Deep Scar Dash. As the name implies this is a simple dash around the Deep Scar site which is next door to Weekley Woods. veryone loves the challenge of driving around the mile long eep Scar course and this year it promised to be more fun than ever In previous events the nature of the terrain had necessitated a lot of serious winching but recent work with a digger had made the course fully drivable thus markedly increasing the survival rate and by the same token decreasing delays hese improvements also meant that for the first time in the history

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of the Valhalla the whole field was able to start at five minute intervals as planned!

Sharp and Smith were keen to put a dent in the lead that Hirons and c lurg had eked out over the day and they recorded the fastest time at 6 minutes 40 seconds about mph However the leaders were on it too finishing ust seconds behind.

A dozen teams recorded times within minutes However eam

who had struggled all day with various mechanical maladies battled through in minutes eam meanwhile were the only ones not to make it around within the time ewis eale’s truck had clutch issues and struggled to make the first climb he did manage to continue only to roll it shortly after Team mate Sam Waterman had to return to recover him after the section closed. espite these mishaps all fifteen teams were still up and running at the start of ay hat’s got to be some kind of record in an event of this nature. This was a traditional punch hunt with punches available to collect in eep Scar in addition to the that had been used for ay ’s and SS sections in Weekley Woods.

The Weekley Woods punches were only worth points each but some teams chose to bag them first to ease themselves into the day. Others preferred to drop straight into Deep Scar to collect the and point punches Winching points for many of these involved tortuous energy sapping foot near vertical climbs so it made sense to collect as many

of them as possible before the temperature got too hot. he fierceness of the competition between the top five teams was evident in the urgency of their efforts to get to the punches. Lower down the running order other teams were plodding on methodically happy ust to be still running at the end of what is one of the toughest two day events in the UK. Happiest of the lot however were indeed eam om Hirons with Tom Wilson and Stuart c lurg with ominic ’ eagan Having been on it right from the start they were blessed with a fairly trouble free weekend allowing them to dominate every aspect of the event he overall standard of competition was incredibly high however as evidenced by the fact that only 1900 points separated 5th and 10th places. Rounding off the podium places meanwhile eam of awrence and Waterfield kept up a strong steady pace all weekend to take nd while eam Sharp and Smith had to settle for rd despite making a valiant effort to close the gap after their issues on Day 1.

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Overland Travel

OFF-ROAD CALENDAR

16-27 August

16-30 September

15 November

5-19 June 2019

Onelife Adventure Spain

Atlas Overland Morocco

Peru Safari Peru

Protrax Pyrenees

18-29 August

17 September

17 Nov – 2 Dec

12 June 2019

Landtreks Portugal

Peru Safari Peru

Onelife Adventure Morocco

Peru Safari Peruvian Steppes

24 August – 4 Sept

24-30 September

3 December

18 July – 1 August 2019

Trailmasters Morocco

Landtreks Pyrenees

Peru Safari Peru

Venture 4x4 Iceland

25 August

1-14 October

16 Mar – 4 April 2019

22 July 2019

Compass Adventures Corsica

Atlas Overland Morocco

Protrax Morocco

Peru Safari Peru

25 Aug – 8 Sept

2-7 October

April 2019

27 July – 10 August 2019

Atlas Overland Portugal

Landtreks Pyrenees

Venture 4x4 Iceland

Venture 4x4 Iceland

2-15 September

3-16 October

19 April – 3 May 2019

1-15 August 2019

Atlas Overland Morocco

Trailmasters Morocco Draa Valley

Trailmasters Morocco Marrakesh Classic

Venture 4x4 Iceland

8-16 September

11 October

20 April 2019

10 August 2019

UK Landrover Events Pyrenees

Peru Safari Peru

Peru Safari Peru

Peru Safari Peru

8-29 September

14 October –1 Nov

April-May 2019 (6wks)

16-30 August 2019

Protrax Iceland

Protrax Morocco

Onelife Adventure Namibia/Botswana

Venture 4x4 Iceland

9-15 September

25 Oct – 7 Nov

May 2019

24 August – 4 Sept 2019

Landtreks Pyrenees

Trailmasters Morocco Atlantic Sahara

Venture 4x4 Iceland

Trailmasters Morocco

15-26 September

27 October

9 May 2019

11-25 September 2019

Onelife Adventure Bulgaria

Peru Safari Peru

Peru Safari Peru

Protrax Pyrenees

16-29 September

28 October –15 Nov

26 May 2019

16-29 September2019

Trailmasters Morocco Marrakesh Classic

Protrax Morocco

Peru Safari Northern Peru

Trailmasters Morocco Marrakesh Classic

78 | SEPTEMBER 2018

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SEPTEMBER 2018 | 79

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ROADBOOK

DERBYSHIRE DALES

Suitable for most 4x4s – but still tricky in places The northern part of Derbyshire is a wild, rolling landscape with some sharp-sided hills and dales. This route will test your vehicle and your off-road technique alike in places, but mainly it’s a gentle, scenic drive for anyone to enjoy aboard a decent 4x4. Many of the honeypot lanes in this region have been closed by machiavellian zealots in positions of local power – but as this roadbook proves, the Derby Dales is still very much open for business as a place to explore England at its finest

ROUTE GUIDE START at and iddle S FINISH akewell S HOW LONG? miles hours TERRAIN olling hills and dales at times steep HAZARDS Steep uneven climbs and drops narrow tracks between stone walls other users insane traffic on the roads OS MAPS andranger u ton and atlock

IS IT SUITABLE? TYRES WEATHER LOW BOX SOFT-ROADERS SCRATCHING DRIVING DAMAGE

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all profile more important than aggressive tread pattern void in snow ice or thick fog e uired in a few places Will struggle here and there ild risk on a couple of lanes Uneven rocky sections will be difficult when wet o reason for it unless you get your approach badly wrong

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Step 1: Caution as you emerge from the pub car park –this road is one of the most infamous accident black spots in the entire country Step 5 (right): Caution as you cross this drainage hump – it’s easily sharp enough to ground you out

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Start at the Cat and Fiddle Inn, on the A537 near Buxton. Beware that this road is one of the most infamous accident black spots in the whole country, and that it’s covered by average speed cameras.

Zero your trip at the exit from the pub car park and turn left to start the route

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The track starts to get a bit rough and bumpy as you begin the descent towards Buxton

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A drainage guide creates a sharp hump across the track, which you need to straddle diagonally – if you don’t believe us, just take a look at the number of scrapes on it from people grounding out!

Derbyshire Bridge (only)

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Where the road goes into a car park on the right, continue ahead on to the track. Watch out for walkers and cyclists all the way along here – and stick rigorously to the right of way

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USING OUR ROADBOOKS

Step 11: As you turn left off the main road, the track entrance is immediately to your right, hidden behind the national speed limit sign afe to say other traffic ill be ta en completely una ares by this manoeuvre

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The junction is controlled by traffic lights – lots of them, so you could be waiting for a while!

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The turning is just after the bridge over the river

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Our roadbooks guide you through the English and Welsh countryside on a mixture of surfaced and unsurfaced roads.The tracks we use are public rights of way, either Byways Open to ll raffic or Unclassified ounty Roads, all commonly referred to as green lanes.

watchword.The do-and-don’t list below should always be in your mind, but keep your speed down, be ready to pull over for others and make it your aim to show the world that 4x4 drivers aren’t the hooligans so many of them think we are.

NAVIGATION

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

These organisations are beyond being reasoned with, but it’s rare to encounter real hostility even from their rank and file members If you’re friendly towards the people with whom you share the countryside, the vast majority will respond in kind.

There are always bad apples, but no more so than anywhere else.

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

It only takes one vandal to tarnish a person’s view of all 4x4 drivers, and once the damage is done it tends to be permanent. But if enough of us resolve to be ambassadors, it might make a difference to the way we’re perceived by society in general.

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

If you’re unfamiliar with si figure grid references you’ll find a guide to using them on the legend of any OS map. Our aim is for you to be able to do the route without maps, but we do recommend having them.

SAFETY

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

Our roadbooks are designed to be safe to drive in a solo vehicle, and are largely suitable for standard 4x4s on road tyres. We do recommend travelling in tandem wherever possible, however.The risk of getting stuck can be greater than it appears – and if you break down, having help at hand can make the difference between it being inconvenient and downright dangerous.

RESPONSIBILITY

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The road to the left is signed for Goyt Valley. As you approach, the track is hidden behind the national speed limit sign – needless to say, other drivers will be bewildered by what you’re doing, but that probably won’t stop them from going like Carlos Fandango

Caution as you pull on to the road – it’s a big, fast one, and traffic will be coming at you around a blind corner

Irresponsible driving is a massive problem on green lanes. In particular, you must always stay on the right of way. Never drive off it to ‘play’ on the verges or surrounding land, even if you can see that someone else has; doing so is illegal and can be tremendously damaging, both to the land and to 4x4 drivers’ reputation.

The fact that you can see where it’s happened shows how much harm it does. It’s no excuse to say you’re just following where another driver has already been. Most green laners have taken to videoing anyone they see behaving like this and passing the evidence to the police, which shows how much anger there is towards the criminal element.

Elsewhere, simple common sense and courtesy should be your

ANTIS

DO AND DON’T

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

horse riders pass • Don’t go in large convoys: split into small groups to avoid hassling others • Leave gates as you found them • Don’t drop litter. Do carry a bin bag and a pair of stout gloves so you can pick up other people’s, though • Don’t go back to drive the fun bits, such as mud or fords, again • Scrupulously obey all closure and voluntary restraint notices • Don’t cause a noise nuisance, particularly after dark • Ensure you have a right to be there.We research the routes on our roadbooks very carefully, but the status of any route can change without notice • Be prepared to turn back if the route is blocked, even illegally • If you find an illegal obstruction notify the local authority • If someone challenges you be firm but polite. Stay calm and don’t let them turn it into a fight • Stick absolutely scrupulously to the right of way • You have as much of a right to be there as everyone else.Which means they have as much right as you

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Step 17: Bear right when the tarmac ends – it looks like a field entrance at first but you ll see the trac ahead hen you go to open the gate

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The turning is immediately before the 30mph signs; it’s very tight back over your shoulder

8.7

15 9.0

16

ZERO TRIP

19 0.85

SK 018 793

Take great care to get the correct turning here. There’s another one just before yours – you need the one that doesn’t have a gate

20

This looks like it used to be a surfaced road – we don’t know how long it’s been since the highways authority stopped looking after it, but the amount of tarmac that’s been lost is extraordinary

As you go over the crest, the surface changes and it becomes a proper track

1.6

SK 032 788

Take the road with the no through road sign

10.1

17

Take the track that steps up through a gate. It looks more like a field entrance as you approach

10.2

84 | SEPTEMBER 2018

12 Roadbook.indd 84

4x4 25/07/2018 21:28

21

26

1.85

22

7.7

27

Caution –this is a major road

2.15

23 3.1

8.3

The junction is just after the hospital on the left in Buxton.

The next couple of roads are in a residential area, so keep your speed right down and your eyes wide open

B

SK 077 792

Look out for the road on the left that goes over a bridge – your turning is more or less opposite that. Don’t just assume that other drivers will believe your indicators – check you don’t have a maniac trying to overtake you as you turn

This track is forever being re-routed to keep it away from the nearby quarry workings. So don’t worry if the distance looks wrong as Step 28 – there’s a zero point just afterwards to get it back into line

28 9.8

D

24

29

3.5

ZERO TRIP

10.75

D D

25 4.05

Caution – this is a very tight turning indeed on to a very busy main road. You may well need to swing out into the face of oncoming traffic, and if you’re in convoy you’ll probably be best to take it one by one and regroup further on

30 0.1

Step 26-28: This track is forever being re-routed to get around the sprawling quarry workings below. You don’t always get to see what’s going on in there, but at present the view is particularly impressive

4x4 12 Roadbook.indd 85

MARCH 2018 | 67

25/07/2018 21:29

31

36

SK 112 773

0.7

3.4

ennine Bridle or hill

y

37

32

Caution – this is a fast, busy road

3.8

1.8

o or n hes er ( )

33 2.7

SK 134 766

38 5.2

34

39

35

40

3.0

3.1

66 | JULY 2018

12 Roadbook.indd 86

Turn right for Bradwell Moor

SK 142 794

6.6

7.25

4x4 25/07/2018 21:29

44

41

Come summer, don’t be surprised if this ford is completely absent

8.7

8.1

i le lo

42

Caution – the turning is at the bottom of a very sharp dip in the road

45 8.9

8.15

The remnants of a concrete surface on the way up the hill are starting to create quite a severe axle-twister as the looser surface around them gets progressively more washed out.

You’ll need a bit of momentum or a locked diff in your back axle

i le lo

43 8.55

SK 168 786

46 9.1

The surface here is just about sealed, but whether it deserves to be called a road is open to question.

Either way, just head straight on

Step 45: What’s left of a concrete surface has created a sharp axle-twister as water erosion has taken away the surface around it. It’s easily steep enough to catch you out

4x4 12 Roadbook.indd 87

SEPTEMBER 2018 | 87

25/07/2018 21:29

47

52

9.15

48

2.0

SK 195 761

Turn left on the track immediately before the T-junction with the A623. It’s hidden until you’re almost on it, so safe to assume anyone behind you will be taken completely unaware when you turn

53

ZERO TRIP

3.2

9.25

49

54

50

55

3.4

0.1

0.4

3.55

oolo y

51 1.5

88 | SEPTEMBER 2018

12 Roadbook.indd 88

Turn right opposite the Bull’s Head Inn in Foolow

D

56

SK 216 768

3.7

4x4 25/07/2018 21:29

57

62

3.8

6.9

B e ell B y (B )

63

58

8.0

4.1

rogg

59 4.6

SK 209 777

64 8.3

60

65

61

66

5.5

6.8

Caution as you cross the major road, following the sign for Curbar

8.5

ZERO TRIP

9.4

he ield hes er ield

4x4 12 Roadbook.indd 89

MARCH 2018 | 67

25/07/2018 21:29

67 1.9

Caution – this is a major road. Be particularly cautious of motorbikes travelling at warp speed on the wrong side of the road here

68 3.8

Step 78: The turning into Edensor village is definitely not your average lane end here s a familiar feeling to the sign you ll see a bit further on though belo

69

75

70

76

Slow past the farm as the track gives way to tarmac

71

77

Shortly after this you’ll be on the main road through Chatsworth Estate. Caution the whole way

72

78

The track ahead is gated

1.1

3.85

2.0

4.2

s oor hes er ield

2.45

4.6

6.2

2.95

SK 251 700

This is still in the estate, a little way after the turning for Chatsworth House itself. When you see the village and church on your left, get ready to turn left over a cattle grid next to a very imposing gatehouse.

Dead slow the whole way up here

Beeley D rley D le

73

ZERO TRIP

7.7

74

SK 287 680

0.75

90 | SEPTEMBER 2018

12 Roadbook.indd 90

4x4 25/07/2018 21:29

79 3.35

Much of the track ahead is getting eroded by water runoff. As you climb the hill you’ll find yourself leaning to the right and at times needing to pick your way through axle twisters. Further on, stay on the main right of way – the tracks on the banks to your left are strictly out of bounds

80 4.05

81 4.85

82 5.05

SK 225 697

83

Caution – this is a major road

5.15

84 6.05

Keep left after the bridge as you approach the centre of Bakewell, then turn left and pull in to the pay-and-display car park for the end of the route

Step 79-80: This is another track that’s seen a bit of water erosion. As you climb, you’ll be alternating between axle-twisters and a side slope that leans you across towards the undergrowth on the right

4x4 12 Roadbook.indd 91

SEPTEMBER 2018 | 91

25/07/2018 21:29

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NEXT MONTH IN 4x4 fi ed e J t t st ted t s i d e i t t et i eti e s e fit t s i t t e e ti ti s ested e d Jee e ee d dR e i

ON SALE: 14th Sept Step 15: This

of the is the biggest ford

day. If there’s been

a lot of rain, it

could be quite

deep, so approach

USING

with caution

e – visibility is Caution as you emerg to the right terrible, especially

18

Step 11: ZERO TRIP hey ta e the ir fiel hen did you last see a roa d roads seriously in eicestershir d sign li e this 11.85 e on a green lane

13

7

9.95

Roadbook: Green lane heaven on the mighty byways of the Yorkshire Dales 5.05

19

14

8

10.2

7.9

15

round to the left, Follow the track the gate gh not ahead throu

11.5

9

8.0

16

1.85

10

8.75

lane – after Take it easy up thisyou pass the gs, the farm buildin car park entrance to a pub

11.8

el on h r h

20 3.35

21 22 6.45

Fill in your name and address and give this form to your1newsagent 1

9.2 every month Please order 4x4 Magazine and reserve/deliver me a copy 2016 50 | NOVEMBER

12

9.55

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

96 | SEPTEMBER 2018

96 Next Month Sep.indd 96

NAVIGATIO N

We’ve delibera tely possible to follo w th mixture of inst ructio and grid refe rences.W only include junction have to make a turnin right of way, so just st road or take the most option unless we tell y If you’re unfa miliar w grid referenc es you’ll fi using them on the legen map. Our aim is for you do the route without m do recommend having th

SAFETY

he symbols on the first the roadboo k advise you suitable it is for your vehic are just guidelin es, howeve warn you of any hazards o ield o ld s on sections, but loos on ll on the nature of lane can chan ge quickly.We can make a hug e difference Your track is Inn opposite the Fox the left obvi conditions und Turnless two as you appr ous of the erfoot, and w oach wide open in winter can be enclosed and scratchy in sum responsibility is yours!

Our roadboo ks are design be safe to driv e in a solo veh D larg ic are ely suitable for standar on road tyre s. We travelling in tand do recomm this ford to em wherever wet enough for over pos it’s If the sible, how It’s not a big ever.The risk have any water ford actual have therlye’s ae, you’ll probably stuc of g sharpish drop , but surfac usk can be greater than into itroad as washe d daway in the previo it app roun the corner – and if you brea beenyou k down, having two by now at hand can mak e the differenc e between it bein g inconvenient an downright dan gerous.

RESPONSIB

When did you sign like this last see a road at unsurfaced righ a junction on an t of way?

Name Address

r noe

ng onon loos

SP 717 972

5.75

11.6

17

Total Off-Roa d you through the countryside on a and unsurfac ed r we use are pub lic either yways p or Unclassified o commonly refe rre

on on

y ille

ILITY Irresponsible driving is a mas sive pro

blem ADgreen lane -ROon TOTAL OFF s. In particu you mus

t always stay on the right of way. Never drive off it to play on the verges or surrounding land, eve if you can see that someon e else has; doing so is illegal and can be tremendously dam land and to 4x4 aging, both to the drivers’ repu tation.

The fact that you can see whe it’s happened shows how muc re h harm it does. It’s no excuse to say you’re just following where another driver has already bee n. Most green laners have taken to videoing anyo ne they see behaving like this and passing the evidence to the police, which shows how much ange r there is tow ards the criminal elem ent.

Elsewhere, simp le common sense and cou rtesy should be your

4x4 25/07/2018 22:41

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