4x4 Magazine - July 2020

4x4

NEWS • TECH • DEBATE • TRAVEL • MODIFIED VEHICLES • GREEN LANING

DRIVEN Range Rover P400 i6 HST off-roaded

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

STILL THE REAL THING Just when you thought there were no real-world Defenders left, proof that people are still using them for what they were made to do

Hilux meets Landcruiser in a hybrid with a difference

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WORKSHOP Sorting out some historical horrors on our Jeep

JULY 2020

When you’re in the wilderness and your truck breaks in half…

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July 2020

CONTENTS

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“The air intake feeds into a double-cyclone air filter original Class 150 locomotive. A train, we just said”

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64 | JANUARY 2020

2-3 Contents July.indd 2

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42

4x4 02/06/2020 18:04

46 12 MAGAZINES FOR THE PRICE OF 3!

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

4x4 Scene: News, Products and More…

6 7 8 10 10 11 12 12 13 14 14 16 17 18 22 23 24 24 24

Toyota Highlander Large SUV due in the UK early next year Toyota Yaris Cross Mini-SUV will have four-wheel drive Land Rover Plug-in hybrids boost Evoque and Disco Sport ranges Skoda Enyaq iV All-electric SUV on course for UK launch in early 2021 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Updates for our Performance 4x4 of the Year Hofele Design Styling package for Merc-AMG G-Class Ford Ranger Thunder model returns to UK range SsangYong Tivoli New styling, new engines for high-value crossover SsangYong Musso Long-bed model arrives to top off UK range Isuzu D-Max Further eye candy for limited-edition version of XTR Isuzu D-Max Tipper model join list of approved conversions Green Laning Uncertainty dogs transition to post-lockdown life Selwyn Kendrick Off-road world mourns one of its best-loved figures Starting ‘em Young Military club recruits kids with the aid of a classic 4x4 Ironman Offical approval for Landcruiser suspension upgrades Truckman Combo tonneau and roll bar to suit all modern pick-ups ARB Tyre pressure monitoring added to Linx system Tomahawk Apache wheel joins off-road range Britpart Long-range fuel tank for overland Defenders

Driven 26 28

Range Rover Sport HST Performance and bling in equal measure Porsche Macan Cayenne’s little brother is a dynamic masterpiece

Every Month 4 15 20 46 64

Alan Kidd We’ve all made mistakes. Some of us have learned from them…

Coming Soon Trucks and SUVs set to be launched in the near future Calendar Off-road events that may or may not be about to happen…

Subscribe Stay at home and get 4x4 delivered – and save a huge 75%!

Next Month Lockdown permitting, it’s time to get back on the lan es!

Features 30 34 42 48

Restified Rangey Cool Classic packs a Chevy LS3 beneath its bonnet Toyota Hybrid Hilux and Landcruiser meet to create an engineering marvel Real-World WJ Hardcore Jeep that’s also a 50,000 miles a year cruiser Bristling 90 Tough Defender with more antennae than a nest of ants

Our 4x4s

and element from an

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Travel 58

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4x4 2-3 Contents July.indd 3

Jeep Cherokee XJ How a visit to Jeepey brought our MOT disaster back to life

Disaster Strikes What happens when an expedition goes very wrong?

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02/06/2020 18:04

4x4 Alan Kidd Editor

M

I had turned a capable, reliable all-rounder into a temperamental handful

ost of us have things we wish we’d have done differently. An ill-judged comment to a headmaster that altered the entire course of your school career, perhaps, or a friend you made who turned out to be a terrible influence on your life. There’s someone out there who really wishes he hadn’t had that bat for dinner, though it’s unlikely he’s reading this.

You don’t normally have to look far in the world of off-roading to find things you wish you’d done differently, too. If only I hadn’t tried to get that last gate and clear that section, I wouldn’t be spending the next week bending up a new cage when I get out of hospital, that sort of thing.

I always have a word of warning ready for people which, I like to think, has saved a good many of them. Which is to beware of the last lane of the day.

It always amazes me how many lane runs and roadbook events seem to pass without incident but then finish with one last trail that turns out either to be a truck-wrecker or gets everyone stuck until about midnight. I can see why organisers want to go out on a high, and I don’t have any problem with that – but I’m also very careful whenever I’m out doing a recce for one of our roadbooks (they’ll be back soon, I hope) and I know that this one’s going to wrap it up for the day.

Perhaps it’s just superstition, but when I’ve said it to people they seem to know just what I’m on about. If nothing else, I’ve certainly noticed that otherwise cautious drivers can get gung-ho as the end of the day approaches, letting their guard start to drop and their speed start to climb.

When it comes to letting your guard drop, though, I suspect many of you will get what I’m on about when I tell the story of how I completely messed up one of the best 4x4s I’ve ever owned.

It was a Jeep Cherokee XJ with the lovely, bomb-proof 4.0-litre straight six engine.

Back in the early days of Total Off Road magazine, which I edited before it merged with 4x4, we built it up with a 3” lift, ARB AirLockers, heavy-duty bumpers, a snorkel and a winch. On went a set of 31” BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains, and that was the lot.

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I remember when the build was done, remarking to the guy we used for most of it (Chris Bashall at Surrey Off Road) that the Cherokee should now be about as good off-road as a standard Defender 90. He reckoned I’d find it was a whole lot better – and he was right.

This was a time when the first challenge trucks were starting to run on 35” Simexes, so a 31” Mud-Terrain didn’t sound as tiny as it might now. At any rate, the Cherokee turned out to be brilliant – both on the road and on just about any lane I tried. It was pretty much the perfect balance between on and off-road ability, with a remarkable amount of each.

But I had had my head turned. I was leafing through a Skyjacker catalogue when I saw a picture of a Cherokee on 35” tyres and the company’s 8” suspension kit – and then some time later, when I got the chance to fit one on one my own vehicle, I couldn’t resist. What I didn’t realise was that such a big lift was designed to be used with a wide range of complementary modifications – back in the USA, I should think that almost none went on to Jeeps that didn’t also have uprated axles, deeper diff gears and hydraulic steering.

It’s been well documented in these pages, and it is again this month, that putting such a huge lift under our Cherokee turned a reliable and ultra-capable all-rounder into a temperamental handful that’s hardly been used since. That’s nothing whatsoever against Skyjacker, whose kit is excellent – but I definitely wish I had done some stuff on the project a lot differently.

Mainly, I wish I had left it the way it was.

But having been snared by that picture in the Skyjacker catalogue, I wish that I had planned the build properly. There are outstanding Cherokees out there, but I know deep down that I never made the most of mine. And I surely do wish I had.

Tel: 01283 553243 Email: enquiries@assignment-media.co.uk Web: www.totaloffroad.co.uk www.4x4i.com Online Shop: www.toronline.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/totaloffroad www.facebook.com/4x4Mag Editor Alan Kidd Art Editor Samantha D’Souza Contributors Mike Trott, Dan Fenn, Paul Looe, Olly Sack, Robbie Ronson, Barrie Dunbar, Kaziyoshi Sasazaki Photographers Harry Hamm, Steve Taylor, Richard Hair, Vic Peel Group Advertising Manager Ian Argent Tel: 01283 553242 Advertising Manager Colin Ashworth Tel: 01283 553244 Advertising Production Sarah Moss Tel: 01283 553242 Subscriptions Sarah Moss Tel: 01283 553242 Publisher and Head of Marketing Sarah Moss Email: sarah.moss@assignment-media.co.uk To subscribe to 4x4, or renew a subscription, call 01283 742970. Prices for 12 issues: UK £42 (24 issues £76); Europe Airmail/ROW Surface £54; ROW Airmail £78 Distributed by Marketforce; www.marketforce.co.uk Every effort is made to ensure the contents of 4x4 are accurate, but Assignment Media accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions nor the consequences of actions made as a result of these.

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

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NEW 4X4S

TOYOTA HIGHLANDER TO MAKE UK DEBUT EARLY NEXT YEAR

Seven seats as standard • 2.5-litre hybrid with 42.8mpg • All-wheel drive with Trail mode

T

oyota has announced that it is to bring the Highlander SUV to Britain. Due for launch early next year, the seven-seater will sit above the RAV4 in the company’s line-up – and it will be available in the UK exclusively with all-wheel drive.

First unveiled in at the New York Auto Show in April 2019, the current Highlander (also known as the Kluger in some markets) is the fourth generation of vehicles to bear the name. It’s based on the same GA-K platform as the RAV4, which bodes well, and all UK models will be powered by a hybrid system mating a 2.5-litre petrol engine to twin electric motors.

This delivers 241bhp and returns promising WLTP figures of 42.8mpg KIA WILL INTRODUCE its first dedicated all-electric model next year. The vehicle, a crossover SUV, is being designed on a new EV-specific platform and will offer a range of more than 310 miles as well as a fast-charging time of just 20 minutes.

The Korean company has also committed to including at least one hybrid or full electric vehicle in the range of every new model it launches from now on. Most of these will be available in Europe, where Kia says it has been encouraged by the success of its EV offerings to date. These vehicles will include a number of SUV and 4x4 models.

Following the launch of the new electric crossover next year, Kia intends to have a total of 11 fully electric vehicles in production around the world by 2025.

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and 146g/km. The transmission is governed by a Drive Mode Select system with Eco, Normal, Sport and Trail modes, the latter allowing the vehicle to turn in a credible performance off-road. All four modes can

still be used when the Highlander is set to run as a full EV. Toyota’s Global Platform architecture, of which the GA-K unit is part, has been widely praised for the blend of refinement and precision

is delivers. The RAV4, which won its class in our 2020 4x4 of the Year awards, has a quiet and superbly put-together cabin as well as athletic handling and peaceful motorway manners, and the Highlander can

Over-the-air updates for Mustang Mach-E FORD’S NEW ALL-ELECTRIC SUV, the Mustang Mach-E, will feature over-the-air software updates allowing it to literally get better with time. Almost all the vehicle’s modules can be accessed through a cloud-based platform allowing Ford to deliver performance enhancements and even entirely new features which might not exist when customers first take delivery of their vehicles.

Ford has also quoted charging times based on real-world testing which improve upon the projected figures it had previously been working with. These suggest that versions of the Mach-E with all-wheel drive and the extended-range battery option will be able to gain 66 miles of range in ten minutes when using an Ionity fast-charging station.

Ford expects to be delivering its initial over-the-air updates around six months after the first Mach-E customers take delivery of their vehicles. This in turn is expected to happen just in time for Christmas; said customers will have paid from £46,750 for a model with all-wheel drive.

4x4 02/06/2020 15:52

New Yaris Cross SUV will have four-wheel drive

be expected to match it in all these ways. This is in spite of it being significantly larger – at 4950mm, its overall length is the same as that of the massive 200-Series Landcruiser which was withdrawn from UK sale in 2015.

These proportions allow a genuine seven-seat interior, with a 180mm sliding range for the second row of seats – allowing easy access and spacious third-row accommodation for two adults. With both the rear rows folded flat, meanwhile, the Highlander’s luggage capacity leaps from its standard 658 litres to a huge 1909 litres.

Elsewhere inside, Toyota promises excellent oddment stowage and plenty of USB ports for connectivity, as well as a wide range of premium including satellite navigation, head-up display, wireless charging and an infotainment system running

Apple CarPlay and AndroidAuto.

Heated and vented front seats are also on the list, along with a digital rear-view mirror whose picture is unobscured by rear-seat passengers or headrests.

Externally, the Highlander will feature 20” alloy wheels to go with its striking styling – which uses the same cues as the RAV4 but, when seen next to the smaller vehicle, is noticeably more aggressive, with pronounced wings and wheelarches giving it a more muscular look. Towing capacity tops out at 2000kg.

Pricing for the new Highlander will be announced in the autumn, as the vehicle’s launch date approaches. We’d expect it to start where the RAV4 leaves off and roughly shadow the price of the Landcruiser, however, which would suggest a price of around £35,000 for entry-level models.

AT THE OTHER END of the size scale, early next year Toyota will also introduce the Yaris Cross – a compact SUV which, unusually for its class, offers all-wheel drive to go with its raised ground clearance.

Based on the forthcoming all-new Yaris hatchback, the Cross is 240mm longer and its ground clearance is 30mm higher. Toyota says its AWD-i 4x4 system ‘provides extra stability and traction in everyday driving, in poor conditions and on low-grip surfaces.’

The wheels are turned by a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain with a maximum output of 114bhp. Economy figures are yet to be confirmed, however the front-wheel drive model returns a provisional 120g/km and Toyota says the vehicle will achieve better fuel consumption than any comparable SUV.

New Mokka shows off-tarmac skills during pre-launch testing

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auxhall has released images of the new Mokka, which will go on sale in the UK early next year. The pictures show a disguised vehicle under testing in various

4x4 IN PROGRESS Scene July.indd 7

conditions – including on snow and ice and in what looks like a simulated wet green laning environment.

It’s not yet clear whether the Mokka will offer the option of all-wheel drive, however this is an all-new model based on the PSA Group’s CMP platform – meaning it will offer a choice of traditional petrol and die-

sel engines alongside an all-electric drivetrain option.

While a large part of Vauxhall’s testing has concentrated on giving the vehicle its own unique driving characteristics, the Mokka will have many similarities to the latest Peugeot 2008 – which is also based on the CMP platform. This means it will no longer be available with the option of all-wheel drive, instead offering the Advanced Grip Control system previously seen on a variety of other PSA Group products. This offers a choice of drive modes governing the traction control and other settings, similarly to programmes like Land Rover’s Terrain Response – however in this case only the front wheels are driven.

A further advantage of the new platform is that it allows the Mokka to be up to 120kg lighter than the old model. This helps with efficiency as well as road manners – which are aided further by a 30% improvement in torsional rigidity.

Vauxhall says Mokka production will commence late this year. Full UK specs and prices can be expected during the autumn, with the latter likely to fall into the £20-30,000 range for petrol and diesel models.

JULY 2020 | 7

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NEW 4X4S

FORD BRINGS THUNDER BACK TO RANGER LINE-UP

F

ord has reintroduced the Thunder badge to its UK line-up. First seen more than a decade and a half ago, the high-spec model had always been at the look-at-me end of the range – and that’s the case more than ever now, with a 1400-strong limited-edition double-cab model whose two-tone interior and highspec leather-clad cabin are very much designed to attract attention.

Powered by Ford’s 2.0-litre twin-turbo EcoBlue diesel engine, whose 213bhp and 369lbf.ft are put out through a 10-speed automatic gearbox, the Ranger Thunder is based on the Wildtrak model and costs from £32,965 plus VAT. Its styling package includes a Sea Grey paint scheme with red highlights,

as well as 18” alloy wheels whose black finish matches those of the front grille, rear bumper, skid plates, light bezels and door handles.

Inside, the cabin features black leather seats with red stitching – which is also extended across the

steering wheel and dashboard. You even get bespoke red-illuminated sill plates.

The Thunder model aims to help the Ranger build on last year’s best-ever European sales figures of 52,500 – which included more than

16,000 in the UK alone. This level of popularity is even more remarkable considering the Ranger is the oldest pick-up on the market – two major revisions notwithstanding, the current model has been in production since 2011.

SsangYong introduces facelifted Tivoli crossover SSANGYONG HAS UNVEILED a facelifted version of its Tivoli crossover SUV – with revised styling, an improved cabin and a range of new engines as well as greater chassis refinement and sharper dynamics.

The vehicle, which was originally launched five years ago, also gains new infotainment options with what SsangYong calls ‘a brilliant digital interface,’ as well as further updates to what was already a strong set of safety systems. It continues to offer the company’s traditional high-value sales proposition, with prices starting at £13,995 and a massively appealing 84-month / 150,000-mile warranty.

The Tivoli’s new engine options are a pair of turbocharged GDI petrol units. Entry-level models get a 1.2 GDI-T three-cylinder engine with 128bhp at 5000rpm and 169lbf.ft at 1750rpm, while a jump up the range brings you to a 1.5 GDI-T four-pot with 163bhp at 5500rpm and 206lbf. ft at 1500rpm.

The 1.2 is available only in man-

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ual form, while the 1.5 adds the option of an automatic box – as does the one diesel option, a revised version of the existing 1.6-litre unit with 136bhp at 4000rpm and 239lbf.ft at 1500rpm.

In addition to these drivetrain options, the Tivoli comes with a choice of three spec levels. Entry-level EX models have air-con, cruise control, DAB Radio, Bluetooth and a wide range of safety equipment including autonomous emergency braking, traffic sign recognition, driver attention alert and so on, while the mid-range Ventura trim adds 16” alloys, faux-leather trim, heated seats, smartphone pairing, rear parking sensors and a 7” media screen with rear camera.

The EX and Ventura are only available with the 1.2 GDI-T engine. At the top of the range, the Ultimate model comes exclusively with the 1.5 GDI-T and 1.6 Diesel; in addition, this trim level adds 18” diamond-cut alloys, natural leather seats, dual-zone air-con and a 10.25” smart LED cluster.

Pricing for the new-look Tivoli starts at £13,995 for the 1.2 EX. The Ventura model with the same engine costs £16,995, while Ultimate examples start at £19,995 with the 1.5-litre petrol engine in manual form and climb to £22,995 for a diesel auto.

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4x4 02/06/2020 15:38

NEW 4X4S

Skoda readies Enyaq iV electric SUV for early 2021 launch

S

koda has lifted the wraps on its latest SUV – which is due to go on sale in the UK in the first weeks of 2021. It’s called the Enyaq iV – and it will be the Czech company’s first ever from-the-ground-up all-electric vehicle.

A little smaller than the Kodiaq in size (it’s about 2” shorter in the body and 1” in the wheelbase), the Enyaq iV is a five-seater with a choice of three battery capacities, five power outputs and, at the top

of the range, four-wheel drive. The latter feature is what makes it interesting, of course – not least because Skoda has done more than most manufacturers to endow their 4x4 models with a level of off-tarmac ability worthy of the name. Towing ability, however, doesn’t match that of a comparable conventionally engined alternative, at a maximum of 1200kg.

The range starts with the Enyaq iV 50, whose 55kWh battery and single motor give it a 146bhp

power output and maximum range of 211 miles. The Enyaq iV 60 has a 62 kWh battery, a 177bhp output and 242-mile range, while the topspec rear-wheel drive model, the Enyaq iV 80, bumps the figures up to 82kWh, 201bhp and 310 miles.

The 82kWh battery is also used by the two all-wheel drive models at the top of the range, which add a second motor to drive the front axle. Called the 80X and vRS, these have 261 and 301bhp respectively and share a maximum range of

286 miles. Acceleration in the vRS model is quoted at 6.2 seconds, while the same vehicle’s top speed is 112mph.

Skoda says the Enyaq iV will be available with a ‘fast-charging option for even shorter charging times’, should you want to spend a chunk more on top of what’s already likely to be a hefty purchase price by Skoda’s standards. As it is, provisional pre-launch figures suggest a charging time of 6-8 hours using a domestic wall box and 40 minutes (from 10% to 80%) at a 125kW DC station.

Away from the electric stuff, the vehicle’s interior is based on different architecture to Skoda’s other SUVs but will dish up the same sort of menu – which means you can expect smart design, excellent materials and world-class build quality to go with its 585-litre boot and generously equipped cabin. The exact equipment list is still a way off, but it’ll be based around a 13” display screen and the option of a head-up display with augmented reality.

Skoda says its dealer network is taking pre-orders now in advance of production, which is due to commence late this year. The Enyaq iV will debut with a special Founder’s Edition, globally limited to 1895 units, which will commemorate the 125th anniversary of the company’s creation, before adopting the familiar range of models to go with its various power and transmission options.

Stelvio Quadrifoglio gains new colours, mild styling updates and more autonomous driver aids THE ALFA ROMEO STELVIO QUADRIFOGLIO is our reigning Performance 4x4 of the Year. And for the new model year, it’s set to become better yet. However this doesn’t mean they’re making it more powerful – 510bhp is already enough, especially with the epic Race mode at your disposal.

Instead, Alfa has upgraded the vehicle to Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems – the highest level of autonomous ability currently permitted. This gives it Lane Keep and Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Cruise Control, Traffic Sign Recognition with Intelligent Speed Control, Traffic Jam Assist and Driver Attention Assist. Yes, getting drowsy is a thing when driving a Quadrifoglio, apparently.

A much more fun of staying awake is to listen to the sound of the vehicle’s exhaust. And you can now spec an Akrapovic system giving it, in Alfa’s words, ‘an even more sophisticated sound.’ Nice.

10 | JULY 2020

IN PROGRESS Scene July.indd 10

4x4 02/06/2020 15:53

NEW 4X4S

Hofele Design introduces new styling package for Mercedes G-Class THE MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS is our reigning 4x4 of the Year. But one big problem with it is that at £96,220 for the G 350 d, or £146,490 for the AMG G 63, it’s simply not expensive enough.

Fortunately, Hofele-Design is here to help. The Stuttgart-based Merc specialist has introduced a series of ‘sporty yet refined aesthetic updates’ for the G 63; these are factory-approved, meaning they can be fitted pre-registration without invalidating the vehicle’s warranty.

Exterior styling upgrades include a new grille and front bumper whose designs feature a mixture of chrome and carbon fibre. Further up, low-profile roof-mounted LED projector lights are located just above the header rail at each corner, while down at street level 24” alloys are shrouded beneath carbon fibre extended wheelarches.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the vehicle, however is its side steps. These are electrically deployable, which isn’t exactly new in itself – but a problem in designing such a thing for the G 63 is that it comes as standard with side-exit exhaust finishers.

Redesign the exhaust? Not a bit of it. Hofele’s answer was to incorporate the exhaust finishers into the side steps. ‘The step moves in and out when the doors are opened and closed,’ explains the company, ‘and the exhaust finishers move with it.’

Inside, the seats, dashboard, centre console, door cards, pillars and headlining are fully retrimmed in the customer’s own choice of leather or alcantara, with ‘a carefully selected palette of colours’ and ‘ornate yet subtle perforation and stitching.’

Another choice is between the G-Class’ standard five-seat layout or a four-seat arrangement with Hofele’s luxurious VIP rear chairs.

Alternatively, you can even add a removable third row in the back to create a 4+2 arrangement.

What’s not changed, on the other hand, is the G 63’s chassis and power train. ‘Our clients consider the performance available from the fac-

tory-fit 4.0-litre V8 bi-turbo powertrain more than sufficient,’ says company boss Stuart Whitmore. He’s talking about a 585bhp off-road super-truck that blasts from 0-62mph in, count them, 4.5 seconds, so to consider its performance anything less than satisfactory might in some quarters be considered moronic.

All these mind-boggling statistics and data bring us back to where

we started, which is what all this individualism will cost. There’s a currency conversion to be done, but if you budget for about a quarter of a million quid you won’t be far off.

To put it another way, you could have a G 350 d and a G 63, or a Hofele G63. Though obviously if you can afford one of these things at all, considerations like that no longer hold any meaning to you.

Styling updates are minimal, though the vehicle gains new LED rear light clusters, gloss black finish badging and 21” alloy wheels. Inside, the steering wheel, gear selector and centre console are all revised, and there’s a totally new infotainment system with an 8.8” touch screen and reworked interface. This also includes a new Performance Pages section allowing you to monitor things like torque delivery, turbo pressure and component temperatures while also featuring digital chronometers to measure acceleration and maximum speed.

If that lot leaves you cold and all you’re interested in is being seen, the good news is that the colour palette grows to include three new options – 6C Villa d’Este Red, GT Junior Ocra (ochre) and Montreal Green.

Pricing and full British specs for the revised Stelvio Quadrifoglio are yet to be confirmed. However Alfa is on track for sales to kick off during the summer, so there won’t be long to wait.

4x4 IN PROGRESS Scene July.indd 11

JULY 2020 | 11

02/06/2020 15:53

NEW 4X4S

LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT AND RANGE ROVER EVOQUE GAIN PLUG-IN HYBRD OPTION

S

ales of the Land Rover Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque are set for a major boost with the arrival of PHEV plug-in hybrid models. Badged P300e PHEV, these qualify for low Benefit-in-Kind income tax incentives of 6% for the Evoque and 10% for the Discovery – meaning they’re set to become stars of the company car market.

The vehicles’ specifications make for eye-opening reading, with CO2 emissions from 32g/km, fuel consumption of 201.8mpg and an all-electric range of up to 41 miles.

But even the internal combustion part of the hybrid system posts remarkable figures, with 200bhp being produced by a 1.5-litre petrol engine alone.

Figures for the Discovery Sport are a little more conservative, shopwing up at 36g/km, 175.5mpg and 38 miles. Still not exactly a gas-guzzler, then. In each case, Land Rover says the battery can be taken from 0-80% in 30 minutes using a fast-charging station.

The 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox, and this sends power to

12 | JULY 2020

Scene July.indd 8

the front wheels only. All-wheel drive comes from the electric part of the system, which features a 109bhp motor driving the rear wheels only – giving the vehicle a total system output of 309bhp and 398lbf.ft.

Governing the system’s operation is a driver-operated control module featuring three modes. In ‘Hybrid’ mode, the vehicle is powered by both the engine and electric motor, with a GPS-driven Predictive Energy Optimisation function to maximise efficiency and comfort for the journey. In ‘EV’ mode, the vehicle runs on battery power alone, while in ’Save’ mode it runs principally on petrol in order to maintain the charge in the battery.

The vehicles’ performance is as impressive as their efficiency.

The Evoque posts a 0-62mph time of 6.1 seconds, while the heavier Discovery Sport gets there just 0.1 second later. Both have a top speed of 84mph on electric power alone; beyond this, the motor on the rear axle is automatically decoupled to reduce drag.

It’s not just about hard-charging acceleration, however. Land Rover says the Discovery Sport’s centre of

gravity is 6% lower than standard models’, and that the hybrid system’s location throughout the vehicle’s structure means its front-to-rear weight distribution is also enhanced.

This should allow crisper dynamics than ever – in a vehicle whose chassis was already very agile.

Land Rover’s quoted 30-minute 80% charging time stretches to an hour and 24 minutes if you’re using a typical 7kW AC wall box.

If all you’re got is a domestic plug, however, it will take six hours and 42 minutes, so don’t forget to leave it plugged in overnight if you want to

get to work in the morning without having to listen to the petrol engine firing up.

The Range Rover Evoque P300e PHEV is available in S, SE and HSE specifications, either in standard or R-Dynamic form. It comes with a range of 18”, 19” and 20” wheel options and is priced from £43,850.

The Discovery Sport, meanwhile, is offered in R-Dynamic S, SE and HSE specifications, with either 18” or 20” wheels, costing from £45,370.

Both vehicles are available to order now, with deliveries expected to get underway in the autumn.

4x4 02/06/2020 20:49

NEW 4X4S

SsangYong adds long-bed model to top of Musso range

S

sangYong has revised its Musso line-up in the UK – by adding a new long-bed variant at the top of the range. Riding on rear leaf springs rather than the coils used on standard models, this gains an extra 310mm of load length and offers a range-topping payload of 1140kg.

Promising a combination of strength, robustness and comprehensive equipment with attention-grabbing value for money, the Musso will now be available in four spec levels. The entry-level EX is manual-only, while Rebel and Saracen models offer the choice of upgrading to an auto box.

All three of these spec levels are offered only in standard-bed form. The long-bed model is offered exclusively in Rhino form – putting it straight to the top of the Musso range, with climate control, all-round parking sensors and automatic transmission as standard.

Not that any Musso is thin on kit.

Even the entry-level EX model has 17” alloy wheels, DAB, Bluetooth, air-con and automatic headlamps and wipers.

The Rebel adds faux-leather seats with heating and cooling up front, a heated steering wheel and an 8” me-

dia system with Google CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a reversing camera. Move up to Saracen and you get 18” alloys, cruise control, sat-nav, a 9.2” media screen and Nappa leather seats, power-adjustable up front and heated in the rear.

As before, all auto models will tow 3500kg; this decreases to 3200kg

with the manual unit. Gross Train Weight ranges from 6450kg for the short-bed manual models to 6900kg for the Rhino.

As before, all versions of the Musso are covered by a 7-year/150,000mile warranty. Prices range from £21,995 for the EX to £29,995 for the Rhino – which gives it the

unique characteristic of presenting leaf springs as a premium feature.

We’re yet to drive the new Long-Bed Musso (thank you, coronavirus), but every example of the standard model we’ve experienced has impressed us, and as always with SsangYong the value proposition is little short of overwhelming.

New addition to VW T-Roc range VOLKSWAGEN HAS ADDED a new model to the T-Roc range. Based on the SE model, the Black Edition adds a range of black trim items – including some very cool 18” alloys – in addition to LED headlamps and ambient interior lighting in a contrasting white. It’s available with 1.0and 1.5 TSI petrol engines, and 1.6- and 2.0-litre TDI diesels, with prices starting at £23,750.

Mini has revised its high-selling Countryman, with four-wheel drive remaining available across the range. There’s also a new Plug-In Hybrid model with a three-cylinder petrol engine driving the front wheels and an electric motor at the back, giving it a form of allwheel drive as standard. The facelifted Countryman is available to order now.

4x4 IN PROGRESS Scene July.indd 13

JULY 2020 | 13

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NEW 4X4S

ISUZU UNVEILS LIMITED-EDITION VERSION OF D-MAX XTR

I

t hardly seems like any time since Isuzu launched the D-Max XTR, but in fact a whole year has passed since the styled-up off-roader made its debut at the 2019 CV Show. This year’s running of the same event may have been cancelled – but that hasn’t discouraged Isuzu from introducing a new version of the vehicle.

It’s called the Colour Edition, and it builds on the XTR’s already assertive looks by colour-coding the body kit that makes the vehicle so distinctive. This is normally coated in durable Raptor Black, but on this model the front bumper guard, bonnet protector and headlight frames are paint-matched to the body – which can be ordered in white, silver, grey or black.

The vehicle’s appearance is further set off by an eye-catching green finish for the Isuzu badge on the front grille. This is a popular option on the standard XTR but comes as part of the package on the Colour Edition.

Further colour-coding is applied on the rear bumper and spoiler, as well as the wheelarch extensions – which, however, still retain the distinctive green flash that’s unique

to XTR models. The door handles and door mirror housings are black, while inside the cabin the XTR’s familiar flat-bottomed steering wheel and suede-and-leather seats are retained.

Also carried over is the excellent Pedders suspension set-up that

helps the XTR stand out as Isuzu’s pre-eminent off-road performer. The Australian specialist also supplies upgraded brakes, helping the vehicle retain its overall road manners while offering greater ground clearance to go with its 265/70R17 Pirelli Scorpion Plus Tyres.

Isuzu says the XTR Colour Edition will only be produced in a limited number of units in each, er, colour.

Further details on this will be announced, along with the vehicle’s price, once lockdown is eased and the company’s dealer network is able to fully reopen.

Work-spec D-Max Utility Extra Cab now available from factory with officially approved tipper conversion THE D-MAX XTR (above) is very much at the lifestyle end of the D-Max scale. But for an example of the vehicle’s prowess as a working tool, you can’t do much better than the Utility Extended Cab Tipper.

This loses the standard rear pick-up bed and replaces it with a lightweight Tippadeck measuring 1977mm long by 1800mm wide. This is made using 18mm thick interlocking alloy floor panels, so it’s as strong as it is light, and loads can be lashed down using heavy-duty underfloor tie-down points.

Keeping the vehicle’s contents in check while you’re on (or off) the road are 300mm high sideboards and tailboard, also made from lightweight alloy. The latter opens to 180°, with a two-way hinge assembly allowing it to swing from both the top and bottom.

The sideboards can be removed, too, with recessed spring latches to avoid catching on objects. With both these and the tailboard gone, you can then lift out the corner posts, too, creating a 100% flat bed – perfect for loading and unloading when whatever you’re carrying can’t simply be tipped out.

When the time comes for that, on the other hand, a wanderlead control is used to activate the electro-hydraulic power pack that lifts the body. A dual-tone alarm sounds automatically when the deck is moving either up or down, and an integral body prop and hose burst safety valve prevent it from falling unexpectedly should a fault occur.

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IN PROGRESS Scene July.indd 14

4x4 02/06/2020 15:53

COMING SOON Forthcoming 4x4s due later this year and beyond The Toyota Corolla Trek is a new faux-by-four crossover with 20mm suspension lift to go with its protective wheelarch extensions and under-run guards. Powered by a choice of 1.8 and 2.0-litre hybrid petrol engines, it’s priced from £29,225 on the road.

Volkswagen recently built its 6,000,000th Tiguan.

Since its original launch in 2007, the Europe’s highestselling SUV has become its manufacturer’s most successful model, with factories in Germany, Russia, China and Mexico producing them at a rate of one every 35 seconds.

Based on the familiar D-Max Utility mode, the Tipper features things like air-con, digital radio and Bluetooth – as well as heavy-duty vinyl floor mats and 16” steel wheels. The latter can be fitted with BFGoodrich All-Terrain tyres as an option on the vehicle – which retains its all-important 3500kg towing weight.

Isuzu expects to sell about 200 of these conversions a year to professional users such as tree surgeons, landscape architects and construction companies. It says the lead time for the vehicle should be around four weeks. The D-Max Tipper comes with the usual 5-year/125,000-mile warranty and 5 years’ UK and European roadside assistance; it will be available across Isuzu’s dealer network once its showrooms are able to reopen, at a price to be announced soon.

4x4 IN PROGRESS Scene July.indd 15

Aiways U5 Electric SUV Alfa Romeo Tonale Small SUV Alpina XB7 Performance SUV Aston Martin DBX Performance SUV Audi Q5 facelift Medium SUV BMW iX3 Electric SUV BMW X5 M Competition Performance SUV BMW X6 M Competition Performance SUV Bollinger B1 Electric off-roader Bollinger B2 Electric pick-up Cupra Formentor Performance SUV Ford Kuga Medium SUV Ford Mustang Mach-E Electric SUV Ford Ranger Pick-up INEOS Grenadier Off-roader Jeep Small SUV Jeep Cherokee Desert Hawk Performance Off-Roader Jeep Gladiator Pick-up Jeep Grand Commander Large SUV Jeep Compass 4xe Hybrid SUV Jeep Renegade 4xe Hybrid SUV Jeep Wagoneer Luxury SUV Kia Crossover EV Kia Sorento Large SUV Land Rover Defender 90 Off-roader Land Rover Defender 130 Off-roader Land Rover Defender PHEV Hybrid off-roader Land Rover Defender EV Electric off-roader Land Rover Discovery Spt PHEV Hybrid SUV Maserati Medium SUV Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Performance SUV Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 Performance SUV Mercedes-Benz EQB Electric SUV Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe Large SUV Mercedes-Maybach GLS Luxury SUV Mitsubishi Outlander Medium SUV Peugeot 3008 Hybrid 4 Hybrid SUV Range Rover Evoque PHEV Hybrid SUV Rivian R1T Electric pick-up Rivian R1s Electric large SUV Skoda Enyaq iV Electric SUV SsangYong Korando EV Electric SUV Suzuki S-Cross Hybrid Crossover SUV Suzuki Vitara Hybrid Small SUV Tesla Cybertruck Electric Pick-Up Tesla Model X Tri-Motor Electric SUV Tesla Model Y Medium SUV Toyota Highlander Large SUV Toyota RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid Medium SUV Toyota Yaris Cross Small SUV Vauxhall Mokka Small SUV Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet Small SUV Volkswagen Amarok Pick-up Volkswagen Touareg R Performance SUV Volvo XC40 PHEV Hybrid SUV

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

JULY 2020 | 15

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Volvo X

RIGHTS OF WAY

Green laning community struggles to interpret government guidelines as lockdown restrictions begin to ease Debate rages on legality of lane use • Rogue drivers fined in Wales • Unilateral closures in Bedford

4x4s were banned from rights of way like this one in Bedfordshire a few days before the Government’s deadline on reviewing its lockdown rules. The borough council said motor vehicle use is ‘not regarded as essential travel’; walkers, cyclists and horse riders were not banned from using the lanes. Strata Florida (opposite) was the scene of an illegal encampment by a group who had travelled from Merseyside to off-road in the area in direct contravention of the lockdown order; all were fined and sent home

C

onfusion reigned among green lane users during the early part of May, following the Government’s initial statements on the easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

A lack of clarity in the information released following the Prime Minister’s initial statement on the situation allowed many to interpret the new rules as meaning rights of way could once again be used in motor vehicles – while others contended that the opposite was still the case.

More still, though by no means all, argued that while the rules may have changed, the reality of the situation had not – and that legal or not, green laning would continue to constitute an unnecessary risk for as long as infection rates remain significantly high.

While the national epidemic may have passed its peak by the end of April, this view was endorsed by

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IN PROGRESS Scene July.indd 16

those in the parts of England where infection rates were still continuing to climb even after restrictions started to be eased. Some of these areas, notably the Lake District, were braced for an influx of visitors (not just byway users), as were many other parts of the country.

Pivotal to the argument that laning is once again permitted was Section 1.1 of the Government’s revised regulations – specifically the part saying you may now ‘spend time outdoors – for example sitting and enjoying the fresh air, picnicking, or sunbathing.’ In addition, Section 1.7 says ‘you can travel to outdoor open space irrespective of distance.’

In the light of this, it would appear difficult to construct a legal case against anyone going back to using rights of way. If nothing else, the rules would act as mitigation, if not as a defence, for anyone prosecuted under coronavirus legislation.

Nonetheless, groups like the Green Lane Association were unequivocal in their advice to members, reiterating that the best course of action to prevent the spread of the disease is still to stay at home as much as possible: ’We do need to remember that no facilities are open for our use if we do decide to leave home and factor that into the practicality of our decisions – car parks, public toilets, shops, pubs, restaurants, hotels, campsites, playgrounds etc all remain closed. Most importantly, things are far from normal yet and, each time we leave our homes, we are putting ourselves and others at increased risk.’

For the green laning community, it was also extremely relevant that as English regulations began to be relaxed, those in Wales remained at their strictest level. Many of the country’s most popular trails are located here, but these remained

entirely out of bounds irrespective of the situation elsewhere.

Prior to the initial easing of lockdown, indeed, Wales was in the national news after a group of 19 men travelled from Merseyside in a convoy of vans and off-road vehicles. Dyfed-Powys Police tracked them down and issued them with fixed penalty notices after receiving reports from the public – only for the same thing to happen the following weekend.

This time, an off-duty police officer spotted the group camping near Strata Florida – the day after they had been stopped by traffic police while on their way to the area.

Once again, fixed penalty notices were issued before the convoy was instructed to return home.

These incidents may simply be cases of outright criminality on the part of a very small number of individuals, however when reported

4x4 02/06/2020 15:53

NEWS in the press they inevitably paint a terrible picture of green lane users as a whole. And many expressed concern at this on social media, even after the initial phase of lockdown easing were introduced, suggesting that while it may now be legal, taking to the lanes so early would risk alienating the public still further. Inevitably, users also had widespread concerns about the political capital anti-4x4 groups would seek to make from this – a major issue in itself, especially as it suggests the relentless hate campaign against motor vehicle users could be discouraging people from enjoying the countryside as is their right.

In Bedfordshire, meanwhile, that right was taken away by the Borough Council when it banned motor vehicles from a wide range of byways just three days before the Government’s second lockdown period was due for review. The closures, which were imposed for three weeks, did not apply to walkers, cyclists or horse riders. In the council’s words: ’These temporary closures are to support Government advice of avoiding non-essential travel.

Driving on the lanes is not regarded as essential travel.’

Green lane users were quick to recognise this as being discriminatory and opportunistic – and some pointed out that by denying drivers with suitable vehicles the opportunity to take the most direct route from A to B, the orders could in fact force them to make longer journeys, actually creating unnecessary travel rather than preventing it.

There was further outrage at comments published by DyfedPowys Police following the first of

4x4 IN PROGRESS Scene July.indd 17

the incursions mentioned above by would-be illegal users from Merseyside. Quoting one of its officers, the force’s own website said: ‘Off-roading is a problem all over Powys, causing damage to footpaths, bridleways and tracks, and green lanes in forestry areas and common land. Not only that, but as we saw last weekend people are actually breaching the current legislation to come into the area for off-roading.’

While no sensible green laner would deny that irresponsible use does create problems, such a sweeping generalisation can hardly help but be seen as reckless at best – and calculated at worst. By failing to acknowledge the difference between criminal off-roading and responsible rights of way use, the force risked encouraging public hatred towards a community whose activities are both legal and responsible – and whose visits to the area bring millions of pounds’ worth of business to the local economy every year.

In the light of such scandalous behaviour by various authorities, 4x4 drivers might be forgiven for remaining over-cautious about venturing back on to the lanes. By the time this magazine is published, the next step of the Government’s recovery plan is due to have been implemented, assuming the correct progress is being made in the fight against coronavirus. The whole country is of course eager for this to happen; for green lane users, simply interpreting step one has proved bewildering – but a new form of bigotry means the return to normal, whatever and whenever that might be, may prove more complicated yet.

Selwyn Kendrick Selwyn Kendrick, whose contribution to the off-road world over the course of several decades made him one of the best known and most popular figures in the 4x4 scene, has died at the age of 76.

A successful off-road driving instructor whose business was responsible for training countless professional 4x4 operators over many years, Selwyn was also heavily involved in organising Britain’s top-level comp safari and hillrally series. Yet unlike many for whom a hobby turns into a profession, he continued to enjoy off-roading in its own right, becoming a regular on the Southern Counties Off Road Club’s annual Ebble Valley Trail.

A staunch believer in tried and trusted engineering, around ten years ago Selwyn was engaged by Autocar magazine to supervise the off-road part of a twin test between the Land Rover Discovery 4 and Toyota Landcruiser. There was only ever going to be one winner in the mind of a publication so powerfully fixated on supercars and GTIs, and sure enough its journalists expressed their astonishment when Selwyn came down firmly on the side of the far more traditional Toyota.

Yet at a time when almost all recreational off-roading was done in Land Rovers or Suzukis, Selwyn was one of the first to recognise the potential of double-cabs, becoming a familiar sight about his liveried Ford Ranger. But perhaps his most significant contribution to the world was the Mac 4x4 Challenge, a charity event which, between 2002 and 2016, raised £1.4 million for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Selwyn originally planned to run the Mac 4x4 Challenge in the autumn of 2000 – only for that year’s tanker drivers’ strike to make it impossible.

The following year, the Foot and Mouth epidemic had the same effect.

Finally, the event went ahead in 2002; at that time, it was only seen as a one-off which might raise £5000, but its popularity was such that it was to run for almost a decade and a half.

This determination in the face of adversity served Selwyn well in his own personal battle with cancer, which he fought for many years with his usual quiet determination and self-effacing humour. It was a fight in which he was, sadly, destined to lose, however he was supported through his final years by an army of friends made during a lifetime in the offroad spotlight – who were also quick to pay tribute to him following the announcement of his death on 6 May. ‘Every competitor has memories of their interactions with Selwyn, who could be relied on to throw an unexpected diversion or task to the event just when you thought you had it worked out,’ said Team Chaos of the Mac4x4. ‘A true gentleman who will be missed by all who knew him.’ ’A true gentleman, he would always have time to spend with you no matter what may be happening just to make sure everyone was having fun at the event,’ said Pat Masters. ‘An instigator of the Freelander challenge, he was at his happiest making sure everyone else was happy.’ ’We often differed a little on specifics but always remained friends,’ said Ian Sykes, creator of the Scottish Hillrally back in 2002. And as you read through the comments of one well known name after another, one word keeps cropping up: ‘Gentleman.’ Selwyn was known by all for the gentle, kind-natured character and easy-going sense of humour that made him such a pleasure to work with and to know.

Selwyn leaves behind his wife Joan, in what would been their Ruby Anniversary year, along with his son Joseph, his brother Jacky and his sisters Carol and Jill. Our sympathy, and that of the entire off-roading community, too all those mourning the loss of a man who was not just one of the good guys, but one of the best.

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NEWS

Historical vehicle movement encourages young people to understand the past – by teaching them how to restore a classic 4x4!

Picture: Young CVM Steesel

A

ccording to the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens (FIVA, the international historic vehicle federation), attracting young people to the movement is ‘the single most important step in ensuring that classic vehicles will still be on the roads 50 years from now.’ And a military vehicle club in Luxembourg appears to have taken this at face value, having recently completed a particularly special kind of restoration on a 4x4 truck from World War II. The club, CVM Steesel, bought the 1943 Dodge WC51 back in 2016. Its purpose was to form the basis of a new youth section, attracting young people by giving them the opportunity to get involved in a challenging workshop project.

‘The club owns the truck and pays for the spare parts but it’s the young members who first restored

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IN PROGRESS Scene July.indd 18

it, supervised by some of the older members, and now carry out all the maintenance,’ explains Sandra Heinisch from the Lëtzebuerger Oldtimer Federatioun.

‘When CVM first bought the Dodge, it had some mechanical issues that needed attention. Over the following month, the newly recruited young members learned to fix electrical problems, rebuild the fuel pump and one of the vacuum windshield wiper motors, and then painted the vehicle with the markings of the division that liberated Steinsel (‘Steesel’ in Luxembourgish) during WWII. ‘Once it was running, two of the earliest young members to join, Jeff Heiderscheid and Michel Schintgen, became the first to learn how to drive this classic military truck.

More and more young people then joined the youth section, learning about the Dodge and how to drive it.

CVM is only a small club but today there are eleven young women and men actively involved.

‘The older members continue to teach the youngsters new skills by using the Dodge. For example, the axle shaft was changed and a used engine bought, rebuilt and installed with great success. The Dodge now runs properly and the youth section can use it to participate in meetings and tours. Two new drivers are currently undergoing the training process.’

Tiddo Bresters, President of FIVA (a UNESCO partner organisation), sums up the importance of CVM’s youth section: ‘The active involvement of the younger generation is crucial to the survival of our movement and the preservation of the moving museum that we can enjoy seeing on the roads. Historic vehicles are time machines, no different from historical buildings or

art in terms of the stories they tell about our society and culture – a heritage that goes way beyond the mere history of transport.

‘What strikes me most strongly is that this Dodge project reminds us how, 75 years ago, soldiers of the same age as these Luxembourg youngsters arrived in vehicles like this Dodge to liberate Europe from Nazi occupation – a liberation for which many of them paid the highest price.

It’s hard to think of a better illustration of the importance of the living preservation of time machines such as this, for us and for future generations.

‘CVM’s youth section is a fantastic example of how to attract the next generation, as most of them would be unable to afford their own vehicles and lack the necessary experience to maintain and drive them.

Similar projects could work well for many clubs around the world but, as Sandra Heinisch is quick to point out, it’s vital to have older members with the experience, skills – and above all the willingness – to share their enthusiasm with young people.’

Inspiration for 4x4 clubs, perhaps, particularly those with an interest in preserving older off-road vehicles.

Even if it’s just about maintenance and modding, rather than bringing classics back to life, we can’t think of a better way to encourage young people away from their screens and devices and get them involved in doing something worthwhile instead.

4x4 02/06/2020 15:53

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02/06/2020 13:52

CALENDAR KEY

P Off-Road Playday

G Green Lane Convoy Tour

A Overseas Adventure Travel

S 4x4 Show

Dates for playdays are shown up to the end of the month following the magazine’s on-sale date. Dates for green lane tours are shown up to approximately three months ahead, and for shows and overseas adventure tours up to a year ahead, space permitting Important: We are continuing to publish this calendar throughout the coronavirus crisis as it’s not known when the restrictions in force at the time of publication will be relaxed.

The only way to be sure if an event is still taking place is to contact the organiser before travelling; this is always the case, but it’s more important than ever in the current situation.

We take great care over the accuracy of this information, but accept no responsibility for the consequences of any errors

13-14 June

22 June – 7 July

and Tracks G Trails Lake District/North Yorks Dales

Overland A Atlas Corsica

13-20 June

25-28 June

Adventure A Ardent Pyrenees

G Wales (winches only)

14 June

26-28 June

Rochford and District 4x4 P Essex, Rayleigh, Essex P Hill’n’Ditch Mouldsworth, Cheshire P Protrax Tixover, Northamptonshire Safari P Slindon Slindon, West Sussex

15-30 June Safari A Peru Jaguar Tracks / Manu Jungle

19 June – 3 July Adventure A Onelife Greece

20-21 June Adventure Tours G 4x4 North Pennines G Trailmasters Yorkshire

20-27 June Adventure A Ardent Pyrenees

21 June Off Road P Explore Silverdale, Stoke-on-Trent 4x4 P Frickley Frickley, South Yorkshire Bottom P Muddy Minstead, Hampshire Monsters P Mud East Grinstead, West Sussex Events G UKDalesLandrover and Eden District

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IN PROGRESS Scene July.indd 20

4x4 Adventure Tours

Land Rover Show S Billing Billing, Northamptonshire

27 June Off-Roaders P Burnham Tring, Hertfordshire Off Road Centre P Kirton Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs

27-28 June Off-Road Show S Billing Billing, Northamptonshire Original LR Show S Kelmarsh Kelmarsh, Northamptonshire

28 June Off-Roaders P Burnham Tring, Hertfordshire Leisure P Cowm Whitworth, Lancashire P Hill’n’Ditch Mouldsworth, Cheshire Kirton Off Road Centre P Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs Safari P Slindon Slindon, West Sussex Valley 4x4 P Thames Oxley Shaw, Berkshire

28 June – 16 July Road Adventure Travel A Off Albania

1-5 July

A Landtreks French Pyrenees 4-5 July Adventure Tours G 4x4 North Yorkshire

G Wales G Trailmasters Lake District

13-14 July

5 July

13-19 July

Protrax

Pit P Devils Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire 4x4 P Frickley Frickley, South Yorkshire Bottom P Muddy Minstead, Hampshire 4x4 P Parkwood Tong, Bradford Wood P Picadilly Bolney, West Sussex Events G UKTyneLandrover and Wear

8 July Events G UKPeakLandrover District

10 July Adventure Tours G 4x4 Cotswolds

11 July and Tracks G Trails County Durham

11-12 July Adventure Tours G 4x4 South Wales

11-24 July

A Ardventures Balkans 12 July Rochford and District 4x4 P Essex, Rayleigh, Essex P Hill’n’Ditch Mouldsworth, Cheshire P Protrax Tixover, Northamptonshire Safari P Slindon Slindon, West Sussex

World Overland G Lost Wales

A East Pyrenees Landtreks

13-22 July 4x4 Adventures A Active Alps

16-17 July Landrover Events G UKCumbria/Yorkshire

18 July Off-Roaders P Burnham Tring, Hertfordshire Landrover Events G UKYorkshire Dales

18-19 July Overland G Atlas Wessex

19 July Off-Roaders P Burnham Tring, Hertfordshire Off Road P Explore Silverdale, Stoke-on-Trent 4x4 P Frickley Frickley, South Yorkshire 4x4 Spares Day S Malvern Malvern, Worcestershire Bottom P Muddy Minstead, Hampshire Monsters P Mud East Grinstead, West Sussex Events S UKNorthLandrover York Moors

22 July – 5 August Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

25 July Off Road Centre P Kirton Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs

4x4 02/06/2020 15:54

25-26 July

15-26 August

12-13 September

27 October – 13 November

G Protrax Wiltshire

Adventure A Onelife Pyrenees

Safari A Peru Kuelap / Cloud Warrior Tour

26 July

16 August

Adventure Tours G 4x4 South Dorset Jurassic Coast Adventure G Onelife Lake District

Leisure P Cowm Whitworth, Lancashire P Hill’n’Ditch Mouldsworth, Cheshire Off Road Centre P Kirton Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs Safari P Slindon Slindon, West Sussex Valley 4x4 P Thames Harbour Hill, Berkshire

Events G UKEdenLandrover District

17-18 September

17-23 August

3-17 December

A Landtreks Pyrenees

Events G UKEdenLandrover and Tynedale

17-20 September

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

21-23 August

3-20 April 2021

and Tracks G Trails Coast to Coast

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

17 September – 1 October

28 July – 9 August

22-23 August

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

Safari A Peru Kuelap / Cloud Warrior Tour

22 April – 6 May 2021

A Landtreks Pyrenees Coast to Coast

G Protrax Wiltshire

19 September

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

31 July – 3 August

22-30 August

Events G UKTyneLandrover and Wear

28 May – 11 June 2021

/ Storm Jeeps A Ardventures Marquenterre, France

Adventure A Ardent Alps

19-20 September

A Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

1 August

24 August – 4 Sept

Landrover Events G UKLincoln and Belvoir

A Trailmasters Morocco

Overland Show 19 June – 4 July 2021 S Adventure Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire Safari A Peru G Trailmasters Yorkshire Jaguar Tracks Tour

1-2 August

26-31 August

23 September

10-24 July 2021

G Trailmasters Wales

World Overland A Lost Alps

Adventure Tours G 4x4 South Wales Valleys

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

1-15 August

27 August

26-27 September

10-24 August 2021

Overland A Atlas Italian Alps

Events G UKDalesLandrover and Eden District

Adventure Tours G 4x4 Pembrokeshire

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

8-9 August

29 August

4 October

18 September – 2 October 2021

G Protrax Wales UK Landrover Events G Wiltshire

G Northumberland

4x4 Spares Day S Newbury Newbury, Berkshire

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

30 August

4-22 October

16-30 October 2021

G Tynedale

A Protrax Morocco Desert and Mountain

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

5-6 September

11-25 October

13-27 November 2021

Adventure Tours G 4x4 North Wales G Ardventures Yorkshire Wolds and Moors Atlas Overland G Wessex

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

22 November

3-17 December 2021

S Stoneleigh, Warwickshire

A Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

4x4 Adventures A Active Botswana

9-24 September

18 Oct – 5 Nov

16 April – 3 May 2022

15 August

A Protrax Ukraine

A Protrax Morocco Coast to Coast

Safari A Peru Kuelap / Cloud Warrior Tour

Events G UKLakeLandrover District

11-13 September

25 October

7-21 May 2022

Rover Owner Show S Land Peterborough, Cambridgeshire

4x4 and LR Spares Day S Malvern Malvern, Worcestershire

Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

8-23 August

A Galicia, Spain Ardventures

10-24 August Safari A Peru Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu

10-29 August

4x4 IN PROGRESS Scene July.indd 21

UK Landrover Events

UK Landrover Events

Great British Land Rover Show

15-29 November

A Peru Inca Tracks / Macchu Picchu Peru Safari

Peru Safari

Peru Safari

JULY 2020 | 21

02/06/2020 15:54

PRODUCTS

Rubber stamp for Ironman’s uprated 200-Series Landcruiser suspension

W

e all like adding accessories to our vehicles. But not many of us like removing stuff from them (unless it’s layers of paint when green laning, of course).

What this means is that almost every modified 4x4 you’ll ever see is heavier than standard.

And some of them were pretty heavy in the first place. Like the 200-Series Toyota Landcruiser, for example – which, if you have the extremely good fortune to be blessed with that much money, makes a pretty devastating choice of overland wagon.

The problem is that with heavy-duty bumpers, underbody protection, a winch, a roof tent, longrange fuel tanks and a full load of everything you need on expedition, you’re now piloting a very, very heavy motor. Potentially heavier than the law of the land allows.

Now, we’re in tread-carefully territory here, because Ironman’s GVM Upgrade kit has just received Federal approval – and that just applies to its home territory of Australia, not the UK. But with the comfort of knowing it’s got a ticket to ride Down Under, you might consider it a wise investment here, too, if speccing up a 200 is on your to-do list.

‘Creating safe and appropriate dynamic handling at higher than maximum original weight ratings requires careful consideration,’ explains Ironman. ‘The forces generated by a heavily loaded vehicle in rough terrain can be considerably higher than those generated during normal driving.

‘The vehicle’s springs must be matched to the load for optimum ride height and body control. If the shock absorbers do not possess the correct amount of damping resist-

ance, the vehicle will remain highly susceptible to a rollover accident.’

Ironman’s answer is its Foam Cell Pro Shock Absorbers. These, it says, ‘are perfectly suited to increased load in demanding and hot offroad environments. Compared to gas shocks, they distribute the oil more evenly around the shock body, resulting in more dissipation of heat and long lasting control.’

There’s a sign-off process to go through in Australia if you want your vehicle to be individually stateapproved, and of course this doesn’t apply in the UK. But good kit is good kit however you look at it, and as the official seal of approval from above illustrates, this is great kit.

With a starting price of $2600

in Oz (that’s about £1300), it’s not cheap kit. But spend it once, spend it right. Ironman is brought to the UK

by West Coast Off Road – they’re at www.westcoastoffroad.co.uk.

Fidanza flywheel for Jag-engined comp motors THIS IS A BIT of an odd one, but from time to time we’ve come across off-road specials powered by classic Jaguar engines. If you happen to have such a thing, or are eyeing up a disastrous old XJ6 for parts, Fidanza’s new lightweight aluminium flywheel might be of interest. Suitable for Jag’s 4.2-litre unit, as fitted from 1949 to 1987 on a variety of vehicles, it’s made to improve the unit’s power-to-weight ratio and designed for long-term ease of maintenance. Lighter flywheels aren’t what you want for low-down torque, but if you’ve got one of these lumps in a comp motor and you want it to spin up fast, www.fidanza.com is the place to go.

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IN PROGRESS Scene July.indd 22

4x4 02/06/2020 15:54

PRODUCTS

TRUCKMAN’S TONNEAU COVER AND ROLL BAR COMBINATION OFFERS OPTIONS COVERING ENTIRE PICK-UP MARKET PICK-UPS CAN BE both stylish and practical, but sometimes there is a bit of a conflict between the two.

Having a load bed is pretty handy but then it’s also a bit handy for anyone to stick unwelcome hands into.

Hence the Upstone tonneau cover from Truckman. This secures your

load bed and can feature a styling bar behind the cab.

For total security, you want the cover to lock on to the tailgate, and Truckman offers a system allowing exactly that. It just needs four holes drilled in the tailgate and there you are, all safe and secure. Do without

this, on the other hand, and the cover itself can be installed on your vehicle without any need for drilling at all.

The system even reduces fuel consumption as it lowers drag over the load bed.

The roll bar doesn’t get in the way of the tonneau cover hinging up,

and blends in nicely. The Upstone tonneau cover comes in silver or black aluminium. The combination will fit every Double Cab and Extra Cab model from the major manufacturers, so if you want to find out more then pay a visit to www. truckman.co.uk.

ARB updates Linx control system with tyre pressure monitoring feature for off-road driving

A

RB has updated its Linx control system with the addition of a Tyre Pressure Monitoring module. This allows you to monitor up to nine tyres at a time via two new visual displays – one for your vehicle and one for a trailer.

Linx is a multi-use digital control interface designed to replace all the switches and gauges that go with fitting a load of accessories such as winches, lockers and auxiliary lights. The new upgrade matches it to ARB’s TPMS sensors and Comms box to provide a clear display showing the pressures of all tyres currently in use on the vehicle and trailer. It also monitors tyre temperatures and even the status of its own sensor batteries.

Recognising that one vehicle might be used for several different

4x4 IN PROGRESS Scene July.indd 23

rigs, the module can accommodate a total of up to three trailers. So if you haul stock during the week and a trials motor at the weekend, or once or twice a year you want to hitch up a camping trailer for big trips to Morocco, you’ll be able to do it without a hitch. (See what we did there?)

Each set of sensors can be programmed with up to four different pre-set modes, making it easy to shuffle between varying terrain types. This is the case for the vehicle and trailer modules alike.

And that ninth tyre? That’ll be the spare. Pop it on, press a button on the Linx module and away you go, without any need for a timeconsuming manual re-sync.

It’s a form of off-roading many of us thought we’d never see in our lifetimes, but high-tech is

definitely here. The Linx system costs around £500 plus the VAT, depending on where you go – a

very good first stop would be ARB importer Britpart, which you’ll find at www.britpart.com.

JULY 2020 | 23

02/06/2020 15:54

PRODUCTS

Wheelwright adds Tomahawk Apache to off-road rim range

A

ftermarket wheel specialist Wheelwright has augmented its huge range by adding the Tomahawk brand – giving it a new offering aimed specifically at off-roaders.

Featured here is the Tomahawk Apache, which Wheelwright expects to be the brand’s bestselling design. A five-spoke alloy with a wide range of 4x4 applications, this has an ET16 offset and is available in either matt or satin black finishes and comes in a choice of two key sizes and four PCDs. First up is an 8.0x18” unit, available in two five-stud and two six-stud fitments. Then there’s

24 | JULY 2020

IN PROGRESS Scene July.indd 24

an 8.5x20”; in this case, you’re limited to just one fitment (a six-stud) and the satin finish isn’t available. The good news is that in every case, they’re cool.

Not so good is that in every case, they’re also expensive. The 18” unit costs £745 a pop, while the 20-incher hikes that to £950.

Definitely a case for locking wheel nuts, then. ’Whether you want to try fourwheel mountaineering, explore unmetalled green lanes or simply make your off-roader better equipped for the urban jungle, Tomahawk has you covered,’ says Wheelwright. ‘With its chiselled, five-spoke centre and riveted-style outer rim, the new Tomahawk Apache will toughen-up your off-roader with a bold new footprint.’

So now you know.

Wheelwright has a network of more than 500 UK specialists, so you won’t have to go far to get a set on your truck.

The first place to go, indeed, is your keyboard – it’s all waiting for you at www.wheelwright.co.uk.

Britpart adds long-range fuel tank for overland Defenders

IF YOU HAVE PLANS involving a Land Rover Defender and overland travel, increasing the vehicle’s on-board fuel capacity will almost certainly be near the top of your to-do list. Which means that this LongRanger auxiliary tank, recently added to the inventory supplied by Britpart, might be near the top of your to-buy list.

Suitable for all Hard-Top and Station Wagon models, these tanks are individually designed to fit each vehicle. They live under the driver’s seat and mount on to the right-hand sill, outside of the chassis rail, giving you an additional 80 litres of diesel capacity.

Made from 2mm (14 gauge) aluminised steel, the tanks are CAD/ CAM-manufactured and incorporate internal baffles, an anti-surge dam and an in-built expansion chamber. Fuel transfer is by a six-port valve, which comes supplied in the kit, and all brackets are fully sealed and feature predrilled mounting holes to make the job as easy as possible. Naturally, the tank comes with comprehensive instructions – as well as a full kit of all the hardware you’ll need to instal it.

This is top-notch kit designed for similarly top-botch builds – which of course means it’s not cheap. Shopping around, we’ve seen them for a bit less than £1700 – but only a bit. Reassuringly expensive, if you’re a believer in doing it right – in which case you won’t be at all put off from starting your search at www.britpart.com.

ON THE SUBJECT of Defenders, Mud-UK’s Puma Switch Mount allows you to instal up to six Carling switches – for which it’s supplied along with Carling’s own 6-gang insert, as well as hardware and a cut-out template.

‘The Puma dashboard has an abject lack of space for extra switches,’ explains Mud-UK. ‘The traditional method is to mount switches into any spare flat surface, which normally results in an ugly and untidy spread of aftermarket switches. The tooling for the Mud-UK Puma Switch Mount was created using 3D scanning technology to ensure it perfectly follows the Puma model’s compound curved dashboard profile.’

That’ll be the one and only time you ever hear a reference to compound curves from anyone talking about a Defender. The kit will cost you £24 via www.mudstuff.co.uk.

4x4 02/06/2020 15:54

land rover defender upgrades & accessories

Head Linings for Defender 90 Comes as a 5-piece kit with sun visor covers & all fittings and fixings.

Available in black, light grey & dark grey.

Head Linings for Defender 110

Internal Window Trims TD5

Replacement Seat Covers TD5

4-piece kit, sides and rear quarter panels.

Available in black and grey. For Defenders 1987 to 2005 (TD5).

Available for the front seats, middle seat & both types of middle row (60/40 or 3 seats) Many designs on our website!

Internal Window Trims for Puma

Comes as a 4-piece kit with sun visor covers & all fittings & fixings.

Available in black, light grey & dark grey.

/masai4x4

4-piece kit, sides & rear quarter panels.

Available in black & grey. For TDCi/Puma with or without side windows (Van Type).

Replacement Seat Covers for Puma Available for the front seats, middle row (60/40) & rear foldable seats.

Many designs on our website!

TD5 Inward Seat Covers Can go over the top of your old inward seats. Fits tightly, and comes in a variety of designs. Buy in PAIRS.

Lockable Sporting Boxes / Storage Neatly store, protect and lock away items that you regularly or permanently keep in your vehicle.

MILNER OFF ROAD Est. 1981

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

Jeep Wrangler Accessories and Custom Conversions: 01482 666491 www.StormJeeps.com

www.milneroffroad.com TEL: 01629 734411

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

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

4x4

JULY 2020 | 25

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TOR Folios and classifieds.indd 51

02/06/2020 19:48

DRIVEN

RANGE ROVER SPORT P400

Supercharged straight-six petrol engine is more subtle than SVR’s V8 – and probably even faster from A to B in the hands of most drivers ON TEST Range Rover Sport P400 HST

T

he ultimate accolade for any kind of expensive or look-at-me car is probably to have its name dropped by a rapper. You can hardly listen to Radio 1 without getting bombarded with Benz references, at least a few of which will have something to do with Mercedes, and just recently someone has come out with a track full of references to his Range Rover Sport.

It’s an SVR in this case, needless to say. But if you were behind the wheel of the P400 HST model tested here when said song came on, you’d probably feel quite pleased

26 | JULY 2020

Road Tests July.indd 26

with your choice. Of cars, if not of radio stations.

This is a Rangey for people who want to be noticed. It has extra styling enhancements on the outside, focusing mainly on carbon fibre trim for the bonnet, grille and side vents, and if you thought its bodywork was red, you should see its brake calipers.

It’s a Rangey for people who want to feel good about themselves, too.

You won’t spend even one moment on board without being aware of the colours and materials that come with the HST badge. Dynamic seats with 16-way adjustment are

incredibly comfortable, as well as adding to the visual drama with their two-tone styling, and an already stylish cabin is enhanced still further by the use of chrome shift paddles and suedecloth

covering on the gearlever and steering wheel. Everything you see and touch reeks of class and quality – it might not be to your own personal taste, but it’s easy to appreciate nonetheless.

4x4 02/06/2020 13:55

This interior is like Boris Johnson smeared in Marmite and wearing a Millwall shirt – whatever your opinion of it, you’ve definitely got one.

Build quality is very good, and of course it’s gloriously comfortable as well as being impressively practical. We don’t think the red and black colour scheme was chosen in homage to the international flag of the anarcho-syndicalist movement, but we’d love it if it was…

As always with the Sport, you get a superb view all round as well as no end of electronic parking aids to help you with low-speed manoeuvres. The driving position is exceptional, and there’s plenty of leg, head and elbow room.

Rear-seat passengers are very well looked after, too, and there’s a monstrous great cavern of space to fill when it’s used in cargocarrying mode.

None of that is new, but the P400 engine was only added to the range last year. It’s a mild-hybrid unit, with a 2996cc straight-six petrol engine assisted by a 48-volt electric motor – and the battery for the latter also powers a supercharger to fill in the holes while the twin-scroll turbocharger is spooling up.

The result is 400bhp and 406lbf. ft – figures which translate into a 0-62 time of 6.2 seconds, a top speed of 140mph and WLTP fuel consumption figures of 24.927.4mpg.

To deal with that last matter first, during our week with the vehicle we found that we were averaging around 23-24mpg on a typical journey. Either way, expect to spend a lot on fuel and, if you want to be carbon neutral, on planting trees.

Expect also to get up to speed with utterly ridiculous ease. It would be easy to say that the HST is a sort

of SRV-lite in the Sport range, but in reality it feels just as fast as its full-house brother. In fact, there are an awful lot of real-world situations in which its performance is easier to access.

Power delivery is beautifully smooth, linear and, in particular, quiet. You couldn’t call it a street sleeper, not with these looks, but whereas the SVR is a snorting, thundering brute of a thing, the HST is a study in subtlety. It’s like the difference between and angry rhino and a cheetah.

The eight-speed auto box doesn’t do its job quite as smoothly as the engine, which is the sort of thing we find ourselves saying more frequently than we’d like. It’s utterly immaculate around town, and cruising up the motorway you might as well be sitting at home in your favourite armchair, but even in Dynamic and Sport we found ourselves willing it to be more urgent when we were pushing on.

It you’re really, really going for it, you might find the engine running out of urge as you get towards the top of the rev range. This doesn’t happen until you’re going way faster than the speed limit allows, though, but if it’s something that bothers you the SVR awaits.

As it is, for real-world fast driving on A and B-roads we found the HST every bit as enjoyable as the SVR. You don’t get the same bellow from the i6 engine as you do from the SVR’s supercharged V8, but you do get a level of performance that’s easier to access and less unsettling to use, meaning than in an everyday pair of hands (such as ours) we’d put our money on the HST to be quicker from A to B. As this suggests, the HST’s handling is every bit as fluid as its power delivery. It feels natural to steer, whichever drive mode you’re in, and with very well balanced body control it’s as positive as anything to handle.

Like the SVR, it’s a very capable off-roader too – if for some unknown reason that’s what you want to do with it. Just as you’ll only ever access a fraction of its dynamic abilities on the road, though, you’ll barely scratch the surface of what it can do on rough or loose terrain – something which will be limited by its standard tyres, in any case.

Really, the limiting factor off-road is that £81,250 price tag. Our test vehicle had £10,660 of options on it, too, including the red paint, 22” alloys and two-tone interior you’ll see in our pictures, so it’s knocking on for SVR money as it is.

Not, as we say, that this should be seen as a Sport for people who can’t afford an SVR. They’re two very different vehicles, and in some ways we’d say this is the smarter choice. It’s just as fast 99% of the time, and more relaxing all the time.

It’s just that you’re less likely to catch a blud droppin’ it on Radio 1…

4x4 Road Tests July.indd 27

02/06/2020 13:55

DRIVEN

PORSCHE MACAN The Cayenne’s little brother is no longer a spring chicken – but even in entry-level form, it’s a fine all-rounder with an enormous capacity to entertain

HARD AS IT IS to believe, the Porsche Macan has been around for half a decade. But the Cayenne’s little brother is no longer a spring chicken, and last year it received a significant mid-life overhaul to help keep it up to date.

It certainly doesn’t feel old-fashioned inside, nor to drive (chassis revisions were among the recent upgrades). But when you put it next to the latest Cayenne, whose basic design is a generation newer, it does feel like a Porsche from the way they used to do them. Whereas the company’s up-to-date thinking involves much greater use of virtual controls on a multi-function touch-screen, the Macan’s cabin still has a vast floor console rising up next to you with an overwhelming bank of switches on it.

This does look amazing, and makes it feel a bit like you’re piloting a fighter aircraft, but it does take some getting used to. Once you’re settled in, though, it’s fine and doesn’t distract you from the business of driving.

Even with all this going on, the central facia is still dominated by a huge media screen with good, crisp graphics and logical controls. Yes, there’s a lot to learn, but it comes naturally enough.

The seats are outstanding, with plenty of support making them very comfortable whether you’re cruising or driving hard, and their soft leather covering is both plush and grippy. It’s easy to find the right driving position, with loads of room all-round and good visibility where you need it most, and build quality throughout the cabin is rock-solid.

Rear-seat passengers don’t get quite such a good deal, as knee room is limited. It’s okay if one or the other of you isn’t too tall, but one six-footer sitting behind another is apt to feel it a bit cramped. The front seat-backs are sculpted, but they’re also very firm so if your knees are making contact it won’t be comfortable.

Headroom in the back is better than you might expect, however, though a high waistline means you’ll still feel quite enclosed. For carrying cargo, on the other hand, the Macan is surprisingly practical as the seats fold entirely flat to create a big, deep loadspace that’s very usable indeed for an SUV of this size.

If you’re after a Macan, however, all the above counts as little more than reasons why you can or can’t indulge yourself without guilt. This is

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Road Tests July.indd 28

a performance vehicle, even in the base-spec form tested here, and what matters is its pace and dynamics.

This Macan has a 1984cc engine developing 245bhp and 273lbf.ft, so it’s no slouch even if it’s not a full-on tarmac-melter. There’s the Turbo version for that, which knocks down the 0-62 sprint in 4.5 seconds as opposed to this model’s 6.7.

In reality, the difference doesn’t feel that big. The base Macan accelerates with loads of urge, and there’s no waywardness in its chassis as it gets up and goes. You feel in control from the very beginning to the very end, with responsive, accurate braking and steering adding up to a pinsharp driving experience.

Among the options on the vehicle we tested was air suspension, which comes with Porsche Active Suspension Management, and at £1860 it’s worth the stretch. Ride quality is very good, even with Sport Plus mode selected – we drove the Macan on some truly shocking road surfaces, and the options on this one also included 20” wheels instead of the standard 18” jobs, but it still managed not to be harsh.

At the other end of the scale, even with Normal mode engaged the Macan remains taut, responsive and fluid to drive. And however you set it up, it grips and grips and grips – our test drive coincided with one of the wettest days of the year, and most of the time we were caning it through about in inch of surface water, but it still wouldn’t be shaken.

The Macan does have an Off-Road mode, too, for when things get gnarly – and it wouldn’t have been entirely unreasonable for us to bang it on for some of the roads we drove, so appalling were the conditions. But don’t let’s pretend that anyone will buy it with that in mind.

People who take these things seriously like to talk about fast 4x4s in terms of ‘all-weather performance’, which sounds to us like they ought to learn that there’s a time and a place for everything. But it’s a pretty good description of the Macan. It’s fast, and it’s fun, and in this entry-level form it’s manageable – even in conditions when only an idiot would think about anything other than just keeping it in shape. If you think it’s going to be a one-trick pony, think again – it’s a very usable all-rounder indeed, and all the more fun for it.

4x4 02/06/2020 13:55

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We currently stock O.E. propshafts for many 4x4 models, but we are proud to have also spent time developing our own “Extreme” range. For the majority of 4x4 vehicles we can offer an upgraded propshaft option, whether you need greater angle, longer splines or larger torque capacity (which may give increased potential life-expectancy).

Why choose “Extreme?”

Wide Angle Operation - Double Cardan Joints - Heavy Duty Universal Joints Upgraded sliding assembly - Higher Torque Capacity - Heavy Duty Tubing

www.baileymorris.co.uk T:+44(0)1480 216250 E:sales@baileymorris.co.uk

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02/06/2020 14:52

Back in Time Old 4x4s tend to be divided into cherished classics and hacked-about old battle buses. But here’s proof that a world-class restoration can also yield a modified fun machine that takes you back in time – and also projects you into the future Words: Kaziyoshi Sasazaki Pictures: Legacy Overland

I

n the world of old 4x4s, there can be some big grey areas between precious classics and project-ready old stinkers. It’s particularly evident with Land Rovers, especially in Britain – where it’s still not so long ago that people were cutting up Series Is and early Range Rovers and mashing them together to create hybrids.

Nowadays, if you had a dog-eared Series I and a dog-eared early Range Rover, you’d pretty much keep them in separate garages just in case they try to mate. Classics are classics – and, as is often the case in that slightly strange world of vastly expensive cars that never get driven anywhere, people who restore them normally want to keep them as original as possible.

There is, however, another way of treating a classic 4x4 that doesn’t involve either preserving it in aspic or treating it as nothing more wrothwhile than a self-propelled crate of parts.

Restification is a noble art – indeed, as it involved turning old cars that don’t get driven into new ones that do, it could be considered the noblest

30 | JULY 2020

3pp Legacy RR.indd 30

of them all.

Reuse is better than recycling, we’re always told – in which case, restified vehicles are the greenest form of motoring there is.

That might be a tricky argument to carry off when you park your 6.2-litre Range Rover next to Madam Sniffy in her self-righteous Leaf or Prius and she looks down her nose at you like you’re some sort of planet killing monster. Not that you’re likely to sweat it, because some people won’t be told.

And besides, you’ve got a 6.2-litre Range Rover to console you.

The 6.2-litre Range Rover in question is called Project Stirling. It’s a bit of a rarity in that it’s a 2-door from as late as 1991, and it’s also pretty special in that it was built by Legacy Overland – an American company that specialises in turning tired old 4x4s (not just Land Rovers – they do a neat line in classic Landcruisers too, among other things) into stunningly restored trucks whose

4x4 02/06/2020 13:36

It somehow manages to look small beneath that huge clamshell bonnet, but the 6.2-litre General Motors LS3 V8 is nothing if not, well, big. It came out of a crate, which is always a good start, and was installed ahead of a 4L85e four-speed automatic gearbox. Beyond this, the LT230 transfer case was rebuilt using a stronger one-piece cross pin and sleeved casing and the axles gained heavy-duty halfshafts, CVs and drive flanges as well as pegged limited-slip diffs using an upgraded ring and pinion classic underpinnings are set off by just the right level of modern reimagining.

‘The overall design guidance from the client for this build was to maintain the original stock look of the car as much as possible,’ says the company. ‘A sleeper truck with some sharp, and deliberate, tweaks.’ Sounds good. We’ll get on to the whole ‘sleeper’ thing in a minute, but first let’s go back to the headline story – that thumping great 6.2-litre V8.

It’s a General Motors LS3, of course (aka the Corvette engine), and it dishes out 430bhp. Fitted

brand new and straight from the crate, it was mated to a 4L85e four-speed automatic gearbox, behind which the LT230 transfer case was rebuilt using a heavy-duty cross pin and sleeved casing.

The axles are upgraded, too, with the halfshafts, CV joints and drive flanges all replaced with heavy-duty units made from 4340 alloy steel.

Inside, the standard open diffs were swapped out in favour of automatic torque-biasing limited-slip units with heavy-duty crownwheels and pinions, and these were pegged for consistent contact and the extra strength this brings.

So it’s fast when it needs to be, it’s packed with grunt for towing or off-roading and it makes a lovely noise. This is all very promising. But to go back to the street sleeper thing, a vehicle needs to look pretty standard to carry that off – which in turn means no lairy off-road mods.

And sure enough, this is a subtle vehicle. It does ride on a set of +1” heavy-duty springs, giving it just enough clearance to mount a set of 265/75R16 BFGs on original five-spoke alloys, but no-one’s trying to pretend this is a full off-road build. No, not even with Britpart performance

Like all of Legacy Overland’s restos, the project got underway with what was a very necessary strip-down to a bare chassis.

This was prepped and sprayed before the build-up began with the restored, upgraded axles going in underneath it and the engine and transmission appearing on top

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The cabin has been completely cleaned up and retrimmed in piped saddle leatherette, and there’s a variety of new equipment to help bring the Range Rover up to date. One thing that wasn’t replaced, however, was the stereo – the original Blaupunkt unit was retained, though it was augmented with a Sony Bluetooth receiver to provide a ‘modern sound experience’

disc brakes all-round and a Terrafirma adjustable steering linkage to go with its rebuilt PAS set-up.

Instead, this is a truck for what Legacy Overland describes as its owner’s ‘surfing lifestyle.’ It was rebuilt from a bare chassis, as the company’s vehicles always are, and while they were about it they treated it with Raptor to keep it as healthy as possible for as long as possible.

Up top, ‘the paint job stays faithful to the original Land Rover shades of green, but with a slight tweak to provide a richer, metallic hue to make for a head-turning look.’ You could brush-paint this car in cheap emulsion and it would still be a head-turner, but you get what they’re saying. And it certainly does look the business.

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Inside, the cabin has been retrimmed using saddle leatherette with black piping, which goes rather nicely with a a new black fibre carpet set and contrasting details for the centre console, cubby box and shifter boot. Said shifter is a Lokar Performance unit, and the cubby contains a battery kill switch – one of various security measures that were put in place to help the vehicle’s owner remain, well, the vehicle’s owner. A very neat touch is that the original Blaupunkt stereo was retained, but mated to a Sony Bluetooth receiver to provide ‘a modern sound experience.’

That’s the kind of subtlety that marks out a sympathetic restification from a ham-handed mod job, and it’s exactly the sort of thing Legacy

Overland trades on. ‘This tastefully resto-modded two-door Range Rover Classic is a masterclass in an incredibly comprehensive and detailed restoration taking thousands of man-hours to complete,’ the company says – but you probably knew that just by looking at it.

So is this gorgeous Rangey the inhabitant of that grey area between the parallel worlds of classic and modified 4x4s? It deserves better, you’d have to say, than to be seen as an example of some sort of no-man’s land. We’d say it’s more like the best of both worlds. It’s a compromise between classic originality and modern function, perhaps – but one which is uncompromising in its pursuit of perfection.

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MORE THAN A H If a hybrid is defined as a vehicle made up from bits of two donors, Sean Robb’s sensational ‘Hilander’ is more like a tri-brid. It looks like a Toyota Landcruiser, and in the main that’s what it is. But the more you delve into it, the more parts you find from other vehicles – some of them very unusual indeed…

Words: Paul Looe Pictures: Harry Hamm

Y

ou’re probably familiar with the wide and wonderful range of enthusiastbuilt off-road vehicles that exist in the world. There are the modified ones, which are basically standard trucks that have had some extras parts and accessories added. There’s the hybrids, where people have typically used one as a base and put bits from another on top. And then there’s the one-offs, built completely from scratch.

Sean Robb’s Hi-Lander is neither of these. Or maybe it’s all three.

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A HYBRID

It’s a modified Toyota Landcruiser. It’s a hybrid with a Hilux body on a Landcruiser chassis. And it’s a one-off whose body and chassis alike have been hand-built by Sean himself, from what less enterprising owners would have looked at and seen only scrap.

It wasn’t always like that, though. ‘She was the second Landcruiser I had bought from the same guy,’ recalls Sean of how the vehicle came into his life. ’I bought this one after she stopped being used – she’d had a tacho fitted. She was used and abused for about four years as a

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playday truck, where she coped admirably but suffered from the tin worm.’

Nothing especially abnormal there, and many owners would have responded by, for example, turning the Landcruiser into a trayback. Which is kind of what happened, but not the way they normally take shape. Sean’s not your average off-roader, you see. ’I grew up on a farm and have been surrounded by 4x4s all my days,’ he explains. So far so normal, but things were to change. ’I then started my own business when I was 19, rebuilding Japanese

pick-ups for local farmers. When I was 21, I went to university to study Mechanical Engineering, and when I left I had an honours degree and chose a career in the rail industry.

‘I became a chartered engineer in 1997 and started running my own business again after leaving the railways in 2007. I’ve had all sorts of 4x4 from Suzuki SJs and Vitaras to Jeeps, Toyotas, Land Rovers, Range Rovers, Unimogs, Bedfords and a wide range of Nissans. My daily driver is an altered Nissan Y61 Patrol fitted with 37” tyres and a 4.2 diesel.’

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Above: Talk about a hybrid off-roader, and normally you’ll picture a set of one vehicle’s body panels bolted on to another vehicle’s chassis in the classic coil-sprung 88” Land Rover style. The interesting thing about the Hi-Lander’s chassis is that it’s a hybrid in itself, with a standard HJ60 Landcruiser frame extending from the front of the vehicle to just behind the gearbox crossmember. From here, it’s grafted to the rear section from an old 405-Series Unimog. Overall, the chassis is shortened by about 800mm (that’s about 31.5” in old money), with the overhang at the back brought down flush to the very end of the carriers for the rear leaf springs Below: The cab is fitted on fixed mounts bolted directly to the chassis. Its sills have been replaced using 100mm x 50mm steel box, braced with cross pieces to strengthen the whole floor area, and this acts as a mount for parts of the cage structure as well as a pair of no-nonsense nerf bars

Above: The roll cage is made from 48mm OD x 4.2mm wall extruded seamless steel pipe. Sean imported the material himself, all the way from China; he says it exceeds the highest requirements of the FIA and MSA in the UK for its diameter. Designed to blend the rear tray into a strong, useable safety structure, the cage bolts together and mounts to the chassis using stainless steel fixings Left: Give this picture a second look, because it tells a remarkable story. The chassis is part Landcruiser and part Unimog, but the body is part Hilux, part Landcruiser and all hard work. It started as the cab from a 1980 Hilux and was completely rebuilt with the tranny tunnel from the HJ60 stitched into the floor. Seriously. In went the Landcruiser’s dash and steering column, too, along with its rear heater (and stand-alone fan and heater unit), while the pedal box was altered to suit

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Above, right: The original 4.0-litre HJ60 2H straight-six diesel stayed in the vehicle throughout the build. ‘It had been ultra reliable during its time in the original Landcruiser,’ says Sean, ‘when we used and abused it at many off-road days at Kirton and Bawtry.’ Still in standard form, it’s good for about 110bhp and has enough torque to move a mountain Above right: The average 24-volt system will be supplied by a pair of 12-volt batteries, and that is indeed how this one started. But after they had ended up under water, they needed replacing – which Sean did using a bank of four 6v cells from a forklift. These deliver more than 1000 amps to a system using standard Cruiser looms with the unused spurs isolated So there’s a number of things you can assume.

One is that Sean knows a bit about this stuff. Another is that he wasn’t going to be satisfied with doing a below-standard job. And a third is that this is a project which was planned from the start, not made up on the hoof.

You don’t end up with a chassis that’s a hybrid in itself without having a good idea of where you’re headed, for example. But that’s what you’re looking at in this case. The Landcruiser was rotting out at the back but sound up front, so he hit on a solution we’re pretty sure hasn’t been done by anyone else – he cut it off just behind the gearbox crossmember and grafted on the back end of the chassis from… a Unimog.

The result is a reduction of about 31” in the truck’s wheelbase, and its rear overhang has also been brought down as far as possible. It’s still leaf-sprung at both ends, so the latter is governed

by the position of the rear spring mounts, but with 37” tyres underneath it, not to mention an overall lift of around 9”, catching on drop-offs is largely a problem other people have.

Perhaps surprisingly, the original steering copes with all this thanks to no greater a mod than a cranked drag link to cover the additional drop. The finished chassis carries a cage combining the safety cell, front wing protectors and rear tray in one structure.

Once again, Sean masterminded all the work himself – though the list of helpers he thanks for building the vehicle with him is long, including ’Jonny, Matt, Richard, Mark and my late Dad.’ With the heavy metal complete and the axles in place, on all new mounts and holding it up on Milner leaf springs, it was time for the really clever stuff. Well, it, already been really clever thus far, but it’s about to get cleverer still.

’When we fitted the cab,’ says Sean, ’the Hilux wings were all wrong and mounted too far back for the wheels. I then decided to graft the original Landcruiser wings on to the Hilux cab. This meant altering the wing mounting strips, door shuts and so on to ensure a professional looking finish. The Landcruiser bonnet was then altered to suit by reducing its width by some 150mm and re-welding it. The grille and front panel were also reduced in width by 150mm.’ Hands up those of us who can honestly say they’d have had the appetite for such a job when an ugly lash-up would have been easier?

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If you thought the chassis and cabin were interesting hybrids (and you should have), get this little lot. The radiator mounted at the back of the cab is from a 6.7-litre General Motors V8 diesel, and it supplies the engine via a pair of reinforced flexible rubber pipes running back to front. There are 2 bleeding points, with a header tank from a Fiesta. The engine stays cool until severely provoked,’ says Sean, when it’s assisted by switchable Range Rover air-con fans’ . Mounted above the rad, the air intake feeds into a double-cyclone filter and housing from an original Class 150 locomotive. As in, a train. A train, we just said. The Class 150 had a 14-litre Perkins diesel — ought to be just about enough air flow, then. The air is ducted to the engine using 4” industrial vacuum flexible pipe

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Both axles are standard 1-1J60 Landcruiser units, slung under the springs with mounts fabricated to rotate the nose of the diffs upwards to suit the angle of the props. Completely rebuilt with new bearings, seals and CV joints, the axles are seen here with a set of 37x12.50R17 Hankook Dynapro Muds on GZ alloys which started life on a Hummer limo. Lifting the vehicle by about 9�, the spring packs are heavy-duty jobs from Milner Off-Road. They started with seven leaves each, but this has been taken down to four as the vehicle isn’t as heavy as a standard HJ60. Extended heavy-duty shackles were fabricated to retain the correct axle orientation even on full twist

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Let’s do something off-roaders rarely bother with, and talk bodywork. As we mentioned earlier, after all, one of the things you can assume about Sean is that doing a sub-standard job isn’t really part of his repertoire.

As you’ll have spotted, the truck still looks like a 60-Series Landcruiser from the front. Yet it’s a pick-up, and Toyota didn’t do a 60 like that. But they did do a thing called the Hilux, and a 1980 example with a rotten chassis gave its life, and its cab, to the cause.

Easy? No. The truck still has a Landcruiser gearbox and transfer case, and these needed more space under the floor.

What would most of us do; hoik the body upwards on spacers, maybe? Here’s what Sean did:

he opened up the Hilux floor, took out its tranny tunnel and stitched in the one from the HJ60, creating a hybrid cab to go with the hybrid chassis.

It doesn’t end there, either. When Sean tried the Hilux wings for fit, he found that the wheelarches were too far back for the wheels. Definitely a problem. Some would have gone at them with the gas axe and created an ugly beast in the process, but only a professional looking job would do.

You’ll agree, we’re sure, that that’s what Sean achieved. He did it by mating the original Landcruiser wings to the Hilux cab, which meant altering the mounting strips and even the door shuts to make it work.The bonnet, too, had to be reduced in width by some 150mm, as did the grille and front panel.

You’re probably getting tired just reading about it, and picturing years and years of soul-destroying graft in your garage. Sean’s a pro at this, of course, but he says the whole project took him six weeks from beginning to end. And that includes little ancillary jobs like rebuilding the axles and renewing the brakes all round, as well as sub-projects such as rear-mounted cooling and air intake systems using bits from the Range Rover and Ford Fiesta, ducting from industrial applications and components built to work with engines like the General Motors 6.7 V8 diesel and, get this, the 14-litre Perkins from a Class 150 locomotive.

Admit it, you love this guy’s style. And style is something the vehicle has in abundance. Even if your idea of 4x4 heaven is a slick accessorised

Left, above: With so much lift and articulation to deal with, the drag link has been heavily reworked. You could build in a whole lot of weakness by doing this, but note how much attention has been paid to strengthening the bends. The pitman arm remains standard, so there’s no stupid loads trying to lever the box off its chassis mounts Above right: The front prop is a shortened Toyota Hilux unit, with a double UJ on the gearbox to allow for the angle of drop to the diff. The joint is hidden here by the crossmember – note the cut-out Sean had to make to let it clear. The rear prop is shortened too, though in this case it’s an otherwise standard HJ60 job

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‘She was the second Landcruiser I had bought from the same guy. She was used and abused for about four years as a playday truck, where she coped admirably but suffered from the tin worm…’

Amarok or a hundred-grand Range Rover, it would take a stony heart not to skip a beat at the sight of this truck – nor indeed the story of the engineering behind it. It bears scrutiny up close, where the standard of workmanship is exceptional, and once it starts moving it covers the ground with a lightness of touch you struggle to associate with something that looks so much like a full-sized Landcruiser.

Sean reckons the suspension has been his biggest success (’for leaf springs, it’s amazing’), and comments that more effective windscreen washers are about the only improvement he needs to make (well, that and a locker in the back axle), but it works just like it was built to and that’s the proof of the pudding.

It doesn’t spend a lot of time getting stuck, either, even on sensibly modest tyres with an everyday mud-terrain pattern – in fact, when we spoke to Sean he had bought a pair of winches for it and never got round to fitting them. Many of his off-road outings were East Midland Off Road Club trials, which may be one reason for that. It’s kind of a shame about those winches, though – because a 17,000lb 24-volt job up front

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and 20,000lb hydraulic affair on the back would have been worth seeing in action.

Nonetheless, this is a vehicle that’s not all about size. It’s big where it matters, for sure, but far more importantly it’s very, very clever – and

its execution and finish match the standard of planning that went into it. A hybrid, a one-off and a modded vehicle all rolled into one? Check. It’s the sum of a lot of parts – and even then it’s still a whole lot more besides.

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TOOL OF THE TRADE Many of us convince ourselves that we need a 4x4 for work when really, we just want one because we just want one. The good news is that just wanting one is all the reason you need – and the better news is that as this serially modified Grand Cherokee illustrates, if you really do need one for work it can double up as a world class fun machine too…

Words: Robbie Ronson Pictures: Vic Peel

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A

lot of people who want to buy a 4x4 convince themselves that they need one for work. Whether it’s because they tow a tiny little trailer every so often, or one of their clients has a gravel car park, or once in a while they carry loads of luggage you could fit perfectly well into a medium-sized hatchback, they tell themselves that only a 4x4 will do.

As we all know, they’re right. Only a 4x4 will do.

Not because they really do need one for work but because, well, if only a 4x4 will do, then only a 4x4 will do.

Sometimes, though, you really do need a 4x4 for work. I met a guy once who used to carry pigs in the back of a classic Land Rover, which sounds like a pretty good fit. There’s the old favourite of towing, too. And sometimes, perish the thought, your work might actually involve you needing to go off-road.

If you were a signalling and telecoms engineer on the railways, for example, you’d spend a lot of time working from what are called ‘authorised access points’ on the line. Most of these are reached by driving down tracks. No, not railway tracks, the other kind.

This is Nick Albion’s line of work, and it’s one in which only a 4x4 will do. A few of his colleagues try to do it in everyday cars, and he spends a lot of time towing them out when they’ve got stuck.

That’s when they’re not walking miles from one

lineside box to the next because their crummy little motors can’t hack the drive.

Nick’s been there and done that. He used to have a Renault Laguna, and a point came during a winter whiteout when he couldn’t see the wheels for snow. ‘I was stuck,’ he says. ‘I couldn’t get to work for three days, and that’s not funny when you’re self-employed.’

Times have changed. ‘Now, you can have a foot of snow or water outside and I’ll still be able to get to work. When it snows now, I often go out and drive round seeing if there’s anybody who needs any help!’

That’s because of the vehicle we’re looking at here, which he bought to ensure that once the snow had melted enough to let him flog the Laguna, he wouldn’t be getting into the same spot again. It’s a late Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ (or, to be precise, a WG, a code name given to roundfoglight facelift models from 2004 until the end of production the following year), and it was never meant to become a modded off-roader. As you can see, that plan didn’t go too well…

It all started when Nick joined the Birty Dastards Jeep Club. The Grand he’d bought was pretty much spot-on for him, with the big 4.7 V8 engine and LPG already installed, but a rear ball joint was knocking and he wanted some advice on what to do about it, so he hit the club’s forum to ask some fellow owners.

He got plenty of advice, and he’s been an enthusiastic member ever since. But he also got a severe case of The Jeep Bug. ‘Initially I bought it just for work,’ he admits. ‘And I joined Birtys as an off-roading novice. But then I saw all the modified trucks, so like a sheep I followed…’

We’re always going on about how the best way to get what you want from a project is to plan it as thoroughly as you can before you start. Nick did pretty much exactly the opposite, but he’s living proof that even if it’s not the cheapest or quickest way to go about it, taking a suck-it-and-see approach to modding can still work.

‘The first mod was a 2” puck lift,’ he says, ‘and I hoiked on some 31” General Grabber ATs.’ You’ll more often hear people calling it a spacer lift, but a puck lift simply involves putting blocks in the spring mounts to add height and allow for bigger tyres. A little too big, in fact, at least for the bodywork on Nick’s WJ, which soon got a seeing to from the business end of a Stanley knife to stop all the rubbing.

Job done? Er, well… ‘After a couple of Lincolnshire laning trips, I realised that 2” just wasn’t enough. So with a contact in Birtys, I sorted an Iron Rock 3” lift.’

This came with an adjustable panhard rod, and Nick also added a UJ-style front prop to replace the standard unit, which was equipped with a CV joint and therefore wasn’t so good at staying with

Most of the WJs sold in the UK came with first a 3.1 and then a 2.7 turbo-diesel engine. The 4.7 V8 in this one was very much the luxury option – all kinds of gorgeous, but definitely not cheap to run. Even with the LPG system seen here, Nick reckons he only gets the equivalent of about 24mpg. The Safari Snorkel was an investment after a river crossing during a laning trip with Birty Dastards Jeep Club saw the water lapping his bonnet. Not good when your truck’s air intake has been moved to the bottom of its grille to make space for a valve lube system. He normally runs it with the scoop reversed so as not to trouble the LPG with too much ram air

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Above left: Rough Country’s +4” long-arm kit frees up plenty of travel at the front. At the top of the picture here you can just see where the anti-roll bar has been disconnected, using JKS units, to let the axle articulate still further Above right: The arms’ geometry on the axle can be seen here. Rough Country’s X-Flex joints boast a 2.5” body size and 1.25” threads, and they’re fitted using top-quality OEM-style rubber bushes Below left: Rough Country says its suspension arms feature up to 20 and 35 degrees of pivot in their upper and lower joints respectively.

Combined with their increased arc of travel, this allows vastly improved articulation over the standard set-up Below right: The long control arms for the front axle are mounted on a heavy-duty add-on crossmember that comes as part of the Rough Country kit

Above: In addition to the suspension, Nick added Rough Country’s dual steering dampers.

He’d already fitted an adjustable panhard rod when an earlier 3” system went on Right: Rough Country warns customers that with this much lift, vehicles with a CV-style front prop are likely to suffer vibration. Nick didn’t need to wait and see if that happened, though – ‘the CV prop limits droop and flex,’ he says, ‘so I sorted out a UJ one’

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Above left: The lower control arms at the back are once again longer than stock and mounted on Rough Country’s own dedicated chassis brackets. As you can see from the bush here, this one’s flexed about as far as it wants to go Above right: As well as being long, the trailing links are nicely cranked to free up yet more droop the amount of droop the suspension was now able to achieve. That improved matters a lot, and Nick was happy. His Jeep was finished.

Unfortunately, he made the mistake of saying this to everyone on Birtys. ‘Jeeps are never done!’ was their mob-handed response, and next thing you know there’s a 4” long-arm kit from Rough Country winging its way across the Atlantic. ‘This was the first one imported and fitted to a truck in the UK, they said. Proper trendsetter, me…’

Nick’s mate Richard Petyt joins the story here, as the two of them fitted the suspension as a team. ‘He’s a first-class mechanic. But two days on my back fitting it with the Jeep on axle stands was no fun. Americans don’t know whether to go metric or imperial, but can use both when talking about the same nut and bolt in the same sentence. I learnt some new words, though…’

The bigger lift allowed for bigger tyres, so the WJ went on to 33” BFGoodrich KM2s. Nick’s a big fan, too, praising their road manners and longevity while emphasising that they’re a vast improvement off-road on the all-terrains he used to run.

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And that’s how Nick rolls. He’ll buy something, try it, decide if he likes it and, if he doesn’t, sell it on and buy something else instead. He added a set of roof lights, but after a while a fellow club member offered him a set of Lazers ‘which are so bright that at night, people are getting up for work as they think dawn has broken.’

Another good example is the set of Bushwacker flares he bought, with the intention of running wheel spacers to give the truck a wider stance.

‘I get an idea in my head, then I go off and try it. I put the flares up against the Jeep, looked at it and it just didn’t look right. I always want to keep it looking like the Jeep it used to be.’

That’s a good example of the approach he has in general. ‘I never wanted to take it so far that it was uncomfortable and undriveable. I’ve taken it to the point where I can enjoy it, but I don’t want to go too far.

‘You do get to the point where the truck’s fantastic and it’s done, and then you think “what’s next?” But this is the perfect work truck for me, and if there’s anything wrong with it I am the most

depressed man in the world! I’ve done 100,000 miles in it in the last two years, so I’ve always got to put that side of it first.’

It’s a strange blend, then, this truck. It’s a daily drive, a work truck, an off-road toy and a stickered-up street machine. And it ticks each of these boxes with aplomb.

With the combination of V8 power and LPG, it even manages to be a tarmac terror and, within reason, a sensibly economical and undeniably planet-friendly do-everything motor. It even doubles up as a zombie invasion response vehicle, if the sticker on the back is to be believed, and what this shows is that like any good modded car, it’s a pretty cool window on its owner’s personality, too.

It’s not every vehicle that can do so many different things so very well, but there’s a reason why Nick drives a Jeep. Actually, of course, there are several reasons, and towing his fellow lineside engineers out of ballast traps in their sad cars is just one of them. And there’s just the one kind of vehicle that’s up to the job. We’ve been saying it all along: sometimes, only a 4x4 will do.

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BOMBARDMENT Words: Paul Looe Pictures: Harry Hamm

The first thing you’re likely to notice about Tony Vincent’s Defender 90 is that it has a lot of antennae. But it’s more than just a self-propelled base station – it’s a HF/VHF/UHF rig that can broadcast from the sort of places where radio stations are seldom to be found

W

ay back in October 2009, we ran an article about a highly modified Land Rover Discovery built by a chap called Tony Vincent. He’s gone on to become a pretty well known name in off-road circles, as he’s the man who created Bonkas 4x4 – one of the most active clubs anywhere in Britain.

Bonkas, and Tony, are based in South Wales and have come to know the region’s lanes and playday sites very well. The club is also known locally for its volunteering, and when the weather gets dodgy round there its social media pages quickly light up with members offering assistance to those in need.

While Bonkas has been getting steadily bigger, Tony’s Land Rover has been getting smaller. The Discovery has given way to a Defender 90 200Tdi, though while it’s shorter in reality there’s nothing very small about it. Apart possibly from how you feel when you’re stood next to it, because as well as a +3” lift and 35” tyres it has about a foot and a half of roof rack sat on its gutters – and enough radio antennae to make you wonder whether BBC actually stands for Bonkas Broadcasting Club.

Starting at the bottom, those tyres are 35x12.50R15 Cooper Discoverer STT Pros. They sit on steel modulars, which in turn are bolted via 30mm spacers to a pair of axles containing Ashcroft halfshafts and four-pin diffs.

Sitting on top of the axles are +3” springs and +5” shocks. The latter are hosted up front by tubular top mounts, while those at the back are Terrafirma units with an adjuster dial on their lower body. Staying at the back, the springs sit on lifted mounts and run relocation cones up top. The trailing links here are cranked to allow

Yes, we know this isn’t Tony’s Defender 90, It’s the Discovery he built back in the day, which was featured in Total Off Road magazine in October 2009

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Above: Both axles are original to the vehicle, all the way down to the rear drum brakes which were still standard on Defenders when this one was built. They’ve got heavy-duty halfshafts and four-pin diffs inside them, all sourced from Ashcroft. Note the lifted spring mounts at the rear Far left, above left: Suspension is by +3” coils and +5” shocks, with tubular top mounts up front and relocation cones at the back. The rear shocks are adjustable Terrafirma units, and the axle is located by cranked trailing links Left: There was a time when 35x12.50R15s on a 90 would have caused an almighty stir.

They’re a common sight these days, though all too often with a ground-chewing tread pattern. Tony’s Defender is a daily driver and lane truck, and on something like that the Cooper Discoverer STT Pro is one of the best choices around

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The 200Tdi engine is often referred to as the best unit Land Rover has ever made. Tony’s is pretty standard, but the stuff around it has been liberally upgraded. There’s a performance aluminium radiator up front, complete with electric fan, as well as a higher-capacity intercooler, and at the other end you’ll find a straight-through, side-exit stainless exhaust. A bit of a rummage around would unearth a K&N air filter in there, too, as well as a couple of silicone hoses to help it all flow right

From what we experienced, the phrase ‘blowing my windows out’ is almost literally true… more droop, while the radius arms up front are mounted to the axle using polyurethane bushes.

That’s more than enough to make a very capable more capable still, but Tony has stopped short of putting together a full-house toybox build. It’s not made for loony-tune articulation or mongo challenge unbreakability, but for superior green lane skills and all-round competence as a recovery truck in what is, at the end of the day, an all-round daily driver.

You’d expect a build like this to include a winch and so it does, in the shape of a 13,000lb unit mounted on an ARB bumper and bull bar. There’s another at the back, too, tucked away behind the crossmember and hidden beneath the floor.

Not surprisingly, the truck’s electrical capacity has been boosted to cope with its hefty potential for extra draw when winching, and there are now two Optima Yellow-Tops looking after it. These also provide the juice for the radio system behind all those antennae.

At the heart of this is a Yaesu 857D HF/VHF/ UHF transceiver, which the manufacturer says ‘provides base station type performance’ in what is the world’s smallest unit of its type. Yaesu’s own Atas-120 VHF/UHF antenna is the big beast you see up front, and in addition there’s a Wilson 1000 CB whip and a pair of VHF antennas further back. The whole rig is boosted by a Texas Star 1200w amp – if you know your radio chat, you

might be familiar with the phrase ‘blowing my windows out,’ and from what we experienced on board another Bonkas vehicle this is almost literally true of what Tony’s 90 can pump out.

Elsewhere inside the vehicle, it’s the very picture of a well sorted Defender. Not so much for the ultimate in off-road prep but for being able to get both into and out of every sort of situation you could reasonably expect to encounter in the real world. Recovery gear is housed in an ammo box bolted to the floor, for example, and there’s an ARB compressor feeding an air tank for tools and tyres alike. And also for a train horn…

You’ll see a power inverter here, too, alongside a twin mains plug on the back of the bulkhead,

A mushroom-style snorkel is decidedly old-school Defender, and what’s not to love about that? The same could be said about the box-section roof rack, though its squared-off design might lead to a few shuddering moments on the lanes. The curved LED bar is very, very sexy – in fact, it’s about the only curved thing you’ll see on a Defender, and between it and another array on the bumper, it lights the road ahead for about ten times the 90’s stopping distance

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Above: An ARB winch bumper and bull bar provides massive protection up front, and there’s more down below in the shape of a solid steel steering guard. The sills won’t bend for anything, either – and with mounting points for a high-lift jack they’re one of the first routes of recovery should the 90 get beached Below: Rear winch is neatly tucked away under the floor and behind the crossmember. Its tray provides handy mounting rings for a pair of recovery shackles

and between this and the second battery tray is a triple-burner hob. Camping gear and recovery kit taking equal precedence here…

The whole lot is arranged around the rear stays for a full internal-external roll cage and anchoring straps for a set of four-point harnesses. These keep the vehicle’s occupants securely strapped in to a pair of seats from an Audi Quattro.

With LED headlamps and light bars on the front and back of the roof, this is a 90 that’s set up to get places, get home again afterwards and never be lost in between times. You wouldn’t expect the head honcho in such a vibrant off-road club to lose his bearings while leading a lane run, after all.

Not that it would be a problem – though if such a thing were to happen, you can expect the banter to be more than a little merciless. ’I did a little off-roading myself and enjoyed it so much I created Bonkas 4x4, in order to enjoy a hobby with like minded people,’ Tony explains. ‘With so many members there is always someone up for a bit of off road fun, and we have such good marshals who run our events too.’

No small matter, that, and nor is the age-old Land Rover thing. You know, that Land Rover thing. ’All Land Rover owners have to learn basic mechanics,’ laughs Tony. ‘If anyone has problems on a run, marshals and members all help each other out.’

That’s the very essence of a club, and all the members of Bonkas 4x4 have a lot to thank Tony for. He might not have realised it at the time, but

the club he started back then has grown beyond his wildest expectations.

The same might not need to be said about his Defender, though having downsized in chassis length from his old Disco he’s now got a vehicle with really serious off-road ability but not enough mods to make it a liability. It’s a 90 to be proud of, this one – and while its spec may be just enough, the way it looks is brimming with attitude.

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OUR 4X4S Vehicle: Jeep Cherokee XJ Year: 1994 Run by: Alan Kidd Last update: December 2019 On the fleet since: September 2002

10 Years Later…

REMEMBER EYJAFJALLAJÖKULL? It was that volcano in Iceland that went off and spewed out a cloud of ash which knocked out pretty much all the air traffic over Europe for a few days.

It happened in the same year as the coalition government coming to power. (David Cameron and Nick Clegg, remember them?) It was also the same year as the UK’s last major snowfall, and that famous satellite photo of a completely white Britain that appeared in all the papers. Ed Miliband became Labour leader, Prince William got engaged to Kate Middleton, Robbie Williams got back together with the rest of Take That and Brazil took an

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absolute hammering in a World Cup semi-final against Germany.

The year was 2010. As well as all the above, it was the year when the millionth Range Rover was built… and the year when our Project Cherokee last had an MOT. We’re not sure how it managed this, because the normal thing is for a car to go round corners when you turn its steering wheel. And, like the drunken old tart she was, our XJ was far more inclined to totter straight on than to go where you tried to point her.

As time went on, she spent prolonged spells parked up. Her first home was a workshop in Ellesmere Port, where a custom 4x4 specialist

tried to figure out how to get her to behave again. She hadn’t been what you’d call biddable ever since her 8” Skyjacker suspension kit went on; we didn’t want to turn her into a trailer queen, so full hydro steer was

off the table, but something needed to be done and as time went on, a whole lot of musing happened.

The only problem was that the amount of musing diminished as the amount of time grew, and

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Above left: When you fire it up (jump start required, natch) and the water pump dumps coolant all over the floor, you know it’s not going to be a good day. We could have saved ourselves the cost of the MOT then and there, because without being able to run the engine you can’t do an emissions test, but in fact the fail sheet turned out to be a useful checklist for when the Cherokee finally made its way to Jeepey Above right: Skyjacker’s 8” Rock Ready suspension kit is a very serious set-up indeed. It comes complete with a front axle truss which lifts the mounting points for the control arms – it’s very well designed and manufactured, but the best engineer in the world can’t legislate for their parts being held on by loose bolts

Above left: One look at the angle of the drag link and panhard rod should be enough to get you feeling the bump steer all the way from your armchair. It was actually worse than this when the suspension originally went on, as the first half-turn of movement on the steering wheel basically went into rotating the track rod until the joints bound, so this was definitely an improvement, but it’s still pretty hideous. When we sent this picture to Jeepey prior to shipping the vehicle up to them, we could feel the shudder coming back down the phone line…

Above right: Things are looking a bit rustier here, but that’s just on the surface. Jeepey’s response to seeing the previous picture was to say there would be some fabrication involved in the remedy, and you can see subtle differences here. In particular, the steering damper now bears on the drag link, which now pushes one of the steering uptrights rather than acting on the tie rod next thing we knew half a decade had passed. Well, you can’t rush a genius. One fine day, however, we happened to be passing the workshop – which was also an MOT centre, so we stopped by to see if the guys fancied taking a look-see.

What followed was one of the most bizarre tests of all time. It’s not normal for the vehicle’s owner to be poking around it with the tester saying things like ‘have you noticed these shock bushes?’ and ‘don’t forget the state of the handbrake cables,’ but that’s what happened.

And believe me, the list of faults was already more than long enough.

The power steering was doing a pretty good impression of the

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aforementioned Brazil football team, for starters. And talking of starters, the Cherokee was a non-one thanks to a battery that had gone dead once too often for its own good. When a set of jump leads finally got it to fire up (and it still sounded as lovely as ever, to be fair), we found that the water pump had turned itself into a firingcoolant-all-over-the-floor machine.

And that was indeed just for starters. Play in track rod, drag link and suspension ball joints, worn brake discs, wonky headlamp aim, movement between the sector shaft and drop arm in the PAS box… for a truck that had sailed through its previous two tests without so much

as an advisory and done precisely 26 miles since, even given the fiveyear hiatus some remarkable things had gone wrong.

The test pointed out some rotten bodges, too, which didn’t reflect very well on the Jeep specialist (now long gone) which had taken a small fortune off us to build the Jeep in the first place. The front sway bar disconnect pins were fouling the coil springs, for example. The rear axle was located with the nose of its diff pointing upwards at an ugly angle – and for the same reason, the bottom shock mounts here were twisted horribly at rest.

Also at rest, the handbrake cable was so taut you could play it like

a double bass. Up front, the brake hoses had insufficient room to move and were cable-tied to the shock absorbers. One of the front axle supports had a loose bolt. The tester also offered to include an advisory on a hole in the editor’s jeans, but we decided he’d had enough pain for one morning.

A few months later, we were back with a trailer and a set of jump leads. The Cherokee’s next destination was the editor’s driveway, where it stayed for long enough to annoy the neighbours (it did look quite cool covered in Christmas lights, but this only served to highlight the fact that it never moved anywhere) before

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OUR 4X4S Far left: Notice the bent retaining pin on the sway bar quick-disconnect? It’s bent because it’s been rubbing on the coil spring.

File under ‘shouldn’t happen’…

Left:The angle of the drag link ball joint isn’t looking too clever here. But what the MOT pointed up was play in the box between the sector shaft and pitman arm. At least the complete lack of any steering fluid was down to a split hose rather than what happened the previous time we lost power assistance – which was that trying to turn the wheel while the vehicle was stuck in what turned out to be axle deep ruts loaded it up so much than the body of the PAS box was blown apart

finally it ended up aboard a low loader bound for Hull, and one of the few places left that we felt we could trust to make it right.

This was the thoroughly well renowned workshop in which Jeepey, and sister company Storm Jeeps, work their magic. There was

a time when the guys there saw a lot of XJ Cherokees; nowadays the customising side concentrates mainly on Wranglers, and not a lot of older models come in for day-today servicing for the simple reason that not a lot are left, but they seemed pretty happy to be getting a chance to knock ours into shape and that was fine with us.

In the main, it was simply a case of going through the MOT and putting right what was wrong. On went a new water pump to replace the knackered old one, for example, as well as a fresh front brake caliper, rear wheel cylinder and handbrake cable and adjuster.

Happily, there was better news with the power steering. The box itself had only just been rebuilt before the Cherokee was laid up after its last MOT, so we wouldn’t have been best pleased had it turned out to have gone again, but in this case all it took was a new section of pipe to replace one that had sprung a leak, and we were back in action.

The guys at Jeepey also replaced the steering linkages to help improve the system’s geometry.

They could hardly have made it any worse – prior to going up there, the angle between the drag link and the panhard rod was so vast it was

capable of inducing bump-steer when the truck wasn’t even moving – and there’s a clear improvement now. We had already long since cast aside any plans to use the Cherokee on fast roads – it’s not a trailer queen, but we’d only ever transport it to playdays and so on, but you’d be able to smoke it around without spending every moment in fear for your life. Concepts like feel and precision apply largely to everyone else, but it’s no worse than you’d expect from something on an 8” lift. Which is to say that you need to concentrate on where you’re placing it, but it responds to steering inputs when you make them rather than

The nose angle on the rear diff was all kinds of wrong. For one thing, at any given moment a good portion of the gearing inside it was going to be running without lube; for another just take a look at the lower shock mount and feel that poor bush’s pain. Jeepey addressed this by adjusting the pinion shims – the sort of stuff that happens when a professional is doing their job properly, as opposed to the other thing. The result is clear to see in the new angle at which the diff sits when the suspension is resting

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Right: There’s a reason why ‘cable tie brake flexi to shock body’ doesn’t appear in the build manual of any car ever. Limiting the hoses’ ability to move with the suspension, this is one of many lash-ups that cost the Cherokee its chance of a ticket back in 2015 Far right: Handbrake cables that are completely taut when the suspension is at rest. Assuming you’re not in the market for the world’s most rubbish set of check straps, this is another pig-ugly sight

50 yards later and that’s got to be a good thing.

Another repair the Jeepey guys made was to our front Air-Locker, which needed a new O-ring at the compressor end. Now we’ve got true four-wheel drive at our disposal once again – and previous experience has showed that with ARB’s finest in action, the vehicle is near-unstoppable. There’s a set of 35” tyres on the way to give us what that huge lift allows – you’ll never have to look far to find a Jeep expert, whether self-appointed or social-media-appointed, who’ll tell you that anything that size will snap halfshafts like matchsticks, but we’ve talked to enough real-world XJ owners to feel confident that in typical British off-road conditions, the 35” BFG Mud-Terrains we’ve chosen will strike a perfect balance.

The rear axle now sits at a proper angle, too. This was a simple case of adjusting the pinion shims, which doesn’t reflect very well at all on the thoroughness of the outfit that got it into such a mess in the first place.

Pay peanuts, get monkeys, as they say, the only problem being that back then, we definitely didn’t pay peanuts. You live and learn.

So anyway, with Jeepey’s job sheet now looking the Magna Carta but, crucially, a version of the Magna Carta with a long line of ticks down one side, the Cherokee was ready to go get itself a ticket.

Off it went to Jeepey’s local test station, and… bosh, back it came with a dirty fail. There was a patch of rust in the floor, close enough to the driver’s-side rear seatbelt mounting area to need welding before the Jeep could go back on the road.

Which brings us back to the present day. The Cherokee went

in for its re-test a week later and this time, save for one advisory on the general condition of the brake pipes, back it came with a clean bill of health.

See, this is what happens when the MOT man doesn’t have us around to point things out. Lesson learnt, you might say.

And here we are, a decade later.

In the time that has passed since the Cherokee last had an MOT, Total Off Road has changed hands once and names twice and been amalgamated with 4x4 to create the magazine you’re holding in

your hands right now. The editor has had two children and they can already both work his phone better than him. David Cameron has gone from Prime Minister to that-blokeremember-him and there’s still nothing flying, though now a few days with a volcano on our case sounds like a bit of a picnic.

And of course, as a result of all this lockdown fun the Cherokee is still not on the road. It does have its ticket to ride, though. And when, eventually, we get to cash that in, we will, very emphatically, have Jeepey to thank for it.

Suddenly we like the MOT again. Well, it wasn’t very sudden, unless you’ve spent 10 years asleep, but you get when we mean, Now all we need to do is replace those old 31” tyres with something that goes properly with an 8” lift, and we’ll be well away…

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STRICKEN BY DISASTER What do you do when your expedition vehicle breaks down in the middle of nowhere?

Words: Barrie Dunbar Pictures: Barrie Dunbar and as credited

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Clue: Don’t let that happen in the first place

H

ere’s a question I get asked on every tour: ‘How do you deal with vehicle breakdowns in remote locations?’

Here’s my answer: ‘Vehicles do not breakdown if they have been prepared following the advisory notes I provide.’

In last month’s issue, I wrote about the importance of servicing and preparation to a successful overland expedition. I explained that renewing worn parts and changing fluids really matters, and emphasised the pivotal role of weight (or the lack of it) in keeping your truck healthy.

The reality is that effective vehicle preparation is an unglamorous exercise. It almost always involves getting tired and dirty, and sometimes getting frustrated and getting injured. Unlike the pleasure of bolting on new accessories, there is little tangible reward to be gained by changing fluids, filters, belts and the like.

And yet these seemingly mundane maintenance items are of the utmost importance, ensuring the

It doesn’t matter who you are or what you drive – breaking down in the back of beyond is no laughing matter. Just look at the main picture – getting stranded in an area this hostile and remote would be a serious danger to your health. There’s no way to make light of it – the only answer is to prevent it from happning in the first place, which can only be done by being absolutely meticulous with your vehicle prep Above: Desperation sets in, by bobrayner @ flickr.com, CC BY 2.0

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The classic image of overland expedition travel would be of a solo vehicle exploring the remotest parts of the world. Yet perceived wisdom about green laning in our own back yard is never to travel alone. The simple fact is that it’s safer if there’s someone else there too – even if your round-the-world itinerary is something you plan on your own, look to hook up with others for the riskiest sections of driving. You never know when you might need their tools, their tow rope or, perish the thought, their spare seats

essential mechanical dependability and reliability of any vehicle setting off for a period of remote travel.

Neglect them at your peril – and that of others.

Allow me to tell you the story of Jimmy (not his real name), who thought it would be a good idea to join one of my Western Sahara expeditions with a recently acquired vehicle – of which he knew little.

Parked in the queue at Portsmouth docks, I’m whiling away some time waiting for the ferry when, in my rear-view mirror, the flashing headlights of a rapidly approaching Toyota Landcruiser Colorado attract my attention.

It decelerates to an abrupt halt immediately behind me… and out springs our Jimmy.

Jimmy is very pleased with his ‘new’ vehicle, and insists that I come over and inspect its supple leather seats and gleaming, recently polished and almost untarnished, black paintwork. He’s just got it, he tells me. Bought it from a local dealer, and properly hammered them down on the price too! He

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doesn’t know much about its history, but nonetheless he is clerly overjoyed with the leather seats and the shiny paintwork.

It doesn’t take me long to realise that Jimmy is another one of those souls who doesn’t believe in disrupting his idyllic existence with something as potentially inconvenient as a tour operator’s advisory vehicle preparation notes.

What for? Anyone can see this vehicle is sound!

Before continuing, let me make clear that I have no prejudice against the Toyota Landcruiser Colorado. Many of my clients use them, and many have found the factory-fitted rear diff locker to be an indispensable asset.

But they can be susceptible to rust. Very susceptible, actually.

It’s not so much the occasional radiator that gets clogged by flakes of oxidation, but the structural degradation which so often befalls components of the underbody.

In fact, where I come from, they reckon that if you listen carefully enough, you can hear a Colorado

rusting from fifty paces away. Not true, obviously, but where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Besides, one would obviously always check for rust first. Wouldn’t one…?

Fast-forward a few days into the tour, and Jimmy is getting to know his new ride. It’s not all good news, though, as he’s concerned by the intermittent knocking sound he has begun to notice emanating from ‘somewhere underneath’ his pride and joy.

‘Don’t worry Jimmy,’ I say encouragingly. ‘It’s probably just a loose exhaust mount or something along those lines. Next time we stop, get under the vehicle and have a good look around. It’s usually something really obvious, and you should spot it quite easily.’

That said, I try to put it out of my mind and concentrate on the job.

I am slightly apprehensive about taking an unknown vehicle deep down into the Western Sahara. My website and advisory notes make clear that we will need to be entirely self-sufficient in every respect, and that for days at a time we will be

literally hundreds of kilometres away from any habitation as we trace some of the old Dakar Rally tracks running between Morocco to the north and Mauritania to the south.

However, I am reassured by my familiarity with the other vehicles in the group. It’s the usual mix of Rovers and Cruisers and I know them all well, most of them having done upwards of five tours with me already. So I suppress my instinct to get under the car and have a good look around myself.

I follow up with Jimmy over the next couple of days. But he’s coy, and seems not to want to discuss the knocking. It’s still there, though, he says – albeit reduced, so he’s not so worried.

I make a mental note that we’ve recently dropped our tyre pressures significantly to cope with the offroad terrain, and this practice itself would go some way in damping any knocking. But it’s a case of masking the symptom of a problem, rather than treating the problem itself.

‘Jimmy,’ I ask, ‘have you checked the mounts at both ends of the shock

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absorbers? Because if it’s not the exhaust, it could well be something to do with the suspension. Are the coils all properly located? What about the steering rack and rods?’.

Jimmy assures me he’s looked everywhere, and everything seems to be as it should. But he’s not keen to dwell on the subject, and I don’t want to embarrass him in front of the others by taking matters into my own hands and scrutinising the underbody myself.

By the following day, we are way south of the Canary Islands, out in the expanses of the desolate Sahara Occidental, parked up for our lunch stop. I’ve barely got the dry-cured organic ham out of the fridge, when Rugged Richard comes strolling towards me.

‘Hey Barrie, is this what I think it is?’ he enquires, holding his hand out towards me. Lying there, in the middle of his palm, is a near perfect knapped stone arrowhead, which reminds us all of just how remote and isolated we currently are. And just how dependent we are on our dusty 4x4 machines.

And then I hear it. Over the radio.

The troubled tones of Mellow Melvyn, veteran of nine trips with me, and not a man inclined to worry.

‘Barrie, Barrie, are you receiving?’ I don’t like the angst I can hear in his voice. ‘Go ahead Melvyn,’ I reply.

‘You’d better come and see here, this looks like a welding job to me,’ Melvyn replies. I reach Jimmy’s vehicle, where I find Melvyn looking incredulous, and Jimmy on the verge of tears. ‘Have a look at the rear axle, driver side,’ sighs Melvyn.

I get under the car and can scarcely believe my eyes! The driver side of the axle has broken away from the chassis completely, leaving two inches of glaring daylight in the space ordinarily occupied by metal, and the diff casing is so rusted that it looks like I could shove my thumb right through it. And someone’s previously had a go with some not-

too-professional-looking welding in of a gusset plate or two, no doubt intended to hold it all together until it sells.

I take a few deep breaths, before extracting myself from beneath the rust bucket, and exasperatedly enquiring, ‘Jimmy, did you actually take a look around under this car before you bought it?!’

Jimmy doesn’t answer, but his bottom lip is quivering and he looks close to panic – and there’s the answer. Leather seats and shiny paintwork, hey? Not much use when your rear axle is about to shear off.

Jimmy’s happy-go-lucky approach to preparation has sentenced the entire group to a rather tricky predicament, and it’s my job to get us out of it. Should I grab the jump leads and welding rods and potentially destroy half a dozen batteries? No way, not out here – I can’t risk stranding numerous vehicles in an effort to save one.

But something has to be done, or that axle will be ripping itself off the chassis in the next few kilometres.

So I ask everyone to bring out their heaviest duty ratchet straps, my plan being to tightly lash the affected side of the axle to the front outrigger, and to the chassis member directly above it. My objective is to try to prevent the axle from being torn off backwards by the torque force of forward drive.

I’m half-minded to disconnect the rear propshaft to mitigate the effects, but I know that where we’re going, drive to all four wheels is

going to be required in order to keep momentum.

Helpful Hugh steps forward with the most gigantic ratchet strap I’ve ever seen. Why on earth he saw fit to bring along such a monster is anyone’s guess, but it’s a good thing he did. The beast is massive, neon orange, constructed of multiple-ply reinforced nylon, and its working parts are solid steel. If ever there was a ratchet strap adequate for the unreasonably onerous task about to be asked of it, this was the one.

With all hands on deck, it doesn’t take long to get the job done, belted and braced as best can be improvised. With a few hundred kilometres to cover, through fairly gnarly terrain, none of us is overly optimistic of success, but we keep our pessimism to ourselves and make ready to crack on. We had originally intended getting all the way down to Tichla on the Mauritanian border, but that will have to wait until the next time. We need the closest possible welder.

‘Right Jimmy, here we go. Please come up directly behind me, and follow exactly in my tracks. The idea is to drive as slowly and gently as possible, trying to minimise the bouncing and jolting,’ I advise.

‘Okay Barrie, but what are we gonna do if it all goes pear-shaped?’ he asks me, gulping.

‘Well buddy, you know we can’t just leave it here. So if the worst happens, we’ll have to roll it on to its roof and drag it out,’ I answer, half tongue-in-cheek.

Jimmy’s eyes widen, the extreme seriousness of the situation by now having dawned on him. And so we settle into hour after hour of very slow driving, stopping every so often to check the condition of our bush repair. The main strap has begun fraying on one side, over time the fray develops into a full-blown tear, and it slowly but surely begins to make its way right across the fiveinch width of the strap.

By the time we reach the salvation of Boujdour on the coast, the strap is still hanging in there, but only by the last half inch and the heavily reinforced side seam. That strap defied all our expectations and held out – and in doing so, it saved Jimmy’s bacon.

In town, I touch base with my local contact, Ahmed, who refers me to his cousin Mustafa, the local welder. Using bits and pieces of scrap metal, he is able to implement a surprisingly robust looking repair, which enables us to continue the next day.

Jolly Jimmy has dodged a bullet.

But only just. And his recklessness could have taken the rest of us down with him, too.

The author runs Active 4x4 Adventures, which specialises in unique, fully catered 4x4 tours including exciting adventure activities at no additional cost. The prices the company quotes are all-inclusive. To find out more about its future itineraries, visit active4x4adventures.com.

It needn't even take a breakdown to bring your expedition to a disastrous halt. Imagine being on your own in the remote wilds of Botswana and getting stuck like the 100-Series Landcruiser in this picture…

Landcruiser stuck in flooded river bed, by Bob McCaffrey @ flickr.com, CC BY-SA 2.0

4x4 4pp When it Goes Wrong BD.indd 61

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