NEWS

Introducing the Limited Edition Jeep Wrangler 1941

As part of the 80th anniversary celebrations, Jeep is introducing the most capable Wrangler ever offered on UK roads, the Wrangler 1941.

Based on a Wrangler Rubicon, the 1941 utilises Jeep Performance Parts to enhance its already class-leading off-road ability. Each Wrangler 1941 has been factory modified with a twoinch suspension lift kit, black door sill guards, front and rear splash guards, black fuel filler door, all-weather mats and 1941 bonnet decal, which sets this model apart from the rest of the Wrangler range.

Enhanced rear underbody protection and wheel arch extensions further extend the abilities of the 1941, while the addition of a hardtop headliner enhances the cabin’s ambiance.

Each accessory has been designed and engineered specifically for the vehicle, and thoroughly tested. These authentic Mopar accessories and Jeep performance parts guarantee both quality and satisfaction, increasing the capabilities of the legendary off-roader while also retaining the vehicle’s three year warranty.

Available exclusively in four-door guise, in combination with the 2.2-litre Multijet diesel engine, just 41 examples will reach the UK shores in a choice of four colours - Brilliant black, Granite Crystal, Firecracker red and Billet silver.

The limited edition Wrangler 1941 is in showrooms now and available to order priced from £58,050 OTR. For more information on Jeep Wrangler 1941 or the Jeep range, visit www.jeep.co.uk.

News

Mitsubishi Motors in the UK selling off its heritage fleet

Mitsubishi Motors in the UK has announced details of its heritage fleet auction which is scheduled to run from April 1st to April 30th on the specialist online platform Auto Auction.

All 14 cars are up for grabs with detailed descriptions, and a comprehensive array of images and videos for each vehicles, as well as introductory films by TV presenter, and ex-Mitsubishi racer, Tiff Needell.

Amongst the cars on offer include two of the earliest original UK Mitsubishis ever registered in the country, a Colt Lancer and a Colt Galant; the brand’s flagship sports cars of the 80s and 90s, a Mitsubishi Starion Turbo and a Mitsubishi 3000GT; as well as three of its iconic 4X4 vehicles - a Mitsubishi Jeep and a Mk1 and Mk2 Shogun.

Of most interest to performance car enthusiasts will be the three Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions, each representing the pinnacle of their respective generations of Evo, and all with low mileage and maintained to the highest standards. The star of the heritage fleet, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI Tommi Makinen Edition, is also expected to be the highlight of the auction.

The brand’s rally heritage in the UK is represented by a Mitsubishi Galant GTi rally-replica, a promotional vehicle build in the late 80s to commemorate Pentti Airikkala’s Lombard RAC Rally victory in a Mitsubishi Galant VR4, and the championshipwinning Mitsubishi Evo IX which was driving to consecutive British Rally Championships by Guy Wilkes in 2007 and 2008.

The newest additions to the heritage fleet, a 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Mk1 and a 2017 Mitsubishi L200 'Desert Warrior' which was built for the brand by journalist and presenter Tom Ford for a feature in Top Gear magazine, also go under the hammer. A large selection of Mitsubishi Motors private number plates are going up for auction at the same time, with many featuring the MMC and CCC lettering synonymous with Mitsubishi Motors / Colt Car Company vehicles.

Every vehicle on the heritage fleet is being offered with no reserve and the auction will run for the month of April with a staggered end to each lot throughout the final day, April 30th. The auction is open to everyone and the full catalogue can be viewed now at www.autoauction.co.uk

News

Vauxhall celebrates the Frontera’s 30th anniversary

Who remembers the butch looking Frontera? We all do, I guess, but where have they all gone? I honestly can’t remember the last time I actually saw one, either on or off-road.

Unbelievably it was thirty years ago when Vauxhall introduced the Frontera to the world at the 1991 Geneva Motor Show, it was the product of the partnership between Vauxhall's parent firm General Motors and Isuzu. GM used Isuzu's 4x4 expertise, in the form of the Isuzu MU off-roader, to create its own SUV in the hope it would gain a strong foothold in the European Jeep market at a fraction of the cost.

Production of the Frontera started in 1991 in Luton, and the Frontera quickly became a success. The Frontera sold well, and so it should have, it was designed and built to introduce new driving dynamics to the offroad sector, making it friendlier and more capable under normal driving conditions, without sacrificing any off-road prowess.

It was voted off-roader of the year in Germany in 1991 and 1992, and by 1993 had become the best-selling off-roader in Europe, with more than 320,000 units sold.

When it arrived on sale in 1991, the Frontera was available in two flavours, the short wheelbase two-door Frontera Sport with a hard top and powered by a 2.0 litre petrol engine producing whopping 112bhp. Alongside that a long wheelbase five-door Frontera with a torquey 122bhp 2.3 litre petrol engine, or a 2.3 turbo diesel with 98bhp.

The Frontera was a proper 4x4 and featured a separate ladder frame chassis that also carried the suspension and powertrain. Both petrol engines featured a three-way catalytic converter as standard, and the transmission consisted of a five-speed manual gearbox and a transfer case, allowing the driver to switch between rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive with high and low 4x4 drive modes. A limitedslip rear differential was optionally available. Additionally, the powertrain was located on additional mounts so that it could be easily removed for servicing or repairs.

Second-generation Frontera In 1998, the second-generation Frontera was launched with a new 2.2 litre direct injection diesel and a 3.2 V6 petrol engine. With a new look and improved road handling, the second-generation Frontera also featured an electronic “No Stop 4x4” system on all models, which allowed drivers to switch between rear and four-wheel drive without stopping - obviously.

The handling and stability on the new Frontera were improved through the use of a five-link rear axle and a longer wheelbase on the fivedoor variants, while quieter engines and new door seals helped reduce cabin noise by a whopping 50%.

The second-generation Frontera also improved occupant safety with the addition to side impact protection, full-size airbags and seatbelt tensioners for the driver and front passenger were now available.

Over its 13-year production run, the Frontera became known as a tough and durable vehicle that combined traditional off-road looks and capability, with improved driving dynamics and comfort on the road. Of course it had its faults, most cars do, and by 2004 it was gone. Despite it’s success the Frontera had a bad name for quality, and if I remember correctly, at one point in its life, owners descended en masse on Vauxhall HQ to complain!

It had a half decent run, and I dare say a handful still exist, either as farm hacks or Pay and Play toys, and whatever your thoughts, it could be argued that the Frontera was important and paved the way for todays SUVs.