Innehållsförteckning för November 2016 från NZ4WD

US truck maker RAM has teased tuff truck fans the world over with the launch of the Rebel TRX concept, an engineering, design and consumer-interest study for an extreme performance half-tonne pickup. The TRX is powered by a supercharged 6.2-litre hemi V-8 which delivers 238kWs (575hp) and equipped with a TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission, a BorgWarner 44-45 transfer case and 4x4 Performance Control System offering a choice of grip modes, Normal, Wet/Snow, Off-road and Baja. The TRX concept uses a standard Ram 1500 front axle with an open differential and custom CV half-shafts to handle the wider track dimension. The spindles are moved forward to make room within the wheel wells for the aggressive 37-inch tyres. At the back a Dynatrac Pro 60 axle spools power through an electric, selectable…

The country’s first official demonstration of an autonomous driving vehicle using New Zealand roads is set to take place on November 18 in Tauranga. The New Zealand Traffic Institute (Trafinz), Volvo, New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and the Ministry of Transport have come together to show how an autonomous vehicle will handle New Zealand’s road conditions. Car manufacturer Volvo will demonstrate the technology on a 10-15km stretch of public road in Tauranga as part of the national Trafinz transport conference. Volvo NZ national manager Coby Duggan says the vehicle will self-drive using sophisticated technology to navigate the road - with driver interaction only required at the halfway point of the trip..…

Automechanika is a huge automotive parts, accessories and service equipment show held bi-annually in Frankfurt. This year NZ4WD attended the show on behalf of our sister magazine Motor Equipment News. We saw a number of interesting 4WD vehicles and some interesting new accessories. This month we will feature the interesting accessories and next month some of the vehicles.…

Auckland racer Raana Horan will take his crowd-pleasing Nissan Titan V8 south to the event with a maximum 92 points. All class winners in the northern and southern regions can amass 72 points, with those who contest all three northern or southern rounds receiving an additional 20 bonus points. The former hydro project town is booked out for the event, with racing over two days on a glacial valley property alongside the Ohau hydro channel. To win the 2016 title, Horan must first defeat the rest of the GT Radial Tyres unlimited class trucks in short course heat racing on the Saturday of Labour Weekend, then win or take a podium in the following day’s high speed 250 km endurance race. Unique nature The unique open nature of the Twizel…

Kiwis have always had a soft spot for knockabout ute-based 4x4 all-rounders (think Toyota’s Surf and Mitsubishi’s Challenger) and Holden and Isuzu helped breathe new life into the ute-based low-range-equipped 4WD SUV sub-sector with the D-Max/Colorado-based Colorado 7/MU-X. Ford and Toyota added new models (the Everest and Fortuner respectively) in 2015 while Mitsubishi rejoined the party with its all-new Pajero Sport earlier this year. Now Holden has piggy-backed on its 2017 model year Colorado ute upgrade to create the Trailblazer, a much-improved replacement for the Colorado 7. New look, feel Like the 2017 Colorado ute, which went on sale here in September, the Trailblazer has enjoyed a comprehensive front-to-back makeover which has resulted in night-and-day improvements to the steering, ride, and interior sound, comfort and convenience levels. Not only that,…

The Oztent has been designed to be quick to assemble, easy to transport and extra durable, so you can spend more time enjoying the Great Outdoors and less time putting up your tent. It features an auto locking frame that eliminates the need for flexible guide poles, allowing for fast setup, and all products undergo a stringent materials assessment including rain, wind, tear, abrasion and fire testing. The Oztent is available in five sizes and its modular design means you can add two or more tents side by side or awning to awning. Alternatively, if you own a motorhome, campervan or a caravan, an Oztent provides an instant extra room which can be freestanding or easily attached to a sail track. For more information on the Oztent and Jet Tent…

The club established in 2004 to promote winch challenge events in New Zealand is 4x4 Challenges NZ Inc. Winch challenges started in 2000 when a core group of Australians involved in the Outback Challenge worked with this magazine and Auckland Four Wheel Drive Club Inc. to run an inaugural event at Horopito in the central North Island. By 2004 the annual event turnover was pushing the GST boundaries for the Auckland club, so a decision was made to create 4x4 Challenges NZ as a GST entity and ‘keeper of the rules’. The NZFWDA recognised the club as the sanctioning body. Sadly, by then many of the original organising team were getting ‘burned out’ as volunteers and a decision was made to allow an entrepreneur to organise the 2005 event. A…

The club has used the site at Wainuioru south-east of Masterton for the last few years and because it rained the week before the event we were praying that we could still use the block. Fortunately, on the day the weather was great and the club was rewarded with an excellent turnout of competitors, over 30 vehicles with many more drivers who were sharing vehicles. Included was our usual cadre of keen club truckers who do all of the rounds, plus some National Trials competitors keeping their hand in, as well as local club members, and new to our CTC a good number of female competitors. I mentioned how lovely this was and had a boot jammed down my throat! No matter whether you are a boy or girl I…

The final round of the championship at Twizel is just days away as NZ4WD goes to press, with one of the biggest entries coming from the unlimited-class trucks. That means one thing: excellent wheel-to-wheel action in the short course racing, and a good number of trucks out on the valley trails pulling 200 km/h the next day in the enduro. Repairs to the GT Radial Ford Falcon have focussed on the suspension – replacing Heim joints, looking for rock damage and thinking about what may happen on the unique surface down there over two days of racing. We are also replacing the cracked fuel tank that almost destroyed the truck at the last Canterbury round, and checking the rear of the truck for any collateral damage caused by the fire.…

 Why are Kiwis buying SUVs in such vast quantities? Why have these vehicles grown in popularity over the past 10 years to represent over a third of all new car purchases in NZ? “You can drag off a boy racer in comfort and style when you’re on your way to the boggy back-country with your partner and five kids while towing a boat.” I have a Swiss Army Knife. I’ve had it for ages and I use it all the time for all sorts of stuff. Among other things it’s a saw, pliers, a knife, scissors, a tin opener and a plastic toothpick. I could, like MacGyver, survive anywhere with this thing. What’s my point? That having one tool with many functions is efficient, effective and practical. It saves me…

The word ‘fun’ has been used a lot to describe this vehicle since its launch, so I’ll try to avoid it. I drove from Christchurch to Arthur’s Pass and back with a detour up to Craigieburn Valley Ski Area. To say this was fun is not enough. There are people all over this fine country looking for a vehicle that can happily fulfil the requirements of an urban family that craves the outdoors. The point of having an all-terrain SUV is that it will do pretty much anything to suit your lifestyle, and the new AWD Suzuki Vitara Turbo is no exception. I left Christchurch behind and headed for the white, folded crags of the Southern Alps looming steeply to the west as the sun rose higher in the bright…

Trusted by 4WDers all over the world, ARB has always focused on producing high quality and durable gear. Founded in 1975, ARB spends extensive time and resources on research, design and field testing to ensure their products remain the safest, strongest and most reliable on the market. ARB’s design and engineering team utilises the latest technology and is supported by subcontract companies and universities for special projects like vibration, strength and crash testing. ARB’s production facilities are equipped with a range of state-of-the-art machinery suited to the manufacture of metal products. This ensures ARB accessories are not only practical but also maintain optimum fit, appearance and meet relevant industry standards. Today, ARB is Australia’s largest manufacturer and distributor of 4WD accessories. They have an export network that extends through more…

Land Rover’s much anticipated fifth-generation Discovery was officially launched with some fanfare on Wednesday September 28. The new ‘Disco’ is a full-sized, three-row, seven-seat SUV featuring lightweight aluminium construction, a range of the company’s latest diesel and petrol four and six cylinder engines paired with an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission and a flexible interior instantly configurable from your smartphone using the world-first remote Intelligent Seat Fold technology with up to 2,500 litres of luggage space. Towing capacity is a best-in-class 3,500kg towing capacity with semi-autonomous Advanced Tow Assist to take the stress out of difficult reversing manoeuvres, and the interior features no fewer than nine USB ports, six 12-volt charging points and an in-car 3G WiFi hotspot for up to eight devices. Trademark design features include the stepped roofline, which…

In celebration of the start of production at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Jeep assembly plant in Goiana, Pernambuco, Jeep has unveiled the all-new Jeep Compass in Brazil. A truly global all-new compact SUV, the Jeep Compass will be produced with 17 fuel-efficient powertrain options for consumers in more than 100 countries around the world. The new Compass expands the brand’s global reach with a combination of 4x4 off-road capability, advanced fuel-efficient powertrains, authentic Jeep design, and a host of safety and advanced technology offerings. Pitched by Jeep as ‘the most capable compact SUV ever,’ the new Compass will be available in North America in the first quarter of 2017 and in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region, starting the second half of 2017 before arriving in New Zealand at the…

Defending Dakar Rally champions Peugeot and sponsors Total and Red Bull have released photos and some – albeit scant –details of its all-new 2017 event challenger, the 3008 DKR. The all-new 3008 DKR is the successor to the machine with which Stéphane Peterhansel claimed his 12th Dakar victory back in January, and fellow former motorcycle ace Cyril Despres clinched his first win on four wheels on the Silk Way Rally in July. Peterhansel’s 2016 win was the first for a two-wheel-drive car in 15 years and the new 3008 continues in champion rear-wheel over four-wheel-drive. The look of the new machine takes its cues from Peugoet’s latest SUV models, not surprising since they were designed by the same man, Sebastien Criquet, Peugeot’s senior exterior designer. The new 3008 DKR is…

Light up the night A simple way to increase the performance of your vehicle’s headlights and make night driving safer is to swap the standard bulbs with a more powerful aftermarket set like the all-new ‘Platinum Plus 130’ globes from Narva. Available in 12V in H4 (60/55Watt) and H7 (55Watt) types, the new Platinum Plus 130 globes can be purchased from automotive outlets throughout New Zealand and according to Narva provide a remarkable 130 percent greater light volume compared to the standard globe fitted to a car or commercial vehicle. Additionally, the new globe delivers a 20 percent whiter light output (3750°K), which helps to improve the quality of the globe’s light. The longer beam penetration provides extra forward visibility of up to 40 metres, while the whiter light output…

Being a member of the Southern Trail Blazers 4WD club of Gore has given me the opportunity to see some of New Zealand’s most spectacular back country with a great bunch of people. The club has 70 members and trips are run to suit all members with shiny runs, night runs, challenging runs and tough winch challenge type events. Usually at least one trip a month is run with a good number of members attending. A club trip in mid-August organised by one of our club members living in Temuka took us to new country for many of the members with a trip to the South Canterbury area. Six vehicles met in Timaru early on a cool but clear Saturday morning. After most had visited the nearby shop for their…

This time last year, specialist winch manufacturer Kingone unveiled its newly developed Bull 9.5 and 1200lb winches at the big SEMA show in Las Vegas. SEMA is an automotive industry show which displays everything to do with automotive to America and the world. The SUV and Utility pavilion is very impressive and had all the usual suspects showing off what they can provide the worldwide 4WD market and more. So it was great timing that Kingone had its new Bull 9.5 and 1200lb winches on display. Kingone has done a full redesign of the look of the 9.5 and 12,000lb winches, packing in the features of a gear ratio of 156-1 coupled to a 5.2hp motor, synthetic rope, and new racy coloured hawse fairlead. The units are IP-68 rated for…

Come the weekend and Jason’s ute tackles everything from 4x4 tracks to remote hunting huts to some of the South Island’s most challenging skifield access roads. It’s also towed tractors, carried heavy-as loads and winched many an urban crawler from ditches during winter black ice. Whoever said “A dog is a man’s best friend” obviously never owned a Hilux like this one! A true all-rounder With a 50mm lift kit, custom bash plates and standard ‘must-have’ snorkel it takes on the heavily rutted and sometimes flooded 4x4 roads of St Bathans in Central Otago every deer roaring season bringing home the bounty and saving the boys miles and miles of humping out the spoils. It’s also just as at home in the mud as it is on the riverbeds on…

I enjoy driving. Anywhere. Like the Trade Me man says “When there’s petrol in the tank there’s hope,” or words to that effect. Town driving in a rush hour is not much fun, though exploring a better route can be entertaining. So long as you can crack a grin whilst stopped at the one busy intersection that wasn’t your smartest move! Better luck next time. Elsewhere, though, driving is generally enjoyable. Highways, byways, motorways, shingleways, grassways, forestways, hillways. Views, spectacles, weather. Surprises, sunrises, animals, rivers. Curves, rocks, clouds, lakes, forests, ghost towns, mines, bridges, fords, boat ramps. Challenges, thrills, cruisy tranquillity. A ‘driver’s road’ or fave off-road trip. So I find it hard to understand why anyone would want a driverless ‘autonomous’ vehicle? I can understand the possibilities for impaired…

IMPORTANT: Photographs must have been taken by the person entering them, or have the photographer’s written permission. Email your digital images and a detailed caption to: editor@NZ4WD.co.nz Send your prints and detailed captions to: Your4s with Kumho, PO Box 65-092, Mairangi Bay, Auckland 0754. Be sure to include your postal address! Submitting photos The basics: as with any photo, there’s no substitute for an image that’s sharp – in focus and free of camera shake. It should be well-exposed. Size and type The ideal submission would be a beautiful 300dpi TIFF of 10Mb or more, sent to us on a CD. However, in the real world we’re more than happy with JPEGs (.jpg) at 72dpi and as close to 2,240x1,680 as you can get. High-end cameras will be able to…

You could say the last month or so has been a bit déjà vu at Dodgy Bros. First off I finally got around to dealing with the squeal from under the bonnet of LR90. As predicted it was the serpentine belt tensioner and there are a number of ways to deal with that, depending on how much of a cheapskate you want to be. On the Internet it is suggested you slacken the tensioner off and put a small coin under it and tighten again. All this does is make the tensioner sit at a different angle and thus load the bearing slightly differently for it to wear in another spot. It might delay the spending of the dollars for a while, but is not ideal in my book as…

A horse that only canters on two legs, while quite interesting to watch, wouldn’t actually be of much use on the Olympics cross-country course. Likewise, an SUV that only ever uses two wheels wouldn’t take you very far into the forests and mountains of this fair country. When you have a recreational lifestyle that means the tarmac runs out before you get to where you need to be – or if wet roads are a regular reality – an SUV with all of its wheels seeking traction is more than just a safety benefit, it’s a necessity. But what’s the difference between all-wheel drive (AWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD) and does it really matter? First, we’ll answer the latter part of the question, and the answer is: it depends. It…

Every now and then an SUV comes along that motoring journalists describe as ‘car-like on the road’. This is because many SUVs are not. Some of them suffer from significant body roll and handle like a jelly on jelly wheels. Not the new Tiguan. This thing is crisp, taut, stable and is about as close as an SUV gets to feeling like it was built for a driver who likes to drive with passion. Set it up in Sport mode via the central touch screen and you’re in for a treat. The accelerator becomes more responsive and the steering even sharper, and I found myself smiling stupidly as I hustled it through some tight corners a bit too quickly. The steering wheel stayed firm and solid no matter what I…

It rains a lot where I live and I’m always spinning wheels and making that stability control icon on the dash go crazy when I pull out into traffic. I really regret selling my all-wheel-drive (AWD) car a while back and buying a two-wheel-drive wagon. Driving the all-new Honda HR-V AWD for a few days had me seriously thinking about a trip to the dealer. A day after I picked up the HR-V I tried to accelerate with my foot to the floor during a deluge, and the little SUV just gripped and sped away like it was dry. This is why having drive to all four wheels is such a plus: it’s not only about mud and snow and sand; just getting to work or taking the kids to…

Ironman 4x4 products have been developed in the harshest proving ground in the world – Australia – and have been available to off-road drivers for over 50 years. Sold in more than 120 countries, Ironman 4x4 delivers comfort, safety, quality and value for money. With one of the largest suspension ranges in the world and top-of-the-line accessories, you will find what you need. Bull bars Extensive range, with an entry level Black Commercial bar that is airbag and winch compatible, a Deluxe bar with integrated driving light and a Protector bar with a grey finish and stainless steel hoops. Suspension Suspension kits and components with raised height, long travel and improved performance are available. Shock absorbers come in 35mm nitro gas or 41mm foam cell; these have longer travel and…

The Guinness World Record for the largest Lego structure ever built has been broken as part of the UK launch of Land Rover’s new Discovery. Bear Grylls, Zara Phillips and Sir Ben Ainslie took part in the live reveal of the 13-metre high Lego version of London’s Tower Bridge made from 5,805,846 individual Lego bricks, breaking the previous Guinness World Record by 470,646 pieces. Led by the UK’s only Lego Certified Professional, Duncan Titmarsh, it took five months for expert Lego master builders in the UK to construct the incredible Tower Bridge structure. It was erected in the grounds of Packington Hall, Warwickshire, UK – close to Land Rover’s Solihull plant, where the New Discovery will be produced. The Top 5 Lego structures in the world are: • Land Rover…

The world’s first ‘flat-pack’ truck – the Global Vehicle Trust OX – has been revealed in London, designed to provide low-cost all-terrain mobility for remote parts of Africa and the developing world. Across Africa and other developing world, there is intense need for improved transport, for both everyday living as well as emergencies. The OX has been designed specifically to tackle a host of transport challenges, and to undertake crucial daily tasks, such as collecting drinking water and transporting grain, fertilizer or building materials. The OX originated from the vision of one man – Sir Torquil Norman. Five years ago he founded the Global Vehicle Trust (GVT) to help people in the developing world by providing cost-effective mobility. The GVT subsequently briefed renowned automotive designer Professor Gordon Murray on a…

Koran SUV specialist SsangYong impressed at the recent Paris Motor Show with its next all new model - the LIV-2 large premium concept. The LIV-2 (LIV standing for Limitless Interface Vehicle) is a large premium SUV concept, and is the next iteration from the LIV-1 concept exhibited at the Seoul Motor Show in 2013. It is powered by either SsangYong’s own 2.2 litre Euro 6 diesel engine or the company’s newly developed petrol 2.0 litre GDi turbo. Basic spec includes an integrated communication system inside with three displays, wi-fi mirroring for devices, Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto, plus advanced safety equipment such as an Autonomous Emergency Braking System (AEBS), Traffic Safety Assist (TSA), a Lane Departure Warning System, Blind Spot Detection and Lane Change Assist…

November 12-13th 2016 Annual Ahuroa Volunteer Fire Brigade Fundraiser Organised by the Rodney Offroad Club this is a popular annual event held at Ahuroa (near Warkworth). The club offers two options 1) Club Shiny: Need WoF and reg, great scenery and covering a wide range of amazing farm lands. 2) Tuff Truck: Great mud and hill challenges with very small amount of roadwork. Suitable for non-Reg and WoF vehicles. Conditions of Entry include all drivers must be a current member of a 4WD club affiliated with NZFWDA, no dogs or firearms and all vehicles to be equipped with rated tow hooks, an approved recovery strap, spade, mud tyres, a 2kg fire extinguisher and a first aid kit. Overnight camping available by booking. Limited to 60 vehicles. Check out the club’s…

In 2014 we held our first Port Valley 4x4 Club Pink Ribbon Breakfast and Family Fun Day raising approximately $1600 for the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation. We are a small club and last year we only had two club trucks in action so rather than stressing out those two vehicles we ran a cake stall and raffle at the local Sunday market. This led to us raising another $700 for NZBCF. This year we had more tough trucks suitable for offering rides to the public. There are other vehicles in the club but they are more on the shiny side and not what the kids want to ride in, or the adults for that matter. With five tough trucks ready to go we went ahead with our Breakfast and…

Ironman 4x4 has totally redesigned and upgraded its range of Monster winches, with stronger motors, heavy duty casings, synthetic ropes, competition-style solenoids and remain the only winch on the market with a motor breather. With two in the range, a 9500lb and a 12000lb and with the option of steel or synthetic cable there is a winch to suit your needs. The greatest new feature of the range of winches is the fully sealed motor with a breather that allows the motor to equalise changes in temperature and pressure by means of a remote breather hose which can be placed high in the vehicle away from water. Issues tend to arise when winches come into contact with water or when they heat and cool drawing in moisture resulting in corrosion,…

The luxury rooftop tent from Ironman 4x4 has a number of features including a raised “climate cover” flysheet to control temperature and reduce condensation, a pop up window awning and fly screen windows, all made from a premium quality waterproof, breathable rip stop material. The tent floor is made from lightweight aluminium and is insulated. To aid a good night sleep, it comes complete with a luxury 65mm high density foam mattress. Access is via a retractable aluminium ladder with the entrance under cover to keep you dry on those wet days. When set up the tent measures 1.4m wide by 2.4m long and 1.3m high and can easily be set up coming complete with tools and instructions. When being transported the tent is covered by a rugged 1000D waterproof…

After our seven vehicles met in Bulls at 1:00pm, the trip started with a quick run up to Hunterville where we turned off onto a link road than followed the valleys across to the Turakina Valley, one of the north-south routes running west of SH1. The link road was a good, sealed back road through attractive countryside, although travelling along valleys limited the opportunity for wider scenic views. Reaching Turakina Valley we headed north, on a mixture of seal and well graded gravel, stopping numerous times for photographs. At one stop for people to photograph a well-weathered shearing shed we found that we were parked beside a tree full of noisy tuis that were great fun to watch. Perfectly timed Setting off again we timed it perfectly for a flood…

Friday September 16 and we had 19 teams heading to Makikihi south of Timaru for the penultimate round of this year’s Mainland Superwinch Challenge. It was probably the third year running now for this site but this year the organiser found some new ground to play on. With the big NZ1 event over for another year we were back to South Island competitors only but it was not a bad turnout all the same with three teams from Nelson and three from Blenheim, seven from Christchurch, two each from Queenstown and Dunedin, one from Balclutha and one on home ground. All the teams had pretty much assembled at the Makikihi Hotel by 4.00pm with all trucks lined up for a bit of a show and shine then around 5:30pm we…

November winner: Mike Sheppard Mike’s a regular contributor and this month provided these stunning images from a recent club trip to Kaikoura. “For the past few years our club, the Canterbury Recreational 4WD Club (CR4WD), has been working with the Department of Conservation (DOC) in Kaikoura to run a club trip up Mt Fyffe as part of DOC's Summer-times programme. This year we were lucky enough to get permission for an overnight stay at the hut which is about two-thirds of the way up the mountain, and as far as we are allowed to go on the track. It was an ideal opportunity to take our now (bordering on classic) Lada Niva, the ‘Orange Roughy’ for an outing as the track, although steep, is in good condition. As you can…

Time was when compromise was king, no matter what car or commercial vehicle you were looking to buy. If you wanted 4WD and low-range capability it had to be full-time and you had to put up with dray-like ride on and off the road. Conversely, if you were after a little comfort, or even the odd ‘luxury’ feature, you could forget about any driving surface more taxing than gravel. That was then, however. Today, thanks to the runaway popularity of SUVs, you can have it all. Literally. There’s a dizzying array of marques, models and options out there, making it ever harder on the potential buyer to choose. Choosing they are, though, in numbers that are changing the makeup and profile of the national car park. For a while there…

Discovery means adventure, expedition, getting the hell out of the crazy towns and cities and into the world, and so I headed toward the Waikato for a cruise around a place I don’t know too well. I stopped in at the Hunua Ranges along the way and I’m glad I did. The Discovery Sport is smooth and solid. It rides like it’s built for the highway, and the power and responsiveness from its superbly refined and efficient two-litre turbo diesel is proof you don’t need big engines to enjoy some grunt. It leaps off the start line and effortlessly pulls ahead of other traffic when changing lanes in the madness of motorway driving. Be careful, though, because it’s easy to speed. On the open road, handling is reasonably taut –…

The company that created the first all-terrain 4WD tyre in 1976 has delivered the BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2, the toughest All-terrain tyre ever, and it’s being put to good use since its arrival in NZ last year. Engineered from BFGoodrich’s championship off-road motorsports racing technology, the KO2 4x4 tyre delivers exceptional toughness, durability and traction for traversing harsh conditions, including gravel, dirt, rock, mud and snow. The KO2 tyre is the first consumer tyre to incorporate the company’s race-proven and race-winning CoreGard™ technology that gives it unmatched toughness against sidewall splitting. Compared to the already formidable KO tyre, the new KO2 is 20 percent stronger in this critical off-road performance area. The KO2 uses CoreGard technology developed in the Baja T/A KR2 for split and bruise-resistant sidewall rubber and a…