Innehållsförteckning för June 2017 från NZ4WD

I had to laugh the other day. Yet another fearless Facebook ‘friend’ was trying to stir up a social media storm about ‘the wholesale collapse’ of crowds at New Zealand’s national motor racing series meetings over the summer. In a ham-fisted and spectacularly unscientific attempt to explain why, my Facebook mate made the usual (largely unhelpful) observations,– a once-great V8 Touring Car class ripped apart by factional in-fighting, a TRS single-seater class full of no-name ‘kids’ rather than established crowd-pulling ‘stars’ from overseas… etc, etc, but left it open for his followers to suggest ways to fix the problem. Which is like a lot of things these days... uninformed, hopelessly egocentric and flagrantly biased opinion masquerading as solution. No wonder the world is in such a mess at the moment.…

You can forget your turbocharged TD42 diesel or even RB25/30DET petrol engined SWB Safari – Jeep has just laid claim to the ‘world’s fastest 4WD SUV’ tag with an all-new Grand Cherokee model, the Trackhawk. Boasting a peak power output of 527kW (just over 700hp!!) and peak torque of 874N from its supercharged 6.2-litre V8 engine, the new eight-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission and Brembo brake-equipped Trackhawk – set to go on sale here in 2018 – can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds, cover the quarter mile in 11.6 seconds (at 186km/h) and has a top speed of 290km/h. Suck on that, Porsche. Or any of the other luxury car brands which have muscled in on Jeep’s traditional SUV/ station wagon sector in recent years. To be built in Detroit…

Each year it is run, we support the Motu 4x4 Safari event with a photo competition. And each year, it seems, selecting the best pictures gets harder. To stand out a photo has to both accurately represent the Motu Safari event in all its diversity, and satisfy the usual criteria of a competition; beautifully lit, good composition, etc. In the end though, I had to make the call and name the winning shot, in this case by Joanne Morley of Te Puke.  It shows vehicles getting instructions for the start of the day and the dust reflected from the vehicle that had just left and – I think – really epitomises the Safari. Second place went to Katrina Coles from Turangi for her creativity in framing the shot with the…

Inspired by the classic Korando model of the 1990s, SsangYong’s all-new XAVL (for eXciting Authentic Vehicle Long) SUV is getting tantalisingly closer to production, as this artist’s impression proves. The new model is said to bridge the gap between MPVs and SUVs by accommodating seven passengers in comfort in a 4WD-style, high-riding, sports SUV vehicle with a suite of new safety aids for pedestrians as well as the driver and passengers, and powered by both petrol and new clean-burning diesel engines. Expect first examples here in 2018…

J-B Weld’s new Super Weld product is the company’s take on the popular Super Glue. It is classified as a high strength super glue that bonds in seconds using a minimal quantity and is described as ‘Super Glue on steroids’ by J-B Weld. Super Weld is great for projects or repairs on auto accessories, rubber, plastic, vinyl, leather, cloth and a range of other materials. Available in a traditional tube or with a brush-on cap for a no drip, no mess application. Another new product is J-B Weld Plastic Bonder, which – as its name suggests – is designed to bond various types of plastics. It’s a quick-setting two-part urethane adhesive that provides a strong and lasting repair on thermo-plastics, thermo-set and carbon fibre composites, and it will even bond…

Where have all the winch challenge competitors gone? Well at least the North Island ones! You have to wonder when the only major event in the past six/seven months or so was the Manukau Winch Challenge and even then they cut back on the classes due to lack of entries while some of the classes they did hold only had two or three entries. Overall entry numbers were down on previous years. The reasons are probably many and varied, from rebuilding the vehicle, to family commitments, and lack of dollars; whatever the reason there is a lack of support for some of these events. The “King of the Palace” event which was meant to be held north of Dargaville over Easter, as it had been for the past three/ four…

What price a good, solid 4x4 turbo-diesel double-cab ute with a contemporary look and feel, but not the familiar name and backstory of a Ford Ranger or Toyota Hilux? Easy. The latest, T3 - Euro five-compliant - version of Chinese manufacturer Foton’s Tunland is now on sale here with an RRP of $36,990. That’s right, a big, brand new, double cab turbo-diesel 4x4 ute with most of the bells and whistles of similar utes built and sold here by the big players in the market and including and a three-year/100,000km warranty with three-year roadside assistance package, all for ‘second-hand’ money. What’s the catch? I’ve now covered close to 1000km on and off-road in two different Tunlands and I don’t mind admitting I’m struggling to come up with one. OK, that’s…

It’s a fact! Hard working Kiwis tend to give their vehicles a tough time, both on and off the worksite. Rugged Valley seat covers are designed to protect your vehicle from day-to-day damage, and keep your seats in perfect condition. Tried and true, Rugged Valley seat covers have survived the heaviest punishment and been put to test in the harshest of New Zealand conditions. The Masterton-based company has tailor-made seat covers for Utes, Trucks, Vans, Tractors, Excavators, Quads and ATVs, so can get your whole fleet covered. It prides itself in having a superior fit to other brands on the market, with all latest models being airbag certified. The seat covers are not just for the staunch Hilux or macho Ranger driver either. Rugged Valley also make covers for the…

Great Lake Motor Distributors, the local importer and distributor of LDV and SsangYong, recently revealed the latest ute set to be hitting New Zealand roads soon – the all new LDV T60. The T60 is an all-new vehicle from the ground up and features a 2.8-litre common rail diesel four-cylinder engine by VM Motori that produces 110kW of power and 360Nm of torque. Sitting up at the larger end of the ute segment at 5,365mm long, 1,900mm high and 1,809mm wide, the LDV ute will land in New Zealand initially only in double cab 4WD guise, with 2WD and 4WD single cab models arriving in November and a 2WD single cab some time later. The T60 will be available with a choice of six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmissions and…

Toyota has reincarnated the spirit of Land Cruisers old and new in the new FT-4X Concept, unveiled last month at the New York auto show. Designed by Toyota’s Calty Design Research studio in California the FT-4X – or Future Toyota 4WD Crossover – was conceived as a 4x4 fun vehicle which exhibited values of simplicity, capability, durability and Toyota lineage. Calty president Kevin Hunter said the FT-4X demonstrated that designers continually invested deep thought into the emotional connection with their cars. “The FT-4X is not simply a concept where style meets function; it is a thoughtful, charming and engaging experience that adds real pleasure and convenience to the journey,” Mr Hunter said. “We focused on how a crossover vehicle can add fun and value to casual adventures both in and…

It had been three years since the last Hokianga Safari (the 2015 event was cancelled due to poor response) so when it was announced again for 2017 it was a must-do trip as far as I was concerned. Why, I hear you ask? Simply, because I tend to think the Far North is underrated for its four-wheeling opportunities and the organisers, the Kauri Coast 4WD Club, are well versed at running safari trips having helped out with the northern section of the North Island Challenge in 1999 and running the very popular Kauri Coast Safari ever since. Held at Waimamaku on State highway 12, it is about 70 kms from Dargaville or 11kms south of Omapere and the entrance to the Hokianga Harbour. Base for the weekend would be the…

I’ve been to many of New Zealand’s old gold mining sites. Clambered over ruins, been into drifts and caves, forded rivers, scaled hills and bluffs, walked terraces and scree. We’ve stood perusing old rusty machinery figuring out how and why it did its job or what finally destroyed it. A common comment was ‘How the heck did they get it there?’ Down south this year, keeping off the main drag as much as possible I came across a mining site that had eluded me. I was attempting a straight-line-ish cross-country from Ranfurly to Lauder. This was in Central Otago, gold country. I came to a T-intersection at the end of a narrow shingle road. A sign to one side said ‘Dry Weather Road’, to the other one said something like…

Hello there and welcome to the first dedicated issue of NZ Ute Buyers' Guide, a magazine-within-a-magazine from the publishers of NZ4WD and NZ Company Vehicle magazines. In it you’ll read exclusively about utes; big utes, little utes, new utes and old utes. Why utes, you might ask? And why now? Simple. Interest in them and the numbers being sold. You can read more about it in our dedicated ‘state-of-the-ute-nation’ article overleaf, but to give you an idea, it was a ute – Ford’s Ranger – not a car which was the biggest selling single model in New Zealand last year. These days, of course, a ute like a Ranger rides, handles and accommodates its occupants as well – if not better in some cases – than a car. But in…

Ali Arc is a leading New Zealand manufacturer of Bullbars, Nudge Bars, Truck Bumpers and other aluminium accessories. If you are looking at speccing up your ute the company suggests you ask yourself three key questions. What will your vehicle be used for? Do you need protection, need to carry long loads, need something that makes your job easier or just want your vehicle to look good? It is important to determine what your vehicle will be used for and the different situations it will be involved in. What accessories do you actually need? It is important to firstly identify what your vehicle will be used for and then ask yourself, what accessory is best going to help with this purpose? Whether you need bullbars, nudge bars, cab protectors, racks,…

By using surface protection, tradespeople, service engineers and transport workers can minimise damage and corrosion from their everyday activities and increase the service life of a vehicle, in addition to reducing servicing and repair costs. Variable climates – from maritime coasts through freezing alpine highlands to sulphurous steam in active tectonic sites – can also be damaging to any truck, ute or car. Rhino Linings Australasia (RLA)’s Tuff Stuff is a premium spray-applied lining product that has a thick, textured surface that provides enhanced slip resistance for cargo and maximum protection against corrosion, scratches and dents. The lining forms a permanent air and watertight bond that prohibits rust, corrosion and surface abrasion. The non-porous lining is easy to clean and the non-abrasive surface texture helps keep cargo in place. According…

Subaru’s long-awaited and much rumoured dedicated SUV has final broken cover, the company’s American arm unveiling the Ascent-badged newcomer at the recent New York International Motor Show. In doing so the company has confirmed a number of hard points. One is the name, another the fact that the Ascent will be powered by an all-new turbocharged DI boxer engine, and a third is that the new model is a full seven-seater. According to Subaru, the exterior design of the concept show car follows the company’s “Dynamic x Solid” theme with powerful fender flares representing Subaru’s all-wheel drive system and a large, bluff grille denoting a true SUV look. The interior of the concept features a flowing dashboard design and full seven-passenger configuration with People Mover-style captain’s chairs. Subaru also confirmed…

There were crashes and rollovers in every race, but the new wave of UTV drivers once more injected excitement into the sport of off-road racing at the Nelson round of the national championship over the Easter weekend. Former Winton, but now Taupo-based rally and offroad racing veteran Roger McKay won all six races for the U-class (standard) UTVs, assisted somewhat by a rollover that forced key rival Rosco Gaudin (Milford) out of one heat on Easter Sunday. Bob Uttridge, meanwhile, won S class for modified and turbocharged UTVs, while Slim Slee set the fastest UTV lap of the weekend, a 57.663. Club 72 The format of the championship is such that each class winner at an event can take the same maximum points as the winner of other classes –…

Regular NZ4WD advertiser Flashlube was honoured this year to receive the Australian Auto Aftermarket Award for Most Innovative New Product for their Catch Can Pro. The awards, held every two years as part of the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Exhibition, honour the most innovative products released within the past 24 months and are judged by a panel of experts from within the automotive industry, as well as representatives from relevant tertiary and professional associations. Flashlube’s Catch Can Pro was designed as a response to environmental laws that prevent modern engines from releasing oil mist or engine blow by into the atmosphere, recirculating it back into the combustion chamber instead. Left alone, this process can lead to the build-up of a hard carbon substance which gradually forms around the walls of the…

With 10 teams and 10 courses this year’s Suzuki Extreme 4x4 Challenge was going to be eventful as each team was on a mission to better the next, which can be easier said than done. This year there were also some changes to the format with an easier scoring system, the main difference being that you weren’t penalised with negative points if you missed a gate. Also the earth was painted indicating the direction vehicles ideally should take. The teams would rotate as to who would start first on each course which must have been a relief. First course Philip Walton & Co-driver Todd Charman drew the short straw to start on Course 1 first. Philip drives a homebuilt Walton machine, with a 6.2 litre LS3 engine and hydraulic lockers,…

Time was when a ‘ute’ was a simple, practical ‘light commercial’ two-wheel-drive bought by farmers, tradesmen and the odd city type. Most – in our neck of the woods anyway – were proudly made-in-Australian and built to a budget. These were the days of (vinyl) bench seats, ‘three-on-thetree’ column gear levers and quarter windows. Holden’s HQ and later, Ford’s XD and XE models were arguably pick of the bunch, and they literally sold in their thousands. With the benefit of hindsight you’d have to ask yourself why? The cabin, for a start, was cramped, and could really only fit you and a mate. With standard road tyres and no limited slip diff, they weren’t much chop for getting beyond the home paddock either. The trays were generally long and low,…

From bull bars and Old Man Emu suspension to recovery gear and Air Lockers, world-leading aftermarket product and fitment specialist ARB is Australia’s largest manufacturer and distributor of 4x4 accessories. The company has an export network that extends through more than 100 countries across the globe, including here where there are ARB stockists spread across the North and South Islands. Whether you use your ute for work or for play, ARB will have a product to suit. The company’s range includes; Protection equipment – Bullbars (including airbag-compatible), siderails and steps, rear protection bars and towbars. Old Man Emu suspension products – designed and developed in Australia specifically for 4x4s, OME produces a fully integrated suspension system which can be tailored to your requirements to improve handling, ride and wheel travel.…

When it comes to ute accessories, New Zealand owned & operated Airplex Industries has your ute covered. Since 1982 Airplex has been manufacturing and distributing ute, truck and car accessories to the Genuine Accessory market and the aftermarket both locally and overseas. Airplex complement their locally manufactured parts with select imported accessories from around the globe. Concentrating primarily on the exterior accessories for your vehicle, the range includes practical accessories like tray bedliners, nudge bars, side steps and NZ-made towbars. To cover your load, the range extends from the clever ‘no-drill’ tonneau cover that requires no drilling to fit to your tray through to the many fibreglass and alloy lid and SteelTop® canopy options. See Airplex at the Fieldays at Mystery Creek, Hamilton, or stop in and view their great…

FORD RANGER Ranger knocked the perennial market leading Hilux off its perch and has been further refined – it now has a threepeat of wins for our NZ4WD Ute of the Year and Overall 4WD of the Year and also our Company Vehicle Ute of the Year awards for 2014 through to 2016. Beefy good looks, brawny power train and big size make it the current benchmark in the ute category. Heading the sales charts also does its reputation no harm. Also available in 2WD. FOTON TUNLAND Like its current double cab competition the Tunland is built big and comes complete with a drivetrain sourced from US & Euro tech partners Cummins, Dana and Getrag, giving it a leg-up over other Chinese competitors. Current lack of auto option limits broader…