Innehållsförteckning för October 2024 från NZ4WD

“Protection' vehicles like the Rexvani Tank might look amazing, but many of those who need armoured transport also need to be reasonably invisible. Introducing Toronto-based vehicle fortification specialist INKAS Armored Vehicles. The INKAS INEOS Grenadier 4×4 doesn't look very different from the normal, non-armoured version, and that's the point. Under the stock exterior, it conceals a host of noteworthy features that transform it into something of a mobile safe room. Riding on 18” steel wheels shod in INKAS' own proprietary Run Flat tires, this European-built, Canadian-modified rig features multilayer ballistic glass, an advanced 360° perimeter protection setup, battery and engine computer armour, fuel tank protection, an overlap door system with reinforced hinges and travel retainers. INKAS has also fitted Ineos' SUV model with an advanced anti-theft alarm and immobilizer, a…

Jaguar Land Rover's Discovery vehicle will be reinvented for its sixth generation, repositioning it in its own “unique territory” and moving it away from its Defender sibling, which has apparently been “cannibalising” sales. The current Discovery has been on sale since 2017, making it the oldest model in the Land Rover stable. It sold 16,750 globally last year, around half the sales of the Discovery Sport. The Defender's 110,367 sales in 2023 were more than six times higher than those of the Discovery. The new version is likely to be based on JLR's MLA platform, which underpins the current flagship Range Rover and can accommodate both ICE and electric set-ups. The JLR group has confirmed plans for electric Land Rovers by 2026 and it is expected that the Discovery 6…

NEWS A recent study conducted by website iSeeCars lists the top 30 vehicles most likely to reach 250,000 miles – and perhaps unsurprisingly, there are quite a few Toyotas on the list. In fact, Toyota dominates the top of the list, claiming the first five spots in the longevity study, with another Toyota and a Lexus also making it into the top 10. In other words, 70 percent of the 10 longest-lasting vehicles on the road are Toyota products. The survey was carried out across America, so several of the top performers are not available new here, but some do sneak in as private imports. The plus-size Toyota Tundra is ranked the most likely to reach the quarter million-mile milestone, with a 36.6 percent chance of reaching 400,000km. That's more…

EVENT The 2024 Expo in Rotorua looked to up the stakes from the inaugural 2023 event. It shifted to the Energy Events Centre for this year, giving a much larger and more pleasant in door display area, whilst still retaining some outdoor space. There was also a lot more pre-event publicity, which resulted in good crowds. When NZ4WD arrived around 11.00am on the Saturday there were two large queues snaking out the doors waiting to buy tickets and exhibitors reported around 5,000 visitors on the Friday. Just outside the entry gates there was a line up of 4WDs for the 'show and shine' and a Flex ramp set up for some entertainment. The bulk of the 4WD display was inside this year, less camping-focussed than last year. The main growth…

Caravanning and camping are one of New Zealand's most popular leisure time activities. It's even better off-road and off-grid. Many modern vehicles make excellent towing vehicles, though the rise of front wheel drive isn't exactly best for towing a big caravan. To ensure a safe journey, it is necessary to have a vehicle and caravan that are compatible. Use the best towing equipment and practice some of the skills that are required to cope with any situation that may arise. Safety is paramount when considering a tow vehicle. The most suitable towing vehicle is one that is heavier than the caravan. The best driveline, of course, is full-time four-wheel drive. Rear wheel drive comes next. We're not going to recommend front wheel drive. Four-wheel drives are essential for adventuring off…

MY 4WD Brandon Braybrook's dad Colin introduced him to 4WDing. The family's 1985 Land Rover 110 took them on many off-roading, touring and camping adventures. Based in Featherston, the Braybrooks were members of the local 4WD club. Then, when Brandon was 15, the trusty Landie was sold. The 4WD 'addiction' had taken hold in Brandon, and he said from that early age if he had a chance to buy the 110 back, he would do it. In the meantime, his first 4WD was a D22 Nissan Navara. Fast forward to 2023, and the Land Rover was up for sale. “I couldn't pass up the opportunity.” The Landie wasn't exactly in mint condition. “It had a lot of issues with it upon buying it back and I got straight into getting…

4WD PARTS AND SERVICES More than most other places in the world, 4WD users travelling through the Australian outback are faced with harsh terrains, extreme conditions, and often dangerously high climates. Suspension that not only gets 4WDers out into the tracks but is durable and strong enough to last the trip and make it back home. In the Lucky Country and here in Godzone, that's non-negotiable. In response to this, Terrain Tamer has released a new heavy duty shock absorber design, its toughest to date, the monotube Fortified Shock Absorber. Initially available for a range of Toyota Landcruiser 76/78/79 series and Nissan Patrol GU/GQ vehicles and offering a weight capacity of up to 5 tonnes, the new shock absorber is less susceptible to shock fade. The monotube design of the…

Adventure Regular contributor Kevin Isemonger attended the New Zealand 4WD Association's annual general meeting and was lucky enough to drive all five trips organised as part of the weekend. This is part two of his account. Wednesday 22 May. We met up with Cam Raupi again and headed north-east to Whirinaki and my favourite day. Went to load up the Landy with the lunch box only to find it listing to starboard with a flat tyre on the rear. Since the tyres are let down using a tyre deflater that unscrews the tyre valve, it is not uncommon for the valve seal to be damaged – or pinched, hence I carry a bunch on board. I swapped the valve out and pumped the tyre back up. Today we headed east…

Continuing on from my column a couple of months ago about the 'image' of 4WD recreation, time spent staffing the New Zealand Four Wheel Drive Association (NZFWDA) 'stands' at several 4WD shows has been most interesting. While almost all who stopped by those stands have asked what the NZFWDA does and if it runs 4WD 'trips'. They also invariably comment on the problem of drivers going where they shouldn't and the effect that has on the attitude of the wider public towards our recreation. It seems that too many four wheelers consider themselves as independent souls, much like 'boaties' with few boundaries. Maybe there needs to be some clear 'rules of the land' much like those of the sea? Then again, some of those same 4WD adventurers possibly view themselves…

NEWS Hot on the heels of the Ford Ranger Tremor, Ford Australia has unveiled a Tremor version of the popular Everest SUV. Powered by Ford's 184kW/600Nm 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6 engine, the Everest Tremor has a wider and more capable suspension and also gains off-road features such as Rock Crawl Drive mode, first seen in the Ranger Raptor. This mode is unique within the Everest range and optimises traction and momentum on loose and rocky surfaces. Like the Ranger version, Everest Tremor features Bilstein position-sensitive shock absorbers, new springs, and General Grabber AT3 All-Terrain Tyres. It has 26mm of extra ground clearance compared to the standard Everest. The exterior features a distinctive honeycomb grille design with auxiliary LED lamps, a steel bash plate, heavy-duty side steps, and signature Tremor badging.…

The Don Kyatt Group is taking the Terrain Tamer and Flashlube brands to North America. On 1 October the brand opens its 19th and newest site, the ninth internationally with a warehouse in Stockton, California, a short drive inland from San Francisco. Georg Esterer, who is the former operator of Californian business Cruiser Brothers, a Terrain Tamer reseller for the past 10 years, will manage the branch, using his extensive industry knowledge to help build the brand. Having already spent a week in Melbourne earlier this year for on-site training with the management team at Terrain Tamer's head office, Mr Esterer is well versed in the company culture and operations of the brand and says he is ready to adapt it to the local market he knows so well. Along…

The new 2025 Toyota Sequoia may piggyback on recent arrival of the Tundra pick-up in Toyota Australia showrooms following the success of the Tundra's local remanufacturing program courtesy of Walkinshaw Automotive. With local right-hand conversions of Tundra going to plan so far ahead of the US-made pick-up's launch in 2025, Toyota Australia says there is scope to extend the RHD program to other full-size Toyota models not available in right-hand-drive from the factory. The new Sequoia is essentially an SUV version of the Tundra pick-up and rides on the same TNGA-F ladder-frame platform as the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series and Lexus LX and the upcoming Toyota Prado 250 Series and Lexus GX.…

20-22 SEPTEMBER Mud and Steel/NZ1 Hosted by 4×4 Events and held at Alford Forest, Carneys Road, Methven. More details: www.4x4events.co.nz Email: info@4x4events.co.nz Phone: 021 679 479. 27-28 SEPTEMBER Central Plateau 4×4 Teams Winch Challenge Hosted by Wanganui 4WD Club. Teams of two vehicles drive and winch through challenging courses in a forested area. This event is not suitable for spectators. Camping available from Thursday 26 September. Entry fee: $320.00. Email: tony@melrosechairs.co.nz Phone 027 279 8821 5 OCTOBER MD Dirt Drags New Zealand Dirt Drag Championships, Townsend Road, Parawera. The aim of the day is to find the fastest weapon in each class and then find out who the Ultimate Dirt Dragger for 2024. Spectator admission $15.00 presale online or $20 at the gate, children under 12 free. More info: www.dirtdrags.co.nz…

ADVENTURE CARAVANS Total RV has teamed up with New Age Caravans owned by the world-famous Walkinshaw Group to New Zealand. Total RV is a locally owned and operated business at 3/70 Forge RD, Silverdale, Auckland, with a huge range of caravans on display. Total RV's, Luke O'Donnell and Daniel Scott, are extremely passionate about all things caravans and motorhomes. Together they have been in the industry for over 20 years, with a background of installation, repairs and management which they are still doing today. Luke and Daniel are proud to put their names and years of experience behind the New Age brand. New Age caravans have been in the industry for over two decades. They started out in 2004 building high end CNC components and cabinetry for other large caravan…

4WD PARTS AND SERVICES It's that time of year. The sun's back, the tracks and trails are calling. That means it's time to give the 4WD a bit of a spruce up before getting out there. Kiwis are by nature DIY people, and maintaining a vehicle is no exception. So, where to start? Underneath of course, where components must always perform reliably. Get down under on a sunny morning and look over shock absorbers, springs, steering gear and more. It might help to give the underside a good hose-off beforehand, but make sure not to send jets of water directly at ball joints, bushes and bearings. Anything with obvious grease or oil visible needs replacing. Perished rubber bushes need replacing. Brake hoses do age, and need replacing. And because components…

TECH TALK Out in the shed, doing some checks before a drive. Pull the dipstick to check oil level and condition. Oooops, it's at 'half'. Time to top it up. Now where's that half-empty pack of 20/50? Think twice before putting that old oil in the engine. According to a study by The Motor Oil Geek online, 'expired' engine oil can be dangerous for an engine. Old oil falls victim to oxidation, which means the oil itself, as well as the set of additives put into the oil when it was new – zinc, phosphorus, sulphur and others – have chemically degraded to the point where they can no longer lubricate an engine sufficiently. Once the cap seal is broken, oil can take in water from the atmosphere. The same…

For the last week or so we had been running a “Coast to Coast” trip, from Wellington to Cape Egmont lighthouse, then across to the East Cape lighthouse via the centre of the North Island, and on down to the Mahia Peninsula. This marked the end of the formal trip, however we still had to get back to Wellington. When planning the trip we were not sure what people would want to do, so made no real plans for the return other than to have a few options in mind. Some people needed to make a quick trip back home, but Ashley, Fritz and Paul and I were more relaxed and decided return via Lake Waikaremoana. We started off with a very scenic main road run along the coast from…

COLUMN Is off-road racing history about to be made? With one regional round remaining, the national championship has been led by a class five car for much of the year. Young Asher Morgan in a very quick class five held a narrow points lead of 210 points over Jason Midgely in a class three on 204. Midgley boosted his tally at the two-day Kurow round, but Morgan could do the same with the September round at Tect Park. UTV classes remain the backbone of the sport with 30 registered for this year's championship That's 16 in the modified S class, 14 in the more stock U class. Defending champion Carl Ruiterman is racing in UTV S class but has had a difficult year with overheating denying him a podium at…

Following major overhauls of its American-market Acadia and Terrain SUVs, GMC is showing off its 2025 GMC Yukon. It's a face-lift with a revised option sheet and more tech features “aimed at easing the experience from behind the wheel”. More to the point, it's being converted to right hand drive by Walkinshaw in Australia and GMSV will launch the Yukon in that market in the first half of 2025, with buyers offered a 6.2-litre petrol V8 producing 313kW and 624Nm – the same engine found in the related Chevrolet Silverado pick-up – mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Aussie media say the Yukon is targeting older 'grey nomad' buyers and those who need to tow. Downunder, the Yukon is seen as a rival for the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 and…

The annual Fieldays event at Mystery Creek has made one dairy farmer's dreams come true. Daniel Neil and family milk 430 Friesian cross cows on a leased 240-hectare dairy farm in Piopio. “The Isuzu will definitely be put through its paces with farm life. There's always something to tow or pick up and plenty of hills on the farm to climb.” The family will also be testing its towing capabilities with the family caravan. A regular at Fieldays for over a decade, Daniel Neil attended this year's event with his brother and two local farming mates. The Isuzu D-Max LX double cab 4WD ute, valued at over $63,990, was this year's 'door prize' at Fieldays.…

It's build number 001, the first car produced for the Bowler Defender Championship and the first Bowler Defender ever produced for retail. The only thing stopping us is a wee Lotto win. It has travelled just 5,000km from new, it's fully prepared and ready to race in the Bowler UK or European championships – or even downunder. #001 was ordered at the beginning of 2021 as part of the Bowler Defender Challenge and was equipped with all the possible options from Bowler including Rally Package One and Rally Package Two. It took part in five rounds of the 2022 Championship, winning the longest and most challenging event, the three-day Welsh Hill Rally. It was retained by Bowler and has featured in a number of promotional videos for JLR and Bowler.…

TESTED TOYOTA HILUX SR5 CRUISER It's our first chance to sample the 2024 Hilux Cruiser, and it impresses. The 2.8-litre 1GD four-cylinder turbodiesel in this vehicle is finding homes in other Toyota 4WDs, notably the LC70 reviewed last month and the all-new Prado which launches this month. In the LC70 it's a 'straight' turbodiesel, in the Hilux and Prado it's a 48V mild hybrid, adding some oomph to low-end acceleration and shaving off some fuel numbers. When we picked this one up, it was showing 10.1l/100km. Terrible leadfooted media. On the motorway cruise back to Papakura that fell to 9.8 then 9.6l/100km. Official figures for the hybrid are 8.7l/100km; we were frustrated by a series of wet weather and power-on drives and only got down to 9.2. New for refinements…

TESTED ISUZU D-MAX X-TERRAIN Rain hammered Auckland all Saturday. In the evening, there was lightning and gusty wind. Prospects for a beach drive and photography on the Sunday were not great. But with patches of blue sky emerging mid-morning, we reckoned it was worth the risk. We were driving Isuzu's range-topping D-Max X-Terrain. It's a solid, unfussed performer on tarseal, quiet and refined. It has minimal leaf-spring ride chop at the rear, and running on 265/60x18 Bridgestone Dueler H/Ts the overall ride and road holding is very good, even on a post-storm morning with mud stripped out of driveways and shredded trees carpeting some of the roads out to Muriwai. The electric-assisted steering has variable levels, higher at low speed. Dropping onto dirt on the road past the golf course,…

Noosa. Blue skies, sunshine, seagulls and sand. The recipe for some off-road beach fun. That's what Bridgestone laid on for the A/T 002 media experience. The mission, then, was to look past the stunning beach driving on offer and focus on the tyres. Bridgestone's A/T 002 complements the tougher Dueler A/T 697, a highly-regarded all-terrain tyre with a construction that leans more toward work in rougher terrain. The A/T 002 is more focussed toward on-road use with off-road fun and replaces a passenger vehicle version of the A/T 697. Bridgestone says the more plush construction of the 002 mates with a true all-terrain tread design. It offers the comfort and tarmac grip of a good H/Ts so it works hard all week. Then at the weekend it's well capable of…

After driving 2,700kms in two days to get to Alice Springs for the 2024 Finke Desert Race, Kiwi photographer Mike Peffers and mate Jack Talbot had time to take a more leisurely drive back to Sydney via the South Australian outback. Here's his story. We headed out of Alice Springs late on Kings Birthday to get some km under our belt before heading into the outback proper early the next day. Emerging from our swags at daybreak at our night stop, a free camping area at one of the ubiquitous roadhouses that line the Aussie highways, we headed across the border into South Australia. Jack has done multiple trips through this part of the outback in the past. We planned to discover new areas he had not been to in…

4WD Sport Driving his single-seater race car, Asher Morgan has taken a clean sweep in the final regional round of the 2024 CT Civil New Zealand Off-road Racing Championship. Racing at the Dalton's Tect Park off-road raceway on Saturday 7 September, Morgan proved able to win from any grid position, winning class five for race cars with engines up to 1.3 litres and extending his championship points lead to take maximum points to the national final in Auckland next month. A total of 52 entries contested the event, including Donn Attwood, who finished second behind Daynom Templeman in the unlimited class one heats. Not so lucky was Manukau's Tony McCall, whose BSL Chev race car finished second in the first heat for the unlimited class but then retired with a…