At 1472km, the Darling is the third longest river in Australia and a visit here had been on my bucket list for some time.

The Darling had all but dried up in 2019 but recent record-breaking rains have now brought life back to the river. After several months of delays due to rain events and floods, the roads finally opened and we had a clear forecast, so we decided to chance it.

Long run to the river

From Melbourne we took a 4000km scenic route north via South Australia’s Flinders Ranges to Innamincka before looping through Queensland to pick up the Darling at Bourke in NSW.

The Lyndhurst pub stands at the start of the 470km Strzelecki Track to Innamincka. When we arrived there were a few trucks and 4x4s stopped at the pub and even at 10.30am there were several hardy souls sinking a few early ales. The collective opinion of the bar was that the Strzelecki was its usual self – a mixture of the good, the bad and the ugly. Overall, it wasn’t a bad run apart from the ‘ugly’ sections, which were teeth-rattlingly corrugated.

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We overnighted at Montecollina Bore, which was deserted apart from one other van. Regrettably, this remote bore is no more, having been capped as a cheaper option than maintaining it.

Continuing north, a smattering of wildflowers could be seen along the road verge, spurred into life by recent rainfalls. Not exactly a kaleidoscope of colour but cheerful paper daisies and yellow flowering native shrubs brightened up the otherwise drab landscape.

After a night on the banks of a very full Cooper Creek at the Innamincka Common, it was onto the Noccundra waterhole over the border in Queensland. The campground is right on the edge of this large body of water and with scattered shade and the historic 1800s Noccundra pub just a short walk away, it is an idyllic spot.

Much of southwest Queensland is best described in the Australian vernacular, “There’s bugger-all out there!” Flat and treeless with patches of gibber, in places you swear you can see the curvature of the earth on the horizon (but you can’t, I’ve been told).

While ‘lush’ isn’t a word normally associated with this seemingly godforsaken part of Australia, the recent rains meant there was a tinge of green and even the occasional wildflower to be seen on the roadside.

The road from Innamincka to Thargomindah is now sealed, but in places that means a centre strip of bitumen which some road trains seem very reluctant to share, so when you see one coming your way don’t put up a fight for the real estate. With steep drainage culverts either side of the road it can be a bit of a nightmare when towing, especially if one of these big rigs appears over a crest without much warning.

From Thargomindah we headed south towards Hungerford on the NSW border. Hungerford has more houses than people and from a peak population of about 100 early last century, today only six souls remain. Life in the town revolves around the Royal Mail Hotel. Little changed from when it was built in 1873, the pub is still serving meals and quenching the thirst of locals, plus a steady stream of Grey Nomads.

We were puzzled by a sign requiring guests to close the entrance gate to Hungerford’s small campground behind them – until being told it was to keep the wild pigs out! While we hadn’t seen any sign of pigs, the very next day in the adjoining Currawinya National Park we rounded a corner only to come face to face with a large porker.

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Currawinya is one of Australia’s most important inland water-bird habitats, and one of only five Ramsar listed sites in Queensland. With red sandy plains and mulga scrub, it is hardly a place you would expect to be a mecca for water birds. However, the scrub hides a network of lakes (both fresh and saltwater) as well as active artesian springs.

The ruins of the old Currawinya and Caiwarro stations lie within the Park. The latter covered a million acres when it was established in the 1880s. At its peak it employed more than 100 workers and ran 60,000 sheep before succumbing to drought last century. In the west of the park the old Boorara shearing shed is another bit of pioneering history worth visiting.

Currawinya is one of Australia’s most important inland water-bird habitats

The Park offers a range of bush campsites, such as Pump Hole on the Paroo River. Right on the water’s edge under a canopy of large trees with a view to die for, the location’s name dates from when an old steam-driven pump (the rusty ruins of which still remain) drew water from here for the station property.

Hungerford’s southern exit is a gate in the 5614km dog-proof fence. Originally erected in the 1880s to protect southern sheep flocks from dingo predation, the dog fence is one of the longest man-made structures in the world.

Once through the gate and heading towards Bourke, we noticed an increase in the density of the roadside bush, and the countryside had a far more lush and fertile appearance than what we had left behind in Queensland.

Oh my Darling

Bourke is a town with more than its share of socio-economic issues and the local caravan park warns guests to ensure everything is locked away at night. I can’t remember ever having stayed in a van park previously with a perimeter fence topped with electrified barbed wire!

However, the park was exceptionally well presented with large campsites, and being very popular you need to book ahead. We didn’t, but on arriving in the early afternoon we were lucky enough to get two of the last three remaining sites.

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Bourke provided our first view of the Darling which was very high with low-lying areas flooded. Locals suggested the road on the western side of the Darling was the most scenic proposition for the run down to Louth, a small town (population 43) perhaps best known for its pub, Shindy’s Inn.

The gravel road exhibited some damage from recent rain events and where roadworks had been undertaken; it was wide enough to land a small plane on, and stretched eye-catchingly into the distance.

Dunlop Station was originally a million-acre property but today only 2200 acres remain

The road passes through what had been Tooralie Station. Acquired by the Federal Government a few years ago it is now a National Park. The wide, treeless plains here were painted with yellow and purple wildflowers, while cheerful Darling pea flowers punctuated the roadside.

While Dunlop Station was originally a million-acre property, today only 2200 acres (890ha) remain. Compared with neighbouring Trilby Station, 320,000 acres (130,000ha) running 22,000 sheep, Dunlop probably qualifies as a hobby farm.

The present owners, the Chandler family, bought Dunlop 11 years ago as somewhere to run a few sheep and goats. The prior owners had let the place go and when the Chandlers took possession there was so much junk stored in the homestead, they could only get into two rooms.

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There was up to a centimetre of mice droppings through the entire house and said mice had also attracted a healthy population of carpet pythons. With no running water and no working toilet, it is fair to assume the property went for a song.

In cleaning out the homestead a treasure trove of history in the form of furniture and old household equipment was uncovered. The homestead has been furnished so it appears much as it would have in years gone by and the owners conduct regular guided tours explaining the history of the property.

Dunlop has about 15 campsites (a couple with 240V power) that are generally situated well away from each other and, as such, are quite private. We were allocated a spot set amongst large river gums and coolabah trees on a section of Dunlop’s 5.5km of Darling River frontage.

The river was high (and rising) with a strong current clearly visible. When you consider the river was perhaps 100m wide and 10m deep, that’s a lot of water – about 40,000 megalitres a day, which is enough water to fill Sydney Harbour in less than two weeks!

In 1888 Dunlop became the first station in Australia to adopt mechanised shearing at its 45-stand shed, shearing 184,000 sheep that year

An early owner of Dunlop was Sir Samuel McCaughey who also held 14 other million-acre properties and when his estate was wound up in 1919 it was valued at £1.6M, or nearly $30m in today’s money. McCaughey embraced new technology and is credited with pioneering irrigation in the Riverina.

In 1888 Dunlop became the first station in Australia (and hence the world) to adopt mechanised shearing at its 45-stand shed, shearing 184,000 sheep that year. Originally built in 1865, and last used in 1993, the shearing shed still stands today.

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Dunlop also features a storehouse built from local sandstone in 1880 which still has its original counters and shelving. A store for station workers until the 1980s, the building is now used as a museum for the historical items uncovered while cleaning up the homestead.

Careful when it’s wet

The Darling floodplain which extends for many kilometres either side of the river comprises a fine silt that turns into bottomless muck with just a small amount of rain. It looks a lot like sand but walk on it when wet and you feel yourself getting taller with every step as the mud builds up on the soles of your shoes. It also becomes exceptionally slippery, meaning no traction for your vehicle and anywhere water pools becomes a wheel-sucking boghole.

Two days into our stay at Dunlop we were told up to 20mm of rain was forecast and our choices were to wait and see if it eventuated (and risk being forced to stay put for up to a week), or head out to the bitumen towards Wilcannia.

We were planning to also spend a couple of days at Trilby Station, 20 minutes south of Dunlop, but given the threat of rain we only had time for a flying visit.

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The property is owned by Gary and Liz Murray who are fifth-generation descendants of Irish settlers who came to the area in 1860. Trilby has 24 campsites spread out around a large billabong and along the river with powered sites and other accommodation options available near the homestead.

Whether it is peaceful river walks under the river gums and coolabah trees or trying your hand at catching yabbies, there’s plenty to see and do at Trilby. The property has a couple of self-drive tours such as Old Dunlop Farm which is 13km downstream. This property was last cropped in 1936 and a range of old farm machinery remains, simply left where it was last used all those years ago.

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Another drive to the old New Chum homestead is a step back in time as the building remains exactly as it was when last used in 1965, with old newspapers strewn about, books on the shelves, medicines lined up and even stores in the pantry.

The next day was a sprint to the bitumen, stopping only for a quick beer at the historic Tilpa pub on the banks of the Darling. That night saw the mother of all electrical storms that closed our intended route, the unsealed road from Wilcannia to Menindee Lakes, necessitating a 150km detour via Broken Hill.

Room with a view

At Menindee we set up at the Burke and Wills Campground – so named because the explorers’ party camped there for three months in 1860.

While the nearby shoreline of Lake Pamamaroo had about 20 vans and campers enjoying a waterside view, our campground was all but empty. Admittedly, we didn’t have a view of the lake, but our site did overlook a section of the Darling where huge red gums stood picturesquely in the flood waters.

Herons, cormorants, spoonbills and other waterbirds plied the shallows for food, while pelicans trawled the deeper water. Kites and other birds of prey patrolled the sky, occasionally roosting in the high branches of dead trees to keep watch for any opportunity for a meal. With such an outlook, our couple of days there were amongst the highlights of our trip.

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A day or two of warm weather saw the road to Pooncarie reopened although it was a slow trip due to roadworks. At Pooncarie, $10 a night gets you a campsite, some of which are powered, but with those all taken we squeezed into the last bush campsite along the river.

Running 10m above its normal depth of one to two metres, it wasn’t an understatement to say the river was right at our door. At best a foot below the top of the bank and with the ground sloping away on our side, the water level was perhaps only an inch or two below our tyres. I checked online just to make sure the river wasn’t rising and we were not in danger of waking up to find our van doing a passable impersonation of Noah’s ark.

Pooncarie is a popular stop and if you want power or a water view, don’t arrive late. There are plenty of level sites available in the area near the campground entrance – just no view and no campfire at your door. Pooncarrie would be a pleasant place to spend a few days, but pack the insect repellent; pools of water from the recent floods had led to an explosion in the mosquito population.

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Travelling south from Pooncarie, on the bitumen to Wentworth, we made the obligatory trip to the junction of the Darling and the Murray. The water of the two rivers has different colouration which is clearly visible downstream from their confluence. The NSW half of the Murray is a muddy brown, courtesy of the Darling, while the Victorian side is a deeper green-grey.

With our journey down the Darling over we headed back to Melbourne via Balranald, dropping in at the old Yanga woolshed, which was our fifth historic woolshed of the trip. The Balranald caravan park, with its grassed sites on the river gum studded banks of the Murimbidgee (which was also in flood), is highly recommended.

There is so much to see along the Darling you could spend weeks taking it all in

There is so much to see along the Darling you could spend weeks taking it all in, but make sure you find that Goldilocks time to visit – when everything is just right.

Summer sees temperatures approaching 50 degrees Celcius and if there is rain around, the roads will almost certainly be closed. And, while the Darling looked fantastic when we visited, remember that until recently it has had little water flow for some years.

Five essential stops

Dunlop station history tour

The owners of Dunlop Station provide a history of the property and take guests through the homestead, old storehouse and historic shearing shed. For $20 including morning tea it is not to be missed.

Visit the monument to Mary Matthews at Louth

Mary’s husband erected an innovative monument to her memory. Over her grave a Celtic cross on a granite pillar reflects the light of the sun into the village for three minutes each day just before sunset and on the anniversary of her death (19 August) the reflected light strikes what was Mary’s home.

Trilby Station

Recharge your batteries while watching the Darling River roll by your campsite, try yabbying, take a bushwalk, or check out one of the station’s self-drive history tours.

Tilpa pub

Have a beer at this iconic watering hole and sign your name on the pub walls (or ceiling) just as many hundreds of other travellers have done before you.

Burke and Wills campsite, Lake Pamamaroo

Waterbirds abound at this free campsite. Try yabbying, fishing, or perhaps break out the camera to catch an amazing sunset over the lake.

Required equipment

Outback roads can be tough on tyres and a tyre pressure monitor will provide early warning of impending tyre failure – something that is especially important when towing. High-impact roads (like the Strzelecki Track) require lower tyre pressures.

Vertical stone guards don’t completely protect your camper or van if towing. Stones will sandblast anything below those guards and rocks can still ricochet back off the guard frame to break a rear window.

Check out a StoneStomper, which not only provides maximum protection from stones but on wet, unsealed roads also keeps most of the gunk thrown up off your wheels from being plastered to whatever you are towing.

Travelling with pets

Grazing properties like Trilby and Dunlop Stations are legally required to lay 1080 poison baits for wild dog control twice a year. While they do not bait near campsites, pets must be kept on a lead and closely supervised at all times as it is not unknown for crows to pick up and spread baits.

As Mahindra reinvents itself in Australia with its new range of SUVs including the recently released Scorpio and the soon-to-arrive XUV7OO, the stalwart for the brand here in recent years has always been the durable PikUp.

The current model Mahindra PikUp has been on sale in Australia since 2007 making it one of the oldest new vehicles still available here today. Over that time the range and specifications have changed and now we are only offered the single model – the S11 double-cab with the only real choice being a styleside rear tub or a tray-back.

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Gone are the farmer’s-friend single-cab and dressed-up Black mHawk models, and also the manual gearbox, as the S11 now only comes with an automatic. That’s not to say that these other models won’t make a return but for now there is no stock of them in Australia.

With the Scorpio wagon recently tested we thought it time to revisit the PikUp and sample its added auto transmission.

JUMP AHEAD

• What do you get?
• Interior
• Safety
• Powertrain and performance
• On-road performance
• Off-road performance
• Living with it
• Verdict
• Specs

What do you get?

The S11 PikUp styleside sells for $38,500 driveaway, making it exceptionally attractive to buyers looking at the double-cab 4×4 ute market. Throw in a five-year/150,000km warranty, five-years roadside assist and four-years capped-price servicing, and it looks even better value.

But as the PikUp is an older design and architecture, it lacks many of the features and comforts that most buyers are looking for in a ute these days.

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Despite a few upgrades over the years, the PikUp remains an honest workhorse of a ute. Agricultural in design and function it is a true LCV in a market of vehicles becoming softer and more passenger car-like. Spend some time in the PikUp and you can see why the single-cab became popular with farmers and small businesses; it’s rugged, simple and built for purpose.

With its relatively narrow cabin and upright windscreen, driving it reminds me of driving my old 70 Series LandCruiser, only the PikUp is much more refined and better performing. Not so refined by modern passenger-car standards but certainly by 35-year-old Cruiser standards.

Interior

The PikUp’s interior is pretty basic but has most of what you want.

The A/V screen is a seven-inch high-res jobbie with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, using cable connection only. The screen sits lower in the centre stack than what is ideal but you learn to live with it. Below that are the controls for the automatic climate control aircon, which has vents that run through to the rear compartment.

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There’s space for five in the cloth-covered seats but the cabin is pretty narrow so it’s a tight fit with three across the back row. Rear-seat legroom isn’t great either but there’s heaps of headroom inside which is plus for those who wear big hats – like farmers.

Central locking is standard and the steering column is adjustable for height only. It’s a basic cabin that shows its working-class design, and that’s great for some, and it’s priced accordingly, which is what a lot of people want from a basic ute.

Safety

Safety kit is another area where the Pik up falls behind the more popular, more modern 4×4 utes. There’s a pair of front airbags, ABS brakes and electronic stability control and traction control, but that’s about the extent of it.

There’s no AEB or lane-keeping devices to save you, just the driver’s skill and commonsense. But again, this lack of tech will be appealing to some buyers of this style of work ute.

Powertrain and performance

The PikUp’S 2.2-litre common-rail diesel ‘mHawk’ engine makes a modest 320Nm of torque and a seemingly paltry 103kW of power yet it pushes the unladen ute along at a reasonable clip. The PikUp weighs less than 2200kg, making it lighter than most of the popular utes in this class.

The mHawk is a tractable engine with a strong torque spread but when it was backed with the six-speed manual gearbox you had to use the gears to get the best out of it, particularly when you had a load on.

There’s none of that with the new-to-PikUp six-speed automatic transmission which does all the work for you in an unfussed manner. This is an Aisin six-speed auto, so a similar ’box to that found in Prado, Hilux and Isuzu 4×4 vehicles, and well proven for its performance and durability.

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As we’ve found with this transmission in other vehicles, it is quite aggressive in its shift protocols, often holding gears a bit longer than you might like and sometimes downshifting a ratio too many on descents, making the engine rev harder than you might like.

It does give the powertrain more of a sporting attitude, but this is not a sportscar and the mHawk engine is happy to just lope along in the higher gears and lower in the rev range. The transmission shifter has a separate gate to allow fore and aft movement for manual gear selection which is handy on steep tracks or when towing.

The automatic transmission has affected fuel economy and consumption has jumped to 9.3L/100km from the manual’s 8.8L/100km.

The powertrain is backed by a part-time, dual-range transfer case and there’s an Eaton auto-locking differential to back up the electronic traction control in the rough.

On-road performance

The PikUp might feel a bit agricultural when you climb into the tall upright cabin but it surprises with its overall refinement and quiet ride on suburban streets and the highway.

The torsion bar-sprung IFS gives nice control but can feel a bit soft at times, while the leaf-sprung live axle at the rear is sportingly compliant and comfortable. Again, this is a commercial vehicle, and those tall narrow tyres ensure that it feels like one, and not a sportscar.

Off-road performance

With its large upright glasshouse and relatively narrow width the PikUp should be an easy rig to manoeuvrer off road but it is hampered by a wide turning radius. Thankfully the great vision from the cab and a reversing camera make three-point turns as easy as possible.

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The rear suspension offers reasonable articulation but the IFS not so much, and it easily hangs wheels in the air across uneven terrain. What gets the PikUp though is its auto-locking rear differential; this isn’t a switchable RDL like used in most other utes but one that automatically locks drive across the rear axle when it detects wheel spin.

As one of the lower-priced double-cab 4×4 utes on the market the Mahindra PikUp is very appealing

It’s a bit slow to react and it would be better if you could pre-empt the spin and lock it in manually, but once it locks itself, it is very effective in getting you moving.

Off-road specs

Living with the PikUp

As a low fuss and relatively basic ute the PikUp is super easy to live with. The high seating position and large glasshouse give plenty of vision and make driving it easy while the new auto gearbox adds to the ease of use.

Personally, I thought the manual added to the PikUp’s charm, but most buyers want an auto these days.

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The large turning circle makes manoeuvring a bit of a chore around town and when negotiating tight tracks, but it really just means more three-point turns than you might be used to. For those who need to tow a trailer it must be noted that the PikUp only has a 2500kg braked towing capacity, but payload is a healthy 1035kg, so it will happily carry a heavy load.

Verdict

As one of the lower-priced double-cab 4×4 utes on the market the Mahindra PikUp is very appealing, but its agricultural design and basic equipment will put many buyers off. If you can get past the missing safety tech, the modest power output and the large turning circle, then the PikUp could be the perfect ute for you.

We reckon the single-cab PikUp was the model’s sweet spot as it was ideally suited to farmers and small businesses that needed a work ute with rugged construction and some off-road ability. The double-cab retains those traits but adds the flexibility of being able to carry more passengers.

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Specs

The updated 2024 Land Rover Discovery Sport midsize SUV is available to order now.

It is headlined by a larger, fancier infotainment system and the introduction of a plug-in hybrid halo.

First local deliveries are expected to commence from December 2023.

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Pricing

All prices exclude on-road costs and luxury car tax.

Powertrains

The updated 2024 Land Rover Discovery Sport range opens with the carryover P250 mild hybrid 2.0-litre turbo-four producing 184kW and 365Nm.

The five-seat vehicle claims 7.8 seconds from 0-100km/h, while the seven-seat model claims 8.1 seconds.

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The new-for-Australia plug-in hybrid P300e employs a smaller 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo engine paired to an electric motor, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and a 14.9kWh lithium-ion battery pack. It has a 227kW total system out, while 0-100km/h is achieved in a claimed 6.6 seconds.

Thanks to new battery chemistry, Land Rover claims the P300e can drive up to 61 kilometres in EV-only mode on the WLTP testing cycle.

What else is new?

The biggest updates are found inside, with the old 10-inch central infotainment unit replaced with Land Rover’s prevalent Pivi Pro system, interfacing through a larger, floating 11.4-inch curved glass display.

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The system supports over-the-air updates, with its latest iteration adopting permanent sidebar shortcuts and hotkey functions, which Land Rover says “allows users to access 90 per cent of tasks within two taps from the home screen”.

The old physical HVAC stack has similarly been migrated into the Pivi Pro system, affording a minimal, clean dashboard fascia with open storage, space for smartphone charging and a more elegant, smaller gear shifter.

Elsewhere, piano black materials have been swapped for more durable anodised aluminium surfacing, with a new set of cupholders for the rear seats and a covered storage bin up front.

A digital instrument cluster and steering wheel shift paddles are now standard equipment on the new Discovery Sport.

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Availability

The updated 2024 Land Rover Discovery Sport range is available for order now, with local customer deliveries expected to commence before the end of the year.

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Australia’s most iconic off-road race, the Finke Desert Race, was recently won outright by Toby Price in his TSCO Trophy truck in a total time of 3 hours, 21 minutes and 46.6 seconds, which was just 0.4 of a second slower than the record time he set in 2022.

At the other end of the many categories that compete at Finke, a Ford Ranger Raptor driven by father and son team of Brad and Byam Lovell took out the Class 7 production category in 5 hours and 56 minutes.

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The Lovells were competing in the same factory team car that they won the production class of the infamous Baja 1000 race in, earlier this year. This Raptor was built to compete by Kelly Racing in Melbourne, and supported by Walkinshaw Performance in the Finke race.

Following that victory, Ford Performance (FP) has announced its next off-road racing challenge will be the gruelling Dakar Rally to be held in Saudi Arabia in the first week of 2024.

Unlike the factory team’s efforts in the Baja and Finke races, the Dakar Raptor will compete in the top-tier T1+ class, competing with the might of the factory Toyotas, Audis and other prototype off-road machines.

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The T1+ Raptors will be prepared by FP partners M-Sport and South Africa’s Neil Woolridge Motorsports, who have campaigned Ford Rangers at the highest levels of cross-country rally raid events in previous years.

“To lead the charge at one of the ultimate global off-road events – the Dakar Rally – has been a goal of ours,” said Mark Rushbrook, Global Director, Ford Performance Motorsports.

“We cannot underestimate the enormity of the challenge ahead of us. We need to finish and learn first with Ranger T1+ and partners like M-Sport and NWM, who bring their expertise to bear. Together, we can do amazing things in the sand dunes of the Arabian Peninsula.”

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The joint Ford Performance, M-Sport and NWM team has implemented a series of development phases through 2023 and continues testing with the Ranger T1+, based on the previous generation global Ranger, with a 3.5-litre EcoBoost engine.

Test races are expected to include Spain’s Baja España Aragón and Morocco’s Rally du Maroc rallies in July and October, respectively, before tackling the Dakar Rally next year.

The Raptor as it appeared in Alice Springs for the Finke gave clues to Ford Performance’s Dakar aspirations, with the vehicle wrap containing tiny details showing camels and co-ordinates that pointed to the Saudi deserts.

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These were among several so-called ‘Easter Eggs’ Ford hid among the rally car that paid homage to the Blue Oval’s off-road heritage in the past and future. Ford performance is obviously hoping that future includes a Dakar title or two.

The 2024 Dakar Rally takes place in Saudi Arabia over two weeks from January 5-19. The Dakar is considered to be the toughest challenge in off-road motorsports on the planet. Ironically, the only Australian to have ever won the Dakar Rally is Finke winner Toby Price, who has taken the Dakar crown twice, both times on KTM motorcycles.

With Price’s recent racing being primarily on four wheels, and rumours that his two-wheel racing career might be coming to a close – possibly as soon as after the 2024 Dakar race – it would be nice to see an Aussie back on top in a Ranger Raptor. We can only hope so.

While we love the Trig Point service body fitted to our Ranger for the functionality and ability to carry gear securely inside it, one minor problem it did create was rear vision when driving.

The body totally blocks vision out through the back window, and while the exterior door mirrors are great, they only show so much behind the vehicle and nothing directly behind it.

Yes the Ranger’s standard reversing camera does an excellent job when you select reverse gear, but at other times you have no idea what is directly behind the vehicle.

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What we wanted was a rear-view camera that permanently displays what’s behind the Ranger and as the interior rear-view mirror had been made redundant, having that image displayed up there where you’d normally look to see what’s behind you made a lot of sense.

We searched online for a suitable product and came across the Gator streaming camera system that sounded like it would be just the ticket.

The Gator GRV90MKT has a rectangular nine-inch LCD touch-screen that clips over your standard rear-view mirror so it’s located exactly where you want it to be. It is hooked up to a wide angle, high-definition 1080p camera that mounts on the rear of the vehicle.

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The system can be programmed to operate when you select reverse gear just like a regular reversing camera, or it can stream the image full-time, which is what we wanted.

We still use the OE Ford camera and screen for reversing, as it gives a better indication of the proximity of anything behind you, whereas the wide camera of the Gator makes things look much closer to you and isn’t ideal for accurately reversing in tight spots. But the Gator still projects guidance lines on the screen to help when reverse parking just like the clever OE systems.

The width of the image provided by the Gator is beneficial in that it shows vehicles that might otherwise be in the traditional blind spots for extra security. It virtually eliminates any blind spots.

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By inserting an SD card you can also use the Gator to record the image being fed into it, and the unit has a G-sensor that automatically saves the footage should a collision be detected. The GRV90MKT doesn’t have a forward-facing camera but there are other products in the Gator range that allow multiple inputs.

We didn’t want or need a dashcam but this unit does what we need it to, which is to provide a constant view of what’s directly behind our Ranger. The image is clear and bright with adjustment for brightness, plus adjustment for the angle of the image it displays. There’s even a handy clock in the corner with big, easy-to-read digits.

The image at night is just as good as in the daylight, however the headlights of following vehicles flare out at times, making you think they are flashing their high beams. This takes a bit of getting used to but the lights are not as blinding as one directly in a mirror image.

Pricing

RRP: $239.99 (shop around online to get it cheaper)

The rejuvenation of Australian engineering and manufacturing in the automotive scene has taken another leap forward, with the Premcar and Nissan alliance officially revealing the Patrol Warrior – well, a pre-production prototype.

Sitting 50mm higher than the Patrol Ti it’s based on, the Patrol Warrior has been given the full Premcar treatment including new suspension, a bi-modal exhaust system and an all-new towbar that enables the storage of a full-sized spare wheel.

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To strike a balance between on- and off-road performance, without leaning too far either way, Premcar equipped the Warrior with a re-engineered Hydraulic Body Motion Control (HBMC) system, which is designed to do away with the need for an anti-roll bar. To assist with this set-up, Premcar totally re-developed both the progressive-rate rear springs and front springs, and the result of this combination is a much smoother, compliant ride on a variety of surfaces.

On a brief and somewhat challenging off-road circuit at Brisbane’s Mt Cotton facility, the Patrol remained competent and reassuring – though admittedly the tight track didn’t pose too many serious challenges. The Patrol’s forward-facing camera proved invaluable on crests and steep descents, but we did have to restart the vehicle after electrical gremlins prevented us from engaging hill descent control. Articulation is adequate, with approach and departure angles remaining unchanged at 34.4 and 23.6 degrees respectively.

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Premcar opted to wrap 34.4-inch Yokohama Geolandar AT G015 tyres around 18-inch alloy wheels, covered by custom-made fender flares and mud flaps. The vehicle is about 60kg heavier than the Ti it’s based on, mainly due to the fitment of these tyres, but, as is the case with Patrol Ti, the heavy vehicle is surprisingly agile for an eight-seater that weighs close to three tonnes. Payload capacity has increased by 58kg.

The addition of a bi-modal exhaust is a great boon for buyers who love that V8 howl. And a neat feature of the system is that the side pipes close when touring, so owners won’t be overwhelmed with a constant V8 bellow on long road trips. Instead, the pipes will open and let loose an almighty V8 bark when owners floor the pedal. The vehicle’s extra ride height should prevent the side pipes from scraping on the ground when off-road – it didn’t touch any rocks on our off-road jaunt, but it’ll be interesting to test it further (stay tuned).

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Any changes to the petrol-powered V8?

While fettling with the 298kW/560Nm V8 engine was considered by the Premcar team, Premcar’s Engineering Director, Bernie Quinn, told journalists at the vehicle’s launch that it didn’t quite make sense as a business case – so the powertrain remains unchanged, which isn’t exactly a bad thing, mind you.

Previous experience with the Patrol Ti shows that it is a very thirsty engine, but a 140-litre fuel tank should net the owner around 900km from a full tank … should.

Patrol Ti standard equipment

On the inside, Premcar opted to delete all of the Patrol’s woodgrain trim, replacing it with soft-touch Alcantara upholstery surrounded by high-gloss trim – all black.

Warrior insignia is emblazoned on the passenger-side dash above the glovebox, but otherwise the interior remains stock Patrol, with all of its circa-mid-2010 quirks – yep, that includes a CD player.

While quite dated in design, the big buttons and dials in the cabin – like the ones used to control the 4×4 system and climate system – are within easy reach of the driver and are very easy to operate.

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The front leather-covered seats are big, comfortable and secure, ideal for long distances behind the wheel in discovery of remote campsites, and there’s plenty of space and storage options in the front row. The second row provides ample room for three abreast, but the third row is better suited to two (cramped) adults or three kids. Plenty of storage pockets and cupholders remain in the back seats, with USB inputs available in the middle row.

Even with all three rows of seats in use, the Patrol still has enough space in the cargo area for camping gear and a few backpacks. Fold the third row down to liberate more space, and then fold the second row down for enough space to catch a few zeds. Plus, there’s a 12V power outlet in the cargo area.

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The Warrior has also been updated with black mirror caps, a black grille, a red bash plate and a Warrior-branded front bumper. At the rear Premcar has added a completely new tow bar unit, which allows for fitment of a full-size spare wheel. The towbar doesn’t impede on departure angle and it features two recovery points and a new valance panel.

At the time of writing, the vehicle was in pre-production, with design and testing still being finalised ahead of its launch later in 2023.

Bernie Quinn told 4X4 Australia that the company is still contemplating final decals and artwork, so the subtle use of Warrior badging currently seen on this pre-production vehicle may be jacked-up when the production version launches – something we hope to see.

Premcar is also considering whether to install a more brash bashplate, like the one seen on the Navara Warrior, but that is yet to be confirmed.

Safety features

Premcar expansion

To keep up with the demand of manufacturing both the Navara and Patrol Warriors, Premcar will open a second vehicle assembly plant around the corner from its original base in Epping, Victoria. This will see Premcar increase its workforce with approximately 100 more employees.

“Our current engineering and production facility has produced more than 5000 new vehicles, and adding this new production centre is set to grow this much further,” Bernie Quinn said. “Most of all, it will create many new Australian manufacturing jobs, which is especially important for the local automotive industry.”

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Pricing

Pricing for the Patrol Warrior is yet to be confirmed. The Patrol Ti is stamped with an $82,160 price tag – so, basing it on the price discrepancy between the PRO-4X and PRO-4X Warrior, expect to pay at least $10K more for the Patrol Warrior.

Pre-orders for the vehicle opened on June 15, with the Warrior covered by the factory Patrol’s five-year unlimited kilometre warranty.

Patrol Warrior specs

In a boon for automotive engineering and manufacturing in Australia, Premcar will expand its local operations by establishing an all-new vehicle assembly plant.

The new facility – set to result in more than 100 new jobs – will be based close to Premcar’s current Engineering and Production Centre in Epping, Victoria, with the two facilities expected to double Premcar’s manufacturing and assembly operations.

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“This is a rewarding announcement,” said Bernie Quinn, Premcar’s Engineering Director. “Our current Engineering and Production facility has produced more than 5000 new vehicles and adding this new production centre is set to grow this much further.

“Most of all, it will create many new Australian manufacturing jobs, which is especially important for the local automotive industry.”

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The new site will include production lines of the Premcar-fettled Navara Warrior and upcoming Patrol Warrior, which is expected to be released later this year.

The all-new Patrol Warrior, based on the second-tier Patrol Ti but sitting 50mm higher, features a re-engineered Hydraulic Body Motion Control system, a bi-modal exhaust system and an all-new towbar that caters for a full-time spare wheel.

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Pre-orders for the Patrol Warrior are now live, but pricing and a release date are to be confirmed.

With the introduction of this new facility, Premcar has increased its Australian new-vehicle manufacturing footprint to more than 13,000 square metres.

UPDATE: 2024 Mitsubishi Triton set for July reveal

Jordan Hickey

The next-generation 2024 Mitsubishi Triton ute will reportedly debut next month.

Thai publication Headlight Mag [↗] reports the all-new Triton will be unveiled at an event in Thailand on July 26 in dual-cab and space-cab form.

It was previewed by Mitsubishi’s XRT Concept in March, with narrower headlights, bolder wheel arches and a muscular shoulder line. A larger footprint is also expected.

The single-cab variant is tipped to follow at a later time.

According to the report, the new Triton will retain its 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, as found in the current Triton and Pajero Sport.

It is unknown if Mitsubishi will upgrade the engine and transmission to better match other four-cylinder rivals, which have outputs closer to 150kW and 500Nm, a 3500-kilogram towing capacity, and a 10-speed automatic transmission for the latest Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok.

The current Triton produces 133kW and 430Nm, with a 3.1-tonne braked towing capacity and six-speed manual or automatic transmission options.

March 2023: New Triton imagined

Mike Stevens

The new-gen 2024 Mitsubishi Triton has been spied testing more than a few times over the past year, and now we know its big unveiling is only months away.

How it’ll look is still unclear, with the spied prototypes revealing little through their swirly camouflage, but close inspection offers a few hints.

It’s clear that Mitsubishi’s ‘Dynamic Shield’ themes will continue up front, but with a big boxy new grille poking out through the centre.

Slim LED lights can also be seen flanking the top edge of the grille, with larger driving lights set at each corner of the front bumper.

Based on these clues, we’ve produced a set of new renderings that we suspect will prove accurate.

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What do you think of the look?

That big new grille may not be the most handsome piece of design out of the Mitsubishi studio, but it will make a bold statement in your rear-view mirror.

Mitsubishi has also this week confirmed it will unveil an electric ute in the coming years, expected sometime before 2029. Read more about that, and the huge haul of other upcoming Mitsubishis, at the link below.

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July 2022: New-generation Triton spied testing

Jordan Hickey

The next-generation 2023 Mitsubishi Triton has been spied with a production-ready body.

Our spy photography partners snapped these images during hot-weather testing in southern Europe.

The production-ready version seen here follows a previous, less-advanced sighting in January, with Mitsubishi placing the body of the current Triton over the top of a test vehicle wearing headlights from an older Mirage hatch.

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While the current Triton, facelifted in 2018, has combined the brand’s Dynamic Shield design language with the pre-facelift ute’s rounder shape, the new-generation version will feature a boxier design across the board.

At the front, the Triton will adopt a larger front grille, split-level headlights inspired by the latest Outlander, and a clamshell-style bonnet.

Rectangular wheel arches will carry over from the MR Triton, with the addition of a more-prominent shoulder line above.

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This shoulder line looks to end at the doors – at least in this test vehicle – suggesting a shared cabin design could be used with the next Navara.

The rear of the Triton will feature redesigned tail lights and a bulkier tailgate with an integrated brake lamp, as seen on the current model.

Little else is known about the specifications of the all-new ute, but it is expected to have a longer wheelbase and wider track than the current Triton, which is 5.21m long and 1.82m wide.

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However, we know it will share its underpinnings with the next-generation Nissan Navara, thanks to the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.

Mitsubishi is believed to be the lead developer for the Alliance’s latest global mid-sized pickup trucks, although the pair’s interior and exterior styling are likely to differ.

Whether this differentiation will be as strong as the Mitsubishi Outlander and its twin-under-the-skin, the Nissan X-Trail, or just a light restyling remains to be seen.

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For instance, the Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50 share most parts, while the upcoming Volkswagen Amarok shares its body with the latest Ford Ranger.

While the current Mitsubishi Triton and Nissan Navara are unrelated, both vehicles date back to 2015, one year before Nissan upped its stake in the three-diamond brand to 34 per cent – allowing for greater control of the marque under Japanese law.

The 2023 Mitsubishi Triton is expected to be unveiled later this year or early 2023, ahead of a potential local launch in the second half of next year.

Below: The current 2022 Mitsubishi Triton

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Air intake systems play the critical role of providing clean air to your engine.

Sub-standard air filtration systems can result in increased fuel consumption, loss of power, excessive oil burn and premature engine damage.

Engineered specifically for diesel powered 200 Series Toyota LandCruiser vehicles, the robust XLC200K replacement air housing + filter kit incorporates the latest in air filtration technology and provides industry leading performance and engine protection.

Featuring genuine PowerCore® construction with Ultra-Web® media, Donaldson offers you the ultimate harsh environment air filter housing. The compact XLC200K air housing + filter kit includes a high efficiency element that does not compromise on dust holding capacity or negatively impact air flow through your vehicle’s cold air intake system.

PowerCore® filters feature a unique corrugated design which creates a straight-through air-flow path to trap dust in the flutes on the dirty side of the filter. This innovative design pushes air through to the adjacent flutes on the clean side, delivering clean air to your engine.

Ultra-Web® fine fibres are sub-micron in diameter overlaid on a cellulose substrate. The small inter-fibre spaces provide a high initial efficiency, loading engine damaging contaminants on the media surface.

With 3x more effective filtration area than the OEM panel filter, PowerCore® 4×4 delivers more than 30% lower initial restriction at the same airflows, allowing your engine to breathe easy while keeping contaminants out. Using ISO5011 test standard, Donaldson PowerCore® 4×4 filters also delivered 99.99% efficiency, compared to 99.87% efficiency for OEM panel filters resulting in significantly more engine protection.

The science is complicated but the benefits to your vehicle are simple: low initial and on-going restriction, long element life and maximum engine protection.

Whether your 200 series is used for the hardest work or the most adventurous play, the Australian designed quality, high performance filtration included in Donaldson’s XLC200K kit provides the protection you have always demanded. XLC200K is a complete kit which contains a PowerCore® 4×4 Air Cleaner Housing, PowerCore® 4×4 Air Filter, Fastener Kit and Mounting Brackets.

Something I’m over the moon about with the Front Runner roof rack I recently installed on my Toyota FJ Cruiser, is just how many accessories there are available to suit the rack.

I’m not just talking about tie down points, which are still great to have, no I’m going way further than that. This Front Runner gear carries my swag and occasionally a kayak, is responsible for my shelter thanks to the Front Runner awning mounts that bolted up perfectly to my Darche 2.5 x 2.5m awning and I’ve also fitted up a 40-inch LED light bar on the front of the roof rack using a pair of Front Runner mounts.

Those who have driven an FJ Cruiser will know how rubbish the factory headlights are, so additional lighting was mandatory.

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It doesn’t end there, I also selected the Front Runner stainless steel Prep Table, which is not only one of the highest quality camp tables I’ve ever used, it slides underneath the roof rack for storage making use of otherwise completely wasted space. Front Runner now also takes care of my cooking duties, thanks to the slick looking spare tyre BBQ plate I christened on a recent trip to Pebbly Beach on the NSW Mid-North Coast.

You can see where I’m going with this right? One of my main deciding factors for choosing Front Runner was because of how many problems their products solved for my camping setup. And naturally, the swag is easy to chuck up on the roof and secure down, with Stratchits – a unique bungy/ratchet strap designed to make securing items quicker and easier… I can confirm they do both of these things and buy a few more of these in the near future.

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I’ve also selected mounts to mount my recovery boards on the roof rack, which work with both Treds and Maxtrax boards, as well as a shovel holder that doubles as a beaut place to secure my kayak paddle. My latest addition is an axe holder, after I was sick of storing my axe inside the vehicle – this will be getting installed this weekend, and I’ll report back on how it’s holding up.

One other accessory I have my eye on and will grab next pay day, is the rear spare wheel step – this will provide easier access to the roof as well as act as the ratchet strap to secure the BBQ plate to my rear wheel – again, making use of wasted space; and I must say it’s a talking point anytime I stop to fuel up.

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Now, much like choosing a favourite child, it’s not really fair to select a favourite accessory on the FJ Cruiser. But I will, because we all know there’s always a favourite child. For me, the rear wheel BBQ plate and the slide out prep table are (wait for it) absolute game changers.

When you are poor in space like I am with the FJ, having these two important albeit bulky items tucked away in places I’ll never use has changed the way I camp. And the quality is top notch. Just be aware, you will find yourself addicted to the Front Runner website, looking through the insane range of accessories they have on offer.

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All in all, I’m wrapped with the decision to install a Front Runner roof rack and a select range of accessories. They make camping trips easier, and I feel now that most of my touring needs are met, it’s time to play with suspension and upgraded tyres.

Any negatives? Just one, but it will be easy to fix. The way I’ve mounted the LED light bar on the roof causes it to whistle since I removed the supplied wind deflector. Thankfully, Front Runner provides two mounting options for the LED light bar, so I’ll move it up higher on the rack, and refit the wind deflector. This should take all of five minutes, and job done.

Pricing

There are too many products to list, do yourself a favour and check out the Front Runner website, which has all pricing listed. Be warned, it’s addictive.

Available from: www.frontrunneroutfitters.com