Chevrolet has released a video via its social media channels teasing a ZR2 version of its Silverado full-size pick up.

The ZR2 moniker is applied to the off-road oriented version of the brand’s Colorado mid-size ute already, and it’s a formidable competitor to the likes of the Ford Ranger Raptor.

Chevrolet doesn’t have a competitor to the F150 Raptor in the US, and with Ram coming in hot with its supercharged TRX truck and Ford set to debut a Raptor R very soon, the Bow-tie brand could be falling behind in the hi-po pick-up stakes.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQvxjfztKaG/

The short video clearly shows a leaf-sprung truck wearing chunky mud terrain tyres working out in mud with a V8 engine sound track – suggesting the ZR2 will be a Silverado 1500 to sit above the Trail Boss on the off-road scale.

The key to the ZR2 Colorado’s excellent on and off-road dynamics are its DSSV Multimatic shock absorbers, which deliver the best of both worlds in terms of handling whether you are on the dirt or the blacktop.

It is expected the Silverado ZR2 will incorporate the same dampener technology as the factory-backed Silverado off-road race trucks.

1

Chevrolet has been running a Silverado Trail Boss in the stock class racing in the US for the last 18 months, and it features the DSSV dampers as well as long travel suspension links and 35-inch tyres among its limited modifications. These modifications could provide a clue as to what we might expect in the production ZR2.

Couple the DSSV shocks with increased ground clearance, off-road tyres and a V8 engine, and the Chevy will be a big step up towards the competition even if not of the likes of the TRX or Raptor R.

The default engine for the Silverado 1500 is the 6.2 litre EcoTec V8 which, in Australian-spec trucks, makes 313kW of power and 624Nm of torque.

Chevy’s shed is full of higher performance engine options from the Camaro and Corvette programs should it choose to chase the high horsepower competition.

1

In Australia, GMSV currently only sells the Silverado 1500 LTZ at $114,990 with the Trail Boss landing next month as a $106,990 entry level but more off-road capable option.

There’s no reason the ZR2 couldn’t be added at the top of the range as the halo truck in Australia. A spokesperson for GMSV couldn’t comment on the ZR2, saying the brand is currently concentrating on the roll out of the Trail Boss.

The Silverado ZR2 is expected to be unveiled in the US in the third quarter of this year.

Nissan Australia has suggested there is the potential for the Warrior nameplate to transfer across to other variants in the Nissan range, including the Patrol.

For now, though, Nissan Australia is focussed on successfully bringing the Navara PRO-4X Warrior to market.

“The focus has been on this project (PRO-4X Warrior) and bringing it to market and getting it right,” said Matt Baily, senior manager of Nissan Australia’s Local Product Development arm.

1

“Future projects like the Patrol Warrior is a work in progress, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be limited to those vehicles.

“It could be applied to other vehicles and we have regular discussions with Premcar, where we’re working together on different opportunities and looking at what’s happening globally.

When asked whether the Nissan Titan was a part of those discussions, Baily told 4X4 Australia: “The Titan is a fantastic product, obviously there’s demand for those types of product in Australia. But the Titan project is quite different to this (PRO-4X Warrior) type of program. The complexities are quite different.”

1

Premcar’s engineering director, Bernie Quinn, added that the brand’s Epping, Victoria, facility is more than up to the job if new Warrior variants were added to the assembly line, or if demand for the PRO-4X Warrior increased.

“We’ve set this facility up to be flexible and adaptable. We’ve deliberately moved a lot of the sub-assembly and we can add another line for a different vehicle or another variant of the Navara, or more Navaras,” said Quinn. “The point is, we’ve got that flexibility to go double in volume in one shift.”

Watch this space to see whether there’s any movement on this front.

Nissan Australia has unleashed the Navara PRO-4X Warrior. Fettled by local engineering arm, Premcar, the PRO-4X Warrior is wider, taller and tougher than the MY21 Navara PRO-4X it’s based on.

This isn’t the first tickled Navara to make its way out of the Premcar factory in Epping, Victoria, either, with the success of the N-TREK Warrior ─ based on the previous-gen N-TREK Navara ─ strengthening the collaboration between Nissan and Premcar.

This time, the N-TREK nomenclature has been flicked for ‘PRO-4X’, and the boffins at Premcar have extensively revised Navara componentry to make the PRO-4X Warrior a true halo model in the Navara shed.

1

One of the most notable revisions can be found beneath the vehicle, with Premcar revising the suspension set-up considerably. This includes modifications to the front and rear springs and dampers to ensure the Warrior remains proficient both on- and off-road ─ watch Premcar’s head of programs, Tom Imbesi, discuss this in detail in the above video.

It’s not simply a matter of adding new springs and dampers and hoping for the best, either; it’s a thorough process that involves plenty of testing and fine-tuning to ensure every change made is durable and passes strict homologation testing.

Suspension lift ─ in combination with the tyres ─ means ground clearance is now 260mm (up from 220mm in PRO-4X grade), approach angle is 36 degrees (up from 32), departure angle drops fractionally to 19 degrees (down from 19.8), and it has a claimed wading depth of 600mm. A widened track ─ from 1570mm to 1600mm ─ not only gives the vehicle its muscular appearance, but is expected make the vehicle more settled on both bitumen and dirt, something that was important to Premcar with its ‘no-compromise’ attitude.

1

The tough look and wider profile is enhanced by fender flares, while the range-topper rides on 17-inch alloy wheels unique to the Warrior and 275/70/R17 Cooper Discoverer All-Terrain AT3 carried over from the N-TREK Warrior.

Significantly, the Warrior has been engineered with a 100kg GVM upgrade (now 3250kg), which means that, despite all the extra gear associated with the Warrior, this still allows for a payload of 961kg (manual) and 952kg (automatic).

Unlike the bumper found on the N-TREK Warrior, the updated Safari-style bar on the PRO-4X Warrior is now winch-compatible (hooray) and features an integrated LED light bar. Beneath the bar is a Navara-branded bash plate ─ only available in red ─ and 3mm steel underbody protection to protect vital components.

1

The engine remains unchanged, with Premcar contemplating but opting not to tickle with vital powertrain components.

“We know we can get more power and torque out of this engine. We’ve proven that. The problem is managing that particularly from a heat point of view,” said Premcar’s engineering director, Bernie Quinn. “This car now with the NVH improvements particularly and the dual-drive modes, is a really nice car to drive and it really doesn’t need any more power and torque. It never feels flustered. It never feels like it’s working too hard, so it really didn’t make sense to do it.”

Like the rest of the MY21 Navara range, the 2.3-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel engine produces 140kW and 450Nm from as low as 1500rpm. Seven-speed automatic and six-speed manual transmissions will be available, while a snorkel is an optional extra.

1

The PRO-4X Warrior is equipped with the full suite of safety systems found in the PRO-4X including Intelligent Forward Collision Warning, Intelligent Emergency Braking, Intelligent Driver Alertness, Intelligent Lane Intervention, Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Warning and Intelligent Around View Monitor. The interior is identical to the PRO-4X save for some embroided headrests and Warrior insignia.

A full-size spare resides in a purpose-built cavity, and the modified towbar is much like the one found behind the N-TREK Warrior.

Unlike the N-TREK Warrior ─ which had a 12-month production lifespan, resulting in the sale of 1400 units ─ production of the PRO-4X Warrior will run for the entirety of the current-model Navara’s lifespan from Premcar’s Epping facility.

1

Bernie Quinn explained to 4X4 Australia that this long-term contract is great for Australian manufacturing.

“We have an ongoing contract, which means we can have stability and we can provide long-term prospects for employment for people, which is just an awesome position to be in,” Quinn said.

“Production is scheduled at 32 a week, but we’ll be supply-constrained at that. The facility is capable of doing more. At the peak of N-TREK Warrior we were doing 13 per day, which we can do in one shift.”

Another sizeable shift in production philosophy was one forced on Premcar by the current COVID-19 pandemic, with early restrictions affecting the supply of parts from China for the N-TREK Warrior.

“One of the problems we had with the N-TREK Warrior was that it was a very peculiar time in the whole industry with COVID, and we got hit with it before COVID even reached Australia,” Bernie Quinn explained. “We had parts coming out of China and we couldn’t get them. So that was restricting us from supply in the early days.

“We thought we had to deal with it this time. We’ve now gone for a local-sourcing strategy wherever we can do it,” Quinn said.

1

More than 80 per cent of parts added to the PRO-4X Warrior at Premcar’s Epping facility are now locally sourced, as opposed to around 60 per cent of parts for the N-TREK Warrior.

“The supply base never died here. The strongest of the suppliers survived and diversified, like we did. So there’s a supply base here that’s the best-of-the-best still that we can source components and services from if we have to.

“The strongest companies with a strategic mindset have adjusted their strategy to deal with a new reality. It’s not 100,000 cars being built out of Broadmeadows, 100,000 out of Elizabeth in SA, or 100,000 out of Altona, it’s about niche manufacturing, secondary manufacturing, and it’s a growing, thriving industry.”

The PRO-4X Warrior is expected to be in showrooms “in the next few months”, but the exact date is yet to be confirmed by Nissan Australia. Pricing will also be revealed closer to the launch date.

For reference, the N-TREK Warrior when launched was priced at $62,990 driveaway (or $65,490 for an auto). The vehicle will remain supported by a five-year unlimited kilometre warranty.

The new Isuzu MU-X SUV is set to launch at the end of the month – being officially unveiled on July 30 to the public.

Announced by Isuzu Ute Australia this morning, the revised and redesigned seven-seater will go on sale just three days after its unveiling, hitting Isuzu showrooms on August 2.

While we have already seen what it will look like, the manufacturer is keeping details of its specifications under tight wraps, saying the new MU-X will “encompass a suite of features previously unseen in any Isuzu before”.

4

Isuzu Australia’s managing director, Hiroyasu Sato, says the new MU-X will prove to be more popular than the outgoing model, which is currently enjoying a 107 per cent increase on last year’s sales to the end of May

“Isuzu Ute Australia is very excited about the upcoming launch of the All-New Isuzu MU-X and we truly believe it will surpass expectations and offer a premium product replacement for the exceptionally-popular first-generation Isuzu MU-X,” said Mr Sato.

“We’ve received unprecedented interest in this vehicle since announcing the pending arrival and we look forward to hearing how it is received amongst Australian motorists after its official unveiling on July 30.”

The past year has been kind to Isuzu with strong sales for the MU-X and D-Max, as well as winning the Roy Morgan customer service award for the second time.

The July 2021 issue of 4X4 Australia a magazine has landed on shelves, packed with quality off-road goodness.

With the covers recently coming off the all-new 300 Series LandCruiser, we take a deep dive to reveal what we know of the highly anticipated off-road V6 wagon.

Two epic Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series custom builds comprise a 2016 Sahara and a 2020 GXL. Both are highly capable rigs destined to overcome Australia’s toughest tracks, and both are decked out with top-quality kit. We take an in-depth look at each vehicle.

3

We also point a microscope at a custom Ranger equipped with a turnkey Phoenix GTX canopy from Core Off-Road in Western Australia.

Is our last issue – June 2021 – we compared seven of the most popular 4×4 double-cab utes. In part two of the comparison, we line up four lifestyle-oriented variants – Ranger Raptor, BT-50 Thunder, Hilux Rugged X and Gladiator Rubicon – and put them through a series of stringent on- and off-road tests.

Nissan gave its Navara a bolder, tougher look when it updated the range for 2021, and has turned the wick up again with its top-of-the-line PRO-4X variant. We took one off-road in pursuit of mud and dust. Stay tuned for the imminent arrival of the Premcar-developed PRO-4X Warrior.

3

With Australians loving diesel power when it comes to big off-roaders, we also hit the tracks in Land Rover’s six-pot diesel Defender D250 110 S. The diesel Defender utilises a new Ingenium 3.0-litre in-line six with twin turbochargers, to produce 183kW and 570Nm.

Our long-term Shed grew by one, with a Toyota Hilux Rugged X arriving this month. A trip to the 4×4 proving ground in Werribee, Victoria, is the range-topping Hilux’s first port of call.

WHAT ELSE IS THERE?

Wet Centre + Mallee Country trips 3D Mats for our D-MAX Narva Ultima 180 LEDs tested Monthly columns + New Gear + Readers’ 4x4s

The July 2021 issue of 4X4 Australia is on sale now.

Let’s face it, camping in its very essence isn’t overly complicated; hell, you could go light a campfire and fall asleep next to a tree and you’d be camping. Tins of spam to eat, water from the creek drained through your sock, and the softest rock you can find to use as a pillow would all suffice. But that sounds like a miserable time, doesn’t it?

It stands to reason then that the gear we have, in its purest form, is there to make life easy for us, give us more options, and let us get on with enjoying nature rather than fighting our gear just to survive.

It was that mindset of ease of use that led to us to installing not just one but two of Evakool’s 40L drawer fridges in our Ranger canopy set-up. Now, after a couple of thousand kays of corrugations and roughly one million opens and closes, and a few times forgetting to clean them out, we figured it’s time to spill the beans on how we’ve found them.

3

First up is ease of use; it’s the main reason you’d buy a fridge like this. Put simply, they’re the easiest and quickest access fridge you can buy. If you’re timing yourself grabbing a beer as soon as you get to camp, this is the fridge you want.

Rather than fiddling with a drop slide, then unclasping a traditional chest freezer’s lid; you simply open the drawer. A small child could do it. The drawer style is quicker than a chest freezer to open and close, and doesn’t run the risk of your milk falling out when you open the door like in an upright; they’re also somewhere in between the two in terms of retaining cold air.

Each drawer holds 48 cans of drink and can run either as a fridge or freezer with a temperature range of 10ºC down to -16ºC; we’ve typically ran the bottom fridge at the -3ºC mark and the top fridge down to -10ºC, giving us dual zones. Even on stinking hot days neither fridge has ever struggled to maintain a temperature. The main box stays in place and houses the cooling elements, while the drawer itself is essentially a plastic insert on runners so the fridge quickly drops temperature again as soon as it’s closed.

3

Those plastic trays are removable, too, so you can pop them out and load them up inside, even pre-cooling them in your house fridge before heading off on a trip. It also means you can pressure wash them if you forget to unpack your fridge after getting back from a trip – ask us how we know.

We’ve found no noticeable wear and tear on the fridges after use – they click shut tightly, don’t rattle and have no visible wear on the controls.

Of course, it’s not all sunshine and roses and there are a few setbacks. Two 40L drawer fridges compared to a single 80L chest freezer will draw roughly double the power at around 4amp/h measured on our set-up – that versatility does come at a cost. In our configuration where the drawers are stacked, the top drawer can be difficult to see in to for short people, if fitted to a lifted 4WD.

1

The drawers themselves are also shallow, just a little higher than a can of drink, so standing bottles up simply isn’t an option and will require a little more thinking than a deep chest freezer; although, we’ve never struggled even with a week or two worth of food onboard.

All in all, running two drawer fridges compared to a single chest freezer is really a case of what suits your needs more. You’ll sacrifice a little versatility, need a little bigger battery, and the fridges will be stuck in your 4WD for good. But they’ll take up far less space, weigh considerably less than other options and make camping a far simpler proposal, making them well-worth the money in our eyes.

Wauchope on the NSW mid-north coast is famous for Timber Town, where you can take a step back in time and relive the past when timber was considered ‘red gold’.

I never really stopped to consider where this happened, up in the hills tucked behind Wauchope, but with a little inside information we found some great tracks, relics and natural attractions. This is a great two-night camp-out that isn’t suitable for trailers, as a lot of the tracks in this region are steep and narrow.

After the mandatory fuel and supply shop at Wauchope, head west along the Oxley Highway that links the coast to the tablelands over some incredible country, the road winding its way up over the Great Dividing Range which pushes up 1100m above sea level at the highest point. Leaving Wauchope, the countryside is typical coastal scrub country where hobby farms scatter the landscape for many kilometres, giving way to open paddocks and finally views of the Great Divide.

1

Some 30km out of Wauchope is Long Flat, which was settled in 1856 by a Northern Irish family who grew grapes, produced wine and then sold it to the teamsters that passed through this area on the convict-built road, hauling logs down to the coast. Then in the late 1870s a hotel was built, named ‘The Travellers Rest Hotel’. It still stands on the original plot of soil today, and some of the original timbers can still be seen in and around the hotel.

As you leave Long Flat, keep an eye out just 5km up the road for a turn on the right to Kindee Road, where you can see the longest suspension bridge still in use in Australia. Measuring a whopping 200ft long, this one-lane bridge was completed in 1937. It’s great for a quick look and to appreciate how real bridges were built.

Back on to the Oxley Highway heading west, you will soon start to climb skyward with ever-changing scenery, steep paddocks and cleaner, crisper air. The views are never-ending across the valleys that sweep down towards the coast. At the 56km mark, keep an eye out for Ralfes Trail on the left. The tracks from here are well-formed as they pass through private property, so please leave the gates as you find them.

1

Traversing Ralfes Trail is a nice way to ease in to this trip; wandering around the mountains with several creek crossings, it isn’t long until you connect with The Old Highway Trail. The name says it all, as this was a link back in the days when the loggers found it easier to follow the ridge instead of traversing hundreds of metres up and down over the mountains, before the Oxley Highway was built.

All along these tracks keep an eye out for the massive red cedar stumps that were cut down more than 100 years ago; it’s the perfect place to stop and check out how the old timers cut notches for their planks, to stand on to swing the axe. The Old Highway trail meanders along for another 8km before it connects with Knodingbul Road, then on to Corn Cobb Trail as it drops down into some steep low-range sections and across streams through pristine rainforest pockets, thick vines and tall exotic palms.

THE CELLS

It’s down here that you need to keep an eye out, as this is where the mines start appearing beside the road. From walk-in mines that go several hundred metres, to pits and shafts – life was pretty full-on down here. As you wander along beside the Cells Creek keep an eye out for the five-head stamper that stands proudly where it was placed more than 100 years ago.

Alongside you will still see the timber framework that was used to direct water and carts to the stamper. Inside one of the larger walk-in mines, there’s a steel gate which was reported to have been used to lock miners inside during work hours – but like any 100-year-old rumour, it may not be true.

We found it pretty easy to lose time down here beside the creeks in the cool fresh air, exploring the mines; but, remember, what comes down must go up. Upon leaving The Cells it’s 4WD territory, as you head up Jeep Trail where, after a few kilometres, you’ll come across The Hilton: a sturdy structure where travellers have blazed their names and dates on the walls and roof. A small walk from here takes you to other mines that lead into the side of the hill – also there are several swimming holes and a small waterfall, to cool off in the warmer months.

1

Wandering uphill you will soon come across Grassy Trail; a quick right turn here will see you follow another ridge along through tall timbers and scrubby undergrowth. Traversing some 900m above sea level along these ridges makes you wonder just how the old timers found the gold out here.

Jumping on to Blue Mountain Creek Trail on your left, it rises even higher as you pass several rocky spurs that provide glimpses of some pretty views across the valley. The Cells Loop is around 40km; not big kays, but it’s still time-consuming as you stop at the mines, criss-cross numerous creeks, and need to engage 4WD to traverse the many hills that make this loop a generous yet casual day away from camp.

Our camp for the night was at Blue Knob fire tower along Knodingbul Road toward Wingham. It’s getting pretty rare to see fire towers these days, but the NSW Forestry Corporation has restored this one and it’s open to the public to freely climb. Blue Knob is just over 1000m above sea level and is the ninth highest tower in Australia, so you can only imagine how stunning the views are at sunrise and sunset. On a clear day you can see from the coast back over the tablelands to the west. It is possible to camp here, as down on a lower level is a large, flat grassed area and a pretty solid fireplace.

1

It does get pretty windy up here, but there is another camping area farther along Knodingbul Road named Dingo Tops. NSW National Parks has done a great job here, with excellent camping facilities, info boards, a few relics to explore, with freshwater and several walks on offer if you feel the need. Make sure you take the time to walk the trail up to Rowleys Rock for the stunning views south towards Wingham and up the valleys. Unfortunately there is a locked gate at the bottom of the perfectly formed road which had us dumbfounded, but allow a good hour return for the walk.

Out the other side of the Dingo Tops campground, along Rusty Road, head down to Potoroo Falls, where National Parks has spent time putting in a beautiful picnic area. The 600m walk to the falls is along an informal track, but it was pretty easy to follow to the falls. When we were there the flow was minor, but going on the size of the deep pool and rock erosion it would be epic to see in full flow.

1

The road down to the falls and out the other side is pretty steep, with switchbacks which make for great viewing through the rainforest and tall stands of timber. Potoroo Forest Road joins back on to Knodingbul Road, from where it’s an easy two-hour drive back down the mountain, mostly through State Forest towards Mount George and Wingham.

It’s a pretty cool region to explore and being 4WD access-only, the relics, mines and fire tower have been left to weather away naturally and not get destroyed. For years I have driven past this area and wondered what was in the hills – so make the effort and have a look … you may be pleasantly surprised.

FOR a chance to win a Wurth under-bonnet LED valued at $249, head to the 4X4 Australia Facebook page and send us a photo of your 4×4 in action.

MY17 TRITON MQ EXCEED

It’s fitted with the following accessories: ARB Summit bar; Titan drawer systems; GME UHF and aerial; SMM steel canopy; Max 4×4 sliders; Redarc brake controller; dual-battery system; Kings awning; Rhino-Rack roof rack; and a lift kit. It was purchased at the end of 2019 from a member of my 4×4 club, and it replaced my old 2004 Nissan Patrol – such an upgrade in terms of power and comfort, if I do say so myself.

Despite COVID-19 hitting last year, I have been able to go on a few trips during the year, from day trips to camping trips. Three of the best trips have been to Landcruiser Mountain Park in September 2020, the 4wd Corroboree ran by the Bundaberg 4×4 Club in October 2020, and a trip to Blackbutt in January 2021 – Harli Drummond Colhoun

1

2019 SUZUKI JIMNY

Changes to the mighty Zook include an OME two-inch lift; KO2 rubber; an ARB bar with a Warn winch; EmuWing gullwing rear window; and Frontrunner rear ladder – Oz Ken

1

HOLDEN Z71 COLORADO

I bought my Z71 Colorado back in 2019 and so far I’ve put a Fabulous Fabrications four-inch stainless-steel snorkel; 4/2-inch Bilstein lift kit with diff drop; Superior UCAs; 285/70/17s with Nitto Ridge Grapplers and Fuel Hostage rims; Rhino-Rack pioneer platform; awning; Maxtrax mounts, shovel and Maxtrax; and an iDrive. Plenty more, but I’ll leave it sweet and simple. Follow my Instagram @kyle_rgz71 -Kyle Randall

1

JEEP WRANGLER

Kit includes ARB twin lockers; a 2.5-inch lift; Warn winch; Currie 44 front housing; 4.88 gears; Uneek 4×4 roof rack; Poison Spyder sliders; Fox shocks; XRC bars; and 37-inch tyres on Method rims -Myroslav Kyshka

1

JEEP GLADIATOR RUBICON

It’s a stock Gladiator Rubicon with the Lifestyle Adventure pack, Luxury pack, Trail Ready pack and Comfort Technology pack. Plus it has a one-inch spacer lift because I had it lying around from my last Rubicon. About to put a two-inch lift in it -Peter Colthup

1

2012 ISUZU D-MAX

It has an Ironman bullbar and recovery points; Kings winch; XTM driving lights; factory alloy tray I picked up for $100; home-built canopy with a basic 12-volt system (Redarc DCDC and Kickass solar MPPT charger); solar under rack on pull-out slide; Wanderer 3×3 awning; GME UHF; Dobinson two-inch suspension with Dobinson remote res shocks; and Patrol steel rims with 265/75/16 all-terrains -Daniel Palmer

1

A strategic partnership has been announced between off-road insurance specialist, Club 4X4, and the 4WD NSW and ACT Incorporated organisation.

The partnership is still being finalised, but once officially signed-off, it will give members of all 4WD NSW and ACT affiliated four-wheel drive clubs, as well as their financial members, access to Club 4X4 products at a preferential rate.

“We have enjoyed a tremendous relationship with the NSW & ACT 4WD Association for many years as a result of the alignment to encourage responsible four-wheel driving and off-road touring,” said Kalen Ziflian, general manager of Club 4X4.

“It makes a lot of sense for us to support each other given this alignment, and we look forward to working with the Association further in a more structured way,” Ziflian added.

1

Club 4X4 provides insurance specific to 4x4s, camper trailers, caravans and slide-on campers, offering a range of tailored benefits with its policies.

Craig Thomas, president of 4WD NSW and ACT Inc, said of the arrangement: “As the principal organisation in NSW and ACT that supports and lobbies for and on behalf of 4WDers, and which represents the majority of 4WD clubs in the state (and territory), we’ve worked closely with Club 4X4 who have demonstrated a true passion for our members.

“This partnership recognises the natural progression and alignment of two organisations. This is the result of many years working together and we value our relationship, as it will provide a tangible benefit in preferential pricing for our members.”The agreement will be formally finalised by mid-July.

Legendary American tuning house Hennessey Performance has just unveiled its latest high-octane thriller – the Mammoth 1000 TRX.

The colossal pick-up starts its life as a standard Dodge Ram 1500 TRX – a vehicle which already has 523kW and 881Nm.

Hennessey then goes about turning the dial of the RAM’s supercharged 6.2-litre Hemi V8 all the way up to 11, installing a new high-flow supercharger, new fuel injectors and a revised induction system.

1

The result is a colossal 755kW and 1314Nm of torque. Hennessey claims these frankly absurd performance figures make the Mammoth the ‘most powerful pick-up truck ever produced’.

And, thanks to a 0-60mp/h (98km/h) time of just 3.2 seconds, despite a three-tonne kerb weight, Hennessey is also claiming the Mammoth is also the fastest accelerating pick-up truck ever made.

Owners keen on taking to the dragstrip are sure to be in for a surprise too, because the 3000 kilogram truck can still allegedly pulverise the 1/4 mile sprint in just 11.4 seconds.

1

Explaining how the herculean Mammoth 1000 TRX came to be, John Hennessey, the enigmatic founder of the Hennessey Performance, said: “Why have a 1000-horsepower pick-up truck? Because we can.”

Hennessey has also bestowed the six-seater with other features such as bespoke exterior bumpers with integrated LED light bars, 20-inch wheels, and off-road tyres.

Just 200 Mammoth examples will be produced for the global market, and according to Hennessey, although the asking price is north of US$150,000 (AU$200,000), more than half of the limited run pick-ups are already spoken for.