GIVE YOUR old man a gift he’ll use this Father’s Day, with these ideas by Golders, Uniden and HEMA sure to be right up his alley.

GIBB RIVER ROAD BY CROWBAR

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Frock up in some Aussie apparel from Australian-owned country business, Golders. These shirts, designed for both men and women, offer UPF 50+ protection and are lightweight (150gsm). Perfect for toiling away beneath the outback sun, the premium shirts are made from 100 per cent cotton twill, with a soft hand feel. With heaps of sizes and colours available, the shirts are said to be incredibly comfortable. Website: www.goldersaustralia.com.au RRP: $59.95

UNIDEN UH620 SERIES

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Built for the rough and tumble of outback expedition, Uniden’s lightweight UH620 Series of UHF radios are available in 1-, 1.5- and 2-watt variations for extended range. The units can communicate up to a 13km+ range, making them a viable option for remote travel. Other features include an inbuilt LED light, 80 UHF channels, and up to 20 hours of talk time. Rechargeable batteries are included. RRP: $79.95 (single pack); $179.95 (twin pack) Website: www.uniden.com.au

WHERE TO CAMP GUIDE – 1ST EDITION

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Hema’s Where To Camp Guide is a great place to start when you’re planning your next camping adventure. With more than 5500 indexed sites, split onto 75 regions, the guide has a comprehensive collection of site listings across all states and territories. Listings are categorised as camping grounds, caravan parks, bush camps and overnight rest areas. The guide also includes 180 pages of maps, more than 1000 free and budget sites, camping and travel tips, and plenty more. RRP: $64.95 Website: www.hemamaps.com

In Season 7 of the 4X4 Adventure Series, the crew heads to the Apple Isle in pursuit of hidden campsite gems and challenging tracks.

With MSA 4×4 and MAXTRAX tagging along in their respective 6WDs, this episode sees the convoy start their journey at Jacobs Ladder on a cold, wet and windy summer’s day.

With the spectacular views hidden behind heavy cloud cover, the crew decides to heads north and battle through belting rain to the coast at Bridport, airing down for some fun on the beach and dunes en-route to Bellingham.

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Back on tarmac the team heads south to the small town of Derby, before continuing on to the historical Blue Tier Forest Reserve and then dropping in for a brew at the Pub in the Paddock.

More sand driving was on the agenda for the following day, with a jaunt through the Peron Dunes – helping some stranded folks with our trusty set of MAXTRAX recovery boards – before heading south to Cape Tourville Lighthouse which is popular with tourists.

Out campsite for the night, originally intended to be at the southern end of the Friendly Beaches, was instead within the forest due to mechanical failure with one of the vehicles.

In this episode we also test out a couple of products new to market: MSA 4×4’s towing mirrors, the MAXTRAX Indeflate and Narva’s Ultima 180 LEDs.

OUR September 2020 issue of 4X4 Australia is now on sale.

With spring on the horizon, peak desert-touring season is nearing. So to help prepare for your pursuit of red dust and remote campsites, we’ve listed eight epic desert adventures to put on your bucket list. The CSR and Strzelecki Track, to name two.

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Remember, though, before you undertake a desert trip, you’ll need a capable vehicle prepped for off-road travel.

Speaking of capable vehicles for remote travel, we’ve included a couple of beauties. The custom Troop Carrier you see plastered on the cover is the first LC78 to be fitted with Marks 4WD portal axles. However, there’s plenty more to this Troopy than meets the eye.

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Another mouth-watering custom creation in this issue is a behemoth F250, running a V8 turbo-diesel code-named ‘Scorpion’ that punches out an awe-inspiring 1268Nm. Holy moly! The F250 is the perfect caravan-hauler for that extended trip away.

Also in this issue, we take an in-depth look at a couple of Aussie 4×4 classics: the Holden Overlander and the Ford XY Falcon. Plus, we drive the JT Gladiator to find out if it really is the perfect choice for the 4×4 lifestyle.

WHAT ELSE IS THERE?

– 2020 Ford Bronco coverage. – New 4×4 products on the market. – 4×4 gear tested. – Readers’ Rigs and long-term shed updates.

The September 2020 magazine is OUT NOW!

THE FORD Ranger is a favourite among Australian four-wheelers, ever-popular on the sales charts – going tit-for-tat with the Hilux for best-selling 4×4 for a good part of the last five years.

It’s no surprise then that there’s a smorgasbord of aftermarket equipment readily available for the Blue Oval fourbie, and no doubt you’ve seen plenty of accessorised Rangers popping in and out of your favourite campsites.

Over the past couple of years, we’ve drooled over some of the finest Ranger builds in the country – so we decided to list a bunch of our favourites. In addition, it’d be remiss of us to catalogue our favourite Ford custom builds without mentioning a couple of ridiculously good F-250s, as well as a neat and tidy Everest Trend.

SUPERCHARGED V8 MIGHT

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WHEN this Ranger rolled into the Diesel Leaders garage, its standard 3.2-litre inline five-cylinder engine had seen its last day. An option raised by the rig’s anonymous owner was to slot in a V8 as a replacement, so the Diesel Leader team – led by Gary Coleman – got to work.

One of the only stipulations enforced by the owner was that the new V8 had to look factory in the bay, so that meant a Ford engine was the only option, with the team nodding toward a supercharged Ford Coyote V8 good for 335kW and 570Nm in stock form. As that engine had been powering a number of hi-po Falcons in Australia, it was easy to come by. To prevent a mountain of additional work, the Falcon’s six-speed auto was the transmission of choice.

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Perhaps the biggest challenge of this build was fitting the large V8 petrol guzzler in to the Ranger’s space-limited engine bay, and then fitting the Falcon transmission in to the Ranger’s transfer case – a job eventually performed by Rage Engineering in Queensland. Another huge challenge was fitting the custom exhaust system, a job ticked off by a different local company. It was this cutting and matching of aftermarket parts with standard fitments that consumed plenty of time in the shed.

On a dyno run the V8 was said to smash out 344kW, with the potential to generate considerably more power if desired.

The V8 may be the hero of this build, but the Ranger has some serious modifications for off-road work including lifted suspension courtesy of heavy-duty springs and Bilstein dampers. Other kit includes a Rhino 4×4 bash plate, 35×12.50R20LT Nitto Grappler M/Ts wrapped around KMC Wheels’ satin black XD820 Grenade rims, and a Rhino 4×4 Evolution 3D front winch bar (with aluminium bash plate).

6.6 LITRES OF FURY

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THIS example you’re ogling right now is what happens when you slot one of the best-hauling engines on the market into a PX1 Ford Ranger. That engine in question is a stonking turbocharged 6.6-litre Duramax engine, the kind you’ll find powering GMC trucks. To cater for the considerable hike in torque, the Ranger’s factory six-speed and transfer were binned, replaced by an Allison Transmission six-speed auto and New Process NT263 transfer case.

How much power and torque are we talking here? On a dyno tune, the Ranger clocked up a mesmerising 468rwhp and 1320Nm. Yep, no kidding. Somewhat surprisingly, the vehicle’s owner Ant said the engine swap was “pretty straightforward”. “They’re a common swap in to Patrols, but this was actually a lot simpler,” he said.

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With the regular duty of towing a 3400kg boat down to the coast, Ant reckons he doesn’t even notice the boat behind the Ranger, only clocking up 17.2L/100km with the boat tethered behind.

As the Ranger’s standard diffs are up to the task, a tickle underneath rectified any off-road shortfalls due to the increase mass up front with heavy-duty XGS two-inch-lifted springs enclosing Ironman 4×4 Foam Cell Pro shock absorbers. It’s the same combination at the rear, albeit with only a 50mm body lift. In addition, a set of Total Chaos upper control arms were slotted in.

Other notable accessories include a four-inch snorkel, front and rear bar work, 35-inch Nitto Terra Grapplers wrapped around 16-inch Allied Wheels’ Brutes, and an Aeroklas canopy. You may also have noticed the clean, de-badged look, which was an intention from the outset. In fact, even the UHF aerial is hidden to maintain the neat aesthetics.

BIGGER AND BETTER

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WHEN most folks think of big four-wheel drives they think of RAM 2500s and Ford F-250s, but rarely will they picture a PX1 XLS Ranger. However, this isn’t any regular Ranger. Its owner, Jesse Endenburg, threw the spanners and grinders at it to make it 300mm longer, and that’s only one aspect of this insane build.

By stitching an extra 300mm of chassis rail, pushing the rear axle back and stretching the wheelbase, the vehicle needed a lift to cater for the comprehensive makeover. To this end, the team at Performance Suspension Racing in Queensland gave the vehicle a 50mm body-lift.

A four-inch suspension lift from Superior Engineering provided Jesse with the balance he was seeking, with the monotube arrangement comprising high-quality shocks. Superior Engineering upper control arms were also slotted in, as was a PSR diff-drop kit. The rubber of choice was Mickey Thompson MTZ tyres, and they’re wrapped around Method Race Wheels alloys.

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Unlike the previous two builds, this Ranger retains Ford’s 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. The Duratorq engine has been fettled by Just Autos, in an effort to allow the engine reach its potential – aided by an HDI intercooler and four-inch Fabulous Fabrications stainless-steel snorkel. A custom NPC clutch aids the six-speed transmission, while a custom exhaust system expels spent gasses.

An ARB Deluxe bullbar resides up front, as does a Domin8r 12,00lb winch. A set of custom Elite Engineering rock sliders run down the flanks, with an Ironman 4×4 steel rear bar keeping things tidy and protected down back.

Lighting duties are taken care of thanks to a 50-inch light bar positioned on the roof, while a 22-inch Stedi bar lives on the ARB bullbar. Power needs are controlled via a Redarc 1240 BCDC charger and KickAss slimline battery.

HARROP’S HERO

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THIS Ranger build, clearly concocted with the style of Baja 1000 pre-runner chase cars in mind, is the brainchild of Melbourne-based Harrop Engineering, and we first came across it almost five years ago.

The Harrop Ford PXII XLT Ranger’s key attribute – that killer chase rack – was made by Melbourne mob Uneek 4×4. The fully powdercoated rack comprises of the base rack, a spare wheel carrier and a roof rack, and it features custom-designed side-plates. The base rack and roof rack are TIG-welded in 6061 aluminium, and the tyre rack is made using steel.

MCC side-steps run down the vehicle’s flanks, while a low-cut Rhino 4×4 bar maintains that subtle yet strong appearance. Interestingly, that bar was originally made for a Ford Everest; so a grille from an Everest was fitted to the Ranger as a work-around.

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A free-flowing exhaust system, in tandem with a Unichip Q4 tuning module, increases the response and performance of the 3.2-litre diesel engine, with torque now coming on instantly and power rising from 125kW/420Nm to 157kW/536Nm.

The suspension setup was masterminded by the crew at Tough Dog 4WD Suspension, with an overhaul of the stock springs and shocks lifting ride height. A Harrop E-Locker fixed to the front axle now works in tandem with the factory Ford rear locker – it can be run independently if required.

A set of 285/65R18 Nitto Trail Grappler tyres accompanying the 18-inch Method wheels maintain the race-inspired look, with a matching Nitto residing on the chase rack.

It’s so good, in fact, it won our inaugural Custom 4×4 of the Year award, as voted by our readers.

AMVE MASTERPIECE

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THIS epic 2017 F-250 Platinum puts forward quite a compelling case for the ‘bigger is better’ theory. Assembled for touring by Queensland mob Allsafe Mine Vehicle Equipment (AMVE) – the same crew that screwed together the canopy on the 4X4 Australia Ranger – the purpose-built Yank tank was made to tour throughout Australia while hauling a massive 21-foot Kedron off-road caravan.

Considering AMVE were the brains behind the build, it shouldn’t be a surprise to learn that the custom tray and canopy fit-out is first class. The aluminium tray, for example, features four toolboxes, with one housing an ARB air-compressor.

The canopy includes two lift-up side doors, an 80-litre Engel accessed via an MSA 4×4 drop-down slide and twin cargo drawers. The canopy also houses a Redarc Battery Management System (BMS) to control electronics.

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There’s also a Rhino-Rack Pioneer platform up top with a Rhino-Rack Batwing awning and a 100-litre aluminium water tank. There’s also a custom tyre holder for two 37-inch spares.

Eager eyes will notice the vehicle stands taller than stock F-250s – four inches taller, in fact – and that’s courtesy of an overhaul to the suspension setup. Up front you’ll find a King Off-Road Racing Shocks coil-over system; down back is a set of standard rear springs with an additional leaf added to them … as well as a set of Airbag Man adjustable airbags and another pair of King Shocks.

A Fabulous Fabrication four-inch stainless-steel snorkel feeds clean air into the 6.7-litre Power Stroke V8 engine, while other gear includes a Road Armor Steel Stealth front bar, Bushwacker flares, AMVE 4×4 side-steps, 15,000lb Warn winch, Weldex LED spotties and XRay light bars. The 37×13.5×18 Mickey Thompson MTZ P3 tyres wrap around Fuel 18×9-inch wheels.

BLACK OPS

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ANOTHER F-250 that needs to be seen to be believed is this limited edition 2017 Black Ops Edition, fettled by US aftermarket manufacturer Tuscany Motor Co.

Unlike a stock F-250, the Black Ops edition comes from the factory with a six-inch lift, 20-inch rims inside 37-inch tyres, twin steering dampers, plenty of carbon-fibre bits and pieces, and a massive Road Armor bullbar.

However, its owner Simon wanted to turn the dial up to 11, and a call to Outback Customs in Caboolture got things rolling. You see that massive canopy? Well, it’s sardine-packed with a helluva lot of quality gear. The heavy-duty steel tray itself has plenty of storage options, but it’s up top where things get really interesting. There are not one but two Jackoff canopies, independent of each other, and Simon can also rid the back of the canopies and utilise the flat tray for his Polaris RZR.

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The electronics are kept in check by a Redarc battery management system hooked to twin lithium batteries, while other kit stored away includes a gas-powered hot-water system, an MSA drop-down fridge slide, a full 12V kit-out and a Weber Q barbecue. An interchangeable roof-rack system allows Simon to swap between a motorised boat loader and a James Baroud rooftop tent, depending on his trip itinerary.

To cater for all of this added weight, Outback Customs installed a Ride-Rite air-suspension arrangement to the rear, backed by King coil-overs up front and King shocks in the rear – both using remote reservoirs.

A five-tonne rig, loaded to the brim with toys and aftermarket kit, needs a big engine and the F-250 runs a beastly 6.7L Power Stroke diesel that puts out 328kW and 1166Nm. Simon even had the engine tweaked by the experts at Bully Dog, so it’s even more refined than stock!

CLIMBING EVEREST

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IT WOULDN’T be fair to the hugely capable Everest to not include in our list of Favourite Ford builds, and this carefully constructed example was simply too good not to include.

After considered research, the owner of this mid-spec Everest Trend, Chris, opted to dress-up the front-end with quality protection. To this end, a steel ARB Summit bullbar and associated brush rails and side-steps – all colour-coded – got the nod. A Warn M8000 winch and LED spotlights are neatly nestled into the ARB bar. Beneath the bar is a Roadsafe metal bash plate and rated recovery points.

Stock suspension bits were replaced with Ironman 4×4 components including Foam Cell Pro shock absorbers and heavy-duty coil springs, giving the Everest an overall ride-height lift of 50mm – aided of course by the 285/65R18 Cooper ST Maxx tyres and CSA Raptor alloy wheels.

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As it’s a wagon and not a ute, space is more compromised. So, again, careful consideration was required to appease any storage shortfalls. Recovery gear and other off-road essentials are packed away in a set of 900mm-long slide-out drawers which also house a Waeco fridge. Concealed beneath the fridge is an aux battery and Projector DC-DC charger.

More items are stored on the Rhino XTray roof rack, including a high-lift jack, traction boards and a shovel. Gemtek lighting turns night into day on bush tracks, while an 80-channel UHF radio from GME keeps Chris’s comms active.

The stock 3.2-litre engine remains unchanged and emits 143kW and 470Nm, with the only modification in that area being a TJM Airtec intake snorkel.

While not as wild as some of the other builds on these pages, this Everest proves you don’t need a massive budget or a massive list of aftermarket gear to make the ideal 4×4 for your needs and wants.

4X4 AUSTRALIA RANGER

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MAYBE there’s an element of bias here, but we reckon our Ford Ranger cuts the mustard as a highly capable Ranger build. Purchased as a stock-standard XLS with a six-speed manual cog-swapper, the Ranger has received a bounty of aftermarket equipment in its relatively short time with us.

We initially picked a Ranger as we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to aftermarket equipment for the Blue Oval 4×4. Plus, as mentioned, it’s also a great seller, consistently at the pointy end of the sales charts.

The first call of action after signing on the dotted line was to replace the stock tyres – initially Maxxis RAZR muddies, but more recently with Goodyear MT/Rs – upgrade the wheels to a set of bronze KMC Addict 2 alloys, and improve the suspension setup. This was done by Ironman 4×4, with the Aussie brand employing Foam Cell Pro front struts and uprated coil springs, new forged aluminium upper control arms and a constant-load rear leaf spring mated to another set of Foam Cell Pro shocks.

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A loopless AFN 4×4 bullbar was then secured up front, housing a Warn winch, Narva Ultima 180 lights and aerials for both the Cel-Fi Go booster and GME UHF radio. The aluminium plate underbody protection is also from AFN 4×4. Those Narva lights are a recent addition, as we were previously running a set of Bushranger Nighthawk driving lights.

That tidy canopy, constructed by Queensland’s AMVE, is custom-made from powdercoated aluminium. Inside the canopy you’ll find a myCOOLMAN 60-litre fridge on an MSA fridge slide, an integrated water tank and oodles of storage facilities. Power needs are controlled and monitored by an integrated RedVision Total Vehicle Management System, incorporating a Manager 30 DC-DC charger and a Redarc 2000-watt pure sine wave inverter.

Other equipment includes a Hayman Reese X-Bar, a Rola Titan Tray rack system atop the canopy, MaxTrax Extreme recovery boards, a second Titan Tray atop the Ranger, Narva LED work lights, a Pacemaker Exhausts’ King Brown exhaust system, a Water Watch unit and a Provent oil separator catch-can from Direction Plus.

It’s definitely been put to work since we took ownership of the vehicle, ferrying camping and photography gear on a number of 4X4 Adventure Series trips, including to Tasmania, the Flinders Ranges and Central Australia. There’s plenty of life left in our Ranger yet!

SHIELD your vehicle’s integral components by upgrading its armour with quality aftermarket gear, including these options from Ironman 4×4 and TJM.

TJM VENTURER BAR

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TJM has unveiled a new bullbar for the Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series: the TJM Venturer bar. The subtle bar, which respects the LC200’s design by accentuating the 200s natural lines, features an all-steel construction. Said to be lighter than other steel bar alternatives, the Venturer boasts a removable top hoop, a steel underbody guard, LED fog lights, heavy-duty aerial tabs, reinforced T-slots, and integrated 8000kg recovery points. Stainless-steel grilles sit either side of TJM’s winch mount frame. The bar is compatible with the vehicle’s safety systems and is ADR compliant. Website: www.tjm.com.au

IRONMAN 4X4 UNDERBODY PROTECTION: 2018+ JIMNY

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Designed to protect the most vulnerable impact zones in the centre section of the Jimny (2018+ models), Ironman 4×4’s Premium Underbody Protection kit will keep the transfer case, driveline components and exhaust safe when roughing it off road. The stylish and functional kit is designed using heavy-duty reinforced 4mm steel, to resist damage from rocks, stumps and ground strikes. The plates are EDP E-coated and incorporate ample drainage. It comes with a two-year warranty. Website: www.ironman4x4.com RRP: $476

UPGRADE your 4×4 with some new LEDs, courtesy of Wurth and Bushranger.

WURTH UNDER-BONNET LED

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A clever design aspect of the Wurth under-bonnet LED is that it has hooks on either end that can swivel 360 degrees, to help fix it in place. To prevent scratching paint or other sensitive materials, the unit is lined in foam. The compact and extendable LED is suitable for bonnets 110 to 180cm wide, and it utilises 32 LEDs and 10 watts each. Using lithium-ion battery tech, the light has a short charging time but a long light duration. Two light levels are available. RRP: $249 Website: www.wurth.com.au

BUSHRANGER NIGHTHAWK 7-INCH VLI LED

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Bushranger has added a set of seven-inch LEDs to its driving light family. The compact, lightweight lights are great when space is at a premium up the front of your 4×4. The lights push out the same 967m at 1 lux as the brand’s nine-inch variants. The lights come with two protective covers, allowing users to quickly change the beam pattern. We had a bigger set of nine-inch Night Hawks on the 4X4 Australia Ford Ranger and were very impressed with the light spread they threw out in front of us on a few adventures. Plus, the Night Hawk won our 2019 LED driving light comparison. The lights come with a five-year warranty. Website: www.bushranger.com.au

To showcase its range of factory-backed accessories that will be available at launch, Ford USA has revealed five new adventure-inspired Bronco concepts that were expected to debut at the now-cancelled 2020 SEMA Show.

The five Bronco concepts are: Four-Door Outer Banks Fishing Guide; Two-Door Trail Rig; Sport Trail Rig; Sport TOW RZR; and Sport Off-Roadeo Adventure Patrol.

“Our dream for Bronco was not just to design a family of vehicles people would love, but to build a community around people who love to go off-road and get into the wild, who want to customise and personise their Broncos, and share experiences with each other,” said Jim Hackett, Ford president and chief executive officer.

Bronco Four-Door Outer Banks Fishing Guide

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Based on the four-door Bronco ‘Outer Banks’, the Fishing Guide is built as a lifestyle vehicle with – you guessed it – fishing in mind, with a custom-made fishing pole and seat perch fitted to fender-mounted trail sights. A Bestop Sunrider first-row soft top as well as factory-style roof rails and crossbars reside up top, complemented by a Yakima LockNLoad Platform roof rack. Extra kit includes a Ford Performance modular front bumper and safari bar, a slide-out tailgate, all-weather floor mats and splash guards.

Bronco Two-Door Trail Rig

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Based on the two-door ‘Badlands’, the Two-Door Trail Rig concept utilises a Ford Performance modular front bumper and a Yakima Platform roof rack system, with mounts for a shovel, recovery boards and a WARN recovery kit. A WARN winch up front will help get wayward mates out of a pickle, while a 40-inch LED light bar and beadlock-capable wheels round out the package.

Bronco Sport Trail Rig

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Also based on the ‘Badlands’ series, the Sport Trail Rig receives a one-inch lift kit and adds 31-inch BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3 tyres, RIGID LED off-road lights, and a Yakima LockNLoad Platform roof rack with mounts for a high-lift jack kit, recovery boards and jerry cans.

Bronco Sport TOW RZR

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For the adventurer who likes to tow and haul outdoor gear, the TOW RZR is the concept that’ll tick the right boxes. Again based on the ‘Badlands’ series, the TOW RZR adds Yakima HD Bar crossbars, an OffGrid medium cargo basket, and a Class II Trailer Tow Package with a 2200lb capacity.

Bronco Sport Off-Roadeo Adventure Patrol

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The Sport Off-Roadeo Adventure Patrol is loaded with a Yakima LockNLoad Cargo Platform with mounts for a high-lift jack, recovery boards and jerry cans; a Ford Performance by RIGID off-road LED light bar; and an interior Yakima rack to store two mountain bikes.

In total, more than 200 factory-backed accessories will be available for two- and four-door Broncos, as well as more than 100 accessories for Bronco Sport models.

The Bronco is not coming to Australia.

REMEMBER the Jeep Wayout concept from 2019? Well, Jeep has backed that up and cranked the dial up to 11 with the debut of its Gladiator Farout concept.

Jeep had originally planned to reveal the Farout concept at the 2020 Moab Easter Jeep Safari back in April of this year, but had to cancel the event due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“Although we didn’t get to celebrate in Moab this year with our latest round of concept vehicles, we’re pleased to introduce the Jeep Farout concept today as a vehicle that blends Gladiator EcoDiesel’s fuel efficiency with an area of features fans of overlanding will love,” said Jim Morrison, Head of Jeep Brand – FCA North America.

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“Building on the popularity of last year’s Gladiator Wayout concept, and as overlanding continues to grow in popularity, this year’s Farout concept is another opportunity to gather feedback from our passionate customer base,” Morrison added.

The Farout concept is powered by a 194kW/599Nm3.0-litre EcoDiesel V6 engine, an engine to be made available in the US market in the third quarter of 2020 for the Gladiator Sport, Overland and Rubicon models.

Currently in Australia the Gladiator is sold solely with a petrol-powered 3.6-litre Pentastar V6. Don’t expect it here, though, with the V6 diesel certainly not on Jeep Australia’s radar.

2019 Jeep Gladiator Wayout concept

Another stand-out feature of the Farout concept is that customisable roof-top tent. Measuring a comfortable 4.88m long and 2.29m tall, the deployable tent is said to sleep four and open and retract in seconds.

The Farout also boasts a fully functional fridge and stove, a built-in table and seats, a Jeep Performance Parts (JPP) two-inch lift kit, Fox performance shocks, 37-inch muddies around 17-inch rims, a 12,000lb Warn winch within a modified Gladiator Rubicon steel bumper, amd custom rock rails front and rear.

Not to be outdone by the revelation of the all-new D-MAX and pricing changes for the Toyota Hilux, Ford has bolstered its Ranger line-up.

Arriving in Australian showrooms from this month, Ford has released details of a new Ranger XL Special Edition model, a Fully Loaded pack for the Ranger XLT, and a selection of Heavy Duty upgrade packages for Australian buyers.

“Ranger has been designed and engineered in Australia, and our harsh continent is an ideal place to develop, test and test again to ensure Ranger meets the Tough Done Smarter mantra,” said Andrew Birkic, President and CEO of Ford Australia and New Zealand.

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“We’re working hard to ensure that tradies and their teams across the country, and businesses pushing to get back on their feet, have the right equipment and support to get on with what matters to them most,” he added.

The XL Special Edition is based on the double-cab chassis 3.2-litre automatic variant, but adds key components: a factory-fitted steel bull bar with integrated mounting points for lighting and UHF antennae; an LED light bar; and a Ford Genuine fixed-head snorkel.

The XL Special Edition is launching with a recommended drive-away price of $49,990.

In addition, consumers who opt for an XL variant can now deck-out their 4×4 with optional, factory-fitted Continental ContCrossContact all-terrain tyres wrapped around 17×17/5-inch steel wheels (RRP: $500).

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Consumers can also now get a Spray-in Bedliner from factory on all XL, XLS and XLT double-cab pick-ups, and XLS models can now be personalised with black-finish 17-inch alloys instead of the standard 16s.

The Heavy Duty Pack can be optioned with a number of Ranger models – single-cab, super-cab and double-cabs in cab-chassis and pick-up configurations – and comprises the as-mentioned Continental ContCrossContact all-terrain, black side steps (excluding single cab-chassis) a heavy duty suspension set-up, and a rear-view camera kit for cab-chassis models (it’s already standard fare for the pick-ups). It comes with a price tag of between $1600 and $2000 (depending on the variant).

The Fully Loaded Pack is exclusive to the Ranger XLT double-cab (3.2 and 2.0 arrangements) and comprises 18-inch black alloys, adaptive cruise control, leather-accented seat trim and semi-automatic parallel parking.

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RANGER PRICING: 4X4 MODELS

XL Single C/C 3.2L MT: $43,090 XL Single C/C 3.2L AT: $42,290 XL Super C/C 3.2L MT: $45,590 XL Super C/C 3.2L AT: $47,490 XL Super P/up 3.2L AT: $49,190 XL Double C/C 2.2L AT: $47,290 XL Double P/up 2.2L AT: $48,690 XL Double C/C 3.2L MT: $47,590 XL Double C/C 3.2L AT: $49,790 XL Double P/up 3.2L MT: $48,990 XL Double P/up 3.2L AT: $51,190 XLS Double P/up 3.2L MT: $50,290 XLS Double P/up 3.2L AT: $52,490 Sport Double P/up 3.2L MT: $53,540 Sport Double P/up 3.2L AT: $55,740 XLT Super P/up 3.2L AT: $57,440 XLT Super P/up Bi-Turbo AT: $58,940 XLT Double P/up 3.2L MT: $57,240 XLT Double P/up 3.2L AT: $59,440 XLT Double P/up Bi-Turbo AT: $60,940

UPDATE, July 2022: New 2023 HiLux detailed for Australia

Toyota has announced Australian details for the updated 2023 HiLux, including a wider new look for the Rogue. Get more at the link below.

HOT on the heels of Isuzu unveiling its new D-MAX ute, both Ford and Toyota have announced updates to ther respective models which are the sales leaders in the class.

For the Hilux, the announcement confirms the previously previewed facelift and, more significantly, beefed-up 2.8-litre diesel engine.

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Toyota has tweaked the 1GD engine to now produce 150kW and 500Nm, bringing it inline with the torquiest four-cylinder diesels in the class.

The 1GD was criticised in the past for offering lacklustre performance, and we’re hoping these improvements rectify this and inject some life into the Hilux.

To extract the added performance, Toyota treated the 1GD to a new heavy duty, ball-bearing turbocharger and an updated fuel injection system with a higher maximum fuel pressure of 250 MPa.

The updates are claimed to improve overtaking and towing ability, with maximum torque now available across a wider range of 1600 to 2800rpm for the six-speed auto and 1400 to 3400rpm with the six-speed manual gearbox.

Manual gearbox-equipped Hiluxes are limited to 420Nm, but all 4×4 ‘Luxes now step up to 3500kg towing capacity.

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The suspension and power steering have also been revised to improve ride comfort and driver feel, particularly when unladen where the previous Hilux had been criticised for being too harsh. This has been achieved while maintaining the load-carrying capacity and ability, which has always been a strong point for the model.

Inside, Hilux gets a new audio system and screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto now supported, as well as Toyota’s own myToyota app. Answering another criticism of the previous model, the audio system now used knobs in lieu of buttons. Knobs are faster-reacting, more tactile and easier to use than small buttons, particularly when driving over rough terrain.

The dash gets a new speedometer and tachometers, with a cleaner and more premium look. These sit astride a colour 4.2-inch multi-information display that includes a digital speed readout and front-wheel angle, which is beneficial when driving off-road.

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PRICING: 4X4 MODELS

Single-Cab (cab-chassis)

Extra-Cab (cab chassis)

Extra-Cab (pick-up)

Double-Cab (cab-chassis)

Double-Cab (pick-up)