It’s been several years since 4X4 Australia compared fuel types.

This article was originally published in the August 2014 issue of 4×4 Australia.

In fact, the last time we compared economy and costs was back in 2006, when fuel prices skyrocketed – we took diesel and petrol versions of the then-new and still-current Nissan Navara and Toyota Hilux for a comprehensive ’burbs, bush and beach bash all in the name of research.

Since then, the Australian Government’s LPG technology incentive rebate has come and gone.

Also, several 4×4 vehicle manufacturers have reduced the availability of petrol engines or deleted them altogether, a decision driven largely by the mining sector’s need for diesel (minimal fire risk) and the ever increasing economy and power outputs from turbo-diesel engines.

With the popularity of Aussie travel increasing, and with plenty of budget-conscious buyers looking to buy a second-hand 4×4, we figured it was time for another look at fuels: petrol, diesel and this time, LPG for outback and bush travelling.

THE GUINEA PIGS We needed vehicles to run the numbers and Toyota’s Hilux is a good choice. It’s available with 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engines and is one of the few commercial vehicles to continue offering buyers a grunty petrol option: a 4.0-litre quad-cam four-valve V6 petrol, but only on the top-spec SR5.

Next to it, Toyota’s 4.0-litre DOHC four-valve all-alloy V6 develops a stout 175kW at 5200rpm and 376Nm at 3800rpm.

Thanks to the tech tricks of variable cam timing and dual-runner intake manifold, the lusty V6 manages to fill-out the lower part of the torque curve far better than its ‘revvy’ specifications and smaller-than-V8 capacity suggest. It certainly doesn’t need much clutch-feathering to get moving.

Petrol engines can be converted to run on cheaper, greener, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) but this is not a showroom option on any 4×4 vehicle. So for this task, we used a camper-equipped 2005 Hilux SR 4WD 4.0-litre petrol V6 fitted with an aftermarket Impco/BRG sequential vapour LPG injection system to provide dual-fuel operation.

This LPG installation features one injector per cylinder and sequential injection, just like a standard petrol injection system. In fact, the Impco set-up has an engine-bay mounted electronic control unit to interface with the Toyota’s ECU; each LPG injector copies a petrol injector’s behaviour to provide precise LPG delivery and engine outputs and driveability that are identical to petrol.

Even when in LPG mode, starting and warm-up happen on petrol. When the engine reaches operating temperature it almost seamlessly switches to LPG. If the LPG tank runs out, the system sounds a ‘no LPG’ warning to the driver and reverts to petrol operation.

This dual-fuel conversion provides reduced fuel costs, petrol servicing regimes (and prices) and extended range – very handy benefits for 4×4 owners.

The engine is also protected by a Valvemaster system to prevent or reduce valve seat damage as LPG burns hotter and is more aggressive on the exhaust valves. Note that while Toyota (and other manufacturers) offer an LPG option on some models, this one is an aftermarket system and is not endorsed or warranted by Toyota.

THE TEST AND THE TERRAIN We laid-out an on-road test route in western Victoria. Our beginning and end point was Dimboola’s service station where we had a bit of space to pull-in and easily refuel with a caravan on the back.

Our loop was around 130km of mostly open 100km/h highway with a sprinkling of urban running through the small town of Horsham.

This allowed the three fuel types, in the two vehicles, to be assessed in real-world – and almost exact – conditions back-to-back. There was little change in elevation over the loop – in other words, there were no steep hills – and our aim was to derive comparative consumption figures between the fuel types in identical conditions which, with other costs such as servicing and LPG conversion pricing, would allow us to determine comparative costs.

Measuring of the fuel used on each test loop was critical so it was important to reduce or eliminate what the white-coats refer to as introduced errors. Each tank was carefully and precisely topped-up before and after each test to provide an exact fuel use while using the same roads and even the same bowsers kept things scientific.

Each fuel type was used around our loop with nothing on the tail, an 800kg Cub camper trailer and a 2.2-tonne caravan. The two vehicles carried different hardware but were piloted by the same driver and, as mentioned, each test loop was replicated as exactly as possible right down to idling time at, and acceleration from, traffic lights and 100-to-40km/h deceleration for road works.

Acceleration requires significant fuel burn – more than idling at lights – so replicating these situations each time was critical to the validity of the test.THE NUMBERS Most people who have been around 4x4s, towing and travelling for a while won’t be surprised to learn that the diesel Hilux’s fuel use was, on numbers alone, the most economical in all three situations, whether towing a trailer, a ’van or nothing.

But what of actual running costs? Petrol was 156.9c, diesel 161.9c and LPG 92.9c. Without doing the sums it’s easy to see that diesel’s similar bowser price but more frugal burn means it’s the pick of the pair… but by how much?

And is LPG a viable alternative to diesel for overall running costs?

So, what’s the outcome of all this? Firstly, there’s no doubt that diesel is the fuel of choice for many of us for good reason – vehicles that use it are more frugal, especially when doing the hard yards towing.

What we haven’t analysed is the increased servicing costs of diesel vehicles compared to petrol and dual-fuel machines. This varies by brand and model but in general, diesels need more frequent servicing, with more expensive oil, and more of it, plus higher labour costs. This eats away at any day-to-day savings created by greater fuel economy.

Fixed price servicing as offered by most new car manufacturers these days takes the guess work out of estimating you overall service costs when comparing between fuel and/or vehicles. Similarly there is the extra cost of an LPG conversion: around $4000 for the clever dual-fuel EFI system as featured here. For the past six years, the Australian government has offered a rebate for LPG conversions as it is a demonstrably cleaner fuel than petrol and (especially) diesel

Unfortunately this rebate came on an end on June 30 and with an increase in the tax/excise on LPG, this fuel is having its decades of outstanding appeal for cost-conscious (and more environmentally aware) motorists eroded by fiscal policy.

While we’re talking costs, we paid rural prices for our three fuels. Closer to town, prices are lower – especially, proportionately, for LPG which means even further savings which brings LPG even closer to the per-100km cost of diesel but with petrol-vehicle servicing costs.

Diesel has wide appeal for good reason but do the sums and an LPG conversion on an older petrol-powered ute or wagon can make owning a 4×4 vehicle more affordable on a dual-fuel conversion than on diesel in the long run.

Living with LPG

LPG provides economical running but reduces absolute range. A valve-saver system is necessary but cheap (around $100 plus fitting) protection against valve seat recession for many engines due to the potentially damaging hot-burning nature of LPG. New-generation LPG systems start and warm-up the engine on petrol so the standard petrol injectors are flushed with fresh fuel at every start-up to prevent seizing and gumming: keep the petrol in the tank fresh by consuming it all and refilling (even if it is to only 1/3 or ½ full) every month or so in suburbia.

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LPG AND DIESEL

It’s possible to install LPG on a diesel vehicle, too, but the outcome is different to that on a petrol/LPG dual-fuel vehicle. According to Diesel Gas Australia, introducing a small amount of LPG to a diesel-burning engine allows it to produce more power and torque with less diesel consumption. The LPG works as a catalyst, introduced by a single injector into the intake manifold at part-throttle and above (not at idle) to improve the burning of the diesel. It does not replace diesel completely, as LPG does in a petrol-powered engine. This better burn of the diesel thanks to the presence of LPG boosts torque and power. As the LPG is a ‘power adder’ fuel, its consumption in a diesel vehicle is a small proportion of the distillate burn. Of course, we couldn’t test this in our test loop, but more grunt and better economy is worth crunching the numbers for!

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Some of us are born off-roaders, childhoods spent bouncing along in the back seat of a rusty old 4×4 as we travel to far off destinations that others only dream of. Others don’t find their way behind the tiller of a 4×4 until much later in life, often by sheer chance, but sometimes due to a life-altering event.

For Anthony Collins, the owner of this one-of-a-kind VDJ76R, he was firmly in the second group. A trained osteopath, Anthony found his life at a crossroads in 2014 when a mountain bike accident severely damaged his left hand and left him unable to work.

With his future in doubt and surgery only aggravating the injury, Anthony decided to hit the road. A month travelling the outback of Australia would give him a much needed break from the stress of his current situation and time to figure out where his life was headed.

Anthony loaded what little camping gear he had into the back of his Nissan Murano, kissed his wife goodbye and set off west. He conquered the Strezlecki Track, Cordillo Road, Birdsville Track, Oodnadatta Track, Mereenie Loop, Humbert Track and Nathan River Road in the soft-roader through a combination of level headedness and sheer luck. It was out there that Anthony first heard the rumble of Toyota’s current V8 Land Cruisers and decided he had to have one.

“I spent the twilight days of my outback trip drooling over them in 4×4 magazines,” Ant told us. “I literally walked in the front door after not having seen my wife for over a month, slapped a fist-full of dog-eared 4×4 mags on the table and declared I was buying a Land Cruiser.”

His insatiable desire to own a Cruiser wasn’t the only thing Anthony learnt in his time spent travelling the outback. “At this time Queensland was suffering some of the worst droughts on record,” Anthony said. “Cockies were having a rough time trying to maintain healthy livestock.”

After reading about the Hay-Run Anthony decided he needed to do something as well. He put together the Outback Osteopathic Outreach Program for Farmers. The idea was simple: gather a few healers and travel Australia’s remote reaches and help keep our farmers healthy. All he needed now was the Land Cruiser.

Hunting around for the perfect foundation for his plans he stumbled across the only black 76 Series he had ever seen and knew he had to have it. From here he got in touch with Luke and Scott at GSL Fabrications, where things really started to snowball.

After falling head over heels for the unique paintjob Anthony decided to double down with an aggressive black-on-black theme throughout the rest of the build. Baguley Steel Fabrication installed a black powdercoated bullbar and brush bar combo with matching side steps down each side in order to protect the vulnerable front end from animal strikes.

The outreach program often sees the team travelling long into the night, so X-Ray Vision Lighting decked out Anthony’s Cruiser with a mixture of HID driving lights and LED spot and spread beam lighting. ARB at Jindalee came to the party with a host of gear, from the Kaymar twin rear wheel carrier and ARB roof rack right through to the Bush Ranger hot shower and Long Ranger fuel and water tanks.

Anthony provided plans for a unique stainless-steel snorkel which was brought to life by Brandt Madsen, but of all the modifications the stickers are what Anthony’s most proud of. Each and every sticker represents a company who has donated time or parts to help Anthony make life just that little bit easier for Australian farmers.

Anthony often spends long stretches behind the wheel between stations and it’s important that he arrive at his destination ready to go. To that end, the front stock pews have been replaced by a set of L Series Recaro bucket seats.

The rear bench has also been removed, with a massive Kruiser Kustoms storage system residing in its place. An Engel fridge and second set of drawers have been installed in the cargo area.

Redarc installed a whole suite of electronics, from EGT and boost gauges right through to dual battery monitors and a battery management system with its Smart Start Battery Isolater and Manager30 system. The whole lot was soldered into place by Sweeney Auto Electrical. With space and weight at a premium Anthony reached out to Revolution Power for some of its super-lightweight lithium batteries.

“The 60Ah batteries I run are 5kg each,” he said. “I run two but you can basically double the rating with lithium, so 240Ah for 10kg. I’ve basically saved 50kg and they’re much smaller than gel or lead acid batteries.”

Completing the aggressive look of the Black Knight is a set of 35in bias ply Maxxis Trepadors normally found on competition rock crawlers. “I had ordered a set of Radial Trepadors but these turned up by mistake and I fell in love,” Anthony said with a laugh. “Handling is a different kettle of fish but I was willing to forgo some on-road handling for strength. They’ll wear quicker than a radial but if you balance it against a potential sidewall cut there’s not much difference.”

To clear the bigger rubber there’s a Dobinson spring lift all ’round with remote reservoir Fox Shocks smoothing out the corrugations. The rear track issue has also been rectified with a Jmacx wider rear axle, with the factory leaf spring arrangement complemented by a pair of triple-bellow Boss air bags to help fight sag when the Cruiser is loaded to the hilt.

Anthony’s 76 Series LandCruiser is purpose-built with a specific goal in mind, and it has been able to achieve that thanks to the support of some of the best companies in the country.

Look up Black Knight Off-Road Industrie on Facebook to follow Ant’s outback travels and good deeds.

AUSTRALIA’S QUICKEST 76 SERIES

When we first heard Ant had claimed the crown of the quickest 76 Series in Australia it immediately grabbed our interest. We jumped straight on the phone to the blokes at GSL Fabrications in Grantham, Queensland, to find out just what went into making Toyota’s Diesel workhorse a 14.2 second quarter-mile terror.

“Ant’s running our 100 per cent kit,” Scott French from GSL told us. “We offer a few options but the 100 per cent kit is for 100 per cent more power. The engine itself is basically standard with a heap of work to make it flow better.

There’s a GSL front mount intercooler; GSL 4in intake; GSL 4in exhaust system with a 5in dump pipe and 2in crossover pipe; and an HKS piggy back ECU to manage things. It’s also running a GTurbo Red Wheel turbo, and an NPC 1300Nm clutch because the stock unit couldn’t handle it. We also had to upgrade the fuel injectors to one that flows 70 per cent more fuel.”

Scott tells us the 100 per cent kit took a long time to R&D and even longer trying to make 4in piping fit where it just shouldn’t, but they’ve got it fine-tuned now so it’s basically a plug-and-play system for them.

“Ant’s running an extra 250hp shot of nitrous at the track but we probably sell at least one 100 per cent kit every month. The 1VDs are one of the strongest motors you can get, we haven’t killed one yet and we’ve had them up to 1200Nm and 450hp at the wheels on stock internals and lifting both front wheels in the air.”

Watch Anthony’s custom LandCruiser VDJ76R shred up the beach!

WITH more than 25 years of experience within the four-wheel drive industry, Australia’s own Piranha Off Road Products is known for its expertise and reliability when it comes to aftermarket 4×4 equipment.

Piranha is most widely recognised within the 4×4 community for supplying and installing dual battery systems, but it also has a catalogue of “core products” within its expansive range. These products are either manufactured or assembled by the company within Australia, hence the Piranha branding.

Here are the highlights of Piranha Off Road Products’ “Core Product” range.

BATTERY TRAYS Piranha has a catalogue of more than 160 different battery trays. These trays are tailor-made to suit many 4×4 models, dating back to those made in the 1980s. RRP: From $195.

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BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM DBE140SF and DBE180-SX battery management systems are designed to suit all dual battery management situations. In most applications, DC/DC isn’t required. RRP: DBE140SF $185; DBE180-SX RRP $425.

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BATTERY MONITOR Piranha has three types of battery monitors that can be mounted in a 4×4’s cabin to keep you informed on the voltages of your mains and auxiliary gauges. The monitors work like a fuel gauge. RRP: $135.

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DRIVING LIGHT LOOMS Fit extra lighting to your 4×4 by utilising Piranha’s DL1 Driving Light Loom and LIDL3 LED Light Bar Loom. A good quality loom will make the world of difference when installing additional lighting to your rig. RRP: Driving Light Loom $85; LED Light Bar Loom $65.

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FRIDGE SLIDES Piranha has two fridge slides on the market: FEFS and FEFS60. The FEFS slide suits Engel’s 29-, 32- and 40-litre fridges, as well as Waeco’s CF40, CF50 and CF60 fridges. The FEFS60 suits Engel 60- and 80-litre fridges, as well as Waeco CF80 and CF110 fridges.

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Both slides hold 130kg when fully extended, lock in open and closed positions and feature an 8mm stainless steel locking bar. RRP: FEFS $365; FEFS60 $450.

FALSE FLOOR Available to suit many popular models, the false door enables fridge slides and drawer systems to be easily mounted. The false floor is laser cut for precision, and it utilises existing factory bolts. RRP: $125.

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DIFF BREATHER KIT The universal diff breather kit acts a “snorkel” for your diffs. The kit features seven metres of hose, two filters, two brass fittings, hose clamps, a mounting bracket, cable ties and an installation guide. RRP: $75.

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PIRANHA SNOW AND MUD CHAINS Stop by Piranha Off Road Products before you take off on that next snow expedition and get a set of snow (or mud) chains fitted. The range suits popular tyres, and the chains are built using high-quality, high-strength steel. RRP: From $300 per pair.

Piranha also supplies and installs the Safari Snorkel, as well as a range of specialty 4×4 starting batteries and cycle-duty batteries. RRP: Safari Snorkel $330; starting and cycle-duty batteries from $230.

Piranha’s head office is located in Boronia, Victoria. There are several manufacturing locations Australia-wide.

As a bonus, when products are installed at Piranha’s Boronia HQ or an authorised Piranha Distributor the warranty is extended to five years.

CONTACT Website: www.piranhaoffroad.com.au Address: Factory 4, 383 Dorset Road, Boronia, Victoria. Phone: (03) 9762 1200

THE revised Holden Trailblazer entered the surging ute-based wagon market late in 2016 off the back of the success of its competition, namely the Ford Everest (2016’s 4X4OTY), Isuzu MU-X, Toyota Fortuner and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.

Co-developed alongside the significantly updated Colorado, the Trailblazer is effectively a wagon version of the Colorado ute, albeit with changes to its rear suspension and brakes.

The key changes to the new Trailblazer from its predecessor include repositioned engine balance shafts; revised fuel injection with addition injector soundproofing; a new torque converter; new engine and transmission mounts; new suspension dampers; electric power steering; new roof mouldings, exterior mirror mounts, door seals, sliding glass channels and B-pillar inserts; and a thicker windscreen.

The VM Motori 2.8-litre turbo-diesel claims 147kW and 500Nm (the same as before) and it’s mated to a neatly tuned six-speed automatic transmission – there’s no self-shifter. Despite the unchanged outputs the engine is now more refined than before, with the ride becoming more smooth and comfortable.

Revised fuel mapping and changes to the fuel delivery system has improved off-idle and low rpm driveability, while its top-end urge competes strongly against its competition.

Read our full 2017 Holden Trailblazer review

Swapping from hydraulic to electric power steering also improves the Trailblazer’s on- and off-road dynamics.

In its debut month, the Trailblazer recorded 147 sales nationwide (December, 2016).

Watch Fraser give the Trailblazer a head-to-toe examination in the above video, and read our full review in the January 2017 issue of 4X4 Australia.

Also, keep an eye out for 2017’s 4X4OTY, where the Trailblazer will strut its stuff against six of the year’s best 4x4s: the Toyota LandCruiser 79, VW Amarok V6, Haval H9, Holden Colorado LTZ, Mercedes-Benz G300 and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.

The winner of the 2017 4X4OTY will be revealed at the Australian Motoring Awards, which takes place on February 1. The full 2017 4X4OTY write-up will then feature in 4X4 Australia’s March 2017 issue, in stores February 2.

AFTER another restful night at the Birdsville Hotel we were packed, loaded up and heading out of town at 8.47am. It had rained a little that evening and the cloudy sky again looked threatening, but we had been assured that the Birdsville Track was open, albeit quite boggy for the first 30km or so heading south out of town.

And boggy it was! The track was already very chopped up and we found ourselves slipping and sliding along for an hour at about 30km/h, all crossed up in sections and struggling for traction. David Cox called on the UHF to tell us he was pulling over to clear the mud from under the trailer’s guards.

It had become so chocked up that the wheels had stopped turning! We took the opportunity to brew a coffee and have morning tea, but by the time Dave caught up with us and we were ready to get going it was after 11am and we hadn’t even covered 50km of the 315km drive to Mungerannie.

Fortunately the worst of the mud was now behind us and we upped the pace as the road dried out. We pulled up for lunch at around 1pm but had to pack up quickly when it started to bucket down with rain once again. As we continued south the rain eased and eventually stopped altogether. The clouds even started to break up and by the time we arrived at Mungerannie the sun was shining.

My heart missed a beat when I saw the road sign near the entrance to the Mungerannie Hotel: “Birdsville Track – Mungerannie to Marree: Closed”. Could we be stuck here for the next week or so?

Phil at the Mungerannie Hotel assured us that the remotely operated road sign was faulty and that, in fact, the Birdsville Track was definitely open. We picked out a campsite, rolled out our swags and then headed back up the track a few kays to grab some sunset shots of the Off Road Icons. After another of Vicki’s fantastic meals, we headed across to the pub for what turned out to be a bloody big night; I reckon it was about 1.30am when the last of us pulled up stumps.

The following morning, while Fred, Wes and Patrick attempted to get Phil’s old Defender 110 going (it had lay dormant for two years), Mark and Dave removed the GQ Patrol’s alternator and pulled it apart in an attempt to clear it of mud and get it working again. While the alternator repair wasn’t successful, the old Landy was soon going, and Patrick proudly showed it off to anyone who would pay attention.

BANG! IT WAS 11am by the time we were back on the track and heading south to Marree under a sunny sky. I was travelling with Wang Qing in the 40 Series and, as his English was almost as limited as my Chinese, communicating was quite difficult. But we were having fun, and as we couldn’t hear the radio anyway, we start singing. It was a surreal experience: singing Disney tunes with a Chinese bloke while driving down the Birdsville Track in a 40-year-old LandCruiser.

We had a quick lunch stop where the track intersects the Cooper Creek and then fuelled up in Marree at around 4.30pm. So far the day had gone swimmingly: the sun had been out, the track was relatively dry and we hadn’t had any mechanical issues.

Bang! Just after we had passed Farina Ruins, the 79 Series LandCruiser’s onside rear wheel departed company from the vehicle. Suffice to say, Patrick, who was travelling in the 79 with Mark, was quite startled. As they got out of the vehicle to see what was going on, a couple of local blokes pulled up and told Patrick that they saw the wheel go “running across that paddock like an emu”. All of the wheel studs had broken clean off.

It was just after 6pm and the sun was setting. A still-faulty alternator in the GQ Patrol meant its headlights wouldn’t last long, so it was decided the bulk of the convoy should push on to Parachilna while Dave and Vicki in the tucker truck would wait with Mark Lowry for a flat-bed, which would haul the stricken Cruiser into Copley for repair.

As we sipped on our first beers at the Prairie Hotel at around 8.30pm, the Cruiser was already being towed to Copley, where the resident mechanic just happened to have a bucket-full of new LandCruiser wheel studs in his workshop. The repair was made in no time and Vicki, Dave and Mark were soon with us in Parachilna. What had at first seemed like a potentially trip-altering event was now but a distant memory.

SPECTACULAR SKYTREK IN ORDER to comfortably complete the spectacular 80km Skytrek loop on Willow Springs Station, you need to be ready to roll no later than 10.30am. As usual, we were running a little behind schedule, but we were confident we could make up the required time… so long as we didn’t encounter any more mechanical issues.

We were only 16km into the loop when we pulled up for lunch at Old Moxan’s Hut, which was built around the turn of the last century and permanently occupied by a station employee until the early 1960s; this small and basic hut was restored by the Nissan Patrol Club in 1993.

It was here that Michael Ellem poked his head under the Ford Ranger camera car in search of a strange noise; instead he noticed a big tear in a CV boot, which had been caused when one of the swaybar links had gone awry and the swaybar itself was contacting the boot.

Before you could say “fixing cars again”, the Hi-Lift jack was out, the Ranger had been secured, and four or five blokes started pulling things apart in order to remove the swaybar altogether. An hour later the job had been done, we had finished lunch and were back on track.

The Skytrek loop borders the Bunkers Conservation Reserve and it offers four-wheel drivers a great mix of terrain, travelling through gullies, across paddocks and up and over steep rocky tracks that offer impressive views of the property. Two of the highest points, Prominent Hill Lookout (704m above sea level) and Upalinna Lookout (747m above sea level) provide 360-degree views of the surrounding Flinders Ranges.

As it was nearing dusk, Wes Siler volunteered to forge on ahead in the GQ Patrol to try and get back to Parachilna before sunset, as the alternator was still buggered and the headlights wouldn’t last long. The other three Off Road Icons were set up atop Willow Springs Homestead Lookout for more sunset photography. It was about this time that the Defender’s rebuilt 300Tdi engine started to run rough and eventually stall. Oh dear, to come all this way and falter at the end of the trip.

While I blew the dust out of the air filter, Landy owner Sam Purcell slipped under the back of the Defender and drained the fuel/oil separator. Considering the trip we’d experienced so far, it was not surprising that there was water in the fuel. The Defender was once again running like a new one and, with the rest of the crew, we carefully drove back towards Parachilna, keeping a close eye out for wildlife.

After a second night gorging ourselves on the fine food at the Prairie Hotel, the ARB crew thanked the journos and the journos thanked the ARB crew, then we all wandered off to our respective rooms feeling somewhat deflated; our adventure was nearing its conclusion.

The final day in the Off Road Icons was a big one (505km) but compared to most of the other days on this trip it was relatively uneventful. Rather than just head down to Peterborough and then up the Barrier Highway to Broken Hill, Michael Ellem planned a route that would see us fuel up at Hawker and then turn off at Craddock, heading northeast along twisting and picturesque dirt roads and then southeast to Waukaringa Ruins, where we would have lunch at a very reasonable 1.40pm.

After lunch we drove up a hill that gave us a great view of the old Waukaringa Goldfield and Michael spent some time capturing the final images of the trip. From here it was only 20km down to the Barrier Highway for the final 200km blacktop run into Broken Hill and a farewell dinner at a pizza joint in town.

We had all been afforded the opportunity to partake in a once-in-a-lifetime experience, driving four old 4WDs across the Simpson Desert and, as luck would have it, through the Flinders Ranges.

Sure, there had been a raft of mechanical problems along the way, and the weather most certainly wasn’t on our side, but it was these challenges that combined to make what could have been a relatively easy trip into an unforgettable adventure. The fact we were travelling with a fantastic crew of people was the icing on the mud cake.

FAVOURITE ICONS

After two weeks driving the ARB Off Road Icons through Australia’s Red Centre, everyone grew to love the vehicles. Here are some of their individual thoughts.

Chris Collard: Overland Journal, USA “If I was able to import one of the cars you’ve got down here it would probably be the Patrol, the diesel Patrol. In the United States it’s kind of iconic, and it’s kind of an anomaly because we’ve just never had that vehicle, so I’d love a Patrol. It’s solid, easy to drive and comfortable.”

Fred Williams, Petersen’s Four Wheeler Network, USA “The Defender is the one vehicle that I would drive anywhere. The thing rides good, it’s got plenty of power (not too much), the suspension is dialed, the torque of the engine is great and it just looks right for crossing any desert in the world.”

Patrick Cruywagen, Land Rover Monthly and Leisure Wheels, South Africa “The Defender… unstoppable. Everyone loved teasing it at the beginning but it proved itself, especially when it pulled the food truck out. And also the 40.”

Wes Siler, Outside, USA “The Hilux is brilliant. It’s my favourite car here. It just gets up and goes; it gets through anything. It’s just a happy little car, easy and smooth and fun to drive.”

Sam Purcell, Unsealed 4×4, Australia “The Patrol. What a beast. It’s pretty unstoppable really and you can see why it’s such a popular choice for four-wheel drivers in Australia.”

Matt Glass, ARB, USA “The Patrol is an absolute tank. It just carried so much weight and has such a great centre of balance… the handling has been phenomenal.”

Mark Lowry, ARB, Australia “The Hilux is probably my favourite of all the vehicles because I owned one exactly the same. It was a very reliable vehicle for myself when I owned mine and this one has proven to be exactly the same; nothing has gone wrong with it.”

Sam Boden, ARB, Australia “The 40 Series… probably the most iconic looking of all the vehicles. It didn’t do much wrong. It had a slight electrical issue which forced us to tow it some 200km out of the desert, but from a rawness point of view you couldn’t get much more than the 40.”

David Cox, ex-Mt Dare Hotel, Australia “The Defender. Look, Land Rovers are not my favourite, that’s no secret, but that thing is just awesome. It plows along, it chugs along with virtually no trouble – apart from a little fuel/water issue – and it just sailed through everything with relative ease.”

Walking the halls of the annual SEMA show in Las Vegas in 2016, there was no denying that the JK Jeep Wrangler is still the top choice for off-road vehicle customisers. That’s pretty amazing when you consider that the JK is now more than 10 years old and is due to be superseded in 2017.

The Wrangler is basically a Meccano set for adults, which makes it easy to transform. Everything unbolts which makes it child’s play to modify the 4×4 to suit your individual requirements. At SEMA 2016, modded Jeeps were to be found everywhere, displaying all manner of mods – some functional, some purely for show, while others left you scratching your head and wondering what on earth they were thinking.

One exhibitor booth stood out in particular, as the complete vehicle package improves the base Jeep in every way. This was the 20th Anniversary JK350 from American Expedition Vehicles (AEV), which we had the pleasure of driving out into the Nevada desert following the show.

The Anniversary models mark AEV’s 20 years in business, and just 20 of the JK350 and RAM Prospector XL models will be built, sure to be snapped up by collectors. There’s no doubt that they’ve had the whole AEV catalogue thrown at them with a 6.4-litre Hemi V8 conversion, 4.5-inch suspension kit, 37-inch BF Goodrich tyres, all the interior and exterior body add-ons, and bespoke 20th Anniversary extras – it’s enough to triple the purchase price of your Wrangler.

This certainly isn’t just another modified Jeep, an AEV Jeep is more like a factory-made special. Years of producing show vehicles and special parts for the Jeep has given AEV a true feel for OE manufacturing, and all of its parts and conversions are either built to factory standard or exceed it.

Take the Hemi V8 engine conversion for example. The conversion is done using as many factory components as possible, including the engine and transmission control units. This means they can be serviced and maintained at any Jeep dealer. Any special parts needed are made in bulk by AEV in order to ensure there are plenty of spares available. In addition, all AEV parts have a factory look and finish. Only the wiring harness is modified, as AEV adapts the Wrangler wiring to the Chrysler V8 and transmission wiring, which in essence makes it a plug-and-play conversion.

Being an American company, AEV engine conversions are made for left-hand drive Jeeps, but the Australian distributors have adapted them for a few right-hand drive Jeeps that we know of. If this is something that interests you, it’s well worth investing the time and money if you really want that V8 roar and performance.

Many Jeep owners will tell you about the death wobbles they get from driving on oversize tyres and raised suspension. Not an AEV owner. This is because AEV’s suspension packages are researched, carefully matched and exhaustively tested to ensure optimum performance and reliability, both on- and off-road. The anniversary-edition JK350 sits on the 4.5-inch Dual-Sport suspension and 37-inch tyres, and drives better than a new unmodified Jeep.

There’s not even a hint of wheel wobble or shimmy, just the hum of those big muddies on the pavement. The only thing the AEV needs to change is to fit a bigger speedometer – when cruising at 90mph, you’re hardly on the gas and the dial is almost off the clock!

Off-road is where the AEV mods really shine. The 37s easily crawl up rock steps and float over the soft sand. The Dual-Sport suspension with its specially tuned Bilstein 5100 series shocks and optimised-geometry is stable, controlled and never unsettled, even when kicking soft sand up for the cameras. It works equally well on the rocks at low speeds, keeping the tyres on the deck and driving forward.

 Not that the 6.4-litre Hemi V8 needs help moving this Jeep. It turns the Wrangler into a beast, which is only tamed by its suspension. The V8 bellows out through its AEV exhaust system. It’s mild enough when cruising at part throttle, but mash the pedal and the beast effortlessly leaps forward with a roar. The abundance of bottom-end grunt and low gearing makes crawling over rocks and up steep climbs a breeze. It rivals the most capable 4x4s you’d find stock in a showroom and doesn’t have any of the rattles, bumps and clinks you find in many modified and converted 4x4s.

External AEV parts include the heat-reduction bonnet and AEV front and rear bars. The front bar mounts a Warn Zeon with IPF LED lights, while the rear contains a water tank and AEV fuel caddy. There’s also an AEV roof rack, rear corner guards and side protection rails, which are a new product for AEV Jeeps. Also new are the Borah alloy wheels that were painted a custom bronze colour for this special-edition model.

The goodies extend inside with AEV gauges and premium leather-trimmed seats featuring bespoke 20th Anniversary stitching. The AEV ProCal allows the speedometer to be calibrated to suit the bigger tyres and any changes in gearing, as well as customising a host of other body controls and functions to the owner’s individual requirements.

Of course, nothing this good comes cheap. The AEV JK350 conversion starts at around US$16,000 on top of the price of your new Wrangler. By the time you add in the V8 conversion and all the extras that make this Anniversary edition so special, you’ll be adding more than US$70K to the cost.

However, for the money you’re getting a complete vehicle with quality fit and finish and performance that will exceed anything the factory builds. More importantly, you’ll be getting something unique and very special – shame they’re not building any RHD models.

AEV Prospector XL

For 20 years AEV has always been a Jeep company, but the Detroit firm has expanded to RAM vehicles. Its first vehicle is the AEV RAM Prospector XL, which is based on the 2500 heavy duty pick-ups. AEV is now looking at the IFS RAM 1500 RAM with its first vehicle on show at SEMA.

With a vehicle the size of a RAM, you could be excused for thinking that XL denotes Extra Large, however here it stands for the Roman numeral 40, which relates to the Prospector’s tyre size.

The massive 40-inch Toyo Open Country M/T tyres are tucked under the guards with just a 75mm suspension lift thanks to the clever design and clearancing of the wheel arches. The wheel arches are then finished in High Mark flares.

Other features on this 20th Anniversary Prospector include the AEV Heat Reduction Hood, a Raised Air Intake, 17×10 Katla alloys, AEV premium front bar, Vision X LED Light Bar, and a Bed Rack.

Like the Jeep, the Prospector still drives like a standard vehicle on the highway, except in keeping with the RAM theme it towers over almost everything. In the desert it was able to go almost everywhere the JK did, even if it took a few more lock-to-lock turns to get it through the tight stuff. The big Cummins diesel engine and 40-inch tyres made light work of the sand.

The RAM would be an incredible long-haul tourer with the ability to hold its own off road.

With RAM trucks becoming more common in Australia we can imagine the Prospector XL kit will be popular with owners here.

All AEV gear is available through the two local distributors: Murchison Products in Brisbane and Jeep Konection in Melbourne.

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THEY say you never know how many friends you have until you have a ute, and that adage rang true when our Toyota Hilux SR5 was spotted in the office carpark.

No sooner had they seen the genuine Toyota towbar on the back of it, our ‘friends’ over at Caravan World magazine snared it for a week of caravan testing. The Hilux came to us with towbar wiring and a Redarc electric brake controller fitted, so it was ready to haul.

As it’s fitted with the six-speed manual gearbox this Hilux has the full 3500kg towing capacity, while ones fitted with the auto transmission are limited to 3200kg. Either way, the Toyota didn’t have any trouble with the caravans it towed.

Many folks say towing is easier with an automatic transmission – and that may be true – but the manual Hilux makes towing easy, as its hill-start assist works well to make the transition from brake pedal to accelerator easy and smooth when taking off. The manual gearbox is generally more fuel efficient as well, and the Hilux SR5 continues to impress in that regard with an average of 9.7L/100km this month.

Following the week of caravan testing the ’Lux got back into city-commute duties, and we must say we enjoy driving it in this environment as much as we do in the bush – the hill-assist system again makes driving easier in the stop/start tyranny of Melbourne traffic.

The interior is comfortable and accommodating, and the look of the dash, with its tablet-style screen, has finally grown on us. What hasn’t got any better is the lack of a volume dial or any other quick way of adjusting the sound coming from the otherwise quality system. I find this annoying every time I drive a new Hilux. Both the buttons on the tablet and on the steering wheel are slow to respond, and the tablet buttons are hard to use on bumpy bush tracks.

It’s not all city-living for the Hilux, as another so-called ‘friend’, Ron Moon, recently stole it from our grasp and was last seen belting through outback New South Wales in it. We’ll hear how it went out The Back O’ Bourke next month.

Total Kilometers: 3,275km Date acquired: OCT 2016 Price: $66,166 Km this month: 483km Av fuel: 9.7L/100km

HOT ON the heels of yesterday’s official confirmation of the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer being re-introduced to the American market, Ford has confirmed what we all already knew: it will be bringing back the Ford Bronco and the Ranger mid-size ute to the USA.

While this might have been the worst-kept secret in the industry, especially after a United Auto Workers (UAW) union staffer last year leaked that the two new vehicles would be built in Detroit, there is news in it for Australia. Both the new Bronco and the US Ranger will ride on the next generation T6 platform which is currently in development in Australia.

The T6 underpins the current Ranger and Everest wagon, and Ford has told us its Melbourne facility is working on the next generation of this body-on-frame architecture. However, what Ford wouldn’t say is whether or not the Bronco will come to Australia, only stating that it is “a global vehicle, so it will be considered for markets around the world.”

“We’ve heard our customers loud and clear. They want a new generation of vehicles that are incredibly capable yet fun to drive,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president of the Americas. “Ranger is for truck buyers who want an affordable, functional, rugged and manoeuvrable pick-up that’s ‘Built Ford Tough’. Bronco will be a no-compromise midsize 4×4 utility for thrill-seekers who want to venture way beyond the city.”

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This points to the Bronco being a rugged and go-anywhere 4×4, but if it is to ride on the T6 platform we’re tipping it will be more Toyota FJ Cruiser with IFS than dual live-axle Jeep Wrangler. No details have been released on the Bronco other than it will be a 2020 model made in the USA. Hopefully it will stay true to its roots and be a capable two-door wagon.

Fan-made 2020 Ford Bronco renderings, designed by Bronco6g (www.bronco6g.com)

Bronco enthusiasts’ computer generated images have tipped what a new Bronco might look like, while we created our own way back when the Everest was first announced. But the 2020 Bronco could grow to be a five-door wagon.

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“It’s different than Everest,” confirmed Ford’s product development boss Raj Nair. “It’s an incremental vehicle to Everest.”

“Australia remains the lead for our T6 platform,” Nair told Australia’s Wheel Magazine at the Detroit Auto show. “The Bronco is off our T6 platform but the engineering will be done in Dearborn.”

It has been said the US Ranger, also set to launch in 2020, will look nothing like the Ranger currently available here in Australia, so that points to a US-only body totally different to our Thai-built one. The US Ranger could also see a diesel engine return to that segment there. One of the Ranger’s key competitors in the USA will be the Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon with Duramax 2.8 power that is selling well there.

Ford also confirmed at Detroit that its ever popular F-150 pick-up will get a diesel engine in 2018, and that will be a derivative of the Ford UK-made ‘Lion’ turbo-diesel V6 as found in Land Rover products.

It will be a case of everything old is new again when Bronco, Ranger, Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer all return to the US market in 2020.

FCA boss Sergio Marchionne has put to rest rumours that Jeep’s planned Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer luxury 4x4s had been shelved, stating that the full-size, seven-seat wagons will be manufactured at a refurbished plant in Warren, Michigan.

He also re-confirmed that the Toledo plant in Indiana, long-time home of the Jeep Wrangler, has been reconfigured to cope with the increased production demand of the upcoming JL Wrangler and its pick-up truck offshoot.

“The expansion of our Jeep line-up has been and continues to be the key pillar of our strategy,” said Marchionne. “Our commitment to internationalise the Jeep brand is unwavering, and with these last moves we will finally have the capacity to successfully penetrate markets other than the US which have historically been denied product due to capacity constraints.”

The comment about internationalising the Jeep brand is encouraging for Australians waiting for the Wagoneer, as previous reports had stated that it would not be made in right-hand drive. However, a Jeep spokesperson couldn’t confirm if RHD was on the table or if and when the new models would come to Australia.

The JL Wrangler will be coming to Australia after it goes in to production at Toledo during the last quarter of 2017 as a 2018 model. Petrol wagon variants, in both three-door and Unlimited five-door bodies, will initially be built, while the old Cherokee line-up is refurbished to also build the body-on-frame vehicles.

This is expected to be completed around March/April 2018 when production of the all-new Wrangler pick-up and diesel engine Wranglers will begin. As such we don’t expect to see JL in Australia until the second half of 2018.

Jeep is expected to keep producing the current JK Wrangler alongside the new JL for the period before the new section of plant is up and running. The JK and JL models will sell alongside each other for up to six months before JL production reaches full swing.

Jeep has confirmed the JL Wrangler will have a turbocharged four-cylinder and V6 petrol engines, as well as the V6 diesel VM Motori engine we know from the Grand Cherokee. An eight-speed automatic will also be offered in the body-on-frame Jeep, which retains its live axles front and rear.

Not much is known about the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer vehicles except that they will offer seating for seven. It’s also estimated that the top-model Grand Wagoneer could be priced as high as US$100,000 to compete with the likes of Ranger Rover in the USA. Whether or not Australian buyers would be prepared to fork out more than $100K for a Jeep remains to be seen. Jeep last used the Grand Wagoneer name on a version of the XJ Cherokee in the early 90s.

Marchionne’s news of US production comes hot on the heels of Ford’s announcement that it’s shelving plans for a new, multi-billion dollar plant in Mexico, instead re-investing in its US manufacturing facilities. President-elect Trump’s statements that he will heavily tax any vehicles manufactured outside the US but sold there seems to be having an effect on the car companies, though Jeep is no longer an American-owned brand.

FOLLOWING a year of negotiations, planning and two tough recce trips, the first 4×4 expedition to the remote Cleland Hills is now available to a select group of the public.

The five-day trip will leave from Alice Springs and travel via the small community of Haasts Bluff to an important and delightful waterhole on the eastern side of the Cleland Hills. The next two days will be spent travelling cross-country to Michael Terry’s famous Thomas Reservoir which he discovered in 1932. In 1968 Terry discovered the strange engravings, which the Cleland’s have become famous for, and we’ll be finding them!

From there, in the far north of the Cleland Hills, we will turn south and again travel cross-country to another important Aboriginal site in the southern Cleland Hills – one of the very few in Central Australia that has been investigated and considered one of the most important.

Once we leave this isolated spot and find the faint track network, we will head south to spend the last night at Kings Canyon Resort.

The countryside is in incredible condition following plenty of heavy rain over the last 12 months, so you will be seeing it and the waterholes in prime condition.

For more information and to book a spot on this exclusive expedition to these remote hills and view the remarkable waterholes and art sites for yourself, contact Brenton Schild at Papunya by calling 0418 136 640.