The new Lexus LX570 has finally arrived on Australian shores. Dean Mellor asks, is it more than just a flash Landcruiser?

Despite its unique styling features, including grille, bonnet, headlamps and tail lights, it’s obvious to most that the new Lexus LX570 is a Toyota LandCruiser with the lot.

Lexus offers two model variants of the new LX570: Prestige at $136,700 and Sports Luxury at $151,700.There are a number of mechanical features that make the LX570 very different from the Cruiser on which it’s based, most notably the super-smooth and potent 5.7-litre V8 engine that pumps out 270kW and 530Nm, propelling the 2740kg luxo-wagon from 0-100km/h in a claimed 7.8 seconds.Although the new donk is bigger, and the LX570 weighs more than its LX470 predecessor, Lexus claims a fuel economy improvement of eight percent; the official combined cycle is 14.8L/100km. The LX570 has a 93-litre main tank and a 45-litre sub tank.The engine is mated to the same AB60F six-speed auto transmission used in the turbo-diesel Cruiser, with the same ratios and final drive. The transmission feels as though it was designed to mate to the 5.7-litre petrol V8; it’s smoother in the Lexus than in the turbo-diesel Cruiser.

For 25 years some special characters have thrown themselves full tilt at some of the world’s harshest terrains. Meet the legends of the Australasian Safari.

Aussie motorsport events become international icons. The Great Race at Mount Panorama, the Moto GP at Phillip Island and the AGP wherever it’s held; but the average punter has as much chance of an entry as teeing off against Tiger Woods.

However, since establishing a home in the west, the Australasian Safari is back on every adventurer’s bucket list; just as it was 25 years ago when the original Wynn’s Safari made every outback enthusiast aware that the adventure of a lifetime lay waiting just over the back fence. We reflect on some of the more memorable moments of this legendary all-Australian adventure.

Mad Dane Excels

Smitten by the Paris to Dakar Rally, madcap Danish adventurer Hans Tholstrup had the grand notion of a trans-Australia marathon, open to all comers no matter what they rolled up in. The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport’s development officer, Tom Snooks, loved the concept and, when CAMS chairman John Large gave it the nod, the Auto Cycle Union went along for the ride.Wynn’s Friction Proofing knew a good publicity stunt when they saw it and, immediately the Safari was announced, over 1500 expressions of interest flooded in from around the world. It was to be a free-for-all, without the prerequisite of any safety equipment. Never again would attracting a keen sponsor and huge numbers of competitors be so easy; nor plotting a 7000km route across the continent prove so difficult.

Ultimate Sportsman

Heading the eclectic mix of crews that actually made the start of the inaugural event were Mitsubishi Ralliart’s Andrew Cowan and Dakar champion Gaston Rahier on his BMW R100GS. To demonstrate how serious it was, BMW had Euro champ Eddie Hau as first back-up plus two Pajeros packed with spares and factory mechanics. These back-up vehicles were piloted by no less accomplished drivers than Australian rally champ George Fury and world GP champion Denis Hulme. Serious stuff.Come the final day, Honda privateer Steve Chapman held a slight lead over Rahier, but without a headlight couldn’t ride to the dawn start. “Follow me and let’s go racing,” Rahier declared. The BMW executives suffered apoplectic fits and turned totally catatonic when Chapman led Rahier into Darwin. Journalist Peter Mackay recalls: “The pitch-black start produced one of the marvellous tales of sportsmanship to emerge from the craziness.” A sportsmanship that has continued in the Safari ever since.

Racing for Survival

Appointed road director in 1986, with the brief to ensure the Safari was tough but humane, Stuart McLeod’s concept of a reliability trial was to configure a course where only one team would finish, thus ensuring a clear-cut winner. This is possibly why crews remember Stuart treating them as enemies rather than competitors.Senior officials were at loggerheads over McLeod’s approach, particularly the section in the rugged Waggaboonya Mountains, north of the Isa, where Hans Tholstrup was adamant someone would be killed. After checking with his survey crews, Tom Snooks decided the Gunpowder section was to stay in. Tholstrup, the creator and major shareholder, told Tom where to stick it. Were it not for competitor relations officer Bob Carpenter stepping, in the Safari itself may have been killed off there and then.

As 4x4s become more performance-oriented, thanks mainly to high output supercharged petrol and turbo-diesel engines – and towing capacities increase, it’s inevitable that brakes need to be larger.

Bigger brakes are also beneficial for increasing the effectiveness of traction and stability control systems.In the ’80s most recreational wagons ran on 15” rubber and working wagons and utes ran split-rim 16” ‘skinnies’. Increasing brake sizes meant the 16” became the industry standard. By the ’90s larger brake packages led to the 17” tyre making its mark. In the late ’90s, 18” and 19” became standard on high-performance machines.In the markets where these vehicles are born and for most export markets, the requirement is for high-speed capability, which means relatively lightweight tyres with shallow tread depth. In Australia the tyre demands are different: We require less high-speed ability, but much greater puncture resistance, which decrees a heavier-built tyre with deep tread. We are a tiny market in global terms, so we’re used to waiting for manufacturers to develop the appropriate rubber.With the 19” tyre we struck pay dirt, because Land Rover needed tyres for its global G4 Challenge competitions. Goodyear developed the Wrangler MTR 255/55R19 tyre to suit the Discovery 3 and the Rangie Sport. In recent months we’ve seen other large-diameter tyres hit the market; notably Cooper’s LTZ for 19- and 20-inchers.

We’ve tested the 19” MTR extensively. On a loaded Rangie Sport diesel we ran it through salt lake mud in South Australia, up and west to the Kimberley. Pressures were a constant 30psi and the MTRs never looked like getting a puncture.

We’ve come a long way since the hose-out interior but, along the way, lost nothing of the Range Rover’s original intention.

The first thing I wanted to know was why I should have to slow down to the same stumbling shuffle as the plebs.

They might have been doing their damnedest to keep up with the Joneses but the Joneses couldn’t see me for dust. I was, after all, driving a Range Rover Vogue Autobiography and yes, I virtually did own the road.I must admit, I did get a bit of a shock moments earlier when I looked at the speedo. The track was narrow, winding, sandy and interrupted by frequent low dune crests, so I really didn’t expect to be doing the speed I was. Especially towing a camper trailer.Honestly, officer, I didn’t mean it. The Range Rover is just so good. So easy. But I stopped for a while to wait for them to catch up. The sweaty dust-monkeys were ploughing along behind, eating my dirt, getting smellier and grittier in their pointless exertions, at half my pace.I was still fresh and rosy, with dry armpits and a subtle aroma of Davidoff Adventure, thanks to the awesome climate-control air conditioning in the Vogue and, joy of joys, its air conditioned seats which kept my back and crack free of dampness through 40-degree days.Girls of both sexes eventually rolled up to where the Rangie was waiting. They whined about the dust and heat that I’d failed to experience before I’d left the comfort of the cabin to wait for them.Listening to them, you’d think the outback was harsh and unforgiving. It was only that way occasionally, when I was out in the worst of it for temporary bursts; the rest of the time – there was the Range Rover.Don’t scoff. Entire pods of whales might have been skinned to fit out its interior with leather, the shag-pile floor mats probably cost as much as the average bogan’s bathroom fit-out, and there are so many creature comforts that there are 89 fuses in the vehicle, but the Range Rover Vogue is not soft. It kicks botty off road, always having the last laugh.As it did on Big Red. When we reached the iconic dune on the edge of Australia’s central sandpit, there was one route to the top which no vehicle could conquer. They tried. They failed. While the lesser fourbies stuck to digging holes in the sand, the Vogue let its twin-turbo diesel V8 roar and charged up and over the top, proving that it is the king of the biggest sand castle. But then it is the vehicle of choice by appointment to Her Majesty.Mind you, we’re talking more than 2.7 tonnes lumbering through the desert here, and when you’re lazy it can dig itself in, sit on its belly and demand you do some work for a change. Proper recovery points front and rear enable a lackey, such as a LandCruiser, to snatch the Brit out of trouble.There’s always a bit of comedy to be had by unwittingly leaving the stability control switched on, allowing the Vogue to think it’s bogged when it’s not, resulting in it refusing to drive any of its wheels. Great excuse to bag a shot of the girls trying to dig the big girl out…The Terrain Response system, (which does not include the new Dynamic setting available in 2010 Range Rover Sport), is well documented, so let’s just agree that it’s one of the key parts of the Vogue’s superb off-road ability. So too, is the excellent Hill Descent Control, put to good use on this trip on gnarly slopes in the foothills of the Great Divide. Add variable ride height control and, of course, both low and high range, all backed by momentous V8 grunt and you have a seriously capable machine.So for all its upper-crust luxury, the Vogue has not abandoned its off-road roots. Except, perhaps, in its wheel size and lightweight tyres. Twenty-inch rims in the outback? Luckly the aftermarket is now getting purpose-built alternatives onto the shelves.On the stock 20s, you’ll want to pay attention to maintaining appropriate pressures in different terrain, to reduce the chances of damaging the rubber. As it was, we simultaneously staked and tore one tyre. Then there’s the risk of cracking a rim because the low-profile rubber doesn’t provide nearly the protection of proper 4X4 tyres.There is another issue to consider, one that’s much harder to figure out. Electronics. I don’t know anyone – we here at 4X4 included – who is convinced electronics are entirely trustworthy.Sure, we want to trust them implicitly because 4X4s are so much better off with them, but vehicles like the Vogue are computers with a mobility system and computers do funny things.Our Vogue’s right rear window sometimes went up and down of its own accord. Maybe only dust on a switch or something, but worrying. It was perhaps a small sign that this Range Rover may have been possessed by something that escaped from the (Bill) Gates of Hell. More serious evidence came when the battery drained itself overnight – down to six volts. Roadside Assistance fixed it, but were a bit too far away when, again, the Rangie didn’t have the volts to start at Coongie Lake…Our very practical and ever cheerful mate John Christian sidled up in his LandCruiser and proffered jumper leads. He had to leave his Tojo fast-idling patiently for some time with the leads connected, until the Rangie’s monster 950CCA battery had regained its oomph. But what is a Toyota for, if not for the convenience of Range Rovers?Another morning, near White Cliffs, the Vogue didn’t want to play again. This time it still had just over 12V in the battery so I cursed the thing for not starting. It must have realised I’d called its bluff, because two prods of the button later, it fired up. Possessed, I tell you.With so many systems to run, there can be huge demands on the battery. After you kill the ignition, the Vogue spends ages quietly shutting them all down, but it’s okay to walk away and leave it to it.Apart from the colossal infotainment system, climate control, blind-spot sensors, five external cameras, stability control, ABS, cruise control, distance control, self-levelling when hitched to a trailer and so much more that I would run out of space if I listed it, there’s all the cleverness in the engine.The twin-turbo, 5.0-litre V8 diesel. If I said it was worth its weight in gold, I’d probably be underselling it – literally and figuratively. Along with the gem of an auto gearbox, it’s a truly royal experience with one glorious exception – the rather truck-like soundtrack. I like this. It is a subtle reminder of the performance of this machine. Besides, it’s the sound of a very dignified truck, idling smoothly and growling menacingly when you plant your foot.The gearbox obeys with the instant and unquestioning loyalty of one appointed by their Majesties. There’s no long pause before it launches the revs to the roof like in so many ordinary 4X4s. It senses your need for power, whether it be small or large, and slides into another ratio so efficiently you barely notice, allowing the monster engine to do its work unhindered. Its 200kW of power and 640Nm of torque are almost identical to the figures from the 200 Series LandCruiser 4.7L TDV8 but the Brit ponies seem a little more accessible and responsive.Probably a bit more efficient, too, although without a back-to-back comparison it’s difficult to prove the Range Rover really does use less fuel. You can achieve as good as 11.5L/100km when touring on a decent road. This test, however, saw the Vogue pulling a trailer almost all the time, and it was only freed from haulage duties on sandy tracks that raise fuel consumption.Anyway, what’s a few litres either way when you can afford a $200,000 car? The Rangie copped trailer duties so often because it was very good at it. The engine didn’t notice the extra weight of the 600kg-odd Cub camper we took, and handling was still perfect. It dragged a Stockman Pod trailer loaded with kayaks through dunes and didn’t look like getting stuck.Trailer or not, the ride was completely unfazed by anything except the nastiest corrugations. And this is as it should be, along with the serenity provided inside the cabin. Even when the worst of the engine’s roar is filtering in, you only talk quietly to be heard and don’t need to turn up the volume on the radio, CD, DVD or television to hear them. Oh yes, it has a television. You can tune in to free-to-air channels as you would with the radio.The dual-view screen in the centre of the dashboard shows the driver, say, their map and navigation details while the passenger watches telly on the same unit. Amazing? No, old chap, just something you’d expect in the best.Meanwhile, the kids can watch the screens in the back of the front head rests, each with its own headset and remote control. This is a family car, after all. It has a family-sized boot, too – a cavernous area uncluttered by fold-away seats, and covered by a folding cargo lid solid enough to support gear on top, with a retractable cargo net for when it’s needed.Would you really opt for white leather if you’re taking the kids outback? Or anywhere, for that matter? Having seen the kids use it, seen the red sand all over it, smudged it myself with a greasy hand and then cleaned it, I’d be fine with white, although there are many options.The leather and its finish are very high quality, resisting stains and cleaning up easily. And dust, dirt and rubbish vacuums out of that lovely, plush carpet effortlessly, really making you aware of how crappy the short nylon stuff in other wagons is. Things like this help you see where your money went.I haven’t covered everything about the Vogue in this test. But you get the gist. The only concerns are the 20-inch wheels – and I’d be nervous without a lower-class rig to act as jumper-toting foot servant – but the top-shelf Range Rover cannot, I believe, be over-rated, only under-estimated by those who can’t understand its $208,000 price tag.No, I can’t afford it, and will never have any real idea what it’s like to go shopping for a 200-grand vehicle, but I can say that those who do buy one are getting everything a 4X4 wagon can give, from blue-blooded luxury to earthy off-road prowess.

Petrol or diesel? In the 4X4 arena, it’s the campfire fight starter, but now more relevant than ever as fuel prices soar.

Most outback tourers will opt for a diesel 4X4 wagon or ute over a petrol-powered model for a variety of reasons.Modern turbo-diesel vehicles have a number of advantages over their petrol counterparts such as better fuel economy, longer touring range, more torque at low revs for off-road use and towing, more access to appropriate fuel in remote areas and the simple fact that it’s safer to carry diesel in jerry cans than it is to carry petrol.But with the cost of diesel now up to 30 cents per litre (cpl) more expensive than 91RON unleaded petrol (ULP), it makes you wonder if buying a diesel four-wheel drive makes the economic sense that it once did.Toyota LandCruiser 200 SeriesThe turbo-diesel Toyota 200 Series LandCruiser is a good example of a vehicle that could cost you more to own over a three-year period than a petrol LandCruiser: a GXL petrol V8 retails for $69,990 and a GXL turbo-diesel V8 is $10,000 more at $79,990.If you take out a three-year loan for the full amount, the turbo-diesel Cruiser would cost almost $4000 a year more to pay off. Resale on both variants is the same at 67.8 percent, but depreciation works out at $1000 per year more for the diesel model due to its higher initial purchase price. In fact, the only potential saving with the diesel model is in fuel costs thanks to better economy.Based on official combined fuel figures, if you travel 30,000km per year, and even if diesel costs 30 cpl more than ULP, you’ll spend close to $1200 less on fuel with the diesel model.Based on loan repayments, resale value and fuel cost calculations, you’ll be almost $4200 per year better off buying the petrol LandCruiser compared with the turbo-diesel model.Diesel PradoToyota Prado GrandeOf course, not all manufacturers ask a $10k premium for the diesel variant of specific models; even Toyota only asks $1000 more for a turbo-diesel Prado compared with a petrol-powered model.Repayments for a Prado Grande, over a three-year period, work out at around $430 more per annum for the oiler. However, it will save you just over a grand in fuel costs if you travel 30,000km and there’s a 30cpl difference in the price of ULP and diesel. And at 72.5 percent retained value after three years, the turbo-diesel Prado has a better resale rating than the petrol model at 69 percent, saving you another $788 per annum for the oiler.Based on these calculations you’ll be more than $1400 per year better off if you buy a turbo-diesel Prado Grande over a petrol variant Nissan Navara ST-X D40.Nissan Navara dieselNissan Navara ST-X dual-cab uteWhile diesel Navara drivers will save around $800 per year on fuel costs, (based on 30,000km travelled at 30cpl more for diesel), they’ll pay $859.30 more per year on loan repayments and $286 more per year on depreciation over three years.Overall cost per year works out at $327 more for the diesel Navara than the petrol model.Of course, these cost calculations are based on specific distances covered each year and the amount and type of loan taken out. Even accurate resale values can be difficult to calculate as they’re dependent upon condition and mileage.Petrol PradoServicing costsThe other cost consideration is the respective price of servicing petrol and diesel four-wheel drives.Modern turbo-diesel engines don’t require the 5000km oil changes of older diesel engines, which is reflected in Toyota’s fixed servicing costs for three years on petrol and diesel Prados and LandCruisers. The first six service intervals for these vehicles will cost you only $180 a pop and both petrol and diesel models are good for six months or 10,000km between services.Although service costs aren’t fixed, both the petrol and diesel models of the Nissan Navara also have 10,000km service intervals.The average servicing fee for the petrol Nav is $265, while the oiler will set you back $285. Averaging 30,000km a year, the petrol will save you $80.The test driveWe took petrol and diesel variants of the Toyota Prado Grande and Nissan Navara ST-X on a two-day test that included a wide variety of driving conditions.The idea of the drive programme wasn’t just to gain fuel figures (which were significantly higher than the official combined cycle figures), but to see how the two engine variants affected the overall driving experience.While modern turbo-diesel power-plants have an abundance of low-down torque, they can’t match petrol V6 donks for outright power and performance.The petrol Nissan Navara ST-X was, until the recent launch of the supercharged TRD HiLux, probably the quickest 4X4 ute money could buy. Its 4.0-litre V6 engine pumps out an impressive 198kW of power and a respectable 385Nm of torque. From a standing start, the petrol Navara launches off the line and leaves the turbo-diesel model in its wake. In fact, this potent ute is a good argument for mandatory traction and stability control on all vehicles as it will easily light-up the rear tyres without a load in the tray.PradoWhile the turbo-diesel Navara is no slouch, given the fact that (based on the previous calculations) it costs around the same to run each year as the petrol V6, you’d probably be better off buying the latter model.Another bonus in owning the petrol model includes better engine noise suppression; it’s quite simply far more refined than the rattly turbo-diesel model.However, if you do a lot of off-road driving or regularly tow a trailer, the tables are turned. Our sand-driving course showed that the petrol Navara could gulp down ULP at close to 30L/100km compared with around 20L/100km for the diesel model.Fuel figuresSay you did 5000km of sand driving, based on the above fuel usage, the cost of fuel for the petrol model would set you back $2500 (at $1.679cpl) and for the diesel $1980 (at $1.979cpl).The fuel cost difference driving the Prados is a little less. Our testing showed there was only a 7.0L/100km difference in sand driving fuel consumption; 30.0L/100km for the petrol and 23.0L/100km for the diesel. Over 5000km of sand driving, you’d save just $230 driving the diesel.Petrol PradoOn the road, however, the petrol Prado has a big advantage compared with the diesel model. Its 4.0-litre V6 makes 179kW of power and 376Nm of torque. It’s a very smooth engine that’s well mated to the auto transmission. The 3.0-litre turbo-diesel develops a claimed 127kW of power and 410Nm of torque. While diesel engine noise suppression is better in the Prado than the Navara, the Toyota oiler is still louder than the petrol V6 model.While we’ve already established that the turbo-diesel LandCruiser 200 costs significantly more to own per year than the petrol V8 model (around $4000 more), that won’t be reason enough to convince many buyers that the oiler is a bad choice – and for good reason.Put simply, the Cruiser’s 4.5-litre twin-turbo-diesel V8 is a monster, with a healthy 195kW of power and massive 650Nm of torque. Its output compares very favourably with the 4.7-litre petrol V8 model that makes slightly more power (202kW) but much less torque (410Nm).On-road performance is similar, but the twin-turbo diesel V8, with its effortless torque, is definitely a better option for off-road driving and towing.Touring rangeThe final, very important factor that should influence your decision-making process is touring range.The Prado is a great vehicle to use as an example here because, with its standard 180-litre fuel capacity, it mimmicks just about every outback tourer’s vehicle fitted with an aftermarket long-range fuel tank.Even at an optimistic average fuel consumption of 13.1L/100km, the Prado petrol V6 offers a touring range of around 1350km from its 180-litres of fuel. The diesel model, on the other hand, offers an impressive 1900km!With the diesel model, you’ll rarely have to carry extra fuel and, even around town, you can carry plenty of fuel until you find the best price at the bowser.The verdictWhile there are plenty of hypotheticals in this study, it does blow away the myth that owning a diesel 4X4 is cheaper than owning a gas-guzzling petrol 4X4.It also shows that it pays to do a lot of studying at home, calculator in hand, so you can make an informed purchase decision on your next new 4X4.