I’M going to start this yarn with a quick little disclaimer here, I’m going to be biased. Not because Lifestyle Campers have lined my pocket, hell they’re probably going to charge me for cleaning out the empty beer cans I left in the fridge. No, instead I’m biased, because this is the camper I’d buy right now if I had the money in my pocket, and I don’t, due in no small part to the beer I just mentioned. Ain’t life poetic sometimes?

3

You see, campers of any description fit a reasonably small part of our life. If you camped every weekend of every month of every year of your life, your camper would still spend more than 70 per cent of the time parked in your driveway. To me, that means a camper needs to make life a lot easier so I can maximise my time kicking back drinking the previously mentioned beer and watching the sunset over the water somewhere far beyond the nonsense the other five days of the week bring. I’m not overly fussed on how many comforts I’m bringing, I just don’t want to have to wrestle a tent and collapsible table just to be away from it all. Camping should be about camping, ya know? Building camp fires, cooking up a good feed, exploring the tracks nearby, and to that extent the Lifestyle Campers Reconn R2 Elite knocks off-grid living out of the park.

1

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

I’M going to start here, because this is a 4×4 magazine, not Queen Bed Monthly. There are a few things I look for in any camper trailer to gauge its off-road ability, things that have never led me astray after a good couple of hundred thousand kays towing these contraptions around, and things that you can pick out yourself as problems or benefits before even laying your eyes on one in person – unladen weight, and dimensions packed up. Get those two features right and everything else damn near falls into place. So how does the Reconn R2 Elite stack up against its competitors off road?

2

The R2 Elite’s tare or unladen weight punches in smack bang on the 1600kg mark. It’s not exactly a featherweight compared to some of the hardcore off-road options on the market, but it’s also 200kg lighter than some of the dual-fold camper trailers on the market and nearly 400kg lighter than some comparable ‘hybrid’ campers too. The end result of that alone is your tow-tug won’t have an overly difficult time yanking the Reconn R2 Elite across creek crossings, through mild mud holes or through wombat holes. Even our little bi-turbo Everest had no trouble muscling the Lifestyle Camper around.

1

The overall footprint is reasonably compact as well. At 1880mm wide and 5800mm long it’s not only narrower than most of the twin-fold campers on the market, it’s shorter too. The result is when you’re off roading, you’ve got less of an arc swinging around behind you to clip trees on tight tracks, and the trailer will track within the width of most 4WDs so you won’t be constantly paranoid if it’ll make it through a spot your tow-tug is already through.

Actually, in the real world there were a few key things that stood out in the Lifestyle’s favour too. The axle placement hasn’t over or underloaded the tow-tug making for a smooth and predictable towing experience with no bucking or bouncing on or off road. The optional Airbag Man set-up tucked on to the Cruisemaster independent suspension also provided plenty of articulation and ground clearance, so match that with a full range of motion from DO35 coupling and the Lifestyle Camper had no issues following the Everest wherever it’d go.

1

PITCHING TENTS

EASE of use comes second, because that’s basically how we judge an off-road camper, right? I don’t think I’m overstating it when I say this has to be one of the easiest camper trailers on the market to set up. From front to back, the entirety of the set-up is as simple as popping the four over-centre latches that keep the lid clamped down, open the front storage compartment, and press the button that opens the lid. From there, the whole roof opens electronically while you’re grabbing a cold one from the fridge. It really is that simple. If you’re going to unhitch the camper from the tow tug there are the typical stabiliser legs at each corner too.

1

Two minutes after tapping the button the camper is effectively set up, at least enough that you can duck inside for an early night if it’s flogging down rain on the road. Unlock the screen door, climb up the stairs and to your right you’ve got a full-sized inner-spring queen bed surrounded by large opening zippered windows, they open under the attached wind-out awning so can be left open in rain too. There’s under bed storage with a handful of drawers at the foot of the bed perfect for storing clothing, while a set of fold-out stairs makes accessing the bed a little easier.

Back down on ground level you’ve got a three-berth dinette in the base R2 Elite, with additional storage off to the passenger side. There’s premium fabrics used throughout but with the optional bunk bed fitted, you’d want to be short to tuck yourself right into the table. There’s also a straight dinette available without bunks, or an optional en suite, so suit the layout that best fits your needs.

2

Back out on the outside and setting up is quick and easy again. There’s a hard-shell wind-out caravan-style awning that makes setting up shelter a one-person operation. The kitchen is twice as fast too, pop open the side compartment, connect a couple of quick fittings and you’re up and running with huge pantry space, a cutlery drawer, prep bench, gas stove top, and hot and cold running water to the sink. Our demo was fitted with the optional air-bag suspension which allowed us to level the camper out despite the uneven terrain we parked on helping get the kitchen to the perfect height.

The storage space is best described as cavernous too. There’s a huge dry storage space on the driver’s side perfect for stashing additional clothing, kids’ pushbikes, camp furniture, or anything else you can think of really. There’s also additional storage space up front in the bulkhead and protected by sacrificial plates guarding against wayward rocks.

If you’re after a shower, there’s an external one at the rear. The shower head itself is quick to deploy but the shower tent is a little awkward, needing to be manually clipped on to an additional strut on the rear. Hardly a deal breaker but considering the build quality and overall design of the camper, it’s surprising to see it not permanently hard mounted.

1

OFF THE GRID

THE third aspect camper trailers need to be judged on, at least in my books, is the gear they bring to the table to enable extended camping without needing to plug in a generator and pray for water. After all, if the camper can barely cope with more than a night off the grid then essentially, it’s an horrendously expensive tent.

To that end the Reconn R2 Elite does a fair job carrying its own, so to speak. On the water front you’re looking at a combined 180L of water split between two 90L poly water tanks. In an unconventional move the tanks are mounted internally so aren’t susceptible to wayward branches ruining your day. There’s room to fit an additional 90L tank bumping capacity up to a massive 270L of potable water. The water system runs through an in-line carbon filter to protect against general nastiness and pumps up both to the kitchen and the Truma hot-water system.

3

On the electrical front, the brains of the operation is the trusty Redarc Manager 30 battery management system that combines inputs from the 175W solar panel up top, 240V inlet on the side, and 12V DC through the Anderson connection on the tow tug to keep the battery levels topped up. The base model comes with a single 120amp/h AGM battery but can be optioned up to a second 120amp/h AGM battery. On the cooking front, you’ll have enough gas to last for months on end with twin 4kg gas bottles up front in their own compartment, with a large slide capable of handling a large dual-zone fridge-freezer. If it were our own camper we’d be throwing in a little more battery and solar but as is, will suffice for most camping trips.

SHOULD YOU BUY ONE?

LET’S get one thing clear, if you’re a little more established in life, have a little deeper pockets, and want to spend less time fighting tarps and more time enjoying camping, you need a hybrid camper, it’s as simple as that. Should you buy the Reconn R2 Elite from Lifestyle Campers? That really depends on a few things. The first is where your happy place lands on the value-for-money scale.

2

Imported campers will do the same thing for cheaper, but most won’t be as smooth and well-thought-out in the design. The Lifestyle will also perform better off road than most as well, so ask yourself if you’ll be using it in places where that matters. And finally, does the layout suit you? If you’re travelling with two adults and up to two kids it’s unarguably one of the best set-ups you can buy, but that’s no use if your kids’ earn their pocket money playing for the Harlem Globetrotters. For me, it ticks every box I can think of, and some I hadn’t considered, now I just need to find a spare 60-odd thousand tucked in the lounge and I’m home free.

1

SPECS

LIFESTYLE CAMPERS RECONN R2 ELITE

Ford hasn’t been shy about showing how many different versions can be squeezed out of the new Bronco – and this new Riptide concept showcases just how much the new 4×4 can be modified within the marque’s own catalogue.

1

The Riptide concept started out life as a four-door Bronco with the Sasquatch package added, which already includes the 35-inch mud-terrain tyres wrapped around 17-inch alloys and Ford Performance beadlock rings.

1

The biggest difference is the removable doors have been replaced with open tubular doors, and Ford has also equipped the Riptide concept with front and rear e-lockers, high-clearance Bilstein long-travel shocks and the Bronco Terrain Management System – so beach-goers will have a harder time getting stuck.

1

Finishing off the factory-added accessories on the Riptide is an LED light bar above the windshield and a Yakima bike rack, along with marine-grade vinyl-trimming on the seats and rubber flooring for easy cleaning.

1

All of those extras fitted to the Riptide are already available through Ford to add onto any Bronco order, but the Riptide has debuted two new prototype parts we expect will make it into production very soon.

1

There’s a new prototype steel front bumper fitted with fog lights and two hooks, as well as the system on the roof rack which allows surf boards to be strapped down.

“We wanted the vehicle to demonstrate how Bronco customers can personalize [sic] their vehicle, letting different types of customers visualize [sic] what they might want to do with their future Bronco,” said Missy Coolsaet, Bronco color [sic] and materials designer.

1

The Riptide concept is powered by the 2.7-litre EcoBoost petrol V6 developing 231kW/542Nm when paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission.

At this stage it’s not clear if the Riptide will be added to the current Bronco range – but even if it isn’t, buyers can easily create their own by personalising their Bronco with the Ford optional parts catalogue and aftermarket suppliers.

1

At this stage Ford Australia has no plans to make the Bronco range available in Australia.

A Toyota dealer in Sydney has hinted that we may be seeing the highly anticipated 300 series LandCruiser landing in dealers as early as October this year.

1

Windsor Toyota made the post yesterday on its Instagram page stating: “The LandCruiser 300 arrival has been announced and stock is on it’s [sic] way. Get ready for October, this is the arrival you won’t want to miss out on!”

1

Up until now, Toyota Australia has only confirmed the new 300 series will be in Australia by quarter four of this year.

1

The biggest headline from the new 300 series is that the twin-turbo 1VD-FTE V8 diesel from the outgoing 200 series will be replaced by the more powerful F33A-FTV 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel engine, which develops 227kW and 700Nm.

1

Toyota Australia confirmed at the start of this month the 300 series will be offered in six different trim levels, with pricing starting at $89,990 for the GX, moving through to the range-topping Sahara ZX on offer from $138,790 and the hotly anticipated GR Sport version costing upwards of $137,790.

2

You can read about the full range breakdown here, and we’ve already had a steer of a pre-production 300 series prototype before the official reveal last month which you can watch here.

The electric version of Mercedes’s premier 4×4 is finally ready for public eyes, with reports suggesting the German marque will preview its future G-Wagen at the upcoming Munich motor show

According to Autocar, Mercedes-Benz is expected to make the reveal at the event which gets underway on September 7.

The news comes nearly two years after Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius stated there would be an all-electric version of the brand’s luxury 4×4, as the company moves towards offering EV versions of all of its vehicles.

1

While the concept unveil at Munich is less than a month away, Autocar says that we’ll have to wait until 2024 to see production models become available to the public.

There’s no official word on what electric powertrains will be used, but we do know Mercedes-Benz has already trademarked the EQG 560 and EQG 580 names.

1

That strongly points to the possibility of the EV G-Wagen making use of the 384kW, 855Nm electric twin-motor driveline currently used in the EQS SUV.

Given the G-Class styling has scarcely changed since it first debuted 42 years ago, we expect the new EV version – widely dubbed the EQG – will keep loosely the same styling as the current G-Class range, but more than likely with a solid-piece front grille, different wheels and other subtle touches to stand out from the rest of the range.

1

The unveil of the electric G-Wagen won’t be the first electric 4×4 concept from Mercedes-Benz, which first experimented with all-electric off-road capable drivetrains with the high riding EQC 4×4² prototype – first seen by the in October last year.

That concept was based on the EQC 400 4Matic, which used a twin-motor EV driveline developing 304kW and 761Nm of torque.

1

If the off-road capability of that concept is anything to go by, we expect the electric version of the G-Wagen to be just as capable as its internal combustion engined counterpart.

While many Cape York travellers rely on GPS for directions, it’s best and more accurate to plan long trips by studying proper maps of the region. The Hema Cape York Atlas & Guide book – or the Hema Cape York map – are both ideal. If you have one and want to avoid the PDR on the return route from the Tip – or the way north – there are alternate routes on the west and east sides of the PDR, most largely ignored by ‘Tick-off the Tip’ visitors.

When coming back from the Tip, one of the best East Coast routes can be taken by turning east on to the Port Stewart Road, 28km south of Coen. Consider visiting Indigenous-owned Silver Plains Station – if open to visitors. They had some great barra fishing and boar hunting there on my last visit a few years back, though it cost me a little.

While it’s named as a ‘port’, Port Stewart no longer functions as one. Previously it was used to unload mining equipment on the muddy foreshores of the Stewart River estuary, from where the machinery was dragged up the steep hills of the Great Dividing Range by horse and bullock teams to the Coen and Ebagoola goldmines beyond.

About 20km back from the boat ramp that now marks the Port, turn south along the coast to Lily Vale Station via the Running Creek track. It runs on private land and is subject to the whims of one owner because, at times, people have encountered locked gates. This was after he got pissed off by grubs leaving rubbish behind, illegal shooting and ignoring ‘no trespass’ signs. It only takes one mongrel to spoil it for all. Just remember that you are a guest in this country, treat it as such.

The Running Creek track terminates on the Musgrave-Lakelands Road. It’s not far to the roadhouse, as there’s no more fuel until you reach Cooktown if you plan to explore some of the most wonderful wilderness country on the lower Cape York Peninsula’s east coast.

1

RINYIRRU NATIONAL PARK

You may also wish to spoil yourself for a night at the Lotus Bird Lodge, 24km past the Running Creek track junction. To the east is one of the country’s great national treasures; totalling some 537,000ha, Rinyirru is the second largest NP in the state after the Simpson Desert National Park (now Munga-Thirri National Park). Previously called Lakefield, Rinyirru is amazing, and with eight major rivers running in to the Laura basin – Annie, Morehead, Hann, North Kennedy, Bizant, Normanby, Deighton and the Laura – there are plenty of fishing opportunities to enjoy.

Just remember to book campsites in the park, most are located on fish-rich river and creek pools fringed with verdant tropical vegetation alive with the noise of myriad birds.

The park has a mosaic of flood plains, sandstone escarpments, hills, open monsoonal woodlands, termite cities and stands of the spectacular gebang (Corypha utan) palms, one of our tallest palm trees. It lives for about 50 years before it blooms, seeds and dies. The rivers and creeks shadowed by gallery forests, a type of monsoon rainforest.

The landscape is associated with many Aboriginal cultural sites and myths. Previously the traditional owners were employed on cattle stations – Laura, Bizant, Breeza Plains and Lakefield – which were purchased by the state and declared a park in 1978, 100 years after cattle was first introduced to the region. The traditional owners jointly manage Rinyirru with the QPWS under the CYPAL Agreement.

The park, like others on the Cape, rarely opens by June and often much later. The reason is so that the tracks are not damaged when still damp and that campsites have dried out – at least that is the park management excuse. I personally reckon it’s laziness, as in most years the wet and the flood run-off are well and truly over by May.

The park is endowed with numerous campsites that are well-patronised from the time Rinyirru first opens until the closure of the barramundi fishing season, from November 1 until January 1 on the east coast. Bag and size limits apply. Only the Hann River crossing and Kalpower campsites have toilets.

The fishing is excellent in all freshwater streams. Some streams stop running late in the dry, and anglers must share the water with freshwater and saltwater crocodiles. Canoes and ’yaks are not recommended following a fatal attack on a canoeist in the Normanby River a few years ago. Some campsites are located on tidal arms and many local anglers camp on the tidal flats of Marina Plains, where many issues remain with traditional owners and it’s largely open slather camping, with toilet and rubbish disposal a huge problem.

But the park isn’t all about fishing, many 4WD tracks terminate at remote waterholes, lily-covered billabongs, swamps, old cattle yards and more. Bird watching, bush walking and just relaxing with a coldie under a tree watching crocs basking below the camp, accompanied by birdsong, is hard to beat.

1

BEYOND RINYIRRU

Accessed from Kalpower Crossing and worth visiting is Bathurst Head on Bathurst Bay. The rocks on the Head have amazing barramundi fishing late in the season.

No netting is allowed in Princess Charlotte and Bathurst Bays, so the chance of catching your own dinner is high.

This is part of Kalpower Station, visit them for details, though the nearby park headquarters may also have information. The station is Aboriginal owned and permission is subject to the whims of the traditional owners, as is the cost. Nothing is ever clear-cut in this region, or farther south at the Cape Flattery dune fields, when it comes to traditional management. Sometimes it becomes all too hard and frustrating …

Head east after crossing the Normanby River on Kalpower Crossing to Cape Melville National Park and Ninian Bay, both have good camping and fishing. Turn north at the abandoned Wakooka Station and follow the signs to the remarkable Cape Melville National Park. En route, visit beautiful Ninian Bay for the night, a sheltered cove with a lovely beach and a large paperbark swamp behind it. On calm days, it’s possible to fish along the seashore to the south and north with an estuary boat. The bay is part of the Cape Melville National Park and connected to Rinyirru by the Jack River National Park, with Kalpower Station lodged between them.

Once past Wakooka the track, or tracks, degrades, with corrugations, washouts and the odd tidal creek encounter. There are long stretches of sandy bits that will test the endurance of trailers, while deep washouts are problematic for many drivers. In some sandy sections several tracks run from the main one to unite farther on. The trick is to pick the right one to prevent yourself from being bogged. Just make sure the tyres are sufficiently aired down.

1

CAPE MELVILLE NATIONAL PARK

Past the Muck River, the track swings east toward the narrow beach and verdant monsoon rainforest fringe that separates it from the rolling boulder-strewn Melville Range. If you were in awe at the Black Mountains, south of Cooktown on the Mulligan Highway, you will be gobsmacked by the majestic size of the house-size boulders that make up both the Melville and Altanmoui Ranges that fringe Bathurst and sections of Princess Charlotte Bay to the west.

Unlike the black-coloured rocks of the Black Mountain range far to the south, the Melville rocks are light-coloured. This is due to the lack of algae, which finds the Black Mountain rocks more to its liking due the reliable rainfall of the wet tropics. The algae is the black that grows in the pores and surfaces of the rocks, but underneath they’re light-coloured.

1

THE STORM

Cape Melville has a sad history and an unwanted record. On the evening of March 4, 1899, on a Saturday, the pride of the Torres Strait pearling fleet is at shelter in Bathurst Bay (northwest of Princess Charlotte Bay) and adjacent areas as the ships’ barometers plunged to alarmingly low levels. A storm is coming.

Nervous captains head for shelter with fear in their hearts. There are low, subdued talks as divers gather on deck, watching night fall and an ominous black sky above the Coral Sea alive with lighting and tumultuous, continuous moaning thunder.

The ships batten down, 124 in all: 109 luggers, six cutters, eight schooners, and the lighthouse ship anchored off northwest Cape Melville. To the south six cutters are anchored behind the Howick Island group while the schooner Wanetta accompanied by 11 luggers, is north of Princess Charlotte Bay – and missed the storm.

Torrential rain and high winds buffet the ships as they ride at anchor, even the thunder is drowned out by noise from the wind, spray and hugged waves that slam in to the ships. Sometime between 3 and 5am a tidal wave estimated to be over 15m lifts the ships from their anchors, carries them ashore and smashes them in to the rocks of the stony range behind the beach.

The only ship to survive the carnage is the aptly named Crest of the Wave, but she has lost all of her 13 luggers. Her Captain, W. F. Porter notes that the “glass is still falling at 4.30am on Sunday morning.” Daylight brings a grey, rainy blustered sky with only the dismasted Crest of the Wave riding lonely and alone in the bay. The fleet is no more, the shore littered with ships, broken masts and a handful people walking about in a state of shock.

1

THE AFTERMATH

The ships near the Howick group were also sunk and the legend of a Murray Island man, Douglas Pitt, endures in the Torres Strait. In those days, most captains and divers had their wives and families with them. Pitt and another man, along with their wives, struck out for Cape Melville. The men and women carried their children on their backs, but all were dead when they reached the mainland.

Many Aborigines who were camped along the Cape Melville beach were also drowned. No one knows how many, but some estimates say more than 60 died; that, along with the 307 ship crew lost, makes the Bathurst Cyclone the most damaging in terms of life in our history. Only a handful of Europeans were among the dead, all the others were mostly Torres Strait Islanders and local Aborigines.

The first ship to arrive on the scene was a steamer, the Duke of Norfolk. Her master refused to take on natives and left people behind floundering in a rolling sea or marooned on islets and rocks. He continued to Brisbane and signalled the bad news to the signal man on Cooktown’s Grassy Hill, but the signal was partly lost due to bad weather and it was not until the ship reached Townsville on March 8 that the tragedy became known to authorities. Help was on its way, but it was mostly body recovery …

The event and its history are largely forgotten by modern travellers who only become aware of it when they come across a small memorial that reveals the night of terror all those years ago. It’s located at the western end of the Melville Range and between its western first outlier, about 100m from the beach.

1

CAMPING

There are no organised campgrounds on the beach, just pick a spot under the shady fruit trees that fringe it and crap in the wood beyond. However, be aware that when the fruit is ripe, fruit bats and birds will crap all over your camp and vehicle – day and night – it’s called ‘revenge crapping’ up here …

The fishing can be great or bad, but that is fishing all over, even on the Cape. There is a freshwater creek and a spring located on the base of the boulders on the west side of the range. It’s crossed before you reach the beach. The water from the spring is soft and drinkable and invites some swimming.

Take a hike along the base of the rocks and you may find trochus and pearl shell, pieces of ship’s timber, rusty metal and more, all that remains of the ships that were smashed on to the rocks by a 15m tidal surge, the highest ever recorded in Australia.

Cape Melville National Park is remote, wild, beautiful and often dangerous, with a crocodile attack that injured two people occurring a few years back – but don’t let that stop you going there.

1

HEADING SOUTH

Head south from abandoned Wakooka Station junction on to the Starcke Track to Cooktown. The track is rough with stony ridges, washouts and sections of challenging deep bulldust. There are campsites on the mouth of the Starcke River and a boat ramp. Note that security is a problem here.

Farther south, visit the amazing Cape Flattery dune field and en route camp on wonderful Elim Beach at Hopevale. The unmarked turn-off is at the Mount Webb National Park, a few hundred metres south of the oil palm plantation. The track to the beach has swampy sections and deep creek crossings before it ascends on to the 15km-long beach. People camp at the mouth of the Morgan River and on sheltered Connie Beach on the north side of Cape Flattery. Make sure your vehicle fits in the conveyor tunnel or you may lose the hood rack. Visitors are not welcome at the sand mine site and workers village.

Enjoy the wonderful beach camping at Elim Beach, via Hopevale, before heading back to civilisation.

At Cooktown you have a choice of heading home on the Mulligan Highway via Mareeba, or turn east past the Black Mountain National Park – and is the northernmost border of the 9000km² Wet Tropics World Heritage Area that ranges all the way south to just north of Townsville. Don’t miss beautiful Bloomfield Beach and the mouth of the Bloomfield River at Ayton. Here you have a choice of exploring the western edge of the Daintree Rainforest, via the CREB Track, or the coastal section from the Bloomfield Track. If it’s raining, forget about the CREB track and let common sense prevail.

But forgive me, did I mention all those side-tracks that divert from the routes we have just explored? Oh well, you will just have to go back another time and do it again. Just another excuse to come back … ya hear!

1

HEADING NORTH

Of course, you can start your Cape York adventure from Cooktown and follow the scenic Starcke Track, via the Battle Camp Track, north to Port Stewart, via Melville and Rinyirru National Parks. Just remember there are no facilities or fuel on this route until you reach Coen, or by diverting to the Musgrave Roadhouse and missing the Running Creek Track. You may have to carry extra fuel if you don’t have a long-range tank.

An alternate route is via the Battlecamp Road to Rinyirru NP on the PDR, if you wish to avoid the Starcke Track and the Cape Melville region.

Note: these tracks and directions may be confusing and it’s recommended to read this along with a Hema Cape York map, where all the tracks’ information is crystal clear.

FOR decades Toyota’s LandCruiser has been the be-all-to-end-all off-road, the top dog, the king of the mountain and the go-to option for anyone who likes their beer cold and their dirt red. Looking back, it wasn’t hard to see why. Affordable, capable, rugged, reliable, comfortable, and endless other adjectives. The point is, if you wanted to drive tough tracks, camp on the beach with your mates, or set off for the big lap, the LandCruiser was the clear choice.

Over the last 10 years we’ve seen that drastically change, and it’s all thanks to Swiss Army knife builds like Blake’s oh so clean and twice as capable N70 Hilux. As LandCruisers got bigger, heavier and more expensive, the Hilux has stepped up and filled every role perfectly, and young blokes and blokettes all around the country are taking notice.

“I think they’re a great all-rounder,” Blake tells us. “I wanted something that could drive long distances comfortably, and tackle any tracks I wanted to take on.”

1

Like most young blokes’ rigs, Blake’s 2014 HiLux has been a slow evolution as ideas and funds slowly morph the build, but the current iteration is no doubt the most impressive. Starting from the ground up, Blake’s gun-metal grey ’Lux is now sitting a full five inches closer to the clouds with a combination of components and creative thinking. Up front, Radflo 2.0 diameter struts fill each wheel well, with Phat Bars blacked-out coils bumping their ride height up three inches over stock. The swaybar has been binned for more travel, and PSR upper control arms have been fitted to make the most of the available suspension travel. Blake’s also fitted a Phat Bars diff drop to give the OEM CV joints a fighting chance at life.

Moving back, Blake’s binned the Toyota leaf springs and swapped in a set from an RG Holden Colorado, their longer length matched with 190mm extended shackles from Phat Bars gives the ’Lux a taller rider height but, more importantly, a smoother ride and increased travel. A 50mm body lift from VMN rounds out the package.

1

Of course, all that ground clearance is good for nought without the ability to get traction to the ground and, in that regard, Blake’s held very little back. Each corner of the ’Lux now sports a set of aggressive Maxxis RAZR mud tyres weighing in at 305/70R17, or a hair under 34 inches tall in the old money. To fill the guards out perfectly and help keep rotating mass down, he’s wrapped them around lightweight American Racing ATX 202 alloy wheels with a -12 offset bumping out the track width slightly. Larger diameter DBA drilled and slotted rotors help reign in the extra rolling mass to ensure the big ’Lux pulls up quicker than a stock one. Up front, Blake’s ‘massaged’ the pinch welds on the firewall to ensure the tyres don’t foul on full bump, and he’s given the cab mounts a haircut while the plasma was fired up. In the rear, traction is never an issue thanks to an ARB Air Locker ensuring both mud tyres get equal drive.

As the ’Lux is Blake’s daily driver and beach-camping weapon, reliability was paramount, so under-bonnet modifications have been kept fairly minimal. Between the chassis rails lies Toyota’s near legendary 1KD engine, a 3.0 litre four-cylinder common-rail turbo-diesel capable of unreal performance with minimal modifications, and Blake’s unit is backed up by a five-speed automatic box for ease of use on- and off-road. It’s breathing far easier now with a three-inch mandrel-bent exhaust and high-flow catalytic converter picking up spent gases straight off the turbo and setting them free right before the rear diff; a Phat Bars snorkel ensuring the intake side flows just as freely.

1

The guys at G&L Performance wired up a HKS F-CON iD, a piggy back aftermarket engine control unit, before strapping it to the dyno and winding the wick up to 180hp and 550Nm at the rear wheels. Inside are twin pillar-mounted gauges helping keep an eye on boost levels as well as exhaust-gas temperatures, while a ScanGauge monitors everything from engine coolant temperatures to fuel consumption.

Moving to the outside and the solid foundation of performance and capability starts making for a seriously capable do-it-all platform. At the tip of the spear, so to speak, is a Muzzbar from SEQ Fabrication. The high-clearance bar not only improves approach angle, it also armours up the headlights and radiator support in the process. Tucked inside the bar is a 12,000lb winch, while Stedi Type-X lights in the main hoop light up country tracks with the power of 1000 suns, and are teamed up with a set of custom headlights for a little extra bling. Moving down the flanks and there’s a combination of off-the-shelf and custom again. Underneath is a full suite of under-body armour from Phat Bars covering everything from the radiator to transfer case in plate steel, while up on top a modified ARB platform rack has been tucked in tight to the body, trimmed down to minimise overhang and fitted up with a 130W solar panel feeding down into the Redarc dual-battery system.

1

Moving up the back and you’re face to face with an absolutely epic home-brew tray Blake’s pieced together. He’s used a combination of 2mm-thick steel box section for the frame and uprights, with 3mm alloy checker plate giving a flat deck for a floor. Underneath, colour-coded toolboxes from SEQ Fabrications give handy storage space while up on top of the uprights, a Motop rooftop tent gives him a quick and easy place to rest his head at night up out of the sand; optional roof racks give a home for surfboards on beach runs. Down below, a hard-mounted space case on the passenger side stores the electronics, light switches and spare parts. On the passenger side an ARB Elements fridge keeps the beer cold, and a slide-out kitchen next to it provides ample prep space for cooking up a campfire feast. Onboard air and a water tank and shower set-up complete the camping package.

With Blake’s full build coming in cheaper than you’d pay for a similar-year model LandCruiser, it’s not hard to see why the younger generations are flocking to the Hilux in droves. Comfortable, capable, infinitely customisable, and a ticket to endless adventure, the Hilux has well and truly earned the crown for the new go-to 4×4.

1

TAKE CONTROL

WHEN pushing an engine past the manufacturer’s performance levels, the aftermarket normally come face to face with a whole bunch of roadblocks. In some cases it’s mechanical: the turbo can’t push any harder, the injectors are at their limits, the crank will turn into a pretzel if you make it spin one RPM faster. Other times the drivetrain is capable of producing more power; it’s the electronics that are holding it back. This is where tuning comes in to play.

The approach to tuning the factory (or upgraded) set-up is largely limited by the factory ECU’s ability to be customised. In some cases they’re easy to tap in to and tune, other times they’re locked down harder than Fort Knox.

A ‘stand-alone’ engine management system replaces the entire factory computer, where as a ‘piggyback’ ECU works in conjunction with the factory computer. The right unit for you is a combination between your vehicle’s requirements and your tuner’s ability to safely use potential upgrades.

It would be a rare privilege for anyone to be among the first people outside of the manufacturer’s company to drive an all-new vehicle. But that’s just what a select group of Australian motoring journalists were when they gathered at the Australian Automotive Research Centre (AARC), near Anglesea in Victoria on a cold, wet day back in May.

Such is the importance of the Australian market to Japanese auto-giant Toyota when it comes to its four-wheel drive vehicles, that this small group of press were the first non-Toyota employees to drive one of its LandCruiser 300 Series prototypes. Rarefied ground indeed.

Toyota Australia engineers had been working on the 300 Series program for more than seven years up to this date, because back in Japan, they see Australia as the ‘Home of LandCruiser’ and the local terrain as the perfect ground for testing.

UPDATE, October 14 2021: The LC300 has now made its proper Australian debut, and you can read and watch our full first-drive review here.

1

CUSTOMER FEEDBACK

Before a spanner was turned to build a prototype, or a sketch drawn of what a new LandCruiser might look like, Toyota looked hard at what the new car needed to be. For this they went back to the customer and spoke to many existing LandCruiser owners in all parts of Australia to see why they owned a LandCruiser, how they used it, and what they might want from a new one.

“It’s all about the customer. What they do with it and where they drive it,” said TMCA Chief of Evaluation and testing, Ray Munday, as we gathered in a secretive shed that Toyota leases full-time at AARC.

What came from this research was that Australian LandCruiser owners wanted a diesel engine and they bought a Cruiser for its durability and comfort when driving over long distances.

The Chief Engineer for Land Cruiser, Takami Yokoo, said that when he participated in a ’round Australia durability drive of Toyota vehicles back in 2014, he found the 200 to be: “Much more tiring to drive than I expected. When driving on corrugated dirt roads or the seemingly endless Stuart Highway, you have to pay constant attention to how the car handles. It was my desire to resolve this that inspired manufacturing cars with the development team.”

1

The 200 Series was the benchmark for the new Cruiser, and any new Cruiser should be as capable as the last one. The chief engineer also mentioned the 80 Series as a ‘guidepost’ when developing the new car. The 80 is still regarded by many long-time LandCruiser owners as being the best of the breed.

Feedback from owners revealed they were happy with the size of the 200 Series and, as such, the 300 remains very similar in overall dimension. This came in handy when building prototypes of the new vehicle, as they were able to adapt a 200 Series body to the 300 chassis and drivetrain with limited modifications.

Such test ‘mules’ have been running in Australia for the past seven years and, while most of that development driving was conducted on private properties and facilities such as the AARC, there were times when they were needed to be driven on public roads. Footage shows a 200-bodied prototype travelling in what appears to be the Victorian High Country, where the public are driving by totally oblivious to what was beneath the 200 skin. Other testing locations included Australian deserts and tropical regions.

1

While Toyota has always had a few ‘favourite’ properties in Central Australia that it uses for R&D and testing, COVID-induced lockdowns and border closures made using them more difficult and pushed the engineers to find private properties they could use in rural Victoria.

A private test facility like the AARC is made for such classified testing and is used by many new-car manufacturers. On entry, you need to leave any phones, laptops or cameras at the gate and sign a non-disclosure agreement regarding anything you might see or drive within its grounds.

On this day, Toyota had the only 300 Series prototype in the country for us to drive, with a pair of 200s along for comparison. The prototype had shed most of its camouflage but was still covered in a matte-black vinyl wrap, so we were able to get a good look at what was to come. This was before the official images of the 300 were released; although, a litany of leaked images and spy photos left little to the imagination.

1

GENUINE ACCESSORIES

A few things that were of immediate interest before we drove the car were the alloy bullbar fitted with a Warn winch. The winch-compatible bar was a prototype and we confirmed the 300 will be available with the winch option in the Toyota Genuine Accessories bar. Another popular accessory on LandCruisers is a tow bar, and the 300 has the tow bar wiring already integrated into its wiring harness.

Toyota developed its range of Genuine Accessories alongside the development of the 300 Series itself, to have the best integration of them on the vehicle. This is opposed to creating them after the car was finished and making them fit.

The other interesting thing was the tyres fitted to the car. They look small and, in fact, are smaller than those used on the 200. Toyota has chosen to reduce the size of the standard tyre on LandCruisers to a 265/65-R18. That’s down from a 285/60-18, which won’t be popular with owners looking to legally fit larger tyres on their 300. Toyota worked with tyre companies to develop tyres specifically suited to the 300.

1

BEHIND THE WHEEL

Inside the prototype 300, parts of the dash were missing and the rear passenger footwells were full of data-logging equipment hooked up to a multitude of sensors via a nest of cables. It was explained that such prototypes are some of the most valuable cars on the planet, not simply for the fact that so many of the parts on them are handmade and fitted, but also the data they have attained from the many thousands of kilometres of testing.

Obvious were the new dashboard with its huge 12-inch screen, the stubby gear shifter for the 10-speed transmission, and the dials and switchgear for the multi-terrain selector which are easier to access than they were in the 200.

After a rock toss to determine who would be the first person outside of Toyota to drive the 300, we paired up and were sent out to the facility’s many and varied tracks. I didn’t win the honour but was sure to team up with the winner, so I would be next in line at the first driver swap.

There were four driving exercises set up for us to trial: loops around the high speed test track (both towing and not towing); a winding road course; a gravel road course; and finally a steep off-road hill climb. We sampled these both as passenger and driver, and with the two 200s for comparison. One of the 200s was a bone-stock Sahara, while the other was fitted with a bullbar and roof rack – a bit more like the 300 prototype.

1

ON TRACK

Sitting behind the wheel of the 300, it instantly feels bigger than the previous car. Switching between the two and the feeling becomes more obvious; although, it’s not so much bigger but you do sit lower in the 300, which gives the feeling of more space. Being relatively tall I always drop the seat to its lowest position. In an LC200 that has my eye level in the top third of the windscreen, while in the 300 my eyeline is more centred on the screen. With more space around your head, the cabin feels bigger.

Siting in the second-row seats and the lower position is also apparent, but leg room is about the same in the 200 and 300 vehicles. The cargo area of this vehicle had stuff in there, but it was evident the third row now folds flat into the floor rather than up to the sides as it did in the 200. We were unable to have a closer look at it.

Pulling out on to the high-speed loop and the familiarity with the 200 dissipates as there’s no rumble of a V8 diesel engine, but a smoother and more subdued tone from the 700Nm/227kW 3.3-litre V6 diesel. It feels more sprightly than the V8 as it seamlessly shifts through the ratios in the 10-speed auto to reach our 120km/h speed limit. That feeling is reinforced without having actual data once we get into the 200 for the same laps.

What is also evident is the feeling of lightness in the 300. Toyota says that the new car is up to 200kg lighter than the 200, thanks to the use of aluminium panels and other weight-saving methods. Toyota also moved the engine back in the chassis and dropped it lower to lower the centre of gravity. The 300 felt more nimble, especially over the front axle which steered more directly and precise in a simulated emergency lane change as we headed down the track’s back straight.

This improved stability should make the 300 safer, more dynamic and easier to drive on the open road.

1

TOWING

Next up we hooked an enclosed trailer behind the 300 that we were told was loaded to weigh 3000kg. Pulling out on to the same road loop you could certainly feel the weight there as expected. The engine produces a more guttural roar under load now, and the transmission works wonders to keep the V6 diesel in its peak torque range.

We were limited to 80km/h with this load and the new Cruiser made easy work of the task. It pulled, steered and stopped with the prowess you would expect anything towing such a weight to.

Same trailer behind a 200 and the engine lets out its sweet V8 grumble as it takes on the load. You feel the transmission shifts more harshly, with a wider space between its six ratios compared to the 10-speed 300. It makes harder work of it and requires a heavier foot on the accelerator and more inputs on the steering wheel to keep it tracking straight and through the long bends. The 200’s V8 engine might have a more relaxed gait than the busier V6, but, overall, the 300 is more relaxing to drive than the older wagon.

1

ROUGH ROADS

More relaxing is also how you would describe driving the 300 over rough and rutted roads when compared to the LC200. The new car retains the same coil-sprung independent front suspension (IFS) and coil live-axle rear end as the 200, but it is totally redesigned as fitted to the new TNGA chassis. Significantly, the trailing arms locating the rear axle are placed in a more parallel design in the new car, and this both helps control the movement of the rear end while also delivering more rear wheel travel when off-road.

The fresh suspension design is joined by a new version of the KDSS called E-KDSS. As the name suggests, it’s electronically controlled rather than the simple hydraulic KDSS system in the 200, and it can fully disconnect the front and rear sway bars to allow the individual wheel the most articulation when driving over large ruts and undulations. This helps keep the tyres in touch with the ground to improve traction.

The new chassis and suspension better controls the mass of the LC300 when travelling over both sealed and unsealed roads. It is no doubt helped by the reduced weight of the vehicle and the lower centre of mass, and the biggest difference is in the control of the rear end.

Yes, the rear will still step out over pot-holed and corrugated, low-friction surface roads, but not near as bad as a 200 does. Only the lighter unsprung weight of an independent suspension design would fix this, but that would restrict the articulation of the rear axle – and Toyota engineers wanted to improve this rather than compromise it. For this we should be thankful.

The improved levels of control and balance in the chassis make the LC300 easier to drive and more relaxed; as was Yokoo-san’s intention after his experiences driving in Australia.

1

OFF-ROAD

The off-road test was conducted on a hillside, where the marked course had us weaving up and down the slope. Unfortunately rain in the days before this had made the clay very slippery and limited the ability of the highway tyres fitted to the LandCruisers.

The engineers suggested we try out the hill descent control for the downhill. In the past, the Toyota HDC system had been noisy, jerky and off-putting, but the use of a larger accumulator in the system on the 300 has smoothed it out and made it bearable. It works well but is no replacement for good low range gearing and engine braking, both of which the LandCruiser has.

The turn-control system is also improved and we used that on the tight turn at the bottom of the hill. This system locks the inside rear wheel on tight turns to decrease the turn radius. It was helped here by the slippery surface.

A rutted hill climb is always the best test of a vehicle’s tractive ability and wheel travel, but the track deteriorated quickly as vehicles drove up it and broke through the crust, leaving a slippery slope underneath. The more cars that went up, and as the tyres clogged with mud, the worse it got, until it became impassable on the standard line.

But the 300 went up and showed its increased rear wheel travel and improved traction-control system worked very well. This car should be unstoppable with a decent set of tyres and its front and rear lockers engaged.

1

MORE TO COME

The test of the 300 we got on this day was only a teaser and, as honoured as we were to be a part of it, we’re still left yearning for more and looking forward to getting some more wheel time in the 300 over many dusty kilometres.

With news since detailing the new LandCruiser’s expanded six-variant model range, starting from the $89,990 GX through to the $138,790 Sahara ZX, we can’t wait to put the full line-up through its paces later this year.

The Nissan Patrol has reached 70 years in production, with the Japanese manufacturer celebrating six generations of the off-roader which first arrived locally in 1961.

Launching in 1951 as Nissan’s answer to the Willys Jeep, the Patrol has morphed over the years into the off-road focused wagon we now know. Gaining the comfort of coil springs in 1987 when the fourth-generation GQ was launched, it earned 4×4 Australia’s 4×4 of the Year award and making its way onto our list of top 10 4x4s.

While the GQ was the Patrol’s coming of age in the Australian market, the GU saw further success after its debut in 1997, winning the 1997, 2001 and 2002 4×4 of the Year awards before ultimately going out of production after 19 years in 2016.

6

The Patrol’s on-road success and sales were partially driven by its achievements off-road in competition, winning the Australian Off-Road Championship 4WD Production class a record 14 times at the hands of Les Siviour – taking out the overall Championship title in 1987 aboard a Nissan-backed GQ.

Nissan Australia’s managing director Adam Paterson said the Patrol’s strengths off-road have been a key factor in its popularity with local customers.

“The Patrol is an automotive legend that has always been at the forefront of its segment, by breaking new ground in comfort and convenience while improving its rugged off-road capabilities and durability with every generation,” said Paterson.

“And, as we celebrate the off-roader’s landmark 70th anniversary in 2021, it is fantastic to look back at the collection of achievements and accolades that have recognised and rewarded the Patrol as being the best in its class.

3

“That it is winning awards today proves that the evolution of the Patrol through the five generations sold in Australia since 1961 has continued to meet the demands of its passionate and loyal customer base, while attracting new off-road enthusiasts and adventurous families.”

With the launch of the Y62 in 2010, Nissan switched to exclusively petrol power across the range, all examples now fitted with a 5.6-litre naturally aspirated V8 which develops 298kW and 560Nm in 2020-onwards update models.

Despite Patrol sales remaining consistent and recovering after a tough 2020 for the wider industry, it is trailing to the Toyota LandCruiser to the end of July 2021, having sold 1745 units year to date – while its Japanese rival has managed to sell 12,159 units, a factor in Nissan dropping out of the top 10 manufacturers last month.

2

To get your four-wheel drive in the magazine, post a photo of it to the 4X4 Australia Facebook page – or send us a DM – with a brief description. One readers’ rig is selected each month to win a Wurth under-bonnet LED valued at $249. Here are the July 2021 selections.

2017 HOLDEN COLORADO (prize winner)

It has had a bit done to it, but the list never ends. Kit includes a TJM bullbar; GME UHF; Ironhide Customs snorkel; Rhino Backbone; two-inch EFS XTR lift; Aeroflow transmission cooler with fan; pre-fuel filter; ProVent catch can; BRC six-port diff breather; Plazmaman intercooler hoses; Fabwitz Turbo pipe; STEDI light bar; Kings spotties; King Hurricane wheels; Nitto Ridge Grapplers; Bendix Ultimate 4WD brake upgrade kit; Lightforce fascia switch panel; canvas seat covers; 3D floor mats; REDARC gauges; PSICO airbox; Grunt 4×4 easy-down tailgate struts; and Grunt 4×4 tub seal kit – ANDREW CROWE

1

2017 MAZDA BT-50

Everything has been installed by myself, aside from the exhaust and tune. It was tuned by the legends down at Locked In Garage in Naval Base, Western Australia, and it now makes a reliable 180hp with 490Nm to 33s.

Updates include a TJM PX Ranger Chaser Bar (bumper cut to suit BT-50) with a 32-inch STEDI ST4k light bar; GMF4x4 rear bar with integrated dual eight-tonne recovery points; Axis Fabrication snorkel; Plazmaman intercooler and stainless-steel intercooler pipes; HPD catch can; Manta three-inch turbo-back exhaust with Hi Flow cat and resonator; 3.5-inch adjustable Bilstein coil-overs up front and three-inch rear EFS leafs with Bilstein shocks; 17-inch CSA Renegade alloys with 285 Falken Wildpeak AT3W tyres; custom rear tub rack made from scaff tube and powder-coated black; EGR flares in matte black; and a GME XRS-370 UHF – JD TADS

1

1979 RANGE ROVER

It’s the two-door with a 5.2-litre fuel-injected V8; front and rear air lockers with HD axles; long-travel shocks with two-inch suspension and two-inch body lift; custom-made rear and front bar with Warn high-mount winch; roll cage; SAAS front seats; and Simex Centipedes 35s on Easton Wheel Works rims with beadlocks. There are more mods to mention, but they are the basic – TRIAN ANDERSON

1

JEEP WRANGLER JL RUBICON

My mighty Wrangler Rubicon has had a 2.5-inch AEV lift, and it’s sitting on 33-inch KM3s. It has a Runva winch bolted firmly in the stock steel front bar, which is flanked by a pair of STEDI 7-inch spots and a 21-inch curved light bar – DAVID DOBINSON

1

NISSAN GU PATROL

I have done a fair bit of stuff to this, as it was completely stock when I bought it. I have put a full Superior Engineering suspension lift under it, with all lower and upper control arms, Panhards and more. It also has a four-inch front and three-inch rear; 33-inch tyres; a custom rear bar and XROX front bar; stainless-steel snorkel and airbox; and rear drawers with an Engel fridge, dual-battery system, ARB air compressor and more – NICK CAHILL

1

TOYOTA LANDCRUISER 80 SERIES

It’s the jack-of-all-trades for me and my family. It’s a 1FZ and runs a little EFS lift; 285/75R16 Kumho MT51s; and a full dual-battery system with solar. It really is a super-simple, well-proven set-up that gets us absolutely everywhere we want. Just proves you don’t need to dump half a mortgage on a 4WD to get out and enjoy yourself – NATHAN GODLEMAN

1

We’ve handpicked a selection of 4×4 products that’d make a great addition to any touring set-up.

C-TEK CS FREE

CTEK has launched a new portable battery charger in Australia, the CTEK CS FREE. The all-new battery charger and maintainer features Adaptive Boost technology, which allows the charger to get a flat battery going without the need to plug into mains power. The CS FREE features an internal lithium battery that takes less than an hour to fully charge through the unit’s fast USB-C input, and it can hold its charge for up to a year.

Another benefit of the unit is that it is capable of being used as a portable power pack to charge everyday technology such as laptops, cameras, smartphones and tablets. If mains power isn’t available, the CS FREE can then be completely recharged via the vehicle’s cigarette socket or by the solar panel charging kit.

It features both USB-C and USB-A outputs and can also be plugged into mains power and used as a maintenance charger. It comes with a two-year warranty.

RRP: $499 Website: www.ctek.com/au

1

CURT REBELLION XD ADJUSTABLE BALL MOUNT

The Rebellion XD adjustable ball mount system is a leap forward in towing technology. It provides more control, confidence and a more comfortable ride, all while protecting your towing system from jerking, jarring, rattling and trailer sway.

The ball mount is constructed with ShockDrop technology. Built into the ball mount is a cushioned isolator that inserts between the receiver shank and vertical shank. The isolator provides dynamic, adaptive suspension of the coupling point to reduce jerking and jarring for a more comfortable towing experience.

Website: www.tagtowbars.com.au

1

TJM ACCESSORISES NEW NAVARA

TJM has unveiled a range of products to suit the all-new Nissan Navara, with vehicle protection, suspension, snorkels and canopies now – or soon to be – available.

The TJM Outback bar features all-steel construction, 63mm-diameter tubing, all-new rolled cato straps and a multi-fold channel. The bar’s winch frame-mount system also allows TJM to include 8000kg rated recovery points as standard.

Navara owners can also add steel side bars, side steps, a suite of underbody guards, a TJM Airtec Snorkel, and an XGS suspension upgrade. A TJM Premium Canopy can now be fitted to the new Navara, while a TJM Rear Step Tow Bar will be available in September.

Website: www.tjm.com.au

1

TJM HIGH-PERFORMANCE TWIN AIR COMPRESSOR

Stay ahead of the pack on your next 4×4 adventure with TJM’s all-new High Performance Twin Air Compressor.

Key to its value is the excellent flow rate of 170L/minute (2:30 single tyre inflation from 0 to 40psi for 285/75/R16). Another big tick is that its 100 per cent duty cycle ensures it can inflate continuously without fail.

The unit also has a patent-pending convection cooling system that “draws heat away from the motor and the 0.48L inbuilt air tank that – combined with its 48mm cylinder bore, oversized internals and Teflon-impregnated piston seal – ensures extended levels of high performance and longer lifespan of the compressor’s componentry”.

The unit can be mounted horizontally or vertically and is made utilising a combination of cast and extruded aluminium that’s been anodised.

RRP: $749 Website: www.tjm.com.au

1