FORD HAS announced a new Everest model that sits in the line-up between the mid-spec Everest Trend and the top-spec Everest Titanium.
Called the Ford Everest Sport, the new seven-seat 4WD model can be had with either Ford’s 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbo-diesel engine and six-speed auto, or the high-tech 2.0-litre twin-turbo-diesel engine with 10-speed auto.
The Everest Sport is visually distinguished by a blacked-out mesh front grille with ‘Everest’ lettering. The black treatment doesn’t stop there; the Sport scores black lower bumper sections front and rear, black exterior mirrors, black window surrounds and black roof rails, along with, of course, black 20-inch alloy wheels.
As you’d expect, the Everest Sport will be available in Shadow Black, but for those after a little contrast it will also be available in Deep Crystal Blue, Arctic White, Meteor Grey and Aluminium.
On the inside, the Everest Sport features Raceway Blue door pulls and treatments, and leather-accented first- and second-row seats. And just in case you forget what you’re driving, the front seats have ‘Sport’ embossed logos and unique Capital Blue stitching. There’s also a unique soft-touch dash pad, also with Capital Blue stitching.
The Everest Sport also benefits from other MY2020 Everest upgrades which include the addition of a USB port on the dash to power devices such as phones and dash cams. The Everest Trend, Sport and Titanium grades also get a new high-performance lighting system with bi-LED headlights claimed to provide 17 per cent greater low-beam penetration and 20 per cent greater high-beam penetration.
The Everest Sport grade is equipped with SYNC3 with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and the built-in sat-nav system comes with complimentary map updates and a ‘breadcrumbs’ feature to map off-road routes as they happen for safe return and mapping records.
“Everest Sport is a new kind of Everest, bringing a unique style inside and out,” said Kay Hart, President and CEO of Ford Australia and New Zealand. “Everest Sport builds on the increased choice of the line-up, and combines a premium, sporty package with renowned off-road capability.”
With the addition of Sport, there are now eight models in the Everest range, starting with the $49,990 Ambiente RWD 3.2L model and topping out with the $72,590 Titanium 4WD 2.0L Bi-Turbo. The new Everest Sport 4WD 3.2L costs $62,990 while the Sport 4WD 2.0L is listed at $63,790. Options on Everest Sport are limited to a tow bar ($1000) and prestige paint ($650).
A HEAVILY accessorised 2020 Nissan Titan has been turning heads at the SEMA 2019 Show in Las Vegas this week.
Fitted with an array of Genuine Nissan Accessories, the decked-out Titan will be on display until November 8 at the Nissan North America Booth in the Lower South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The drivetrain components remain unchanged, with Nissan focussing on upping the ante in regards to protection and practicality.
To this end, the accessorised Titan features a sliding bed extender, a rear bumper step assist, tie-down anchors, an assist handle for tailgate access, front and rear mud flaps, a sport bar affixed with off-road lights and light covers, side-step boards, door scuff protector, and illuminated kick plates. For towing, the Titan gets a four-inch drop hitch ball mount.
The curtains officially dropped on the showroom-stock Titan in September this year at the State Fair of Texas, but what are the chances of it ever coming direct to Australia?
In November 2018, we reported that Australia was high on the list of export markets that Nissan was looking at, with the brand’s chief product specialist Pedro Deanda confirming “the Titan would expand beyond its North American base.”
“We have seriously studied right-hand drive markets … with Titan,” he said at the time, adding that, “we continue to explore the opportunities.
“We know that there is interest from Australia, but to make it right-hand drive is a challenge in terms of volume,” he said.
In further news, Nissan also debuted the Frontier Desert Runner at the SEMA Show; an off-road-focused package developed by MA Motorsports and the Nissan Motorsports team.
The Desert Runner has been shoehorned with the full-size Titan’s 5.6-litre V8 – turbocharged, of course – as well as reworked suspension comprising a BTF Fabrication long travel front suspension kit, King Racing Triple Bypass front shocks and coil-overs, rear King Racing Triple Bypass shocks and Giant Motorsports Link Killer rear leaf springs. However, the Desert Runner is only available in 4×2 configuration … bummer.
The great and the good of SEMA 2019: – SEMA indoor displays – SEMA outdoor displays – SEMA Overland Experience
THE annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas is the biggest gathering of performance products, high-performance cars and hot rods on the planet. 4x4s aren’t left behind, either, with the best-known brands from Australia and around the world on display.
The hottest 4×4 at the SEMA Show in 2019 is the Jeep Gladiator. We won’t get the Jeep pick-up Down Under until the second quarter of 2020, but it’s been on sale in the USA for more than six months. It seems that every other booth at the SEMA Show has a Gladiator on it, and they are kitted-out from mild to wild.
If a Gladiator only has 37-inch tyres on it here, they are considered small. Tyres sized from 37 up to 44 inches are on display at SEMA; and the bigger the tyre, the tougher they look.
Enjoy our collection Jeep Gladiators we snapped on Day One of the SEMA Show.
A HEAVY sales slump in the Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) segment was recorded in October 2019, according to the latest VFACTS October 2019 report released today by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI).
Compared to October 2018, a total of 2122 fewer LCV sales were recorded last month – a staggering sales decline of 11 per cent.
Tony Weber, the chief executive of the FCAI, said there’s no single reason for the drastic drop.
“While the drought and other domestic conditions are impacting the market, our key concern is the effect over-regulation of the financial sector is having on new vehicle sales,” he said. “The FCAI and our members have been concerned about the risk-averse approach to lending in Australia for some time and see improved access to finance as a key to driving economic growth in 2020.”
The decline in overall sales (-8.0 per cent) can also be seen across all buyer types: private sales are down 5.2 per cent compared to October 2018; business sales are down 8.2 per cent; and government sales are down 7.3 per cent.
Sales of the Ford Ranger 4×2/4×4 and Toyota Hilux 4×2/4×4 – the two best-selling vehicles on the overall charts – reflect this trend, with the Ranger recording a year-to-date sales difference of -20.1 per cent and the Hilux showing a -10.0 per cent drop.
On the YTD 4×4 sales charts, the Ranger and Hilux remain the most sought-after vehicles with 30,867 and 30,186 sales respectively – the next best is the Triton, some 12,446 units shy of the Hilux.
IS THERE a limit to engine-swapping classic off-roaders? If there is, Ford Performance’s restoration of Jay Leno’s 1969 Ford Bronco wagon is certainly pushing the envelope with the fitment of a 5.2-litre supercharged V8 engine from the new Ford Shelby Mustang GT500.
Despite its appearance, the restoration work on Leno’s Bronco is more than skin deep – much of what has been done and fitted to the classic wagon has been thoroughly re-engineered with newer components.
The new V8 engine is mated to a five-speed TREMEC Silver Sport transmission with a Quick Draw bellhousing and STX shifter assembly. Power is meted out through a heavy duty 4WD drivetrain equipped with an Advance Adapters Atlas II transfer case. While the engine features a host of new aftermarket componentry, it is uncertain what the engine’s final power outputs are.
Other off-road internals fitted include Fox 2.0 Factory Race Series coil-over shocks and steering stabilisers, Warn locking hubs, Eaton Detroit Truetrac differentials and gearing, and chunky BFGoodrich Rugged Trail T/A tyres.
In restoring the Bronco, Ford Performance engaged several renowned builders and Ford Bronco restorers: Bronco licensee Kincer Chassis, to rebuild the chassis and install the GT500 engine; Dennis Carpenter Ford Restoration Parts, to provide the body panels; SEMA Garage, to lend its technical expertise in CAD and 3D printing works; and LGE-CTS Motorsports, to install custom body mods and reassemble the wagon.
According the Ford, Leno came into possession of the Bronco when fellow late-night TV host Craig Ferguson played a prank on him by leaving the Bronco in his parking lot on the eve of his last taping. Leno, who recognised the significance of the Bronco that was lost on the pranksters, happily kept the Bronco, unrestored in his garage for several years.
Jay Leno’s Ford Bronco is set to be showcased at SEMA 2019 and will become the feature of an upcoming episode of Jay Leno’s Garage on YouTube.
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KEEP your beverages cool and your dinner frozen with ARB’s all-new Zero Fridge Freezer, revealed at the 2019 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
Available in two sizes – 69 litres and 96 litres – the Zero will have sticker prices of $1599 and $1799 respectively, and both units will be on shelves from late-January, 2020.
Accessing the Zero is made simple thanks to a side-opening, quick-release lid. It also features handy front and rear DC inlets, while there’s also a front AC inlet for when camping at a powered site. You can also charge gadgets and gizmos via a USB outlet.
The dual cooling zones on both units can be independently controlled via a panel or wirelessly via a Bluetooth-enabled device. The 69-litre unit has one lid and an internal freezer compartment that can be removed if desired to increase fridge space. The 96-litre unit features two separate compartments, each with its own lid, to isolate the freezer and fridge sections.
The Zero also features a ‘boost’ function to rapidly cool down contents, as well as ‘anti-condensation technology’.
The Zero is currently on display at the 2019 SEMA Show, which will run from November 5-8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Nevada, USA.
FORD has taken the wraps off a race-spec Bronco R prototype that the company itself says provides solid clues as to what the production vehicle will look like when it’s launched in the second quarter of 2020.
Like the upcoming Bronco production model, the Bronco R race prototype is built on Ford’s T6 platform, which is the basis for the Aussie-developed Ford Ranger.
The prototype also runs a twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, and Ford hinted that this powerplant will be also used in the production model, although whether that’s the 2.7-litre petrol V6 or the 3.5-litre version is unclear.
“For the endurance needs of Baja’s 1000 gruelling miles, we built in a limited number of race-focussed parts, but even the twin turbos of the EcoBoost engine are representative of what the production Bronco will offer,” said Brian Novak, Ford Performance’s off-road racing supervisor.
The Bronco R was built by Ford Performance in collaboration with builder Geiser Bros Design and Development, and Baja 1000 Trophy Truck champion Cameron Steele.
At its unveiling near Las Vegas, the Bronco R prototype pulled up alongside the famous Bronco that Rod Hall and Larry Minor drove to the overall win in the 1969 Baja 1000, a feat not achieved by any other 4×4 vehicle in the long history of the event.
“Bronco’s win at Baja in 1969 was epic, something that even after 50 years has not been repeated,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford’s chief product development officer.
“Rugged endurance racing is such a big part of Bronco heritage. The Baja 1000 gives us not only the perfect setting to honour Rod Hall’s win, but it also provides an authentic testbed to demonstrate our upcoming Bronco’s desert racing capability and durability.”
The red, black and white colour scheme of the Bronco R is a tribute to the race-winning vehicle run by Rod Hall and Larry Minor in the Baja 1000 50 years ago (below), and Ford is no doubt hoping for a repeat of the pair’s success when it runs this vehicle in the Baja 1000 this year, starting on November 22.
The ‘2069’ on the Bronco R’s flanks refer to the class in which the vehicle will run (20) and the year in which Hall and Minor won the event (69).
The Bronco R has been “beefed up for Baja”, and its independent front suspension set-up provides an impressive 14 inches of travel, while the production-based five-link rear-end provides up to 18 inches of travel.
The Bronco R also scores custom Fox shocks – the same brand fitted to the local Ranger Raptor – as well as 17-inch beadlock aluminium wheels and 37-inch BFGoodrich tyres.
The late Rod Hall’s granddaughter Shelby, who was at the unveiling of the Bronco R, was impressed by the race prototype.
“My grandfather was so proud of the 1969 Baja race and of his Bronco,” she said. “More than just the memory of winning Baja, he loved that Bronco. I have no doubt he would be blown away by the Bronco R race prototype.”
WITH A reputation in off-road motorsports for being tough, durable and reliable – as well as winning our 2018 all-terrain tyre test – we were keen to test the Maxxis RAZR mud-terrain tyres for ourselves.
Those results were achieved using the Trepador bias-ply competition tyre and AT700 all-terrain tyre, and we were after something for our Ford Ranger that would fit between these two extremes. We needed a strong and durable tyre for on- and off-road use that would be just at home on Simpson Desert sand dunes as it would be on sharp and shaly Flinders Ranges’ tracks or muddy High Country climbs, as well as hauling on the highway in between off-road locations.
Online research into the popular mud-terrain pattern, LT construction, 4×4 tyres showed plenty of positive reviews for Maxxis’ MT772 RAZR muddy, so we had the crew at Competition Tyres in Murrumbeena fit a set of LT285/70R17 RAZRs to the KMC Addict 2 alloy wheels we’d fitted to the Ford.
Maxxis describes the RAZR as an aggressive mud-terrain derived from the company’s experience in off-road racing. Featuring a dual-cord body and deep tread for both traction and durability, it would be ideal for our Ranger. The aggressive sidewall tread not only looks the part but is designed to protect against punctures and give great grip in mud and slush. The RAZR is available in 22 popular sizes right up to a monster
40 x 13.3-inch jobbie, and they are all made in LT construction for added durability.
The first thing we noted about the RAZR tyres when they were fitted to the Ranger was how great they looked and how quiet they were. Sure, we expect them to be quiet when new, but these aggressive muddies were quieter than the all-terrains we’d been running on our Land Rover Discovery. With 10,000km of highway and outback use now on them, they are a bit noisier but still well short of other mud-terrain tyres we’ve been running lately at similar kilometres. In terms of on-road noise, the RAZRs are more akin to an aggressive all-terrain tyre than a muddy.
On gravel roads the RAZRs deliver straight and stable tracking at speed, and they instil confidence in the way they turn in and bite into the loose road surface. The stone ejectors between the tread blocks are obviously doing their thing, as getting rocks caught in the tread hasn’t been an issue – keeping small stones out of the tread reduces the chances of them being pushed in further and puncturing the tyre carcass.
Depending on the load in the tray we’ve been running the tyres at 36 to 38psi on the highway, and they don’t feel too harsh. On outback gravel, I like to drop by around 10psi to improve the ride quality and protect further against punctures. The RAZRs bag out nicely at lower pressures, lengthening the contact patch for better floatation over soft terrain. I was running them at 18psi for most of the sandy Hay River Track, only dropping them to 14psi when we reached Big Red and saw other drivers struggling on the dune faces. To take on one of the steeper lines up the west face of Big Red, I dropped them down to 12psi and the Ranger powered straight up with confidence and didn’t dig in as the speed dropped.
Since the Simpson Desert trip, the Ranger has spent 10 days touring on the harsh, rocky tracks and roads of the Flinders Ranges and still shows no signs of punctures (touch wood). There’s no evidence of chipping in the tread, which is a problem for many tyres in these conditions, and there’s just the smallest evidence of rounding off on the block edges. A full tyre rotation is due and should balance that wear out, and we’ll see what effect that has on road noise.
Tyre wear is measuring at an average of 3mm across the tyres, which means these RAZRs won’t be high-mileage tyres and we’ll be well and truly looking to replace them around the 40,000km mark. With the excellent performance of the tyres so far, we’re in no hurry to get rid of them and are still keen to try them out on some muddy tracks, once the High Country tracks re-open for summer.
AVAILABLE FROM: www.maxxistyres.com.au
RRP: From $255 (each)
WE SAY: Quiet, tough, grippy and great value for money.
Despite its diminutive size and humble power outputs, the retro-styled new Suzuki Jimny has all the right 4×4 ingredients to be geared up into something a little more adventurous.
Recently, students at Japan’s Nihon Automobile College gave the Jimny the one thing it lacked, stature, turning their example into a jacked-up overland 4×4 rig as part of a custom car showcase.
Called the Jimny Adventure, the modified Jimny gains a significant lift with a revised suspension system and oversized chunky off-road tyres.
To suit its upsized dimensions and give it more adventure-ready protection, the Jimny’s stock front and rear bumpers have been removed. In its place, the Jimny is lined from roof to base with scrub bars.
Students also took the saw to the Jimny’s original wagon body and removed the rear bodywork aft of the B-pillars, instead replacing the rear shell with what appears to be a removable hard top, similar to the Jeep Wrangler’s removable hard top arrangement.
While there are no pictures of the finished interior, pictures of the work in progress reveals the addition of a roll cage and a pair of Recaro seats in the cabin.
No further information is given in regards to the powertrain beneath the Jimny Adventure, though it is likely that the students left the Jimny’s original 75kW/130Nm 1.5-litre inline-four engine untouched.
Though the Jimny Adventure is a one-off project, the Suzuki’s little off-roader have become the darling of Japan’s aftermarket scene, with aftermarket bodykit manufacturers producing special kits to give the Jimny the appearance of a miniature G-Wagen or a classic Defender.
AN EPIC Ram 1500 Rebel OTG (Off The Grid) concept will grace the Mopar stand at this year’s SEMA Show, standing alongside 13 other custom concepts and plenty of new 4×4 accessories built by the FCA-owned company.
The Rebel OTG will be joined by a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon dripping in Mopar kit, a re-imagined 1968 Dodge D200-series pick-up called the Mopar Lowliner concept, a Gladiator Scrambler, Gladiator J6 Moab concepts, and plenty more.
Mopar will have a total of 14 customised vehicles – in addition to a smorgasbord of equipment – on its stand in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Centre.
“These vehicles showcase how Mopar is constantly expanding and exploring new ideas to meet the needs and fuel the imagination of our passionate fans,” said Mark Bosanac, Head of Mopar Service, Parts and Customer Care, FCA North America. “Whether it’s overlanding in remote locations or reimagining an alternative classic design history, Mopar has its customers covered.”
Using the 3.0-litre V6 EcoDiesel-powered 2020 Ram 1500 as a base, the Rebel OTG has been granted a two-inch ‘Mopar Concept’ lift, as well as beadlock wheels wrapped in 35-inch Goodyear rubber. Protection is afforded via flares and step-assist rock rails, while a concept rear bumper – adapted from a Ram 1500 Tradesman – relocates the exhaust and improves the vehicle’s departure angle.
Mopar accessories up front include a bumper with an integrated winch, a larger grille with RAM lettering and a snorkel. Down back, the rig gets a multifunction tailgate with 60/40 split swing-away doors, a bed rack system atop the tray and a rooftop tent with storable ladder.
Other gear includes a battery-powered cooler; a kitchen unit with a gas-powered stove, sink and on-board water system; storage facilities above the cabin; solar panels; an on-board air compressor; and LED lighting fore and aft. In addition to the winch, vehicle recovery is possible thanks to the addition of traction mats and a high-lift jack.
The accessorised Rubicon is dressed in plenty of kit to showcase Mopar’s wares, including a Mopar cold-air intake, a Mopar Warn winch kit, a Mopar bumper and two-inch lift.
The 2019 SEMA Show will run from November 5 to 8 in Nevada, USA.