The team at EFS has released a new addition to its accessory range: Vividmax light bars.
This light bar is available in four different sizes – 21-, 27-, 34- and 40-inch – and it uses a super bright 6000k true white light to illuminate the track ahead of you.
The light bar features top-notch Cree LEDs and it comes with waterproof connectors as well as tough stainless-steel mounts and hardware. All models of the light bar incorporate a spread and spot beam and are housed inside a durable aluminium casing that also provides improved heat dissipation when the lights are working.
The light bar is rated IP67 water- and dust-proof and is built to the usual high standards you’d expect from EFS. With a size to suit every vehicle and bullbar mount the Vividmax light bar is well worth considering, especially at a great bang for your bucks price.
RRP: $219 (21-inch 90W); $280 (27-inch 120W); $320 (34-inch 150W); $375 (40-inch 180W) Website: www.efs4wd.com.au
FEW vehicles imbue the yearning to turn the key and hit the road like a vintage Jeep Wagoneer.
Appearing on US markets in 1963, it was the successor to the much-loved Willys Wagon and America’s first luxury SUV (they didn’t call them sport utility vehicles yet). During its nearly three-decade tenure the Wagoneer was fitted with engines ranging from the Tornado inline six-cylinder to a 401 cubic-inch V8.
It also featured the Turbo-Hydramatic 400, TorqueFlite 727 three-speed automatic transmissions, air-conditioning and many accoutrements of the modern luxury four-wheel drive. Flash forward 50 years and the Wagoneer still brings Jeep aficionados to an emotional high.
When Jeep’s Head of Design, Mark Allen, was dreaming up ideas for 2018’s Easter Jeep Safari concepts, he envisioned a vehicle that symbolised the spirit and freedom of open roads and trails but also possessed some attributes of modern automotive technology.
He and his team found this 1965 Wagoneer on Craigslist and the rest has, well, dovetailed into its 53-year legacy. During this year’s event we talked Allen out of the Roadtrip Wagoneer for some extended seat time and an easy day of cruising Moab’s backroads; and what a road trip it was.
The Jeep boys began the restoration by removing the sturdy steel body and stripping it down to the metal, treating it with a 360-degree coat of US Forest Service light green. Chrome trim was in exceptionally good shape and only given a good polish, while the glass was replaced with new panels featuring Coke bottle green tint.
The seats were treated to ox-blood red leather and outback, a cooler was crafted from period-correct luggage, while the valve cover from the original Tornado 230 six-cylinder was turned into a toolbox.
Under the bonnet is where things get interesting. A crate 5.7-litre HEMI, which was mated to a four-speed automatic from a Durango, replaced the old Tornado and three-speed Turbo-Hydramatic. It was also treated to a Jeep Performance Parts cold-air intake, and spent gasses are directed aft via a Dynomax dual exhaust system.
Down below is a Wrangler chassis that was stretched five inches, boxed and braced. Positive traction is ensured via a four-link suspension, Rubicon Dana 44 axles and electric-locking differentials, while BFGoodrich KM2 Mud Terrains wrapped around period-correct steel wheels round out the build.
We’ve been previewing and driving Jeep’s concept rigs for more than a decade, but those that gather our undivided interest always seem to be of the retro-modern breed. At the end of the day, turning it back in and seeing it loaded on a trailer bound for Detroit was a tough call.
If the Roadtrip Wagoneer returns next year we might take a slight (and slow) detour west back to California… on all dirt roads, of course.
JEEP WAGONEER ROADTRIP CONCEPT SPECIFICATIONS
Base vehicle: 1965 Jeep Wagoneer Engine: 5.7-litre HEMI Transmission: Four-speed automatic Axles: Dana 44 Lockers: Rubicon electric locking Suspension: 4-link Chassis: boxed and braced, stretched six inches Body: original, new Coke bottle glass windows Bumpers: custom retro-fit Instrument panel: OEM Seats: original, oxblood leather Rear deck: luggage icebox, Tornado 230 valve cover toolbox Tires/wheels: BFGoodrich 33-inch KM2, OEM steel Security: Slack Jaw, the killer canine
A NEW five-seat GLS variant headlines a raft of updates for Mitsubishi’s 2018 Pajero Sport range.
The all-new GLS slots into the line-up alongside its seven-seat stablemate and between the entry-level GLX (previously the only five-seater in the model line-up) and the top-spec Exceed.
No changes beneath the bonnet, with the 2.4-litre turbo-diesel donk still good for 133kW and 430Nm. What is new, however, is that Forward Collision Mitigation and Adaptive Cruise Control are now standard for all Pajero Sports.
Other updates for the GLX, GLS and Exceed models extend to a 150W/220V AC outlet, two rear-seat USB ports, illuminated driver and passenger vanity mirrors, and soft-finish side console trim.
The GLX comes with new 18-inch alloys, while the top-spec Exceed now gets a tailgate spoiler as standard.
The updated models, as well as the all-new five-seat GLS are available from April 4.
2018 MITSUBISHI PAJERO SPORT RRP GLX: $45,500 GLS (five-seater): $48,500 GLS (seven-seater): $49,500 Exceed: $53,650
Amidst what seems like the panic to switch from the internal combustion engine to the electric motor for our transport needs, German company Bosch says there is another way. It’s called synthetic fuel.
Put simply it has manufactured a fuel than can replace current fossil fuels (petrol, diesel, etc.) and has the potential, according to Bosch, to make the internal combustion engine carbon neutral. What’s more, it means current engine technology can be used and, more importantly, the existing refuelling station network can be used with absolutely no changes.
The problem with electric cars is that they will need a whole new support infrastructure to be viable: charging stations (as per current fuel stations), kerb-side chargers (arranged like parking meters) and/or domestic home-based charging systems.
Just in case you don’t know, Bosch is a huge automotive component supplier producing chassis control systems, fuel-delivery systems, vehicle electronics, and even humble automotive components like windscreen-wiper blades. Bosch also makes other things such as domestic appliances and power tools, and globally employs more people than Toyota.
Synthetic fuels use carbon dioxide as the raw material in their manufacturing process, which also relies on electricity, ideally produced via renewable sources.
In the first stage of synthetic fuel production, hydrogen is produced from water, and carbon is then added to produce a liquid fuel. The carbon can be recycled from industrial processes or even captured from the air using filters.
Technically speaking it’s already possible to produce synthetic fuel, and pilot projects to produce synthetic are underway in Germany and Norway.
Currently, producing synthetic fuel is an expensive and complex process, but favourable electricity prices and increased production will help to reduce the costs in the future.
Bosch is not suggesting that synthetic fuels will mean the world won’t have to turn to electric cars to reduce air pollution, but that synthetic fuel could be a supplement to electric cars and a means of keeping existing cars on the road.
Given that synthetic fuel has all the properties of petrol or diesel (or LPG, for that matter), current-technology cars will run on it without the need for modifications. Synthetic fuels can be made to burn practically soot-free so engines will rely less on the exhaust-gas cleaning treatments widely used today.
Bosch says that the cost of ownership (up to a lifetime mileage of 160,000km) of a hybrid running on synthetic fuel could also be less than that of a full electric vehicle.
Autumn festivities are ramping up between the months of May and July with concerts, desert rallies, and rodeos.
St George 399 (QLD)
Entries are now open for the St George 399, which acts as the first round of the 2018 BFGoodrich CAMS Australian Off Road Championship, as well as the CAMS Queensland Off Road Championship.
For the 2018 event, which runs from Friday May 4 until Sunday May 6, the track has been subject to a number of updates and changes, with one of the main ones being upping the distance of the iconic event. As well as the race itself, the St George Show will run on the Sunday and this includes a rodeo and fireworks display that night.
Check out offroadracing.com.au or go to the St George 399 Facebook group for more information and updates.
Richmond Outback Fossil Fest and Bush Sprints (QLD)
The outback Queensland town of Richmond is gearing up for a big weekend from May 4 to May 6, at the event location on Racecourse Road. The Fossil Fest will include a guided museum tour of Kronosaurus Korner on the Friday morning, and this will be followed by an action-packed rodeo on the Friday night.
The Saturday is jam-packed: a street parade, the famous bush sprint horse races and even a moon-rock throwing competition will keep visitors entertained, with live entertainment, a fireworks display and local market stalls finishing off the Saturday night. It’ll be a great event.
Email [email protected] for more info.
Shark Bay Fishing Fiesta (WA)
The Shark Bay Fishing Fiesta is on again. Keen anglers should note the dates of Friday May 18 to Friday May 25 and get ready for what is more than just a fishing comp.
The Fishing Fiesta is run as a celebration of the Shark Bay region and includes numerous fishing comps each day, plus a crazy beer-can regatta, entertainment each night during the festival, and local market days where you get to check out – and purchase – homegrown produce.
Check www.sharkbayfishingfiesta.com for more info.
Finke Desert Race (NT)
For some of the most exciting desert driving you’ll see anywhere in the world, the Red Centre’s famous Finke Desert Race is an absolute must-see. This epic two-day off-road racing event runs over the June long weekend (June 8-11) and there’s a mix of monster off-road buggies, modified vehicles, quads and dirt bike racing to cater for all motorsport fans.
‘The Finke’ runs from the Red Centre capital of Alice Springs to the Aputula community and then back to Alice. For those who want to get super-close to the action, you can camp along the 250km route for the ultimate outback race experience.
For more information, check out www.finkedesertrace.com.au.
Big Red Bash (QLD)
Mark the dates of July 10-12 in your diaries for the 2018 Big Red Bash. This music extravaganza, held at the base of Australia’s most famous sand dune – Big Red – has grown again for this year.
A massive roster of some of the biggest names in Australian music including The Angels, Hoodoo Gurus, John Farnham, Kate Ceberano and The Black Sorrows, to name a few, will be keeping the crowd well entertained. There’ll even be ‘drag’ races (and not of the automotive kind!) and a Fashions in the Desert parade, all with the aim of raising much-needed funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
See www.bigredbash.com.au for more info.
Waikerie Hotel ARB Riverland Enduro (SA)
Round four of the ARB Australian Off Road Racing Championship (which doubles as Round 4 of the AORRA SA Off Road Racing Championship and Round 4 of the SA Off Road Racing Association Multi Club Series) sees drivers tested on a tough mix of off-road terrain at Murbko.
This event, held July 13-15, will showcase excellent driver skills, as competitors thunder through spectacular outback country. www.offroadracing.com.au.
Head to the Corner
It’s time to start planning a visit to one of this country’s iconic destinations: Corner Country. This region, encompassing northwest NSW, southwest QLD and northeast SA is packed with great driving on some famous desert tracks.
Visiting this region also offers the chance to stand on the junction of all three states. Take your canoe, too; Cooper Creek is a top paddling (and fishing) destination, right next to Innamincka Hotel.
We arrived just on dusk on a chilly winter night, barely beating the sun as it appeared to kiss the top of the mountain.
This article was first published in 4×4 Australia’s October 2012 issue.
We’d just driven through historic Beechworth, in north-east Victoria, promising our children we would be back to visit the famous shop belonging to the Beechworth Sweet Company. We still had about 20km to go and were keen to set up our camper before dark. Our destination was the mountain village of Yackandandah, surrounded by forest, native bush and history – the perfect place for a weekend of adventure and relaxation.
Once a prosperous gold town, Yackandandah (or Yack as it’s affectionately known by the locals) was originally on the old main road from Sydney to Melbourne. Bypassed, it now sits in the triangular country region bounded by the Great Alpine Road and the Hume and Kiewa Valley highways. Nestled and snug in the picturesque valley, it could be a world away from anywhere.
As we descended from the forest into the avenue of English oak trees in Yackandandah’s main street I was struck by the town’s beauty. The air was crisp and there was something special that seemed to seep into our bones as soon as we arrived, forcing us to slow down.
We crossed the stone bridge (built in 1860) over Commissioners Creek and a large sign pointed to our destination, the Yackandandah Holiday Park.
This is one of the best places to camp. The park is right in the middle of town but it feels like it could be in the middle of nowhere. It’s a small, quiet country park with a motto which seems to epitomise the entire town and its lifestyle – ‘simply relax’. Commissioners and Yackandandah creeks merge here and flow around the park’s perimeter. Trout are abundant in its pure waters and we were reliably informed it’s the perfect place to cast a line, but it was late and there was no time for fishing.
On the friendly advice of Rob Syer, the park’s acting manager, we chose a grassy flat site close to an annexe and slab. We had some protection in case of bad weather, and loads of space for our friends who were joining us the next day. We also had the creek in front of us, perfect for our canine companions to frolic in.
With all hands on deck the camper was promptly deployed before the sun disappeared. The camping part of the park was deserted with only the cabins occupied. It seemed that most people considered the weather too cold and only the brave were out, so we virtually had the whole park to ourselves.
After the camper was set up warmth was next on the agenda. Rob kindly offered us wood for our evening fire. Fire drums aren’t supplied so we had brought our own. The troops were ravenous and so our pasta was served, infused with extra local herbs as, in my rush to drain it, half was lost in the grass. I threw it back in with the thought ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’. There were no complaints.
The next morning we woke to 0°C and a frosted creek. Rugging up, we headed out to explore. Just down the road we found a retro garage sale. Barely five minutes later we were in the main street lined with those sturdy oaks – even with bare limbs they were impressive.
The best way to explore the town was on foot and it was especially fun when the roads and creeksides were heavy with fallen autumn leaves. The town had shady verandahs on the colourful building facades and wide gutters – our youngsters had great fun jumping over them.
We met a bloke called Ralph Czarnecki, the owner of Frankly Speaking Antiques, a great place to browse through quirky and old-time treasures. Ralph has owned the antique store for 25 years and said the only thing he loved more was riding his motorbikes, one of which sat outside the store, a silver Can-Am Spyder.
The main street is Heritage Listed with 37 National Trust buildings to explore, including the Athenaeum, the Courthouse and the Bank of Victoria but there’s something about a shiny, three-wheeled motorcycle that has it over the historical stuff and appeals to all the boys, especially mine. Look out for the old signs at the nearby Yackandandah Motor Garage. The garage closed in 2003 when petrol was just 70.5 cents per litre.
That afternoon we headed back to Beechworth with our friends, who had by now joined us, to visit the famous confectionary shop. It was a holiday weekend and everyone was ready for a sugar fix. We chose our favourites and farewelled the bustling town, happy to head back to quiet Yackandandah.
We enjoyed another late-afternoon stroll along the main street, stopping to browse through quaint stores filled with local craft and the most amazing wooden furniture. Other stores, selling winter woollies stand side-by-side with bakeries and cafés.
For an interesting walk, head to The Gorge, accessed from the Yackandandah Creek in town or from the carpark on Bells Flat Road. We took the creek track. The scenic walk led to cascading waterfalls and took us through rugged countryside on a pathway that twisted and turned through native bushland.
Four-wheel driving offers a real treat around here and it was literally at our doorstep, a perfect place to try out our new Great Wall 4X4. The V200 2.0-litre LT turbo-diesel has proven itself handy
at towing our camper-trailer and, back home, a horse float. On the tracks the Great Wall (GW) had no trouble with power or traction and we were impressed with its capabilities.
Yackandandah sits in the foothills of the Stanley State Forest so it was a mere five-minute drive from our camp to reach the start of some awesome tracks. There was also a leisurely 14km Forest Drive Circuit passing several local and interesting features including The Gorge, the army training ground, the old town site and the Yackandandah sawmill. There’s still alluvial gold up in the hills and creeks of the area. Throughout the forest old tunnels and mineshafts remain unguarded, so take care if you go bushwalking.
To reach the Stanley State Forest we took Bells Flat Road for about 3km onto Service Basin Road and then followed this road onto No1 Link Road. There were also a couple of road- and creek-side campsites off this road and we saw a few people camped, nicely tucked away in the bush along the creek.
In Yackandandah, the GW handled the terrain easily and we discovered some top tracks including Kohns Spur and Finlay Spur, but you could easily drive in any direction and find fun. There was something in the Stanley Forest for everyone, from softroaders (in the dry) to rigs with big lifts, diff locks and off-road rubber. You could spend days exploring the tracks as there is a varying degree of challenges and surfaces.
One of the most challenging was Schmidt Track, a long, steep trail which had us crawling to the bottom of a fairly big descent only to discover that a huge fallen tree blocked our way. Although we had a chainsaw, it would have been a massive job to cut through the errant wood so we decided to turn around. Fortunately, there was room at the bottom of the hill to manoeuvre a multi-point turn before crawling back up the steep track. At this stage the clouds looked threatening but thankfully the rain held off as wet weather would have made the terrain very slippery.
Parts of the forest are used for logging and army training, so it pays to watch out for other vehicles. The most traffic we saw were some horse riders on a navigational ride through the forest, as well as a group of trail bikers. The Stanley Forest is an extremely popular spot for dirt-biking.
We found great free camping spots, many along the fast-flowing Yackandandah Creek; several had well-constructed fireplaces and there were even drop toilets in some locations. It would be a fantastic place to return to in summer.
Closer to town, but still on the edge of the forest, is Kirby’s Flat Pottery, run by master craftsman John Dermer. His work has been displayed in the Australian National Gallery and Parliament House. Set in the hills amid a spectacular backdrop and surrounded by Japanese gardens, his studio gallery is memorable.
It would be very easy to drive further afield from Yackandandah, to visit nearby mountain resorts and gourmet regions.
Yet this unassuming little place had all we needed and we were content staying true to the caravan park’s motto – to simply relax.
TRAVEL PLANNER
GETTING THERE
Yackandandah is about 20 minutes south of Albury and Wodonga, 300km north of Melbourne. Travel via the Hume Highway, turn onto the Alpine Road and follow the signs to Beechworth, then take the Yackandandah turn-off.
WHERE TO STAY
There are several accommodation options in town including Yackandandah Holiday Park for camping and cabins, The Yackandandah Hotel, Yackandandah Motor Inn, Crystal Creek self-contained cottage and several B&Bs.
CONTACT
For the visitors information centre, see www.uniqueyackandandah.com.au or phone 02 6027 1988.
FESTIVALS & FILMS
The annual Spring Migration Festival, an annual springtime gay and lesbian festival that welcomes all visitors and features markets, parties and movie screenings, is on from September 14-16. Yackandandah was the location for the 2004 film Strange Bedfellows starring Paul Hogan and Michael Caton.
THE end of the GU Patrol and Land Rover Defender left a huge hole in the 4×4 landscape, not only for the loss of these popular models, but more so because of the loss to the heavy-duty 4×4 ute segment.
Nissan still sells a Patrol in the form of the Y62 wagon and Land Rover is promising a replacement for Defender in 2020, but neither of these new models will spawn or are likely to spawn a ute.
Before we look too far into this, a traditional ute, as coined by Lew Brandt’s Ford Coupe Utility, was a vehicle with a cargo tray integrated with the passenger body. This is what differentiated a ute, as the name was shortened to, from a pick-up, which had a separate passenger compartment and load bed.
With the demise of the Holden ute last year, there are technically, by definition, no more utes available in Australia. The GU and Defender were, by definition, pick-up trucks, just as Land Cruiser 79s, Rangers, Hiluxes, Tritons and all the other one-tonne, load-carrying vehicles are. But the term ute has been corrupted to include these pick-ups within its usage; although, call them what you will, we’re not fussy.
The Land Cruiser 79 is the only heavy-duty 4×4 ute/pick-up/trayback/truck still readily available in Australia from the manufacturer. American pick-ups are also available from grey importers who convert them to right-hand drive for Australian use, but none of these come from the vehicle manufacturer. Nor are any of them as suitable to our four-wheel drive usage as the 79 is, or the GU and Defender were. They are great for towing and load hauling, but aren’t as tough and rugged as these three specialist vehicles.
Another alternative is to create your own, and we’ve seen plenty of chopped Land Cruiser 200s, 100s and GQ/GU Patrol wagons, but Peter Thorpe’s double-cab is the first Y62 ‘ute’ we’ve seen. There is another double-cab Y62 in Queensland, and Andrew from Ontrack 4X4, who did much of the work on Peter’s rig, is currently working on a single-cab Y62 for himself.
Wagons chopped to utes are nothing new, and with the demise of the GU and Defender we’re sure to see more of them. We’ve seen Land Rover Discoverys, Toyota Prados and even an FJ Cruiser converted to a ute. It’s a trend we love, as it harks back to the ingenuity of a great Australian designer working for Ford back in the 1930s, when he created a vehicle that could “both take passengers to church on Sunday and pigs to market on Monday”.
TOYOTA has bowed to market pressure and upgraded the tow rating of Prado automatic models from 2500kg to 3000kg, bringing it into line with its major competitors. Manual transmission models (only available in GX and GXL) remain at 2500kg.
The update is well overdue, as even the Prado’s cheaper sibling, the Fortuner, offers a 2800kg tow rating, and competitors like the D-MAX, Everest and Trailblazer offer 3000kg. The Pajero Sport tops them all with 3100kg.
The tow rating upgrade for Prado comes off the back of a Gross Combination Mass (GCM) upgrade from 5370kg to 5990kg. The Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) remains unchanged at 2990kg for all models. There has also been a raft of equipment upgrades (see MY18 New Kit breakout on page 28) across the entire range but most notably with the popular GXL and the entry-level GX.
To sample the changes we drove a GXL auto and a GX manual. The GXL was fitted with the $3500 premium interior option that brings electric adjustment, heating and ventilation for the front seats, and leather all around. All of which makes you think you could well be in a VX, except for the fact that the GXL still doesn’t have KDSS (Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System), which is a shame given KDSS takes the Prado to a new level such is its impact on both on-road dynamics and off-road performance.
Emergency automatic braking (now on all automatic models) headlines the safety upgrade and brings adaptive cruise control with the commonality of hardware (front camera, etc.) and even some software.And while the auto braking is something you don’t wish to sample, adaptive cruise control is something you’re likely to use if you do any expressway or long-distance open-road driving.
The smart thing Toyota has done is retain manual cruise, so the driver can choose either. Adaptive cruise can be very good in some driving situations – the heavier the freeway traffic, the better it is – but doesn’t work well all the time. The GXL’s adaptive cruise is more seamless and effective in general operation than some, but it’s still better to have the option of manual cruise in low and medium density expressway traffic, where speed differentials between vehicles are greater. The GXL also gains lane-departure warning, which is either handy or annoying depending on your approach to driving – “am I driving the car or is it driving me”. At least you can switch it off.
The GXL gains a rear locker but activating it cancels the traction control on the front wheels (and not just the rear wheels), so it’s not really a win-win. This is the same setup as the Hilux. The now discontinued FJ Cruiser remains the only Toyota 4×4 where you can keep the front traction active with the rear locker engaged.
The GX tested was an entry-level five-seat manual. Interestingly the six-speed manual in the Prado isn’t the same as the six-speed now in the Hilux, as the six-speed from the 3.0-litre engine was retained when the 2.8 engine was introduced. The big difference between the gearboxes is that the Prado manual has a single overdrive gear (fifth is 1:1), while the Hilux’s six-speed manual has two overdrive gears (fourth is 1:1), with sixth being notably tall.
The Prado manual’s overall gearing is notably shorter than the automatic Prado and is better off for it. The automatic’s gearing is too tall at legal highway speeds if the road is at all undulating, which leads to some shuffling back and forth between fifth and sixth. In contrast, at highway speeds, the lower-geared manual carries top gear much better, yet the engine never feels busy.
As ever, the Prado offers comfort and surprising refinement in an old-school-tough and off-road-capable package. After all, the Prado is part of the Land Cruiser family, and it certainly doesn’t let the family name down.
MY18 NEW KIT
ASIDE from the towing and GCM upgrade for all Prado automatic variants, the MY18 Prado also brings new equipment to all model grades and price reductions for the manual GX, manual GXL, VX and Kakadu.
Most significantly, all automatic models now have autonomous braking, radar cruise, lane-departure warning and auto high beam, while the GX manual gets sat-nav and the GXL manual gains LED headlights, DRLs and fogs.
The GXL auto gains Optitron instruments, a rear diff lock and the option ($3500) of leather seats, plus heating, cooling and electric adjustment for the driver and passenger.
The VX gains a rear locker, as well as blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and multi-terrain and panoramic-view monitors.
The Kakadu adds the panoramic-view monitor and then adds ‘Drive Mode Select’, which allows the driver to select different powertrain and chassis settings.
TOYOTA PRADO GXL (MY18) SPECS
Engine: 2.8-litre 4-cyl turbo diesel Max power: 130kW at 3400rpm Max torque: 450Nm at 1600-2400rpm Gearbox: Six-speed automatic 4X4 system: Dual-range full-time Crawl ratio: 36.1:1 Construction: Separate-chassis Front suspension: Independent/coil springs Rear suspension: Live axle/coil springs Kerb weight: 2325kg GVM: 2990kg Payload: 665kg Towing capacity: 3000kg GCM: 5990kg Fuel tank capacity: 150 litres ADR fuel claim: 8.0L/100km
TOYOTA PRADO Range & PricesPrado GX: $53,490 (manual) Prado GXL: $59,990 (manual) Prado VX: $73,990 Prado Kakadu: $84,490 Auto on GX & GXL: $3,000
DIY Flat breads: Delicious, easy to make, and goes with anything.
This article was first published in 4×4 Australia’s April 2011 issue.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 bag/pkt bread mix and the required amount of water needed on the instructions and the yeast sachet, plus one extra tspn yeast
- A little extra plain flour for kneading
- About one tspn oil or some cooking spray
INSTRUCTIONS
- Mix bread mix into a dough according to instructions, then tip onto a solid, floured surface and knead until smooth. Place the dough ball back into the mixing bowl that has been greased with the oil or cooking spray. Cover with cling film and put in a draught-free, warm place for an hour or so, or until it has doubled in size.
- When the dough has risen, punch your fist right into the middle of the bowl to deflate the dough, then drop it onto a floured surface and knead for about another five minutes.
- Cut the dough into 6 or 8 pieces and pat each flat with the palm of your hand until they’re about the size of a lunch plate. Set the flat breads aside on a floured board for a few minutes while you get the pan ready.
- Heat the pan over a mod heat then reduce the heat to low. Do not use any oil or cooking spray as these need to be cooked in a dry pan.
- Place each of the flat breads in the pan in turn and cook on one side for about five mins or until golden brown.
- They will be thick enough to slice through the middle and DIY Flat breads: Delicious, easy to make, and it goes with anything.
- Enjoy!
IT’S NOT too often I get thrown a set of tyres and told “these are the only set in the country, so don’t stuff them”.
Especially not when it’s backed up by “but we really want to know how they perform, so don’t hold back”. What’s a bloke to do? Well, I figured I’d go right on and ignore the first part – I never was much for doing as I’m told.
Nitto’s calling its new Ridge Grappler a ‘hybrid’, a combination of the best parts of a muddy mixed with the best parts of an all-terrain. With the Ranger punching out a hair less than 45,000km in its first year, doing everything from the Telegraph Track to the Snowy Mountains, Nitto figured it’d make the perfect test platform for the new offering in extreme situations. And with my better-half using it Monday to Friday to ferry the tin-lids to school, it’d show any flaws for daily driving. Things like road noise, tyre life, wet bitumen performance and ability to impress my friends are all easily tested.
There’s minimal tyre vibration, with only a small amount coming into play when the speedo needle touches 90km/h, and that’s most likely due to the fact I’ve got the Ridge Grapplers wrapped around beadlocked wheels on each corner. I’ve even given them a few ‘emergency brake tests’ with the Ranger pulling up straight and quickly each time. No barking of the tyres and no drifting sideways as the tread blocks scrabble for traction.
But this is 4X4 Australia gosh darnit, and that’s how these tyres deserve to be tested. With a couple of weeks before my next big off-road trip I figured I better tackle a varied 4×4 route that’ll see me pick up all sorts of terrain, from slippery mud, corrugations, slick sandstone rock ledges and articulation-inducing hill-climbs. I also didn’t want to spend my Tuesday sitting at a desk.
With pressures dropped to a moderate 20psi on each corner it was almost point and shoot through all terrain, forward progress only halting when I’d cock a corner in the air like an overly hydrated cocker spaniel. Even good tyres can’t beat physics, right? The ‘alternating shoulder grooves’ seemed to perform well, spitting whatever refuse I’d managed to jam in them clean out with a quick blip of the throttle. I haven’t had a chance to test them in thick Victorian mud yet, but give me a couple of months.
The stone ejectors held up their end of the bargain; each new revolution forcing out any stones I’d collected on the previous. I have noticed light damage on the leading edge on the rear tyres; it’s almost as if someone intentionally ran at higher pressures and pushed it up rock ledges in 2WD just to see what it’d take to get the new Grapplers to break traction. But that wasn’t me, I was told to take care of them.
SIZES TO COME Nitto tells me they’ll be available in a range of sizes, but I shoehorned a set of 285/70R17s in the Ranger’s guards.
Early Rating Wear can’t be gauged until well into five-digit-km figures, but so far, performance is more than up to the task.
AVAILABLE FROM: www.nittotyre.com.au RRP: POA WE SAY: A serious do-it-all tyre with race-proven design.