THE UK government recently announced it intends to ban the sale of all petrol and diesel cars by 2040.

This followed a similar but slightly softer proclamation by the French government, when it put its car industry on notice towards a 2040 ‘clean-car’ deadline.

Both announcements appear to be more political grandstanding and headline-grabbing than of any great substance, though. No new laws have been passed and neither government may be in power after the next round of elections, let alone 20-odd years down the track.

Plus, the UK ban doesn’t rule out hybrids, which still essentially rely on petrol or diesel power and would – along with electric cars – seem to be the big winner in all of this if such a ban comes to fruition.

The extra electricity needed to run an electric-vehicle fleet would also be nearly 10 times the output of a new nuclear power station being built in Somerset in southwest England.

According to current indicators, fossil fuels such as coal and gas will still contribute to electricity production in the UK in 2040, which further calls into question the idea of banning cars that run directly on fossil fuels.

What must especially irk the auto industry is that these decisions are being made before the benefit of new, tough and costly-to-comply-with vehicle emission standards – especially for diesel vehicles – has fully played out.

Air currently sampled next to roads in the UK is deemed to be ‘dangerous’ to human health by European Union (EU) standards, but UK roads are still inhabited by mostly older diesels (and older petrol cars) that don’t meet current standards.

Euro 6, the latest standard primarily targeting NOx from diesels, only came into full effect two years ago in the UK, so it’s not going to play a big part yet, given the average age of cars in the UK is eight years and the average lifespan is 13.5 years.

Even the earlier Euro 5, which primarily targeted soot from diesels, has only been fully in play in the UK for six years, so it will benefit less than half of the UK’s current national diesel fleet. No doubt roadside air-quality sampling when the UK’s national fleet is at least Euro 6 or better will tell a different story.

Of course, emissions standards are ongoing and the automotive industry is working hard to meet the even tougher upcoming Euro 7 standard, as it did with Euro 5 and Euro 6. Much of this is about diesel cars, given diesels are currently so popular in the UK and Europe.

Ironically, diesels only became popular off the back of an EU focus to bring down carbon dioxide (greenhouse-gas) pollution in the early 1990s. Diesel engines are far better than petrol engines in terms of greenhouse-gas production, so the EU decided to foster their development.

Normal market trends are also playing their part here, with European buyers starting to turn back to petrol cars thanks to sophisticated petrol-engine technology including direct injection and low-pressure turbocharging, which brings improved driveability and fuel efficiency and is finding its way into more affordable models.

Regardless of the outright ban, diesels may well disappear; many car makers already say that upcoming diesel emission standards are too hard to meet anyway, so come 2040 there may not actually be any diesels to ban.

All this will, of course, trickle down to Australia one way or another. We have already adopted Euro emissions standards – for better or worse – and given we soon won’t have a local industry building and manufacturing cars to our high standards, we’ll have to be content with what’s made overseas.

BACK HOME

FOR the past 20 years Australian vehicle-emissions standards have taken their lead from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. The latest of these adopted here, the so-called Euro 5, came into effect locally for all new-design ‘Light Petrol and Diesel’ vehicles in November 2013 and for existing designs of the same vehicles from November 2016.

Light vehicles are anything less than 3.5 tonne GVM, so pretty much everything that’s a recreational 4×4. The main impact of Euro 5 over the previous Euro 4 standard was in the tightening up of the allowable soot (particulate) emission of diesels, a problem addressed via the introduction of diesel particulate filters.

Euro 6, already in play in Europe and soon to be introduced here, calls for a reduction in the output of the various oxides of nitrogen, collectively known as NOx, and brings Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology, also known as AdBlue. Some locally delivered 4x4s, such as the Ford Everest, already have SCR and meet Euro 6.

THE SEMA Show is bigger than any other aftermarket car show you’ve ever been to in Australia. Think of the biggest then turn up the dial to 11.

We’ve been lucky enough to scout the halls for the last few days to bring you some of the best modified rigs in the world.

In this gallery we swing past Patriot Campers’ stand, have a chat to the crew at MaxTrax, check out ARB’s new LINX, get up close with an insane 1969 Ford Bronco called Urban Madness, and, of course, pass a few more Wranglers.

THERE’S nothing like a hot-selling new model to draw the attention of the aftermarket industry, and why wouldn’t it?

Strong-selling models are generally popular with enthusiasts, and they’re the ones who will turn to the aftermarket for hop-ups and modifications.

The strong growth in the 4×4 ute and SUV segments has seen companies normally associated with fast cars, racing and styling turn their hands to off-roaders for a slice of the very lucrative pie.

Brand names such as Harrop, Herrod, Tickford and even HSV are all looking at souped-up SUVs and tickled trucks – some of them already have products on the market.

One name you certainly wouldn’t expect to find associated with a 4×4 ute is that of nine-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi, yet he’s the man behind the VR46 graphics that adorn this Ford Ranger.

The VR46 Ranger was developed in the UK with Ford rally specialists MS-RT, which also does a Transit van in both VR46 and road racer Guy Martin guise, as well as versions not affiliated with these motorcycle legends.

More than just a dress-up pack, the Ranger includes rally-tuned suspension from Australian specialists Pedders, metal underbody protection and BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tyres. The use of Pedders suspension products didn’t come by chance.

MS-RT’s Malcolm Wilson also heads up the factory-backed Ford WRC team, with four-time world champion Sebastien Ogier piloting their Ford Fiesta. Pedders has a long affiliation with rally sport both in Australia and globally, and its suspension products are developed to world-class standards.

MS-RT has employed Pedders’ 4×4 Touring package, which uses foam cell shock absorbers, TrakRyder coil springs and variable-load leaf springs to give the VR46 Ranger a 50mm lift in ride height. It’s a package that optimises both ride and handling over the factory suspension, and its performance is one of the highlights of the VR46 package.

Externally, the VR46 is striking; it turned heads wherever we took it on our day out. If the wild graphics don’t grab you, the body kit sure does. This starts with bespoke front and rear bumpers, bulging wheel-arch flares, rally-style mudflaps, and a unique grille. The rear bumper wraps around specific dual exhaust outlets.

The front bumper features LED daytime running lamps and front parking sensors, and the grille houses LED light bars to complement the roof-mounted light bar from Lazer. MS-RT worked closely with the team at Carlex Design for the bodywork.

Metal underbody protection extends under the front end to protect the engine sump, and there’s another metal plate guarding the fuel tank. The cargo tray includes a full plastic liner, and the tailgate is fitted with a gas ram for easy operation. Those 265/65 BFG tyres are fitted to bespoke 18-inch alloy wheels.

The VR46 Ranger gets a similar makeover inside, with the seats trimmed in full Nappa leather featuring quirky VR46 stitching and logos. The flat-bottomed steering wheel is similarly attired and retains all the factory switchgear for the cruise control, dash display and audio system.

Being based on the XLT-spec Ranger, the special edition is well-equipped with all the top-spec features from the factory. The mechanical package is all standard, so you get the 470Nm 3.2-litre diesel engine, the choice of six-speed auto or manual transmission, part-time four-wheel drive, and a standard rear differential lock.

If you’re not a Valentino Rossi fan – or the VR46 graphics are a bit too much for you – the body kit and suspension upgrades in the basic MS-RT edition Ranger are also sold by Autosource International in Australia.

Autosource International has the rights to the MS-RT vehicles, including the VR46 Ranger here, and assembles them to locally sourced Fords in Melbourne. The cars are all ADR compliant.

A Closer Look

Tyres

Bespoke 18-inch alloys are shod with BFG KOR all-terrain rubber.

Side steps

Satin black sidebars integrate contrasting non-slip alloy steps.

Bash Plate

Underneath you’ll find metal guards for the sump and fuel tank.

Tailgate

The tailgate wasn’t overlooked, featuring graphics and a spoiler.

Suspension

Pedders’ 4×4 Touring package lifts the Ranger by 50mm.

The great minds of the aftermarket industry converge in Las Vegas every year at the SEMA Show to display the latest and greatest gear.

We spent the last week up to our eyeballs, feasting on the best modified gear the world over. Here are some more pics of this year’s event, including a wild Hauk Designs’ Wrangler!

Missed out on this year’s event? Book a trip to Vegas for next year!

NO PLANS yet for this New Year’s period? Ron’s penned a few ideas that’ll get the tyres dirty.

Mountain Cattlemen Get Together (Vic) The 2018 Get Together will be held on private land in the Omeo region of eastern Victoria from Friday January 12 to Sunday the 14th. There will be three days of great entertainment celebrating the very best of Cattlemen’s culture and heritage. Try or watch the hay stacking, dog high jump, tug of war, the poetry competition or the whipcracking. Everyone is encouraged to join in. Watch the famous Cattlemen’s Cup, the Buck Out and the Heritage Parade, and be entertained by great bands. Camping, hot showers and water etc. will be included in your ticket price. There will be a bar and many food outlets to satisfy any taste. Those under 17 years of age get in for free. For info, visit: www.mcav.com.au/webpages/get_together.html

Party ’til you drop in the North-west (NSW) With the annual New Year’s Eve party scheduled for Cameron Corner – where the states of Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia meet – and a Night Rodeo and Gymkhana at Tibooburra, you’ve got a difficult choice on which one to attend. For more details on the Corner gig, contact Fenn and Cheryl by calling (08) 8091 3872; while for the Night Rodeo see: tibooburramotel.com.au

Tassie 4WDriving Tasmania has some fantastic 4WDing and great camping, which can keep you busy for a month or more. For a great guide to more than 60 tracks that can take you around our island state, visit: www.roving.com.au

Nullarbor Farm Accommodation (SA) Coorabie is south of the Eyre Highway near Nundroo, approximately 155km west of Ceduna. The farm is strategically located near Fowlers Bay and the Scott’s Bay and Mexican Hat beaches. Coorabie Farm offers three types of accommodation – donga-style air-conditioned rooms, 16 powered sites and unlimited unpowered sites. The farm provides a fully equipped kitchen and an ablution block with laundry, all of which have rainwater supply. A gas barbecue and camp fire area is available, along with a fish cleaning area and access to a cool room. Contact the managers, Deb and Poggy Kloock, on (08) 8625 6126.

Ride them Bulls (Qld) The Mitchell Rodeo will be held on December 31 at the Mitchell Showgrounds. There will be all the normal rodeo action, including the saddle bronco ride, the tough and action packed bull ride, the fast bareback bronco ride and the fun barrel race. For more information, visit: www.prorodeo.com.au

Toss a Tuna (SA) Port Lincoln’s Tunarama Festival is one of the largest and most popular regional festivals in Australia held over the Australia Day long weekend – from January 25 to the 28th. It’s a family friendly festival held on the foreshore lawns of Boston Bay where you’ll find filled stalls, sideshows and rides, with fun events, activities and competitions for all ages. There’s the annual World Championship Tuna Toss competition where players attempt to fling a fish weighing between eight and ten kilograms as far as they can. It’s all good fun. For more info see: www.tunarama.net

Northern Station Stay (WA) Nalbarra Station is a 161,000 hectare property and a great holiday destination for those travelling up the Great Northern Highway. John and Karen’s working sheep station is approximately 70km north of Paynes Find and 17km off the highway on a well-graded dirt road. There is plenty to do at Nalbarra with amazing breakaway country for artists and birdwatching. Bushwalk or enjoy a drive through the gorgeous countryside. You can camp or stay in the renovated shearers quarters. For more info go to: www.nalbarra.com.au

THE SEMA Show never fails to disappoint, and it seems to get bigger and better each and every year!

We’ve snaked our way through the maze of highly modified machines and snapped a few of the most droolworthy 4x4s for your amusement.

It’s hard to grasp how big the SEMA Show actually is, and the best way to get an appreciation is to head there yourself. The 2017 SEMA Show wrapped up on November 3, but there’s always next year!

AFTER 10 months the Ford Ranger remains the best-selling 4×4 of 2017.

A total of 30,674 4×4 Rangers have been sold by the Blue Oval so far this year, with the next best being Toyota’s 4×4 Hilux with 29,009 sales.

It’s a convincing lead in a booming segment; a segment set to ramp up in 2018 with the inclusion of some notable marques… namely Merc’s X-Class ute.

Despite the Ranger’s 2017 dominance, the Toyota Hilux was the best-selling 4×4 for October (2970 sales), leading the Ford Ranger (2648) and Mitsubishi Triton (1636).

October’s VFACTS report indicates that the SUV and LCV market continues to climb, with the SUV market up 1.2 per cent compared to October last year.

The report added: “Light commercials soared by 18.5 per cent in the same period on the back of a very strong market demand for 4×4 cab-chassis models (up by a remarkable 25.2 per cent in October, compared with the same month in 2016).

“Both business (up 19.1 per cent) and private (up 15.6 per cent) light commercial sales were strong during October.”

Despite a drop in the passenger-car market – down 3.8 per cent compared to October 2016 – total year-to-date industry sales are at 984,931 compared with 980,433 this time last year.

The overall best-selling vehicle in October was the Hyundai i30 (3983 units sold), followed by the 4×4/4×2 Hilux (3812), Corolla (3088), 4×4/4×2 Ranger (3074) and Holden Commodore (2418).

SEMA is famous for the ludicrous and insane, and its halls are packed with modified 4x4s most of us can only dream of owning.

We’ve been touring the stands for a couple of days now and snapped some pics of the best on offer.

In this gallery we’ve got an AEV-built Expedition JK and, as always, a bunch more tweaked Wranglers to whet the appetite. We also dropped by the MaxTrax stand for a chinwag.

THE new ARB LINX offers control over equipment such as driving lights, light bars, air compressors and lockers from a compact dash-mounted touchscreen device.

LINX seamlessly integrates with the vehicle and, as well as offering fingertip control over accessories, it displays additional information such as battery status and vehicle speed, and it can be personalised by adding third-party apps. It’s also fully customisable, updateable and upgradeable.

By consolidating accessory controls onto one central device, your vehicle’s dash is de-cluttered and there’s no need to drill holes throughout the cabin to locate various accessory switches.

HOW DOES LINX WORK?

LINX consists of two main components: a touchscreen mobile display that’s mounted on the vehicle dash; and an out-of-sight controller that’s wired to all of the relevant vehicle accessories. On most vehicles the controller is mounted up under the dash or behind the seat.

The controller and the mobile display are connected to each other via USB or Bluetooth, and they share sensor data, so the system is aware if the vehicle’s lights are on or off, or if the high-beam is on, or if the vehicle’s ignition is in the accessory (ACC) position.

The mobile display also has a built-in GPS, so it can determine vehicle location and speed, which allows the controller and display to share sensory data back and forth to make decisions about what to do with the vehicle accessories.

“Because it’s communicating with the onboard controller, the display knows when you’ve turned off the vehicle and gone into your house for the night,” said Daniel Bongard, ARB Senior Designer and Engineering Supervisor. “Then, when you put it back on the mount the next morning and start the vehicle, the LINX display will wake up and run.

“The touchscreen mobile display looks similar to a mobile phone or tablet but we’ve reengineered how it works to take control of the operating system… and we’ve increased its temperature resistance, so it will keep working in a very hot vehicle, in very hot climates like Australia, where other electronics would shut down.

“We’ve also developed a patent pending mount for the mobile display,” continued Daniel. “You can position it wherever you want… then easily remove the screen and put it back into the same position repeatedly, every time.”

CUSTOM SETTINGS

THE LINX display is fully customisable, so the driver can select units of measure, set different theme colours, and personalise and name accessories. Users can also add third-party apps; LINX can access mobile data via a 3G GSM SIM or connect via Wi-Fi.

LINX is also completely updateable and upgradeable, so as new modules are added the system can check online for updates and download them. “To update, all you have to do is to go into the settings, select ‘update app’ and it will check online for updates and download them,” Daniel said.

“It will also push a complete Flash rewrite to the controller under your dash. So at no point do you have to plug in a laptop; once you’re parked in your driveway [and within range of Wi-Fi] you’ve got the ability to add modules, to get updates, enhancements, bug fixes… whatever is required with the whole system.”

As third-party apps can also be added to LINX, the mobile touchscreen display can also be used for additional operations such as on- and off-road navigation or as a music player.

LINX has seven pre-installed modules: front air locker, rear air locker, air compressor, switchboard (for control of lights etc.), a battery monitor, a GPS speedometer/positioning module, and an air suspension control.

AIR LOCKERS

USING the front and rear traction module, the driver can independently operate front and rear air lockers. “The front and rear traction module, or diff lock module, is quite straightforward,” said Daniel Bongard. “Select the module and you’ll see that you can independently lock the front and rear diffs.”

When air lockers are activated, the LINX system will automatically detect if there’s a demand for air and activate the air compressor when needed.

TARGET PRESSURE

LINX not only offers manual control for the air compressor, as would be the case if you had a switch situated on the dash, but also features a Compressor Pressure Control module that allows you to set target pressure.

Simply attach the air hose to the tyre valve and the current tyre pressure will be displayed on LINX. You can then set the target pressure by typing in the desired pressure, and LINX will either inflate or deflate the tyre to that selected pressure.

You can also set a maximum pressure to prevent over-inflation of tyres or other devices, and there’s an option to ‘Disable When Engine OFF’, which stops the compressor from operating when the vehicle’s engine is not running to prevent draining the starting battery.

SWITCHBOARD

THE Accessory Switchboard module can display up to six switchable accessories that be personalised and named. These might include driving lights, a light bar, reverse lights or other accessories. Operation of these accessories can be tailored to suit the driver’s preferences, so they can be set to be triggered by the ignition, low beam, high beam, reverse selection or set to manual operation.

“If you want to control your reverse lights, for example, you can call them ‘Reverse’, and you can see that they’re hooked up to the vehicle’s secondary battery,” said Daniel. “Or if you have two Intensity LEDs fitted… you can automate those driving lights to come on when you put your high beams on.

Or you can turn those automation selections off to say ‘don’t come on with the high beams’. Instead you could say you want them on every time your low beams are on, or you could have them come on whenever you have your reversing lights on, for whatever reason. You could even have them come on any time the key is in ACC position.”

The Switchboard module also allows the user to protect the battery by selecting ‘Low Battery Protection’ for various accessories, which will ensure the accessory is switched off if battery voltage drops to a certain level. If the vehicle is equipped with more than one battery, the driver can choose between up to three batteries.

BATTERY MANAGEMENT

WITH Battery Monitor settings, battery names can be personalised and low-battery voltages can be set. “You can see on the screen if there’s a dual-battery kit installed in the vehicle, in which case LINX will monitor both batteries,” said Daniel.

“Knowing which batteries you’ve got your Intensity LEDs hooked up to, for example, you can assign a battery to monitor. So if you have your Intensity lights wired up to the primary battery, you can see on the battery monitor display what voltage the battery is running at.

You can set a low voltage alarm to that specific battery, say at 11.3V or whatever you want, and then if that battery drops to 11.3V, LINX will turn off those spotties.”

SPEEDOMETER

THE Speedometer displays Speed, Altitude and Bearing, and there’s also the option to set a Speed Limit Warning. “The speedo uses GPS to calculate your speed, so it’s independent of your tyre size,” said Daniel. “As well as speed, it also gives an altitude reading, and as you drive it provides a bearing as well.

AIR SUSPENSION

LINX features a module to provide control over air suspension settings on vehicles equipped with airbags. It can control up to four airbags, so is suited to vehicles equipped with airbags on the rear axle, front axle or both.

“You can quickly configure how many airbags the vehicle has got so, for example, on a vehicle with airbags in the rear only, you can specify that there are no front airbags,” explained Daniel.

“You also have control over how the airbags in your vehicle are set up. For example, you can say they’re Y-piped together and they both share one control line, so they will both always be set at the same pressure. Or you can say they are split, so you can control left and right airbags separately.”

To control airbag pressure, the user simply selects the desired airbag on the LINX touchscreen and it will be highlighted in yellow with ‘+’ and ‘-‘ displayed. You then simply adjust to the desired pressure. The air pressure settings are also completely customisable and can be assigned names for easy selection, such as ‘Towing’, ‘Loaded’, ‘Unloaded’, etc.

Another feature allows the option to deflate to minimum pressure when the vehicle’s ignition is turned off, and to re-inflate the airbags when the engine is again fired up.

GENERAL SETTINGS

THE settings screen displays all active and non-active modules and allows them to be individually switched on or off. As LINX is further developed and more modules are released, this will allow users to customise their display.

“If you decide that diff lock switches is your favourite screen, you can set it by pushing and holding that button and ‘save’ comes up,” said Daniel. “If you then want to check your battery level, just press ‘battery’ and that will be displayed, and then it will revert to your favourite screen.

“You can also delete modules; say you don’t have air suspension, untick that box and it will be deleted from your list.”

You can also personalise units in the Settings menu to display km/h or mph, m or ft, Celsius or Fahrenheit, and kPa or psi. Theme colour can also be set so the LINX display matches the OE dash lights of your vehicle for an integrated appearance.

UPDATEABLE

LINX has been in development for three years and it has been designed to be fully upgradable, so as new modules are launched they can be easily installed.

“It’s completely updateable and upgradeable,” said Daniel Bongard. “We already have a plan at this stage for over 25 different modules to be introduced as they are developed. LINX will have seven modules at launch, but as new modules are developed a LINX user just goes into settings and selects ‘update app’, and LINX will check online for updates and download and install them.”

WE were joined by a very special guest during our recent crossing of the Simpson Desert: the G-Father, Erwin Wonisch.

Erwin has worked on the G-Wagen since 1975, before the first production vehicle was revealed in 1979.

In the ’70s, Erwin worked in the workshop at Steyr-Daimler-Puch in Graz, Austria, where the G-Wagen was being developed and is still made to this day. In 1975 he moved to the engineering team developing the prototypes.

“I drove the fourth and fifth prototypes,” Erwin recalled. “And I drove the first production one.” That first G-Wagen was a soft-top 460 model and was meant to be delivered to the Shah of Persia.

“The idea [for the G-Wagen] was from the Jeep,” Erwin explained. “The Shah of Persia wanted a Jeep, but [as a Mercedes-Benz customer] he wanted a Jeep from Mercedes.” Unfortunately for the Shah, by the time that first G rolled off the line in ’79, he had been overthrown by Islamists and been forced to flee into exile.

“The first big customer for the G was the Argentinian army,” Erwin said. The Argies ordered 4000 of the robust vehicles.

The G-Wagen has become the vehicle of choice for militaries around the world, including the Australian Defence Force in recent years. A big part of Erwin’s job as G-Wagen driver is showing the vehicle to the military personnel, training them and training the local trainers. The job takes him around the world, for cold-weather testing in Sweden, training in South America and the Middle East, and hot-weather testing in North Africa.

Mercedes-Benz poached Erwin from Steyr-Daimler-Puch eight years ago – “I was costing Mercedes too much to hire,” he said of the move – but his role with G-Wagen remains very similar. He was with us on the Canning Stock Route when the G returned here in 2011, and there have been further trips for training and development. This was his fifth visit to Australia and we don’t think it will be Erwin’s last.

Erwin also gets to show off the vehicles he calls ‘my babies’ for the media. He was involved in the filming for Top Gear when they took the G63 AMG 6×6 through a water park in Dubai, and he was behind the wheel for the video clip of the G500 4×4² in Chile. He was also involved in the development of these vehicles as well as other special vehicles such as the LAPV 5.4 and 6.1, which we sampled here a few years back.

From the original G460 through to the current 461 and 463 models and the special vehicles, there isn’t a G-Wagen that Erwin hasn’t been involved with or driven. There wouldn’t be another person on the planet who knows the G-Wagen better than he does. And, even after more than 40 years on the product, he isn’t slowing down.

2018 will see the release of a new 463 G-Wagen, which will be the first to do away with the iconic live axles front and rear and have independent front suspension, plus a raft of new technologies. Of course, Erwin has been driving it already and will be there for the launch.

Erwin called it “a new generation. It is still 463 but is a different car. I have driven it a lot and it is still in engineering and development.”

The purists will be happy to know that Erwin assured us that there will still be a 461 with live axles, but, without revealing too much, he also stated that the new car is more capable off-road. It will be a vehicle to watch out for and we hope to see Erwin there to show us its abilities.