Land Rover Australia’s product and planning manager Brett Lewis-Driver has confirmed a new Defender is in the pipeline when asked by 4x4Australia at the recent launch of the new Discovery.

Arthur Goddard: Godfather of the Land Rover

Here’s what you need to know: yes, it’s definitely coming. Yes, there’s a team working on it now. No, it’s not a priority and won’t happen before 2020. Yes, it will be the most off-road capable model in the Land Rover line up.

No, it won’t be built off a new platform and will use an existing platform. And Finally, no it won’t be designed for commercial, rural or military use; it will be a recreational vehicle only.

Also at the launch, Jaguar-Land Rover Australia managing director Matthew Wiesner said “A pickup would be the number-one desired product for us,” not surprising given the booming sales of dual-cab utes currently in Australia.

And utes are also very much in Land Rover’s core DNA, so it’s an excellent product fit as well.”

Logically it seems that Defender will come in a few body variants with priority given to a dual-cab ute with other variants to follow.

But given everything also points to the new Defender being built off the Discovery’s aluminium-monocoque platform rather than a separate chassis, having a vast number of models -as was the case with the old Defender -will be very expensive.

After a dual-cab ute, a five-door wagon seems the most likely variant perhaps followed by a short-wheelbase three-door wagon or even an extended-cab ute.

1988 Land Rover Perentie Defender 110: 4X4 Shed

By using those four basic body styles and with a choice of couple of engines, optional wheel and tyre spec you could quickly flesh out a model range. Lewis-Driver also indicated that smaller brakes are being developed to allow a more practical wheel and tyre spec somewhere south of 19s.

Perhaps the best news is the happy relationship that Land Rover appears to be having with Indian owners, Tata.

For what seems like a love of the iconic British brand, Tata is pouring money into Land Rover but at the same time letting Land Rover get on with the job of developing new models like the Defender.

We’ll see the production-ready version of Mercedes Benz’s X-Class ute on July 18 but Stuttgart has teased us with this short video giving glimpses of what we can expect at the unveiling.

Tamed down from the wild X-Class concepts displayed last year, the production model has a front end more akin to Mercedes Benz’s current SUV range.

The door lines show the link to the Nissan D23 Navara on which the ute is based while at the back, the upright LED taillights have been retained but are now limited to the corners and don’t extend across the tailgate as they did on the concept.

2017 Mercedes-Benz G300 CDI Review

The 35-inch off road tyres and front mounted winch that were on the concept car have disappeared as expected, although Benz says it will offer an extensive range of factory accessories for multiple uses.

We’ll have full details of the powertrains later this month but top-billing with be a V6 turbodiesel engine from Benz making upwards of 500Nm of torque, backed by an 8-speed automatic and full-time 4×4.

Lower spec X-Classes will get the four-cylinder Renault-Nissan engine shared with Navara with the option of auto or manual transmissions and part-time, dual-range 4×4.

Benz has told us that the interior will be an all-German affair taking parts from its range of luxury passenger cars and SUVs including top of the line connectivity and audio systems.

The suspension tuning is also tipped to be more European than that of the Nissan donor vehicle.

Video: Mercedes-Benz G300 vs Toyota LandCruiser 79

The X-Class isn’t expected to reach Australian showrooms until 2018 but is one of the most highly anticipated new 4x4s to come in the next year.

It will give Mercedes Benz Vans division a strong player in the hotly contested 1-tonne 4×4 ute market with both recreational and trade ute buyers looking for the next new thing.

If Land Rover stuck to naming tradition this all-new Discovery should be called Discovery 5.

But that’s not the case, it’s simply called Discovery. Regardless, this new Discovery is built on its third different platform since its 1989 debut.

This has seen it evolve from an old-school 4×4, with a separate chassis and live axles at both ends, to a high-tech aluminium-alloy monocoque with fully independent suspension.

Ironically, both the original Discovery and this latest Discovery owe a lot to Range Rovers. But while the first Discovery was based on an almost 25-year-old Range Rover platform, this new Discovery is built on the latest-generation Range Rover that arrived as recently in 2013.

What’s New?

Virtually everything is new compared to the outgoing Discovery with the V6 diesel engine and the eight-speed automatic gearbox being the obvious carry-over items. Most notably this new Discovery brings two new four-cylinder diesels, both 2.0-litres in capacity but in single and bi-turbo configurations.

2017 Land Rover Discovery receives five-star ANCAP safety rating

The single turbo makes 132kw and 430Nm, extraordinarily strong numbers for an engine of that configuration, but it can’t be had with a dual-range transfer case. You’re stuck with single-range 4×4.

The bi-turbo four makes astonishing numbers for a 2.0-litre diesel, with 177kw and 500Nm, and comes with dual range. Given the Discovery 4’s carried over V6 (previously denoted by an ‘SDV6’ badge but now a ‘Td6’ one) makes 13kW and 100Nm more, but brings a $7K price premium, this bi-turbo four could be the popular choice for those who insist on dual-range.

Now, if you are thinking that’s not enough engine for a big car, consider the lightweight aluminium monocoque at the Discovery’s core.

Compared to the Discovery 3/4’s separate-chassis steel platform it weighs significantly less– where the Discovery 4 was north of 2560kg, this new Discovery is around 2110kg with the bi-turbo four-cylinder and 2220Kg with the V6.

Ford Everest vs Land Rover Discovery vs Toyota Prado

This significant weight loss not only helps redress any performance loss going to a four-cylinder engine but it brings better economy, sharper on-road dynamics and improved off-road ability for all-round wins.

The new 2.0-litre bi-turbo four actually claims 22kW more than the out-going TDV6 and only gives away 20Nm in torque, so is no slouch regardless of the weight savings. It also looks especially good against the 140kW/440Nm 2.7 V6 in earlier iterations of the Discovery 4 and in the Discovery 3.

What’s it like to Drive?

Land Rover’s Australia’s launch of the new Discovery around Uluru involved NT’s typically smooth and relatively straight bitumen, some easy sand tracks and a set-piece 4×4 obstacle course. So, a taste but not a comprehensive test … that is yet to come.

The vehicles driven include the bi-turbo four and the V6 fitted with dual-range gearing, which comes standard with these engines except in S spec models. The single-turbo four or models with single-range 4×4 weren’t available to sample.

Driving the bi-turbo four and the V6 back-to-back revealed the four as a brilliant perfomer. Most of the time you wouldn’t know you’re driving it rather than the V6 and pedal-to-metal there’s not much between them.

Benefitting from a 110kg weight advantage over the V6 and slightly shorter final drive gearing (3.31 vs. 3.21), the four only gives away 0.2 of a second to 100km/h (8.3s vs. 8.1s) and nothing in the 80km to 120km/h sprint according to Land Rover specs. On the road it feels like it too. It’s even difficult to split the two on sound.

The similar performance between the Sd4 and the Td6 leaves open the question of Sd6 down the line especially given that Land Rover has a 225kW/700Nm version of the V6 as used in the Range Rover Sport to call upon and the forthcoming inline six-cylinder engine.

Performance aside this new Discovery has very much the poise and refinement of the Range Rover, from which it was born. It’s smooth, quiet, refined and comfortable, almost serene at times.

And it’s much lighter and more agile on its feet that the notably heavier Disco 4. Electric power steering also brings reduced effort at parking speeds but also a positive and reassuring feel at highway speeds.

All the launch vehicles were fitted with height-adjustable air suspension. For off-road driving it allows the ride height to be raised 75mm from the standard ride-height clearance of 208mm up to 283mm and will hold that up to 50km/h if need be. Above 50km/h and below 80km/h it will hold at 40mm above standard ride height.

If the chassis grounds out it will automatically lift an additional 35mm while the driver can raise it again an additional 30mm to the top-out point as a get-out-of-gaol card. Base spec models (not driven) come with coil springs as standard and with 220mm of ground clearance.

The extra ground clearance courtesy of the air suspension was needed at the 4×4 obstacle course, as was the impressive 500mm of wheel travel.

Bucket list: Land Rover Defender Heritage 90

As with the Range Rover and RR Sport family vehicles this is an extremely capable 4×4 platform although one that needs the optional rear locker to give its very best. The locker, available across all models, provided you also have dual-range gearing, is a bargain at $1080. The increased wading depth (900mm, or 850mm with coil springs) of this new Discovery is also more than handy.

What’s it like to sit in?

This new Discovery is very Range Rover Sport-familiar in the layout of the cockpit, controls and switchgear, proving once again the close connection of this Discovery with its up-market cousin.

The cabin isn’t as airy as the Discovery 4 and not as wide or as tall, but it is longer than the Disco 4 and rides off a longer by 35mm wheelbase. Perhaps this lower, narrower and longer body was in part driven by the need for reduced aero drag and hence lower fuel use given today’s preoccupation with fuel efficiency.

As per the Discovery 4 all seven seats can fit 6-foot-plus adults even if the second row doesn’t feel quite as roomy.

The third row space is however impressive and the middle-row seats have fore and aft adjustment to help tailor the second- and third-row space. As with the Discovery 4 all the seats fold individually and on up-spec models power-recline for all the seats is an option.

There’s plenty of luggage space too accessed via a single top-hinged rear door. There’s even a faux interior tailgate to sit on (it will take 300kg), or use as a table, for those who miss the horizontal-split tailgate of the Discovery 3/4.

And the Nitty Gritty…

The Discovery is good news. Very good news. But Land Rover, while changing everything else, hasn’t seriously addressed the two biggest complaints levelled at the Discovery 4 by people who wish to take their Discovery off road, namely fuel-capacity and wheel/tyre specification.

Ford’s influence on the Discovery 3

Remembering that the Discovery 4 diesels had an 82.3-tank, the new Discovery has 77 litres for the four-cylinder models and the 85 litres for the V6, so any fuel-range improvement will have to come through lower fuel use courtesy of the weight savings.

There’s a similar story with the wheel and tyre spec although there’s been a marginal improvement in the critical sidewall height as slightly taller tyres are fitted for any given wheel size.

As before 19s are the smallest factory wheel but where 19s on a Discovery 4 wore 255/55s, 19s on this new Discovery wear 235/65s for a nominal 12.5mm increase in sidewall height. Another way to look at this is 255/55s are now the standard fitment on the 20-inch wheels rather than the 19s.

The fact that the front brake size is consistent cross the range and hasn’t increased from the Discovery 4 means that any variant can be fitted with factory 19s rather than the 20s, which are on most models.

What’s more it appears that fitting bespoke 18s, as was the case with the Discovery 4, is a real possibility.

We look forward to more time behind the wheel of this exciting, interesting and groundbreaking new Discovery…

Australian Range and Pricing* S Td4: $65,950 S Sd4: $71,560 S Td6: $78,271 SE Td4: $77,050 SE Sd4: $83,450 SE Td6: $90,161 HSE Td4: $87,150 HSE Sd4: $93,550 HSE Td6: $100,261 HSE Luxury Td4: $100,950 HSE Luxury Sd4: $107,350 HSE Luxury Td6: $114,061 First Edition Td6: $131,871 *Five seats models (except First Edition). Third-row seating adds between $3,400 (higher-spec models) and $6,400 (lower spec models).

Land Rover Discovery Sd4 Specs Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl bi-turbo diesel Max power: 177kW @ 4000rpm Max torque: 500Nm @ 1500rpm Gearbox: eight-speed automatic 4X4 System: dual-range full-time Crawl ratio: 45.7 Construction: aluminium monocoque Front suspension: independent/air springs Rear suspension: independent/air springs Ground clearance*: 283mm Approach angle*: 34 degrees Ramp-over angle*: 27.5 degrees Departure angle*: 30.0 degrees Wading depth*: 900mm Unladen Weight: 2019kg GVM**: 2940kg Payload**: 921kg Max towing capacity: 3500kg Max towball download: 350kg GCM**: 6640kg Fuel tank capacity: 77 litres ADR fuel claim: 6.3 litres/100km *When fitted with height-adjustable air suspension. ** Five-seat model.

WE’VE got the perfect solution to escape the bitter cold of winter.

Light the fire, grab a bottle of your favourite tipple, pull up a comfy chair, and flick through our latest issue of 4X4 Australia.

The cracking August issue is headlined by two massive comparisons – Hilux TRD v Ranger FX4 and Trailhawk v Everest – and some seductive custom machines – Orange JK Rubicon and an HSV-tuned H3 Hummer.

We also head to some stunning locations including the Red Centre, Stockton Beach and the Kennedy Range.

Get your copy of 4X4 Australia from newsagents or by subscribing to 4X4 Australia in electronic or print format.

What’s in it this month:

ISUZU D-MAX AT35 Arctic Trucks turns the D-MAX into an ice-crushing machine!

HILUX TRD v RANGER FX4 Toyota and Ford add special-edition models to spice up the sales race. We run them against each other.

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK Custom rough-and-ready JK Wrangler Rubicon.

TRAILHAWK v EVEREST Jeep’s new Grand Cherokee Trailhawk proves itself against Ford’s 4x4OTY winner.

HSV-POWERED H3 H3 Hummer gets an HSV-tuned LS2. It’s the H3 Holden should have built!

SEVEN RED CENTRE SECRETS The highly explored heart of Oz still hides a few well-kept secrets. Moonie uncovers a few of them.

CUSTOM N80 HILUX SR5 This power-hiked Hilux has been built for function by its adventure-seeking owner.

KENNEDY RANGE, WA Get some red dust under the tyres and escape the masses.

CUSTOM FORD F250 Sometimes bigger is better – especially in this F250’s case.

STOCKTON BEACH, NSW Large sand dune system provides the backdrop for challenging beach driving.

WHY YOU NEED A HEAVY DUTY CLUTCH KIT Added bigger tyres or upped power? Read this!

CHAELUNDI NATIONAL PARK, NSW Rugged and remote park features tricky tracks and plenty of natural beauty.

KING OF THE HAMMERS 2017 Catching up with a few Aussies at the world’s toughest off-road race.

In addition, the August issue is packed with a bunch of gear we’ve put through the ringer: BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO2 tyres, EZDown gas struts, Thorburns recovery points, Aeroklas canopy and Narva Ultima 215 LEDs.

Another edition of Readers’ Rigs includes a highly modified D22 Navara and a function-driven 1998 MK Triton.

Roothy’s back from a remote adventure in a Grand Cherokee, Fraser’s hesitant on a driverless future, Ron delivers some stern words for punters who are tearing up our tracks, Deano’s on the hunt for the perfect campsite, and Viv cooks up a ripper honey and garlic chicken feast.

We’ve also got three rigs in the 4X4 Shed this month: Dan’s new PXII Ranger XLT, Deano’s D22 Navara, and JW’s TD5 Disco.

The August issue of 4X4 Australia is in stores Thursday, July 6.

Get the latest info and all things 4X4 Australia signing up to our newsletter.

THE Ford Ranger has extended its sales lead on the Toyota Hilux in the 4×4 segment, following a record-breaking month for new car sales.

134,171 new vehicles were sold in June, 2017, surpassing the previous monthly record of 128,569 (June, 2016).

VFACTS attributes this sales spike – a 0.2 per cent increase year-to-date on 2016 – to low interest rates, the Government’s instant asset write-off provisions, and to a highly competitive market.

SUVs and Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) have driven this growth, with SUV sales up 11.7 per cent and LCV sales up 12.2 per cent when compared to this time last year. Passenger car sales have dropped 5.9 per cent compared to June 2016.

The ever-strengthening 4×4 market was headlined by the strong sales performance across the range, with most brands registering month-to-month increases.

2018 Ford Ranger Raptor captured

The Ford Ranger took a stranglehold on the annual 4×4 sales race, extending its lead on the second-place Hilux to 511 units.

The Ranger’s sales performance is even more impressive when you consider it has had relatively few tweaks since the PX model was launched late 2012. In contrast, an all-new Hilux was only launched two years ago, and this – at least in terms of 4×4 utes, where model lifecycles are considerably longer than wagons – means Toyota may have to work some magic to combat the sales threat from this current Ranger, while also trying to second guess Ford’s plans for the updated Ranger, due late 2018.

The impressive Triton 4×4 continued on its merry way, accruing 2657 sales, while the Holden Colorado and Toyota Prado rounded out the top five.

Isuzu UTE Australia, in particular, had a stellar month, pushing record numbers of both the D-MAX and MU-X (4×4 and 4×2 units) off the showroom floor.

“Both the one-tonne D-MAX ute and seven-seat MU-X SUV achieved individual monthly record sales, with 2388 and 1178 units respectively,” Isuzu UTE Australia said in a statement.

This increase in sales performance – a 44.5 per cent rise (D-MAX) and a 65.4 per cent rise (MU-X) compared to June last year – has been driven by the introduction of a new drivetrain and cosmetic and comfort enhancements.

On the overall market, the Toyota Hilux (4×4 and 4×2) remained the best-selling vehicle, with the Ranger (4×4 and 4×2), Corolla, Tuscon and Mazda3 trailing behind.

THIS IS a Toyota BJ, effectively a ‘Land Cruiser’ from a time before Toyota even coined the name Land Cruiser.

It was one of 298 made in 1953, and it was imported by B&D Motors of Melbourne as a used vehicle in 1956.

This story starts well before this example of the Toyota BJ arrived in Australia, and has its origins in the US occupation of Japan following World War II. In that time, the US completely restructured Japan politically, socially and economically – in many ways to mirror the US itself.

Crucial to the Land Cruiser’s origins was the Korean War that broke out in 1950. With the US looking to ramp up production of all things military to support the United Nations-led effort against North Korea and its allies China and Russia, the Jeep, one of the heroes of WWII, was a priority.

VIDEO: Land Cruiser Heritage Museum

With US production of Jeeps under pressure, the US military asked Toyota and Nissan to design a Jeep alternative that could, at the very least, serve Japanese domestic needs, which the Jeep currently filled and, if need be, supplement the Jeep in Korea.

The first prototype, dubbed the Toyota Jeep (later called the BJ for B-engine Jeep), was developed in early 1951 using the chassis of the SB-Series 1-ton truck. It added a second driven axle utilising a part-time single-speed transfer case.

Paired with a six-cylinder B-type 3.4-litre diesel engine, which was more than three times larger than the SB truck engine, the BJ had little need for a low range transfer case, instead utilising a low first gear.

The US military did not take up the BJ, but a second prototype completed by July 1951 caught the attention of the Japanese National Police Agency (NPA), which until then had relied on the Jeep.

The NPA were seeking a Japanese-built vehicle, and tested the BJ extensively on the popular hiking trails of Mount Fuji. It proved itself as it climbed to the 6th Hill Station piloted by Toyota test driver Ichiro Taira, achieving notoriety as the first vehicle to do so. Impressed by the BJ, the NPA ordered 289 units a month as its patrol vehicle.

2017 Toyota Land Cruiser 79 GXL Single-Cab departs the shed

Over the next two years, during which specifications and production was refined, the chassis was made in Toyota’s plant in Honsya, with final assembly at Arakawa Body in Kogyo.

The 1953 NPA fulfillment was followed by additional orders from the forestry and agricultural industries, as well as private companies within Japan, as Toyota expanded the line to create a cab-chassis (BJ-J) for building fire engines.

A year later, in June 1954, Willys filed trademark violations against Toyota for the use of the Jeep name. Toyota’s Hanji Umehara renamed the vehicle as the Land Cruiser, and publicly apologised to Willys.

Taking a cue from the Land Rover, Umehara recalls he wanted a name “that would not sound less dignified than those of our competitors.”

Along with the new name, the F-Type 3.4-litre petrol engine joined the B-type diesel and the name FJ Cruiser was created. This also marked the point when the Land Cruiser switched to mass production, as earlier models were built on a made-to-order or contract basis.

In 1955, a second-generation model called the 20 Series was developed with a less militaristic look and added driving comfort to appeal to civilians and industrial customers.

Jaguar Land Rover opens the doors to its Classic Works facility

It still retained a rugged appearance, however, while the engine was moved forward to create more legroom. It had a more comfortable ride, with the addition of longer leaf springs and more interior space by moving the steering column to the edge of the dashboard.

Through most of the versions, the engine, transmission, transfer case and final drive were basically the same and interchangeable with only few exceptions.

While the canvas-top FJ25 was positioned as the standard for export, there were 10 variations created over the next three years, ranging from the FJ20 through to the FJ29 on two separate wheelbases (2285mm and 2430mm). And, for the first time, doors, a metal roof, and even a Nippon-Denso air-conditioning unit was offered.

From 1956, Toyota’s strategy was to shift from vehicles manufactured for local needs to the ‘Land Cruiser Strategy for Foreign Markets’.

With the Land Cruiser’s ability to hold its own against the Willys Jeep and the Land Rover, the Land Cruiser was exported to places like Brazil, Saudi Arabia and eventually Australia.

EARLY HISTORY OF LANDCRUISER IN AUSTRALIA

IN 1957, B&D Motors became the official distributor of Toyota in Australia, importing the FJ25 and FJ28 mid-wheelbase chassis models with bodies made by Ansair; although, Rayson Industries in Niddrie, Melbourne, reportedly made some.

Things took a significant turn when industrialist Leslie Thiess (later Sir Leslie) noticed a Land Cruiser while in Japan overlooking coal-mining operations. Seeing how rugged the Land Cruiser was, he wanted them for large civil engineering projects his company was undertaking in Australia.

Land Rover Classic reveals Reborn models

Toyota advised Thiess he would have to go through the existing distributor, B&D Motors in Melbourne, and Thiess purchased 13 Land Cruisers in 1958 to work on the Snowy Mountain Hydro-Electric Scheme in southern NSW. Over the next 20 years, Land Cruisers were then used in various mining and infrastructure projects taken by Thiess.

Still, the Land Cruiser had a long road ahead of it. In 1958, Land Rover was the sales leader with 2087 units sold, with Jeep well behind at 522 sales (helped by a Jeep assembly plant in Brisbane). Land Cruiser, with only 22 sales for the year, was a very distant third.

The following year saw slow sales growth for the Land Cruiser, but things started to change when Thiess secured Queensland distribution for Land Cruiser from B&D Motors and, with 13 dealers, half of the 69 Land Cruisers sold in 1959 headed to Queensland. Thiess expanded its network in 1960 to become distributors for NSW and Papua New Guinea.

The sales of Land Cruisers climbed, but Thiess wasn’t happy with the quality of the bodies being fitted to the FJ28s, and Toyota wasn’t impressed by the poor sales in Australia compared to sales elsewhere in the world.

The announcement of the Nissan Patrol being manufactured in Sydney urged Thiess and Toyota to come up with a new plan, and in May 1960 Thiess travelled to Japan and signed a two year agreement with Toyota to become the exclusive distributors for Toyota in Australia and Papua New Guinea.

Classic 4×4: 1956 Series 1 107 Land Rover Station Wagon

In 1960, the 40 Series came along, redesigned from the suspension up with longer springs, rubber bushings on the shackles and all paired to a stronger chassis designed to dampen vibrations before they made it to the body, all in the name of comfort.

Toyota added a new 3.9-litre F-Type engine with 93kW, and for the first time paired to a low range transfer case, but still utilised the three-speed gearbox.

The body had all-new sheet-metal and the wide horizontal grille with Land Cruiser stamped along the top. By 1962, Thiess was selling a full line-up of Land Cruisers, including the FJ40, FJ43 and FJ45 Cruiser, alongside other Toyotas, and by 1965 reached more than $1million in sales, with 50 per cent of Toyota’s sold being Land Cruisers.

Look for an adventure in August?

Louth Races (NSW)

Capture the magic of the great Australian Outback at one of the friendliest and most unique country race meets in all of Australia. Louth is situated on the banks of the Darling River, 100km south-west of Bourke and 132km north-west of Cobar, and racing in the village dates back to 1880. This year, the big day will be held on August 12. Camping facilities are available at Louth Racecourse and, of course, you have the pub nearby.

For more information, go to: www.louthraces.com

Run Larapinta (NT)

Run Larapinta is a four-day, four-stage running event which see runners hit the dirt of the iconic Larapinta Trail and take in some of the spectacular scenery of the MacDonell Ranges in the Northern Territory. This year, the event will run from August 11-14. Each stage will start and finish at different locations every day and showcase the many aspects of Alice Springs and the West MacDonnell Ranges. Course highlights include the Old Telegraph Station, Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, Glen Helen, Ormiston Gorge, Mount Sonder and, of course, the endless awe of the outback.

For more info, go to: www.rapidascent.com.au/runlarapinta

Derby Outback Rodeo (WA)

The Derby Rodeo is the best rodeo in the Kimberley. This exciting bush event will ensure there are plenty of bumps and falls, as local station workers compete in the rodeo and gymkhana. Held at the Rodeo Grounds in Derby, WA, from August 11-14, visitors will be treated to an entertaining rodeo and then yeeha the night away at the bar which is open until late on Saturday and Sunday.

For more information, head to the Derby Tourism website’s events page: www.derbytourism.com.au/tours-and-activities/events

Betoota Races (Qld)

The first race meeting of the Simpson Desert Racing Carnival is the Betoota Races (Saturday, August 26). The family-friendly country race kicks off with Friday night live music and a six-event race meeting on the Saturday. A children’s entertainer will keep the children amused from 1pm to 8pm. Meals, refreshments and camping are available.

For more information, visit: www.betootaraces.com

William Creek Bronco Branding (SA)

The National Bronco Branding Championships and campdraft will be held in William Creek on August 26. Competitors from Queensland, Northern Territory and South Australia will be competing, and there’s bound to be plenty of action and excitement. Camping is available nearby, or at the William Creek Hotel if you’d rather a made bed and a cold beer or two.

To find out more, please visit: www.broncobrandingsa.com.au

Whisky Week (Tas)

If you needed a good excuse to visit Tasmania in winter, this is it. The Tasmanian Whisky Week 2017 takes place over the week of August 4-13. The events are held in Tasmanian distilleries, bars, barns, stables, restaurants and hotels. Behind-the-scenes tours will be available at various distilleries, where Whisky-Week-goers will get to meet distillers and whet their taste buds with some unreleased whiskies and delicious dining.

You’ll find more information at: www.taswhiskyweek.com

Clarence Valley Camp Oven Festival (NSW)

Set on 14 hectares of natural bushland beside the beautiful Goolang Creek, the Nymboida Camping and Canoeing venue is a top spot for a celebration and will be the location for this year’s camp oven festival, which will run from Friday, August 18 to Sunday, August 20. The Camp Oven Festival is a feast for the senses and is a celebration of the wonderful Aussie outdoor lifestyle and good old-fashioned family fun.

Enjoy great music, camp oven demonstrations and competitions, bush poetry, the Saturday Night Bush Dance, markets, dog trials and plenty of activities for the kids. Camping and cabin accommodation is available, while open campfires are permitted.

For more information, go to: www.clarencevalley.com

BUYING a new 4×4 can be easy: read a few reviews, whittle down a short list with the specs and features you want, then test drive them all ’til you make a decision.

The only problem is, unless you’re using your 4×4 to ferry milk from the grocery store to your house, chances are you’ll want to modify it. Bar work, engine power-ups, suspension lifts and interior modifications can all drastically change the way your shiny new 4×4 performs.

What was once a great bit of kit might not be up for the job anymore, while a 4×4 that didn’t tick all the boxes could be leaps and bounds better once it’s modified.

What’s a bloke to do? Well, if you’re Ken Johnston, you drive straight past the new-car yards and head to some of the best 4×4 modifiers in Queensland to suss out how highly modified versions work and if they’re right for your needs.

Toyota 70 Series Electronic Stability Control

It’s a system we’re seeing pop up more and more these days, where the base vehicle is seen as nothing more than a blank canvas towards a bigger goal – a vital component, yet just another piece in the overall plan for a dream 4×4.

After lugging around an off-road camper with their Land Rover Discovery through the far reaches of Arnhem Land, Ken and his partner Sonya figured a boat would be an absolute must if they wanted to truly explore the remote region.

“It was sort of obvious you can’t be up there without a boat, and the camper couldn’t take one,” Ken told us.

“I don’t want to carry an outboard in the passenger compartment, and [it] had dust concerns having it on the camper, so a dual-cab was a no-brainer, ideally something coil-sprung.”

After eyeing off a flashy new 79 Series, Ken and Sonya ran the numbers on what it’d take to get it where they wanted, and they figured a stretched Land Cruiser 200 Series would be a substantially more versatile platform for their needs. Let the build commence.

Before the new-car smell had worn off, Ken and Darren Vassie from Custom RV Creations & Repairs had put together a plan that’d turn Ken’s near-stock LC200 into a touring behemoth that’d eat up remote tracks and spit out stunning campsites.

In typical Darren fashion, step one was to warm up the grinders and cut not only the body in half, but the chassis, too.

The rear axle has been moved back a huge 650mm to provide more room for the trick tray set-up and centre the weight over the rear axle for maximum longevity.

Where many ute-chops look like they were done by a blind monk on a three-day bender, Darren has sliced and diced Ken’s Cruiser neater than many factory ute offerings, with some trick profiles and metal work giving a better than stock result.

With the rear glass out of the way and an additional 650mm in the chassis, there was plenty of room for one of Darren’s custom tray set-ups. The alloy unit punches in at a huge 1800mm long, giving plenty of storage room inside.

It’s broken up into a few key compartments: on the driver’s side is a trick slide to carry Ken’s 15hp Yamaha outboard motor, while the front box has been left empty for storing bulky items. Up on the roof, the tinnie is hoisted up onto a custom rack system with a 4000lb winch running through a series of pulleys.

Land Cruiser Heritage Museum: World’s best Cruiser collection

“The way he’s built it, I don’t really need a boat loader,” said Ken.

“I put the boat with the stern facing the car, hook up the chains to the clips near the front seat, and it pulls it straight up.”

The passenger side houses a 52-litre Bushman fridge on a drop-down slide, as well as a set of drawers for cooking gear, and the whole lot is powered by a huge 12V system.

A Redarc 1240 BMS pulls juice from the factory alternator set-up, and there’s also solar input when Ken and Sonya are parked up for extended stays. It’s all tasked with keeping twin 120AH AGM batteries positioned under the tray charged.

Underneath the tray is 140 litres of on-board water available at the flick of a switch thanks to twin 70-litre stainless-steel tanks.

How to buy a used 4×4

While the grinders were out, Darren pieced together 300 litres’ worth of diesel storage with a 120-litre tank in the rear and a mammoth 180-litre unit up front.

The two are connected with a transfer pump, so Ken can have the weight sitting exactly where he wants it and still get a huge 1500km range between drinks.

Of course, you can’t lug around a set-up like that on stock suspension, so it shouldn’t come as a shock the 200 has stronger legs all ’round.

It runs a full Dobinsons GVM upgrade system, but that doesn’t go half way to explaining how much effort has gone into making it perform. Up the back, 600kg constant weight springs get the job done when loads are light, while a set of airbags prevent sag when things are loaded up.

With simplicity and reliability at the forefront, Ken optioned a set of simple inlet valves at the rear so the bags can be adjusted by simply airing down tyres. No fancy digital gauges to go wrong here.

There are Dobinson MRR remote reservoir mono-tube shocks on each corner, too, with a three-inch lift overall making room for the 35-inch ProComp Xtreme A/T tyres.

On the drive train front, Ken has followed the tried and tested path of reliable power. The stock 4.5-litre V8 is punching out more power thanks to a full three-inch stainless-steel exhaust system, and with an ECU remap, it has no dramas hauling the big Cruiser and camper.

An oil catch helps prevent the intake from gunking up, and a secondary fuel filter will be in before it sets off for its maiden voyage to Arnhem Land.

Toyota Land Cruiser 60 Series gets chopped

In an uncommon move, Ken also roped in the guys from Wholesale Automatics with one of their torque converter lock-up systems. It allows him to manually lock up the torque converter, making the six-speed slush ’box operate like a manual cog-swapper to keep the bent eight singing in its sweet spot.

Down the line the diffs retain their stock gear ratios, but both are stuffed full of E-Lockers from Harrop.

While Ken’s massive Cruiser looks impressive on paper and in person, there’s no skirting the fact it’s no show pony.

It’s a purpose-built rig with everything it needs and nothing it doesn’t, and all in the name of remote travel. While some are occupied with 20-inch lift kits and low-profile muddies, the spirit of adventure still runs deep.

And as long as there are talented builders making it happen, we don’t expect to see it die out any time soon.

THEY may be made in Japan, but we like to think Australia is the spiritual home of the Toyota Land Cruiser.

Australians buy thousands of them, keep them on the road for decades, and log up millions of kilometres in the everlasting workhorses from Toyota. As such, you might think if there was going to be a museum dedicated purely to Land Cruiser vehicles, it should be in Australia.

Readers might be surprised to learn that such a museum does exist, but it’s not on our fair shores. It’s not even in Japan, or in a country where the iconic vehicle has the popularity it has here. The best collection of Land Cruisers we’ve come across is in a private collection in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

We say private collection, because all of the 70-odd vehicles in the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum are owned by Greg Miller, who, as part of the Miller family, has a long history in the automotive industry in the USA and currently owns and operates a Toyota dealership in California. But Greg’s family harks back to Utah, and that’s where he houses his collection.

Thankfully, the museum is open to the public on most days and caters to groups who can be guided around the collection by one of the knowledgeable curators. On the day 4X4 Australia dropped in, Cruiser Dan was staying back to facilitate our visit.

With more than 35 years working in the Toyota parts business at Miller-owned dealerships, Dan knows the history of all the vehicles in the collection. He pointed out that while most of the Cruisers housed in the museum are owned by Greg, there is one that isn’t. That’s an LC FJ40 owned by Greg’s brother.

We knew we found the right place when we spotted the BJ74 Land Cruiser parked out the front of the nondescript warehouse just off the interstate. That vehicle is Dan’s own daily driver and is considered rare in the USA, where the 70 Series was never sold.

Step inside the museum and it’s a Cruiser enthusiast’s dream garage. Almost every model of Land Cruiser is represented here, from early FJ25s up to 100 Series, FJ Cruiser and VDJ79s.

There are 40 Series in every colour, oddball mini-Cruisers, a Prado or two, a rare PX10, a Mega Cruiser, and a few rock-crawler-style modified 40s. Cruisers from the USA, Japan, South America, Australia and elsewhere can be found among the collection, and there’s even a VDJ78 Troopy that has been driven on all seven continents as part of the Expeditions 7 trip.

Roothy’s 40-series Toyota, Milo, suffers metal fatigue

While a mid-wheelbase 73 used as an outside broadcast vehicle (for television) in Japan, is a time capsule preserved as it was the day it finished work.

Notably absent was a late model 200 Series and a soft-top Bundera; although, the collection is always growing. In fact, a Toyota BJT had just been purchased by Greg and was about to be shipped from Australia to Utah shortly after we photographed it in Adelaide.

Whether you’re a Land Cruiser fan or not, or whether you prefer 4x4s or classic cars, the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum should definitely be on your to-do list if you’re visiting the USA. Utah is also the home of the off road-Mecca, Moab, and there are other great 4×4 areas closer to the museum to explore to make this visit a 4×4 trip to remember.

The Land Cruiser Heritage Museum is at 470 West 600 South in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

For more details, or to make sure it’s open if you’re planning a visit, go to: www.landcruiserhm.com

SOME folk start four-wheel driving because of work, the need to tow something heavy, or because a mate shares the inspiration.

Others, like Gavin Gillett, are born and bred to the short stick.

A third-generation Pilbara miner, Gavin grew up travelling across barely formed bush tracks, and he believes 4WDing isn’t a “thing you do”, it’s how you get from A to B. His family were exploring Karijini gorges long before the tourist invasion brought safe steps and sturdy handrails.

According to Gavin, when you scrambled up the rock face, you clung for dear life to spiky spinifex as your feet desperately sought a toehold among the loose rocks. You needed to be fully self-sufficient, with plenty of water and supplies in case you broke down on a dusty, corrugated track and had to wait for someone else to drive past.

And that was just for a shopping trip into Karratha WA, which required four hours on dirt before reaching any of the unnaturally smooth black stuff.

Some people might have grown up and embraced the comforts of city life, but Gavin wasn’t just bitten by the 4WD bug, he’s got thousands of the critters wheeling through his bloodstream.

Paying homage to the Toyota FJ Cruiser

“My favourite part of 4WDing is that the landscape is so unique in Australia. It doesn’t matter in what direction I point the Cruiser, I know there is something world class in front of me,” he said.

From chasing bats through huge flood drains in his uncle’s ’79 Suzuki Jimny when he could barely see over the steering wheel and touch the pedals, Gavin’s driven plenty of fourbies. However, purchasing his own was a huge deal, because it was a long time before he could afford one.

In 2011, Toyota’s magnificent marketing machine hooked Gavin with its 30 minute infomercial ‘one way in, one way out’, with one of the first 50 FJ Cruisers in the country.

 “The white roof and shady interior would help keep the vehicle cool in the harsh Australian Outback. With vinyl floors, standard diff lock and the proven Prado drive components for $20,000 less than a new Prado, it was the reliable touring vehicle I could afford and I didn’t even mind that it was so ugly.

It was going to get me everywhere I wanted to go and back again, and that’s all that mattered,” Gavin confessed. “With the FJ being so ugly it wasn’t long before we formed our own 4WD club so people would hang out with us.”

The FJ Cruiser club became a big part of Gavin’s life.

“I’m very proud of my 4WD club. I was there at the beginning when there were just 30 of us, and today there are more than 6000 people in the club from all over the world. I’m very honoured to be one of the people that runs Australia’s fifth largest – and by far most active – 4WD club.

Despite the endless ribbing I get for selling my FJ, we have created something special with this club, and I always appreciate the fantastic work done by the guys and girls that run the FJCC with me and the times we spend together out on the tracks.”

Gavin still misses the FJ, especially for its short wheelbase. It was the ultimate weapon, tackling steep, rocky terrain out the back of Collie and Brunswick after heavy rain. But it was time to trade up to a bigger vehicle for remote long-distance touring.

“The 2014 200 Series Land Cruiser VX was simply the best 4WD money could buy. Right out of the box she’s got more power than most people will ever need, enough space for long range touring supplies, and room around the chassis for big water, fuel and air tanks,” he said.

“Sometimes I really miss my FJ, but all I have to do is listen to that twin-turbo V8 and I’m smiling. The big diesel is an absolute pleasure to drive – power, torque and 10.9L/100km economy on the open road. What more could you want?”

Gavin is probably not the first Toyota owner to have been taken by surprise by the capability of the traction control system. “It’s amazing if you know how and when to use it. Sand, mud, steep ascents and descents are all made easy and safe with the amazing traction control on these things, and it makes diff locks almost redundant,” he explained.

Which is a bit of a shame, as Gavin had the brand new 200 Series trucked straight to TJM for a whack of modifications including largely unnecessary TJM Pro diff locks front and rear. Yep, they’ve proven handy once or twice, but being so rarely called upon means Gavin could have spent that money elsewhere.

Other mods have repeatedly proven their worth. Having removed the underslung spare tyre, Gavin replaced the 45-litre auxiliary tank with a goliath 170-litre dam to take total capacity to 265 litres. Even fully loaded for touring, Gavin easily gets 1600km at highway touring speed, and careful driving can result in up to 1800km – as Gavin said: “Not bad for a vehicle that’s right on its upgraded GVM of 3800kg.”

FJ Summit Event Colorado

Gavin doesn’t mind admitting he’s now too lazy to change gears. “You can prevent a gear change or hold a gear just as easily in a 200 as you can in a manual, but the auto comes into its own when you need to quickly change that gear on the fly because you’re about to get bogged.”

In addition to the standard breather mods, Gavin fitted a Torque Converter Lockup Kit. “This one mod really transformed the on-road performance and gave me another 200km of range by simply forcing the car to use sixth gear properly.”

Gavin appreciated all the work that went into the first fit-out and thanked Luke at TJM for first-class, no-stress service that ultimately got things sorted, but he had problems with the suspension mods.

“When I first picked up my car from the workshop in Perth I knew something was wrong. The car was lower than stock ride height. Normally they just do the calculations and your vehicle has a two-inch lift after all the gear has been put on, but it seemed like the weight hadn’t been successfully factored into the suspension upgrade. Because I had to drive the car north, the workshop sent the correct springs to be installed in Karratha by an affiliate.”

Gavin originally fitted Tough Dog 9 stage adjustable shocks, but the design of the adjuster meant it was rapidly chewed away by off-road rocks and gravel. After plenty of research, he switched to ARB’s BP-51s and is happy to sing their praises.

Another lesson learned was tyre choice. “I’m not sure if it was me or the Pilbara, but something asked far too much of my 17-inch Cooper ST-Maxx,” Gavin said.

Supercharged Toyota FJ Cruiser: Custom 4×4

After seven punctures in less than 10,000km, he decided the extra-deep tread on the Coopers was achieved through using a thinner carcass, meaning relatively insignificant objects pushed between the chunky lugs would result in a puncture.

After about 30,000km, the Coopers seemed to come good, and Gavin wondered if “the sun needed to bake them hard – like when the old cockies used to leave tyres in a paddock for a year before putting them on the old Cruisers”.

He did switch them out, along with the black steel 17-inch rims he’d fitted to replace the original alloys. At 50kg or so each, the tyre and rim combo was a bit heavy, especially when dealing with punctures.

He’s happy with his BF Goodrich KM2 Mud Terrains. “I’ve done more than 30,000km without a single puncture and they still look like new.”

He fitted Boss Adventure rims, which met all the load limit requirements of the heavy Cruiser and, like Gavin, we reckon those false bead locks look pretty good.

Another noteworthy accessory on this well-kitted rig is the Rigid Industry rock lights. Gavin loves night driving, and these light up the wheel arch like daylight so that you and your spotter can easily see what’s under your wheels.

All of the modifications helped Gavin achieve his major bucket-list goal: a solo trip along the Gibb River Road and Canning Stock Route in July. The trip has been two years in the planning and should take about a month.

Gavin plans to video the entire length of both tracks – a perfect adventure to share with his young son in years to come and ensure the lad is keen to follow Dad’s wheel tracks.

Gavin’s love for his Cruiser and his family is best summed up with a few parting words, “With big V8 diesels going out of fashion in the 4WD world, this 200 Series will be something I hand down to my son someday.”