Table of contents for October 2023 in NZ4WD

New Zealand EV buyers have had a cushy run to date, with taxpayer-supported subsidies and no taxes of fuel, but the Government is signalling the end of the latter. Originally, road user charges were to kick in when 60,000 electric cars had been registered. Electric vehicles are exempt from RUC if their motive power comes wholly or partly from an external source of electricity. An external source is when the vehicle can be plugged into the wall or another source of electricity. This means that fully electric vehicles and plug-in vehicles are usually exempt from RUC. These concessions were intended to speed the transition from fossil fuels into electric-powered vehicles. More than $600 million of revenue has already been forgone after road user charges and fuel excise were reduced by…

Promised, and delivered: Ineos has shown the ute version of its Grenadier 4WD. It chose the Goodwood Festival of Speed to reveal a big, utilitarian, doublecab pickup truck version with a longer wheelbase than its Grenadier SUV. It will be called the Quartermaster and is likely to compete with Jeep's Gladiator. The company spend five and a half years developing the first Grenadier. NZ4WD was the first Kiwi media outlet to experience the big SUV. Now, the company has responded quickly to demand for a pickup. The Quartermaster shares most of its componentry with the Grenadier SUV, but it's just over 300mm longer overall. The bed is just over 1.5m long and 1.58m wide. Payload is listed at 760kg and it will tow 3.5 tonnes. Both payload and towing numbers…

Billed as ‘the ultimate amphibious vehicle’ for commercial, industrial, and defence use. With its unique cab-over design, extra seating, and ability to float on water, the Tut is making waves. Literally. It will take on any terrain with its 372kW (500bhp) engine, full suspension, four-wheel steering, enormous ‘paddle’ tyres and a top speed of 65mph. The Tut is a Canadian product, built in the USA with a GM 6.2L V8 engine, six speed transmission and locally-sourced components for easy maintenance and repairs. Local owners bragging about their 50mm, 75mm lift kit might want to look away: Tut's ground clearance is almost one metre; it has 320mm of suspension travel, will climb a 67-degree hill and ‘sidle’ along a 28-degree slope. It's an extreme 4WD – so extreme that standard equipment…

NEWS Segway Technology has entered the UTV market with something completely new: the first ever hybrid UTV. Segway rose to fame more than ten years ago with its unique gyro-stabilised two-wheeled personal transport device, itself pretty off-road capable when fitted with big knobbly tyres. Now, it has launched the Villain, a hybrid UTV that combines a two-cylinder petrol engine with a continuously engaged electric motor. The vehicle's battery sits beneath the floor of the cabin. Like mid or top end hybrid road cars and SUVs, the Villain also features regenerative braking, sending electricity back to the battery under deceleration. Since its launched, Segway has branched out into all-terrain vehicles, utility side by sides, sport side by sides and even on-road vehicles. Approaching the international market from a long-term perspective, Segway…

TESTED CHEVROLET SILVERADO ZR2 The Americans say it best of all: When the best way out of something is through it, the Chevy Silverado ZR2 is there to help. Based on the regular Silverado 1500 pickup, the ZR2 is an allbusiness off-roader that kicks things up with a more aggressive appearance, all-terrain tires, additional ground clearance, trick Multimatic spool-valve dampers, and Chevy's faithful 313kW (420bhp) 6.2-litre V-8. The drivetrain is pretty special: 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 engine, a 10-speed automatic transmission, and Active Dynamic Fuel Management provide power and torque when needed, disengaging cylinder pairs for economy when in cruise mode. The drive goes out through a smooth-selecting two speed transfer case (2-hi, 4-hi, 4-lo and 4-A), and there are electronically-activated diff locks. While not as untamed as the Ford F-150…

OFF ROAD CARAVANS, TENTS AND AWNINGS Off Road Caravans NZ is profiling the Network RV range of off-road caravans which runs from 17'6” to 24’ across 11 models. Internal features include: a queen size pillow-topped inner sprung mattress, 240 volt and USB ports in the bedroom, reading lights and a Sirocco fan in bedroom Throughout the interior there's recessed cabinetry and CNC-machined interlocking furniture. In the wet area there's a large shower, Thetford porcelain toilet and quality tapware, and kitchen and bathroom are fed by a 12V water pump. In the kitchen, there's a Thetford stove with three gas burners and one electric burner and grill, a range hood and two-door fridge along with a microwave oven under cook-top The sound system features a CD player and radio and Bluetooth…

MAINTAINING YOUR 4WD They are immensely fun, practical vehicles. But because we do things with them that lesser vehicles simply can't do, 4WDs also need special care and maintenance. The end of winter is a perfect time to run through some good DIY maintenance. Shock absorbers and suspension components, engines and transmissions, brakes, batteries and charging systems are all components that have to work right first time, every time – especially far off the beaten track. Have a think about fluids too. Like the differentials for instance. Check the fluid in them regularly, and change the fluid in differentials regularly. Doing a bit of water work? Always check the diffs, if the oil looks like a latte it's contaminated. A good time to look for any kinds of leaks when…

Nitro Gear and Axle is a premium USA manufactured range of quality gear and axle products that have been precision engineered to suit customised 4WDs. The Nitro Gear and Axle program also caters for performance 9” Ford axles, gears and spools with Torsen LSD's available for a wide range of vehicles including 4WDs. Drive or gear ratios play a crucial role in determining how a vehicle's engine power is transferred to the wheels. When larger wheels and tyres are fitted to a vehicle, it can affect the overall drive ratio. This results in reduced acceleration, higher fuel consumption and increased wear on both the engine and the transmission. Nitro Gear packages ensure optimal performance when fitting larger wheels and tyres to a vehicle. This is imperative to maintain optimal performance,…

Weekend Drive Our plan for this trip with our frequent travelling companions Ashley and Gillian was to try to catch the autumn colours of the very scenic, partly sealed, partly gravel Turakina Valley road that runs from SH3 south of Whanganui to Tangiwai, just west of Waiouru. Having got that far north we also wanted to explore the centre of the North Island as a possible alternative section on our Coast to Coast run next year. Leaving Whanganui in dry but cloudy weather, were soon turning off at Turakina onto the road that we were to follow for about the next 100km. This was a very pleasant and scenic run with lush green hills, however most of the trees seemed to be either still in their summer greenery or already…

Well, the national championship year is almost done. A huge turnout at the final regional round saw 60 racers across most classes, with Matthew Bishop entering both his quick Challenger and his new Honda Talon. With a superbly groomed short course track at the Tect forest near Tauranga, Waikato club turned on a heck of a show. The timing was good too, given the final is a big investment for racers from the North Island. Weirdly, the class 8 truck turnout was pretty poor, leaving Leigh Bishop as the top prospect in the class. Now, attention turns to the national final at Labour Weekend, down at Kurow. For teams based in Auckland, it's 1,340km each way even before any racing. Teams will have to be pretty keen about that, it's…

NEWS Big pickups are still hot property. Amid rising sales of US pickups in Australia, Ram Trucks has added a new model to bridge the gap between the cheapest and dearest variants. Australia's biggest seller of US pickups has added another Ram 1500 variant to its range, to plug the gap between the cheapest and the dearest models. In Australia, the Ram 1500 is outselling Jeep Gladiator, Nissan Navara, Volkswagen Amarok and Toyota Land Cruiser single and double cab-chassis. While the majority of the current Ram 1500 line-up in Australia ranges from AUD$98,950 to $156,950, the newly-introduced Ram 1500 Laramie Sport is priced from AUD$136,950 plus on-road costs. The high-performance supercharged TRX tops the range at AUD$224,950. A bit more in NZD, obviously. The Ram 1500 Laramie Sport has colour-coded…

Leading expedition motorhome manufacturer Earthcruiser has unveiled its latest creation, an imposing, purpose-built, go anywhere 6x6 based on the proven Land Cruiser 79 Series platform. Dubbed the Earthcruiser Extreme 330 XTR6x6, the vehicle was developed over 12 months and features the specifications and equipment list to conquer the world's toughest terrains safely, reliably and comfortably, allowing owners to spend extended time on the road. The Extreme 330 XTR6x6 programme began as a special custom build for a valued customer. The drive system was developed by respected 6x6 conversion specialists 6x6 Australia and features a unique coil/airbag sprung bogie drive rear axle set-up,with full load sharing capability between each rear axle. With a drive-through diff and power divider, the third axle remains undriven while the vehicle is on the blacktop, but…

NEWS Will Toyota win the race to bring a full-EV 4WD double-cab ute to market in right hand drive? There is a fully electric version of the Hilux in Australia for testing and evaluation. The Aussies call this class of vehicle ‘one tonne’, though few actually have a one tonne payload rating. It's not yet known if the model imported is a single-motor rear-wheel drive (disappointment) or dual-motor four-wheel drive variant (more interesting). The HiLux Revo concept, as it is called, was revealed late last year in Thailand by then Toyota president, Akio Toyoda. The factory-sourced model arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia, for local and has been shown to the mining industry there. Toyota Australia vice president of sales, marketing, and franchise operations, Sean Hanley, who said previously that such…

Build inspiration from the USA, where a nameplate truck from oner of the ‘Big Three’ is an easy tough truck foundation with a buy-price that aligns with what Kiwis would pay for a Hilux or older Ranger. This truck is almost 20 years old, and it's nothing like the 2005 Chevy Colorado that originally rolled out of a dealership. But then, it only cost USD$5,000. The plan was simple – tear the truck down to the frame and body, drop in a 2005 Cadillac V8 engine, bolt up a 4L80 transmission, and after a custom exhaust and some transplanted axles, the truck would be ready to roll. It took three months. Unfortunately, the new exhaust was so quiet that the knock-knock-knock of sloppy big end bearings in the wrecker-sourced engine…

American electric vehicle specialist Fisker has announced pricing and specification details of its new electric pickup truck, the Alaska. It will arrive in early 2025, will be built in the U.S., and claims to hit 60 mph in as little as 3.9 seconds. The Fisker Alaska was revealed at the American EV firm's inaugural Product Vision Day. It will be priced from USD$45,400 with two battery options of 75kWh and 113kWh. Fisker said the Alaska will offer 370km of range with the 75kWh battery and 390km with the 113kWh battery. The Alaska will be capable of 0-62mph in times ranging from 3.9sec to 7.2sec, depending on the chosen electric motor. It's likely that the Alaska will feature the same motors as its SUV sibling, which offer 275bhp in entry-level models…

As the swing to electric full-size vehicles continues, innovation in engineering is seen more in recreational off-highway vehicles than in ‘proper’ 4WDs. Can-Am is changing the landscape of the side-by-side (SSV) off-road racing with the all-new Maverick R. Built on the principles of challenging the status quo and blasting through the barriers of performance, the 2024 Can-Am Maverick R line-up is Designed from the rider down and inspired by Can-Am's relentless pursuit of performance,” according to the company. Featuring an industryleading 178kW (240bhp) engine mated to a seven speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) and unrivalled suspension travel, the new Maverick R is designed to be race-ready at purchase. The Maverick R's engine is a 240-horsepower 999T Rotax 999cc turbocharged inline three-cylinder, four-stroke, fuel-injected engine. The UTV features the first-ever Rotax…

OFF ROAD CARAVANS, TENTS AND AWNINGS The Kiwi passion for overland adventure has grown massively in the past few years and show no sign of slowing. Even better, there are countless ways to get away from it all, anywhere from Stewart Island to Cape Reinga, and any number of ways to do so in comfort and style. Best of all, many of the most stunning spots are still free camping areas. Camping is a traditional Kiwi pastime, and nothing beats camping in some of New Zealand's most picturesque spots. Everybody has their favourite spots, and we can understand people wanting to keep ‘spot X’ to themselves, but we recommend using the internet to track down that memorable riverside, bush or beach spot far from the crowds. The huge advances in…

OFF ROAD CARAVANS, TENTS AND AWNINGS Latitude 37 Caravans is a leading luxury caravan retailer located in Tauranga, New Zealand. Their speciality lies in providing custom-built caravans that are tailor-made to meet the unique needs and preferences of their clients. With an unwavering commitment to personalised service and attention, Latitude 37 Caravans work closely with their customers to fully understand their specific requirements and design bespoke caravans accordingly. Based in Mount Maunganui, the company is passionate about its products and dedicated to bringing superior quality to the New Zealand market with these caravans. All Titanium caravans have a five-year structural warranty and a separate two-year manufacturer warranty. The range starts with the Southern Star. With ample water storage, 400 watts of solar, a tough aluminium frame and a one-piece composite…

There can be subtle differences between the braking components produced by different brands, and if these are ‘mixed and matched’ it may lead to reduced braking performance, reliability and longevity issues compared to installing system components from a single manufacturer. Although the parts offered by the various brake component makers may be compatible for use in a specific vehicle, what often isn't considered is how well brand X's disc pads will work with brand Y's rotors, brake wear sensors, shims and other system parts. Quite simply, when replacing braking components, it makes sense to select replacement parts that are the same brand as what's already fitted to the vehicle. In the case of Bendix products, all have been designed, engineered and tested to function 100 per cent in unison with…

The 2023-24 New Zealand 4X4 Trials Series kicks off in early November with six rounds confirmed to decide class and outright titles. Open to the public and spectator friendly, the NZ National 4×4 Trials Series comprises of one-day events hosted by NZFWDA affiliated Clubs around the country. Each season thousands of spectators, team supporters and competitors attend the events – held between Labour Weekend and Easter Weekend. Each event has an overall winner and class winner for the day. These points go to make up the overall and class winners for the different zones and national placings at the end of the season. The opening round of the series takes place at Ohinewai, hosted by Counties Four Wheelers, on 12 November. The second round of the 2023/2024 season takes place…

Winter a year ago we hit the McKenzie for our annual snow trip for heaps of wonderful whiteness. Our date is pre-ordained with hope for, but seldom actually serving, white stuff on the day. Last year Roundhill had just opened and Tekapo was chokka! This year promised a repeat with a good fall two days old on opening day. Yes, plenty of Blanc, though not much at lake level. Visitors much scarcer this year. We trucked off up one of the local valleys for an easy day in Lo-range, mostly below snow level. Clear blue above and not a whisper of air movement. Bliss and magnificent, though little 4WD challenge. Next day was planned for Uncle Macaulay and most of our crew did that. M'lady and I looked at the…

COLUMN A hydraulic press can be a very handy item and I am fortunate enough to have one in my shed. For years I used to scrounge off others but after an old friend died and his widow was clearing out his workshop around five years ago, I purchased his old hydraulic press. It is a basic old thing, probably older than me, leaks a bit of oil but does the job most of the time. Recently a friend, Hedley, phoned and asked if I had a press as he wanted to replace the bushes in his very well set up 1992 Toyota 80 Series Land Cruiser. Yes, was the reply and with that he said he would be over tomorrow. Actually, he meant Saturday but what is a day…

NEWS Tiny but mighty: Vietnamese auto maker VinFast has officially launched the VF 3, a small electric SUV designed initially for the Vietnam market. The VF 3 “is also equipped with smart features, providing a dynamic mobility option for individuals of all backgrounds.” It is VinFast's initial step into the small SUV market. Though the VF 3 was designed to cater to Vietnamese domestic conditions, it has been revealed in California to gauge demand from other markets. It is 3,114mm long and features a two-door design, a rear trunk, and “sufficient interior space to accommodate up to five people”. Maybe not five big Kiwi blokes though. The body equipped with 16-inch wheels. The exterior design is characterised by bold geometric blocks and strong lines that run consistently from the front…

Important fuel economy news from America: the 2024 Land Cruiser is likely to massively raise Toyota's cross-fleet fuel economy figures. It's going in a very different direction from the last few generations of Toyota's most celebrated SUV. After two decades of luxury trucks with burly V-8s, the newest Cruiser comes with cloth seats and a standard four-cylinder hybrid powertrain. That brings a few benefits, like a major leap in fuel efficiency. Leap may be an understatement. The hybrid Land Cruiser's combined efficiency rating sits at 8.7l/100km (27mpg), making it almost twice as efficient as the last V-8 Land Cruiser sold in America, rated by the EPA at just 16l/100km (14mpg). Those numbers get even more impressive when comparing the Land Cruiser with the trail-ready vehicles buyers will compare it against.…

NEWS The launch of the new Adventure Guide website offers New Zealand's 4WD community a completely revamped South Island map containing the largest collection of tracks, huts, campsites and points of interest. Adventure Guide takes the place of the RemoteMoto website, which served as the original South Island route planning website. RemoteMoto was a 15-year project for founder Josh Martin. Over that period, he rode more than 250,000km on his adventure bike, extensively exploring the remote locations of the South Island. During these explorations he diligently GPS logged, captured photos and documented all the noteworthy backroads and 4WD tracks. For those familiar with 4X4 Explorer, it can be seen as a 4WD version of Josh's RemoteMoto website, aimed at serving the 4X4 community. Josh resumed sole management of the project…

25 NOVEMBER Moawhango School's Annual 4WD Event Raising funds for the Moawhango School. This year's Moawhango School and Community Scenic 4WD is locked for 25th November 2023. This year heading over Mounganui Station and the neighbouring property Rim Rock Hills. 4WDers who have taken part in previous years are automatically on the mailing list with priority for limited spaces. Otherwise send email address via facebook.com/moawhangoschool4WD 9 DECEMBER NZFWDA National 4x4 Trial - Round 2 Hosted by Wairarapa 4WD Club at Pirinoa/ Lake Ferry – South Wairarapa. A fun day out for the whole family watching extreme 4WD competition vehicles go head-to-head. For more details visit: nz4x4trials.co.nz/calendar-and-results 2024 19 – 22 JANUARY Manawatu 4WD Club Charity Safari 2024 Hosted by the Manawatu 4WD Club over Wellington Anniversary weekend. Tag-along trip suitable…

TESTED SUBARU CROSSTREK Subaru's XV arrived a decade ago, and immediately carved its own niche among ‘crossover’ SUVs. Imprezabased and carrying a strong hit of that car's rallyinspired DNA, the XV was immediately popular. The ski set loved it for its clever all-wheel-drive system and handling. Young outdoorsy families loved it for its ability to do work all week and then go exploring at the weekend. Popularity is without dispute – the XV sold 100,0000 units in Australia. It's a long-awaited overhaul for the XV/Crosstrek. Subaru rightly expects the Crosstrek to pick up where the XV leaves off. SPECIFICATIONS 2023 Subaru Crosstrek The Crosstrek name has been used abroad for previous iterations of the XV. Now, with a new model, Subaru has decided to unify the naming of its smallest…

Kumeu photographer Liam Coussons has built an impressive off-raod truck from the foundation of a tough Nissan Patrol and he's finished the project off with quality accessories from Bushwakka. An off-raod enthusiast for almost a decade, Coussons is the first New Zealand owner of the 2012 Patrol, and bought it with the initial idea of making a vehicle for his passion, outdoor photography. Not long after it arrived, it was also doing some classic off-raod work. One thing led to another and the build began. “Over the years I've had gear from all sort of brands. Now, I'm sorting out the best gear for what I do. That's where Bushwakka comes in,” he said. “I've fitted the ED270 awnings with walls, I've got a toilet tent and now the Big…

Rhys and Michele Hunter expanded their premium motorhome business into off-road caravans just as the market for caravans ramped up. With Covid 19 closing the borders, demand for offroad/ overland capable caravans exploded. “We transitioned to selling 90 per cent caravans, offering a high quality product that sits at the top of the New Zealand market and our goal is to be the number one brand in this country,” said Rhys. Atlas caravans are sold exclusively through Road Life RV in Tauranga, a family-owned and operated business with a dedicated team of experienced RV experts. Established in 2017, Road Life built its reputation as the exclusive distributors for luxury Australian motorhome brand, Sunliner. The Atlas Apex range of off-grid caravans is designed for New Zealand conditions, and in terms of…

Going off the grid to places where phone reception is a luxury, and people are few and far between? Having the right equipment packed to help get under way is important, but making sure there is enough power to sustain that time away is even more vital. In situations where high-current draw accessories are being used (such as lighting, fridges, or recharging mobile devices) fitting a secondary Deep Cycle battery is a must – to keep the starting battery isolated and at full charge. Choosing the right Deep Cycle battery is vital. There's a Century battery available to suit most situations and requirements. If it's going under-bonnet, a Flooded Deep Cycle battery offers superior heat tolerance and vibration resistance to ensure it'll be able to handle the extreme conditions often…

Adventure NZ Since starting the 4x4Explorer Adventures guiding business in 2019, we haven't really had a “normal” season. First, we had the general lockdown and then the Auckland lockdown, where I ended up spending 115 days locked down on a 8M sailing boat. Talk about cabin fever. With nearly 80 per cent of our clients coming from the North Island, this season has been disrupted by the cyclone and the ongoing problems with the Cook Strait ferries. We were hoping to get up to the 4WD show at Kumeu at the end of April, but couldn't get a crossing until the beginning of May. The last trip of the season, in March, was booked well in advance and we were due to have four vehicles, which is a good number,…

4WD Sport The aptly named Hill's Hills Teams Winch Challenge saw teams of two vehicles work together to complete 17 stages over two days. Aptly named, as the steep 100 acres hilly farm is owned by a Mr Hill, hence “Hill's Hills”'. Seven pairs of vehicles fronted up on the Friday coming as far as away as Auckland. Most others were from around the lower North Island. The event was put together by Phil Shailer, more commonly referred to as ‘Dogg’, ably assisted by Kelsey Van Waas on the administration and club members. Friday night was two night stages which were timed with 20 points for fastest, 19 for second fastest and so on. Penalties were taken off at two points per infringement for not following the usual safety rules…