Table of contents for August 2019 in SA4x4

When it comes to adding drive to the rear axles of most soft-roaders, there is plenty of jargon out there, but it often boils down to another fancy acronym for much the same thing. It’s easy to be confused by the multiple names used for the same systems, and conversely, one name (such as Volkswagen’s 4Motion) which encompasses a number of variations of a system on different vehicles. For example, a manufacturer such as Nissan calls the system in their X-Trail and Qashqai ‘All-Mode 4x4’ and uses it in various guises on Alliance cousins such as the Renault Koleos and Duster. They use an electro-magnetically actuated wet clutch pack device developed by GKN Driveline. If you are looking at a softroader from the VW Group, or from Volvo or Ford,…

ISUZU ARCTIC AT35 Special edition D-Max raises the bar Isuzu Motors South Africa (IMSAF) has expanded its bakkie offering with the addition of an exclusive new flagship model aimed at avid off-roaders, professionals who need to travel to inaccessible places, and city dwellers looking to make a bold statement. The Isuzu Arctic AT35 bakkie is now available through Isuzu dealers on an exclusive order-only basis with a projected 50 units to be built annually in Port Elizabeth. Based on the D-Max 3.0 Double Cab 4x4 LX Automatic exclusively, the Isuzu Arctic AT35 takes Isuzu D-Max to a new level with Fox Performance Series suspension and dampers giving the vehicle unsurpassed off-road capability. Gear ratios are unchanged. The Arctic Trucks package includes an increase in vehicle height from 1 860 to…

Having received the invite, it didn’t take long for office battles to ensue as to who would attend the 2019 Cape edition of the Defender Trophy. Held at a new and every year, together an eclectic mix of characters, terrains and Defenders of every description. This year, organiser Johan Kriek brought the Trophy to Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape – a massive 1 600km² SanParks reserve crisscrossed with trails, bush camps, high plateaus and steep, dark forests. We were lucky enough to get special access to some of the more remote areas closed off to the average tourist. A great start at Schotia Having driven to Knysna to collect my driving companion and buddy Rob, I introduced him to the trusty steed we’d be living out of…

If you’d like to read more about the mu-X’s off-road ability, and you can’t get your hands on our April issue, visit www.sa4x4.co.zaand search for ‘mu-X’. Andrew Middleton’s off-road test is comprehensive, and will surely provide plenty of insight for those of you struggling to choose between the various offerings on the market.…

HARRY WAGENER Jeep Wrangler Sahara, 3.6 V6 – 2012 model, 165 000km Age: 76 Occupation: Retired Modifications : • Jeep JK front steel bumper • 80mm EFS suspension lift with Airspring air bags in rear springs • 50-litre additional fuel tank • Drawer system • Front-mounted camera • Reverse camera • Rear-view camera • Side marker rods fitted to bumper (helps when negotiating narrow passes) • All lights changed to LED • 3.5-ton winch • LED light bar • 2 LED spot lights • 2 extra LED reverse lights fitted above spare wheel • Snorkel • Rock sliders with side steps • PDC front and back • Bash plates fitted to protect engine sump and gearboxes • Jeep factory-fitted tow bar • Fully electronic dual-battery system with 100 A/h deep-cycle…

NO PLACE FOR SOFTIES I read the article about BMW X3s tackling the dunes of Namibia in the July 2019 edition with a medley of mild amusement, concern and pity for the untutored in off-road matters, who might be confused by the article. A professor of mine once said that many things are like a bikini: what it reveals is interesting, while what it hides is vital. Neither the X3 nor the X5 are true off-roaders. They certainly are not in the class of a Nissan Patrol, Toyota Land Cruiser, Mitsubishi Pajero, or (until lately) a Land Rover. They may do well in the dunes due to their sophisticated traction systems, just like the Volvo XC 60 and XC 90, the Renault Duster, and other soft-roaders, but woe awaits those…

WORKSHOP HEROES Many overlanders are tinkers by nature, and it’s important to have the correct tools on hand to ensure your vehicle is running at 100%. This 6-piece Automotive Tester Kit from Mac-Afric includes an electronic stethoscope, infrared thermometer, tyre pressure gauge, spark indicator, open short finder, and a digital automotive pen probe. No malfunction will escape your sight with this comprehensive range of gadgets. R2 995 0861 23 36 36 info@adendorff.co.za www.adendorff.co.za PEACEFUL SLEEP Tentco offers its comfy Self-Inflatable Mattresses in 5cm and 10cm thicknesses, depending on how comfy you like your night’s rest. Constructed from micro-suede coated PVC on top and 190T Polyester Dot anti-slip PVC on the base, and comes with useful compression stuff sacks. Tentco has sent us a couple to test out, so look out…

I last graced wonderful Namibia during my military service in the early 80s and that stay was confined to the northern towns of Oshakati and Ondangwa. Besides firing numerous 12.7mm Browning anti-aircraft rounds at no-one in particular, from the vantage point of the water tower I was confined to, there was little opportunity to take in the varied landscape that is the beating heart of this incredible country. So, when the offer came in from Marko Paape, manager of AFC (Accessory Fitment Centre) and supplier of Ironman 4x4 products for the Namibian dealer network, to join a 4x4 trip in the Erongo region, I jumped at the chance. After a quick flight from Cape Town to Windhoek, I spent the night at the luxurious Arebbusch Travel Lodge before setting off…

The new Defender Trophy runs twice a year, once in the Cape and once in Limpopo Province. Though it had its inception in 2004, the event has changed from the hard-running, car-breaking, challenge-style adventure it had become after 2007. It has since evolved under the renewed guidance of Johan Kriek from 2016 to become a more family-friendly tour focusing on bush and technical knowledge with the odd challenge thrown in. The competition side of the Trophy does not take away from the chance to enjoy adventure in new terrain and have a good laugh. That said, with big prizes to be won, contestants must complete a series of questions that match co-ordinates along the route. The questions relate to things they see or knowledge on the area, and, thanks to…

There is a long-running debate, not just in our offices, on which is the toughest, meanest off-road event in the world. The US has King of the Hammers, Mexico hosts the Baja 1000, South America is the adopted home of the Dakar Rally, and Australia hosts the Outback Challenge. After a trip across the Pacific to check out a little event with a big reputation, it’s clear that Southeast Asia has another contender for the Badass Top 10: the Rainforest Challenge (RFC). We arrived in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur to a gala parade, grand presentations with local dignitaries, and some radical competition rigs. Vehicles flew flags from Russia, China, Japan, Mongolia, Ecuador, and a host of other countries, and a truly international group assembled for the driver’s orientation.…

Much has been said about Isuzu’s 7-seat SUV. Locally, it’s slotted in as the direct replacement for the Chevrolet Trailblazer, but it’s widely regarded to be a far better vehicle, both inside and out. In our April 2019 issue, Andrew Middleton called it “an accomplished long-haul overlander”, and that’s exactly what Isuzu wanted to put on show on a recent media road-trip through the Western Cape. West Coast way After touching down at Cape Town International Airport, media from around the country met up with the local journalists, influencers and Isuzu delegation, and we began to acquaint ourselves with our transport for the weekend. Our destination for the evening lay some 135km away in Langebaan, and that would give us plenty of time on tar to get used to the…

Every year during the Easter weekend, Land Rover specialists LR Xtreme hosts a trip for their clients and friends. A different location and organiser is chosen each year, and for 2019 the trip leader was Ben van Dyk, who planned an unforgettable trip to Lesotho. On April 17, the group driving 16 Land Rovers met in Clarens, all very excited for the journey ahead. An early departure took the group up Mafika Lisui Pass, which topped out at a spectacular viewpoint. This was a day of some serious climbs and downhills, which everyone managed with ease, before the convoy wound down to the first night’s remote camping spot near a river, pre-arranged with a local chief. It was clear Ben had not lied about the freezing weather. It was cold,…

Bradley Schietekat What 17-year-old Bradley lacks in years, he certainly makes up for in photographic ability. This shot of his dad’s nearly stock 2010 Land Cruiser 76 was taken after they’d successfully tackled the Matroosberg 4x4 trail over the Easter weekend. Gerhard Burger The Namib Naukluft National Park is a very special place, as Gerhard recently discovered for himself. His Chev Trailblazer handled Namibia’s rough roads with aplomb! Fanie van der Walt Fanie keeps us regularly updated with pics, and we’re always happy to feature them. Here, his Hilux GD-6 4x4 with Alu-Cab camper is parked off at the entrance to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana. Francois Neethling The Neethlings spent a few days camping at Kromrivier in the Cederberg, and their 2013 Hilux D4-D handled everything that…

“Eland. May I continue to see you in the bush. May your kind never disappear from the face of the Earth! … You are the Eland, the one who knows all” - CREDO MUTWA The kalahari is one of those special places that captures our imagination beauty. s an ancient landscape of rolling, windblown dunes that form the largest continuous expanse of sand on earth. A semi-desert – it receives more annual rainfall than the 50mm maximum which defines a true desert – the Kalahari supports a unique assemblage of fauna and flora. The focus of this article, however, is on one Kalahari inhabitant in particular – the Eland (Taurotragus oryx). Legend has it that the first animal created by the San trickster deity Kaggen, and the one which remained…

I know what you re thinking: “Man, that kidney grille is massive!” Yes, it is, and it’s also exactly as big as BMW wants it to be. The X7 is the Bavarian marque’s all-new flagship ‘Sports Activity Vehicle’, and it aims to be the most imposing, regal vehicle on the road. It certainly seems destined for President Ramaphosa’s motorcade. At its core, though, it’s an executive family vehicle designed to comfortably seat seven people. Two variants are offered at launch – the xDrive30d, producing 195kW and 620Nm, and the quad-turbo M50d, which squeezes 294kW and 760Nm from the same six-pot engine. Both are mated to the superb 8-speed Sport Steptronic transmission, with start/stop technology, regenerative braking, hill descent control, and the xDrive permanent AWD system. The M50d is aimed squarely…

In any survival situation there are priorities which have to be made according to the situation you find yourself in. Food is often regarded as a top priority, but in most situations it is, in reality, quite low on the list, as you carry enough fat on you to keep you alive for several weeks – even though your stomach may be telling you otherwise. But, for argument’s sake, let’s assume your stomach is beginning to rumble, and you have nothing to eat. What do you do? First things first: don’t be tempted to knock off any passengers who may be with you and eat them. Look around. The environment you find yourself stranded in could actually be a food larder, although the definition of ‘food’ could be open to…

Extreme mud requires meaty tyres with cavernous tread voids, as well as a means to extricate your vehicle when you get stuck. The most common tyre choices at the RFC are the Simex Centipede, Interco Super Swamper Bogger, and Maxxis Mud Trepador. Ground anchors, though most appeared to be home-fabbed, are standard equipment. Winching systems include a power takeoff (PTO) as well as a conventional electric unit. The PTO is utilised for most situations, but if the engine dies, the vehicle is upside down, or precision control is needed, the electric (right) takes the lead. Gooey mud will quickly clog a conventionally-mounted radiator, so cooling systems are repositioned up high and near the centre of the vehicle. Hood-deep water is an everyday occurrence; air intakes are routed above the roof…

Although South Africans have only recently met the mu-X, it’s actually in its second generation of production, having been sold abroad since 2013. General Motors’ departure from South Africa last year paved the way for the local launch, instantly doubling Isuzu’s local passenger vehicle range in size. Many consumers consider the Isuzu D-Max (formerly KB) to be one of the best looking bakkies around, and that styling is very well translated to the mu-X’s body-on-frame form. 18-inch alloys and LED lights all-round make it an attractive offering indeed. Inside, the single-spec offering boasts a 6.5-inch touch-screen infotainment system, leather seats, and safety features like a reverse camera and park distance sensors. At R638 600 for the 4x4-equipped model, it’s a compelling alternative to bakkie-based industry leaders like the Toyota Fortuner…

BASICS Venue: Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe Date: 28 September – 06 October 2019 Cost: R11 000 per person sharing Includes: Camping & Park fees, Dinner Excludes: Fuel, Lunch, Drinks, VHF radio hire DETAILS Gonarezhou National Park, in Zimbabwe’s South-East Lowveld, covers just more than 5 000 square kilometres of some of the most spectacular scenery in the region – incorporating the iconic Chilojo Cliffs, wide meandering rivers and extensive woodlands. Widely known for its unique wilderness character, the Park’s reputation as a premier destination for quality wildlife sightings is also growing. Home to about 11 000 elephants, Gonarezhou truly deserves its vernacular name as ‘Place of Elephants’. Three major rivers – The Save, Runde and Mwenezi – cut their courses through the Park, forming pools and natural oases from which…

Q8 55 TFSI quattro Tiptronic: R1 388 000 (base) R1 668 768 (as tested) Warranty: 1 year unlimited, 3 year paint, 12 year anti-corrosion Service Plan: 5 year/100 000km with roadside assistance Engine Cylinders/Capacity V6/2967cc Valves 24 Compression ratio 11:2:1 Max power 250kW @ 5 000rpm Max torque 500Nm @ 1 370-4 500rpm Transmission Tiptronic 8-speed automatic Hybrid system 48V regenerative braking li-ion Performance 0-100km/h (claimed) 5.9s 0-100km/h (tested) 6.3s Top speed 250km/h Controls 4WD type Full-time quattro (rear bias) Steering type Speed-sensing EPS (rack & pinion) Wheels 22-inch alloy (as tested) Tyres 285/40R22 Suspension Five-link, tubular anti-roll bar Measurements Length 4 986mm Width 1 995mm Height 1 705mm Wheelbase 2 995mm Front/rear track 1 679/1 692mm Ground clearance 254mm (maximum) Fuel index (litres/100km) Fuel capacity 85 litres Consumption (combined,…