Articles by Mike Ryan

The Variety 4WD Adventure is coming and Variety is urging all 4x4 owners and enthusiasts to join them on this year's "Gong to Gong" adventure.

Toyota have announced that the rugged 70 Series Landcruiser will now be available as a dual cab, with Australia being the first market in the world to get the new 'LC79' double cab.

Ahead of the local launch of Chinese-manufactured JAC truck range this August, a New Zealand motorhome builder has shown that the JAC platform can also serve as a good basis for motorhomes - for much less than comparable Japanese trucks.

The Outback Car Trek for the Royal Flying Doctor Service is an annual charity event starring classic cars, but a modern Toyota FJ Cruiser stole the limelight this year when it came to the rescue of several vehicles.

Victorian Monster Truck builder Sam Xuereb has added a 1000 horsepower beast that can jump dirt ramps to the incredible arsenal of vehicles he will show off at the National 4x4 & Outdoors Show at the Melbourne Showgrounds in August.

A largely standard Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI has been chosen by adventurer Rainer Zietlow for his latest record-setting escapade - a journey from Melbourne to St. Petersburg, covering 23,000 kilometres.

Australia's leading offroad racers will launch into Queensland on August 3-5, for round two of the Australian Off Road Championship - the Albins Offroad Goondiwindi 400.

Range Rover's Evoque recently added to its string of 100+ international awards with a gong at the Australian International Design Awards. The Evoque took out the 2012 Design Award Best in Category - Automotive & Transport at the AIDA awards ceremony in Sydney.

Queensland's Scenic Rim Adventure Park (SRAP) has a new home in Innisplain. Rezoning of the former site at Bromelton forced the SRAP team to look for a new home for their popular 4x4 activities, competitions, off-road driving tracks and events. Fortunately, they found one, with the new facility located at 636 Tamrookum Creek Road, Innisplain.

The Land Rover had been conceived as a stop-gap vehicle, that could be manufactured both quickly and cheaply. It was originally envisaged for agricultural purposes, adaptable to a wide range of farming tasks from pulling a plough to driving a threshing machine.

The utilitarian Series I Land Rover was a surprise success that quickly saw Land Rover production surpass that of Rover saloons. Originally a single model offering, built between 1948 and 1951 on an 80-inch wheelbase, requests from customers for all manner of accessories and models, forced Rover to seriously consider the expansion of the Land Rover range.

When US auction house, Mecum Auctions, held their 25th Anniversary 'Original Spring Classic Auction' in May, the event was so big that it had to be held over six days. While 4x4s comprised a small percentage of the 2,100 vehicles on offer at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, there were some very interesting lots amongst the consignments.