News

Ford will showcase a new one tonne Ford Transit at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. The Ford Tourneo concept will offer eight seats and luxurious interior to provide a new look for people movers and commercial vehicles.

The opening stage of day three of the 2012 Rally Calder presented by East Coast Bullbars was marred by a major accident involving the Aston Martin V8 Vantage of Tasmanian's Ivan Thompson and Karl Francis.

Land Rover are set to unveil a convertible version of the Range Rover Evoque at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. While strictly a concept vehicle at this stage, the Evoque Convertible will explore the potential for the world's first premium convertible SUV.

The Detroit Motor Show bounced back from recent years highlighted by the financial plight of many manufacturers and associated austerity measures, to unveil a record 27 new vehicles on the first day and 40 for the show.

When it comes to large 4WD workhorse people movers, Toyota's Troop Carrier has the market stitched up!

Land Rover had always wanted to build a 4WD wagon. The idea of a 4WD Estate car was first mooted in the fifties and in 1952 Rover built a concept called the 'Road Rover'.

The Willys Jeep like the Model-T Ford is a motoring icon. The ubiquitous small four-wheel drive was considered by American President Harry S Truman as "America's greatest contribution to modern warfare." And it was in WWII that the Jeep was to earn its stripes, and be credited to a large degree with the success experienced by American and Allied forces.

Specialist European car manufacturer Hamann Motorsport have taken a 5.0-litre V8 supercharged Range Rover and taken it to the next level of performance.

Ford has finally announced a replacement for its Escape SUV, with the arrival this March of the European built Kuga.

If you thought 2011 was a monster year for new 4x4 releases, then think again, as 2012 promises to maintain the momentum, with a string of new models on the horizon.

A new look 2012 Australian Off Road Championship has just been announced by AORCom. Featuring four rounds, the fresh approach to the championship sees the existing Goondiwindi 400 (QLD) and Pines Enduro (SA) joined by the Sea Lake Mallee Rally (VIC) and an exciting new race at Gatton in Queensland.

The Dakar 2012 proved to be the 'Year of the Mini', with the X-Raid All4 Raing Minis finishing first and second in the event. The only real challenge to the X-Raid Minis came from the Hummer H3s of Robby Gordon and last year's winner (in a VW Touareg) Nasser Al-Attiyah.

The Dakar 2012 proved to be the 'Year of the Mini', with the X-Raid All4 Raing Minis finishing first and second in the event. The only real challenge to the X-Raid minis came from the Hummer H3s of Robby Gordon and last year's winner (in a VW Touareg) Nasser Al-Attiyah.

The penultimate stage of the 2012 Dakar rally, from Nasca to Pisco, saw more challenging dunes, but made little impression upon the overall standings, with Stephane Peterhansel looking a near certainty to wrap up his 10th Dakar title with one stage remaining.

The Mitsubishi Zaus - an off road concept vehicle - made its Australian debut at the Sydney Motor Show in 1997. Zaus - an acronym for Zooming Adventure Utility Sports - took Mitsubishi's Pajero's on and off road performance and added wind-in-the-hair motoring!

After losing more than an hour on Stage 11, Robby Gordon's hopes of a podium finish, let alone a Dakar win, were gone. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, the American set his sights on Stage wins for the remainder of the 2012 Dakar, and started off in brilliant style on Stage 12.

For Stage 11 of the 2012 Dakar, the rally entered Peru for the first time. The Hummer vs Mini battle that has characterised much of the rally has now become an inter-team rivalry, following the massive amount of time Robby Gordon lost on the day's stage.

Mini continues to lead the way at the 2012 Dakar, but the big news to come out of Stage 10 is the potential disqualification of Robby Gordon (Hummer H3) on a technical non-compliance issue.

Stephane Peterhansel's 'nudging' of a stranded motorcycle competitor during a river crossing on Stage 9 of the 2012 Dakar may draw the attention of the stewards, but the Frenchman has bigger problems in the form of Robby Gordon (Hummer H3). After winning the stage, the American is looming ever larger in Peterhansel's rear view mirror!

In an event where margins are usually measured in minutes, Nani Roma (Mini) triumphed over Robby Gordon (Hummer H3) by a mere 5 seconds on Stage 8 of the 2012 Dakar. After a day's rest and recovery at Copiapo, the Dakar was back in action for Stage 8, from Copiapo to Antofagasta, a stage marked by a huge 477km Special Stage, the longest of the entire rally, through the rocky trails and fine, powder-like "fesh fesh" sand of the Atacama.

Just weeks after the launch of its Ford Ranger cousin, the first models in Mazda's diesel-only BT-50 ute range have been released and Mazda Australia has high hopes for strong monthly sales performance.

Following a day of R&R in Copiapo, the 2012 Dakar got underway again on Monday, January 9, in a 722 km stage (245km transit, 477km Special Stage) from Copiapo to Antofagasta.

They were tipped to be the team to beat before the start of the 2012 Dakar rally, and the flotilla of Minis from the German-based X-Raid team haven't disappointed, winning multiple stages and looking likely to secure an overall class victory in the fortnight-long South American endurance event.

After threatening to end the dominance of the Minis on several occasions, Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah (Hummer H3) broke through for victory on Stage 7, his second stage win of the 2012 Dakar. What was even better is that team mate Robby Gordon finished the stage in second, making it a Hummer 1-2.