After years of one-marque Land Rover Shows the Overland & 4×4 Travel Show, held at the Warwickshre Exhibition Centre in February, was a very refreshing change, encompassing all makes of vehicle, writes Simon Ward-Hastelow.

All the big players were in attendance offering advice, products and services. Supporting the fact that overland trailers are a growing section of this market there were quite a few on display. Adventure Trailers, My Way and Intrepid Campers all had their units on display. Mud-UK, European Agents for AT, had a fully-kitted unit, complete with roof tent, as well as a bare chassis to illustrate how it has made the US brand legal for EU roads.

When the Peak District National Park Authority asked for volunteers to help with its Black Harry Trails Project, a motorised user group stepped forward first.

The Black Harry Trails Project is intended to ‘improve and create routes for horse-riding and mountain-biking and increase recreational opportunities for the less able, elderly and those with young families’, but the volunteers came from the 4×4 driving and motorcycling clubs of the Peak and Derbyshire Vehicle Users Group.

Hailed as ‘the most innovative caravan of recent years’ by the Caravan Club Magazine, the new Inos caravan, designed by the Fifth Wheel Company, is Europe’s first ever caravan with a slide-out – providing three metres square of extra space at the push of a button, and it is designed to be towed by larger 4x4s.

Operations Director Adrian Parry-Jones at Fifth Wheel Company, best known for its innovative fifth wheel tourers, said: “Customers always ask us why we can’t build a caravan with the same build quality as our fifth wheel tourers, plus there’s been a huge demand from customers in the UK for a caravan that features a slide-out.

Isuzu has reported a fantastic start to the year, with sales of its Rodeo pick-up truck up by 111 per cent to the end of February, compared with the same time last year.

Isuzu’s sales momentum has continued into 2011 from last year, when the company reported an increase in sales of 104 per cent over 2009. The latest figures give Isuzu an equal market share with one of its key competitors for the first time, as the company continues to outperform the segment popularity of pick-ups.

The ‘Blood Bikes’ movement, a group of volunteers which transports blood and other vital medical fluids at evenings and weekends for the NHS, has bought a Volkswagen Tiguan to enable it to access all areas and deliver in all weather conditions.

The vehicle was bought from Volkswagen UK and supplied via Heritage Automotive which has fitted emergency lights, distinctive livery and will be servicing the vehicle.