A recent trip across the Pond saw our Hils bowled over by the F-series Ford pick-up trucks. Talk about torque…
Last month the subject of my column was the Ford Escape, a huge-selling compact SUV in North America which was my mode of transport during a superb wildlife watching and adventure sports trip to Canada. It’s a real shame the Escape’s not available over here in the UK. But being in North America really brings home just how 4×4-aware our cousins over the Pond are, at least by comparison to most people over here.
Before that Canadian visit, my most recent venture over there had been to Utah and Arizona, two states I overlanded through and fell in love with, dazzled by the quantity and variety of cool trucks I encountered. This time the destination was British Columbia, and I was equally impressed and delighted by the array of humongous trucks and SUVs.
WE HAVE OFTEN MENTIONED our disappointment at the loss from the UK market of the Ford Explorer, and even the rebadged Nissan, the Maverick. The very latest Ranger pick-up is an impressive machine, so it’s not as if the company has ignored the world of 4×4. Indeed, in the States, the Escape is a massive seller, then there’s the premium Edge model, which sells well globally… just not in Europe and certainly not in the UK. Good news then from the Paris Motor Show in September, that there is actually a plan to bring 4×4 models back to Europe. It’s just not going to happen overnight…
Sue Loy 
Good to do something for the environment this month – helped by the versatility of the Rav4. Our sister magazine, Coast, was having its annual Beach Clean, this year in Bridport in Dorset, and since I was involved with the organisation of the event, that meant the Rav4 was also drummed into service.
SUZUKI’S NEW CONCEPT VEHICLE was launched at the Paris Motor Show. The S-Cross, which is apparently ‘a concept car heralding a C-segment crossover model’. While this will undoubtedly be an important model for Suzuki, the better news is that we have heard there will be 2013 versions of the Grand Vitara and – stand by to cheer – the Jimny. How great it is that like most manufacturers, Suzuki is looking to produce ‘crossover’ models yet never forgetting its roots and keeping the amazing Jimny alive. Long live the Jimny we say, and we look forward to driving the updated 2013 model.
Some have the view that BIG is always BEST! When it comes to off-roading, it doesn’t get much bigger than this. Welcome to the Europa Truck Trial. Words and pictures: Toby Savage.
THE LATEST PORSCHE Cayenne S Diesel has a 4.2-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine delivering an astonishing 850Nm of torque, and 371bhp, offering it the most pulling power in the range. It also has a claimed 34mpg and 218g/km CO2 emissions figure, while still managing a very rapid 0-62mph in only 5.2 seconds. Porsche believes that this is the only SUV V8 diesel in the world to offer such figures. The Cayenne has the Porsche Traction Management (PTM) system which means the vehicle has rear-wheel drive handling characteristics – in keeping with the company’s sports car image – while driving the front wheels as and when traction is demanded. The optional Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) ‘further hones this dynamic performance’. We hope to get behind the wheel of this new Cayenne soon, to find out exactly what that means. The model will be available in the UK from January 2013,with a basic starting price of £58,243.
No matter what new car I drive, my 2004 TD5 Defender continues to impress me. It really is a vehicle that epitomises the cliché, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going”. I’ve had it since new, and over eight years it’s performed faultlessly, carrying my family around Australia and me on navigation exercises and recce work around my home state of Victoria. I think what’s most impressive is its off-road ability, as all I’ve done is add a 2inch suspension lift and rear cross-axle locking differential. Land Rover really did get the basic suspension design very much right, and the way it flexes over rough ground is unsurpassed by any vehicle short of a rock crawler. The huge clearances – ramp, approach, departure – and relatively large tyres help too, and while the traction control isn’t market-leading it certainly does give the car an edge over those without.
With the new Range Rover reputedly going to have a potential £100,000 price tag, how does the prestigious German competitor Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG stack up? It’s a snip at only £94,255… 
Bob Cooke – contributor 
I told you you’d have a laugh, because it all went exactly as I expected it would. That’s not to say it went to plan, if you consider the plan to be as laid out in the workshop manual, which describes the removal of the Cherokee’s leaf spring in not many more words than: “Remove the four nuts securing the U-bolts to the axle, remove the two bolts securing the spring to the chassis, and remove the spring.” There is no reference at all to that bane of anyone who chooses to work on old cars – the WCS (Worst Case Scenario.)
Hils Everitt – Editor at Large
Last month I needed to have my Grand’s front brake pads replaced as they were down to 20 per cent. I took the Jeep to my mate’s garage to have it sorted, but when they took the old ones off the mechanic found that my discs were badly corroded and said there was no point in replacing the pads with the discs in that condition.
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