The 2011 Motor Show season ended in late November in Tokyo, where there were a few interesting 4x4s making a debut. Mitsubishi unveiled the Concept PX-MiEV II, which, while being something of a mouthful is actually a hybrid SUV. Matching the petrol and electric engines gives the vehicle a 500 mile range, but only a meagre 31 miles if you only use the electric power unit. It is also fitted with S-AW, which, we kid you not, stands for Super-All Wheel Drive. Although a concept vehicle, many commentators believe that this will be the look and shape of the new Mitsubishi Outlander, due in 2013. There were no details as to whether this would be available in the UK.

Our pick-up test (see Feb 2012 issue) does comment on the Isuzu Rodeo looking its age a bit these days, so it is interesting to see the new D-Max unveiled. This is a new generation pick-up, built in conjunction with General Motors and therefore bears a very strong resemblance to the Chevrolet Colorado. Two engine options were announced, 2.5-litre and 3.0-litre offering 136 and 177bhp respectively. There has ben talk of a Chinese pick-up coming to the UK, in a joint project with Isuzu. Could this be what it will look like we wonder?

A new version of Audi’s Q7 has arrived which the company claims will now be capable of returning 39mpg. The new Audi Q7 3.0 TDI S line Plus has the lower output turbodiesel engine first seen in the A6 saloon. This unit produces 201bhp (as compared to the 242bhp of the existing 3.0 TDI versions) while still providing an impressive 332lb ft at a lowly 1250rpm. The claimed 39.2mpg equates to a CO2 output of 189g/km.

As you would expect, there is a very long specification list which when chosen will add significantly to the on the road prices which range from £39,995 to £49,120. The model shown here is the lavish S line Plus specification model.

Jeep has announced details of two new versions of the Grand Cherokee. The 3.0 CRD Overland Summit is the high spec model that takes all the features of the current top of the range, Grand Cherokee Overland and adds a few more. An exclusive new Rugged Brown paint scheme with fully chromed grill and fog lamp bezels, and 20inch polished aluminium wheels distinguish the Summit model’s exterior. The additional tech spec includes Jeep’s Advanced Warning System and Adaptive Cruise Control group; which has Forward Collision Warning, Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross-path detection systems. Inside the cabin, there’s a lot more wood and leather for the passengers . All this comes at a price of £44,795.

If it’s extra performance that you require rather than fancy wood and trim, the Grand Cherokee SRT8 (below) will certainly meet that demand. Street and Racing Technology (SRT) is the sports arm of Chrysler and the ‘8’ reflects the fact that under the bonnet is the new 6424cc HEMI V8 engine that delivers 470bhp and 465lb ft of torque. That’s 50bhp more than the previous V8 model, which is a serious increase. Oh, and it also includes Jeep’s Fuel Saver Technology… Jeep is marketing this as the ‘ultimate performance SUV’ and you can order your model now, for delivery in the spring, for a cool £58,995.

The Range Rover Evoque has added more awards to its portfolio, taking the total to 53 since its recent launch in September.

Recent honours bestowed on the Evoque came from this very magazine, which proclaimed the Evoque its 4×4 of the Year, and this was swiftly followed by the Car of the Year title from the Czech Republic, and Best SUV from the Brazilian automotive news agency Auto Press, taking to 15 the number of different countries to recognise the smallest, lightest and most efficient Range Rover ever produced.

Evoque’s half-century tally includes notable titles such as Car of the Year in the UK AutoExpress New Car Honours, Scottish Car of the Year, US Motor Trend’s SUV of the Year, BBC Top Gear’s Car of the Year, Car and Driver Spain Car of the Year, the Design Trophy from l’Automobile in France and a host of honours from Chinese organisations and publications.

If you, or someone in your family, is a keen ‘PC gamer’ then this is certainly for you. Off-Road Drive, from Lace Mamba Global, is the new version of an established off-road driving computer game. Cross-country driving in specially tuned 4x4s is the real challenge for determined and tough extreme sports drivers, while sitting on the sofa.

Apparently, “Off-Road Drive lets players participate in various international competitions never seen before in a video game. All virtual contests are the exact duplicates of the real ones, including various extreme driving and use of the rules established by the international auto sports federations.”

The new Evoque is much in demand, and there’s already a waiting list but that doesn’t stop the tuning boys getting their hands on one. AmD tuning and Milltek have developed a performance package designed to give the Evoque driver a claimed increase of 40bhp on the 190bhp Evoque. More important than just pure power, they also alter the torque curve to give far more grunt in the lower rev range where it matters most, particularly if the vehicle will be used for towing.

The conversion also benefits from a Milltek exhaust system which is a larger bore than standard and also profiled better to hug the underside of the Evoque – it actually gives the vehicle slightly more ground clearance compared to the standard straight system.
Our sister magazine, Land Rover World, was lucky enough to get hold of the AmD Evoque for a few days and editor Simon Ward-Hastelow told us: “The increase in low down grunt and sheer responsiveness while driving is very welcome, even on a vehicle that was no slouch to begin with.”