This month’s (November issue) main feature is all about preparing for the coming winter months, in particularly encouraging readers to consider winter tyres. Two manufacturers, Audi and Toyota, are also encouraging this. Winter tyre sets are now available from Audi Centres starting from a reasonable £550 (including VAT and fitting).
For owners with the larger 16in – 19in wheels, winter tyre sets prices start at £792 (including VAT and fitting). It is significant that even a manufacturer with the famed quattro all-wheel drive system, can see the benefits of adding winter tyres. Audi suggest that fitting winter tyres can increase grip by up to 60 per cent and reduce braking distances by 20 per cent, which is a highly significant two car lengths. The winter tyre sets come with heavy-duty storage bags to protect the original fit ‘summer’ wheels and tyres while they are in storage. Audi centres are also offering to store the tyres while not in use.
The 2011 show season ended last month with the LRO Show at the East of England Showground near Peterborough. Always the swansong to all the outdoor Land Rover and four-wheel drive shows of the year, it’s held in mid September and is often graced with better weather than the earlier shows and this year was no exception. Hils Everitt went along with her camera for a final season’s report. 
A new luxury SUV comes from perhaps the unlikely source of Italian sports car manufacturer Maserati. Although to the SUV market, the Italians are nothing if not confident of the product with the announcement claiming: “For some reason SUVs today never seem to offer the kind of uplifting driving pleasure and luxury atmosphere that are two givens of today’s high-end sports and luxury cars. And this is precisely what Maserati set out to do with its new sport luxury SUV concept.” 
From a one man business back in 2000 to becoming the longest established, and most successful spray liner company in the UK in 10 years is an impressive claim. Anyone looking for load-bed protection in their pick-up, or commercial vehicle really should start with a look at the Speedliner website. 
It’s big, black and booming. Meet an ex-military Limited Hummer H1 that was driven overland from the Middle East to the UK before undergoing a transformation to take on the tough world of desert racing. Introducing… Aretha
This is a story that has gone untold for nearly three decades. A group of inexperience Brits tackle the Dark Continent in a group of tired, second-hand, unreliable Unimogs – in search of ancient cave drawings. And adventure. They found both.
Hils Everitt – Editor at Large
Louise Limb – contributor
It’s fair to say that more than just a spot of water has been falling out of the sky around these parts of late. Having quietly ignored my front brake pads while they continued to behave perfectly well for several months despite Phil’s dire warnings about the reluctance of the nearside wheel to spin freely while it was up on the hoist, I had a wee bit of a scare on a sneaky bend in torrential rain recently.
Profusion Customs is the type of company I like to deal with; a family business with a strong emphasise on customer service. The team are true specialists in that they only deal with exhausts and only sell market leading Magnaflow exhaust products. So often nowadays, companies profess to specialise in everything! Which, in my opinion, demeans the term specialist. A peek into Profusions stock room confirms this fact, it’s floor to ceiling packed with exhausts and all the necessary fitting components.
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