It seems that this year more people will make the, somewhat obvious, decision to consider getting some winter tyres on their vehicles. It’s best described as a ‘no brainer’ and even on a 4×4, you will often seriously improve grip, traction and more importantly, braking efficiency and stopping distances.

We have run a set of Continental ContiCrossContract winter tyres on a Toyota Rav4 and the difference is stunning. The important part about winter tyres are not necessarily the tread pattern, but the actual tyre compound. Winter tyres are designed to work best in temperatures of 7degC and below, whereas ‘normal’ road tyres are often designed to work on a temperature spread of +30degC to -15degC. That’s quite a range, and leads to a compromise. And perhaps, most importantly, in the UK the average temperature on the roads during rush hour mornings and evenings is lower than 7degC for more than six months of the year – when you need that grip the most.

Dakar fans might still be reeling from the decision of Volkswagen to turn their attention away from the world’s longest and toughest motorsport event, writes 4×4 overseas competition contributor Robb Pritchard, but next year’s event will see a new manufacturer step up into the dusty theatre of dreams and nightmares. The Vikings are readying themselves for combat and conquest in foreign lands once more as Volvo gear up to take centre stage with the all-new Team Pewano XC60 RR.

Team founder Pelle Wallenthiem tragically lost his life to illness in June but the team he put together is continuing to develop the car after their latest very positive test. “The holiday season is in all its glory, but not for Pewano,” the team reported. “We can now reveal that several successful tests have been conducted over the summer and to our delight, the superlatives have been many. In fact the reality outperforms even our highest expectations.

New and used car price guide specialists Parkers recently did some “Cost of Motoring” comparisons and came to the conclusion you would save a massive £6,769 a year driving a Land Rover Freelander rather than a BMW 3-series. Even a new Skoda Yeti 4×4 would save you £936 over a standard Ford Focus.

According to Parkers, attitudes to owning 4x4s are changing. Where, in the past, many people discounted them because of a reputation for being expensive to buy and run, that’s not necessarily the case – especially when Parker’s “Cost of Motoring” index includes depreciation and resale value. (The calculations are based on 10,000 miles a year, over a three-year period). The Freelander they used in the comparison started as a cheaper buy, but was similarly equipped and was capable of matching the BMW in fuel consumption, but it was the Freelander’s stronger residuals that meant it was ‘cheaper to run’ over a longer period. In Parker’s top 50 cars in the ‘Cost of Motoring’ table, 12 of them are 4x4s, up from seven last year.

How refreshing! As we all moan about the price of fuel, as manufacturers produce infinitely clever engines that squeeze every last yard from a thimble full of fuel, what do Jeep do? They announce the Grand Cherokee SRT8, the company’s latest model, but now available with a 6.4-litre V8 Hemi engine producing a wonderfully uncompromising 470bhp and mountain-nudging 630Nm of torque.

The SRT8, which represents Street and Racing Technology, was debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show and will be available in the UK in the early months of 2012. It has all the usual Grand Cherokee spec and also some fancy fuel saving technology, which allows for a 450 mile range… Phah, don’t spoil it Jeep, let’s go back and look at those power figures: 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds, and a top speed “in the 155mph range”.

Well, this has created some furious discussions on the forums, and around the clubs. Land Rover unveiled ‘the potential future direction of the iconic Defender’ at this month’s Frankfurt Motor Show. Designated the Land Rover DC100, it has been produced by the successful design team led by Gerry McGovern. This magazine actually went to press before the Frankfurt Show, but the pictures and details we received before the model was unveiled did say this was a ‘concept’ Defender. However, one fact was confirmed: Land Rover intends to launch a new Defender in 2015. Concept it may be, but is it a blueprint for the new Defender? Well, remember what the ‘concept’ Range Rover LRX looked like when it was unveiled, and compare it with the production Evoque. Spot the difference?