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Sarah Kidd

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JLR has opened the pre-order book for the Range Rover Electric. A fully electrified version of the current model, which was launched in traditionally powered form during 2021, the vehicle will be built in Solihull alongside existing mild and plug-in hybrid variants – a move which coincides with the opening of a new £70m underbody facility at Land Rover’s original home.

While the main focus with the electric Range Rover is to ‘amplify its modern luxury credentials,’ JLR promises that it will remain a workhorse for those who want it to be. ‘Its go-anywhere capability will ensure towing, wading and all-terrain technology surpass any other luxury electric SUV,’ to quote. Also to quote, ‘towing will substantially affect EV range,’ but at least they said it – and will 800V electric architecture, owners will be able to make the most of the fast-charging options available in the public network.

Indeed, JLR says that its customers will enjoy ‘a seamless electric ownership experience.’ This includes ‘effortless charging, energy partnerships, software over- the-air updates and intelligent technology to maximise range.’ The vehicle’s batteries and motor units will be assembled at JLR’s Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton. That’s the new name for the Engine Manufacturing Centre, which itself hardly seems to have been open for five minutes.

The Salar de Uyuni is one of the world’s most iconic destinations for overland travel. But there’s more to this famed region of Bolivia than a salt pan half the size of Wales. Venture just a few miles south and you’ll find yourself amid the tangled remains of a railway that was once a wonder of the engineering world.

In Britain, we tend to think of narrowgauge railways as quaint old things, short sections of track amid the worked-out late mines of North Wales plied by gleaming little engines for the amusement of tourists. The idea of crossborder heavy industry being built on such a thing sounds impossible. Exactly 150 years ago, however, the first trains ran on what was one of the most ambitious railway projects the world has ever seen. One of the most ambitious and, at the time, the highest above sea level anywhere on the planet. The Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia (FCAB) runs between the Bolivian capital of La Paz and the port of Antofagasta, some 715 miles to the south. On the way, it climbs to an altitude of 3956 metres – that’s not far off halfway to Everest, on a route for which ground was first broken at a time when the world’s highest peak was still more than a quarter of a century away from being conquered.

Read more in the January 2024 issue of Overlander 4×4 – buy it here

Toyota’s new Hilux Hybrid 48V will go on sale in the middle of 2024. Initially available just in Invincible and Invincible X grades, and only with automatic transmission, this mates the vehicle’s familiar 2.8-litre diesel engine to a 48V hybrid system, adding up to 16bhp and 48lbf.ft to its overall output. The result, says Toyota, is enhanced acceleration, power and efficiency.

The system comes at no loss to the Hilux’s towing or payload capacity.  Toyota says it will allow smoother driving in town and off-road, too, thanks to a lower idling speed of 600 rather than 720rpm, and that the motor-generator within the hybrid set-up has been designed to withstand harsh working environments. By waterproofing the 48V battery and DCDC converter and using anti-slip and strengthening measures on the motorgenerator pulley and belt, Toyota has been able to retain a 700mm wading depth for the vehicle.

Audi will return to the Dakar Rally in January with the latest version of its RS Q e-tron. Headed by a new Technical Director in Dr. Leonardo Pascali, Audi Motorsport has focused on five main areas of development – safety, reliability, comfort, performance and maintenance times.

Various detail changes mean the new vehicle is slightly lighter than before, and changes in the event’s regulations mean its electric motors can now be tuned for greater output. Suspension uprights have been redesigned to help prevent stones from getting stuck behind the rim and brake disc, something that has previously caused time-consuming damage, and the wheels will be shod with a new tyre featuring stronger sidewalls.

The suspension has also been rethought to reduce peak vertical acceleration during landings, with a better distribution of loads also allowing enhanced handling control and a longer crash box at the front of the chassis. This is now more efficient at absorbing the energy generated during a hard frontal landing – such as the one which put Carlos Sainz out of the 2023 Dakar when his RS Q e-tron dug in and somersaulted.

Sainz is one of three Audi drivers at the 2024 Dakar, all of them returning after last year. He’ll be co-driven by Lucas
Cruz; other teams are Mattias Ekström/Emil Bergkvist and Stéphane Peterhansel/Edouard Boulanger.

‘Our engineering team has improved the RS Q e-tron even further with many creative solutions,’ says Audi’s Head of Motorsport Rolf Michl. ‘Drivers and co-drivers, as well as all of the mechanics and engineers, benefit from the imaginative ideas. We feel that we are prepared for the Dakar Rally in the best possible way.’

Toyota has upgraded the Yaris Cross for 2024, giving it more power and tech as well as tweaks to its styling. The former comes from the addition of a new, more powerful hybrid powertrain in the GR Sport model; this will also feature in the Premiere Edition, a new model introduced for the launch of the updated vehicle.

The Premiere has an exclusive new Urban Khaki paint finish with a bi-tone execution, along with new 18” machined five-spoke alloys that enhance the dynamic, rugged look and matching stitching inside. Across the range, meanwhile, seat upholstery has been improved and there’s now a soft covering on the lower instrument  panel. Toyota promises improvements to the vehicle’s refinement, too, as well as further safety aids and a ‘completely new digital user experience.’ 

Nith Inshore Rescue, based near Dumfries on the Solway Firth, has become the first blue-light emergency service in the UK to order an Ineos Grenadier. Based on the Utility Wagon model, the vehicle was prepared by specialist supplier Emergency One with a variety of equipment including an extendable roof-mounted camera.

‘We deal with life-and-death situations, very harsh weather and challenging terrain,’ said Peter Bryden, secretary of Nith Inshore Rescue. ‘So when it came to evaluating the options for a new support vehicle, there were few options and the Grenadier stood out, ticking all the boxes.

‘We were very impressed with the way it has been engineered and built to last, as well as how straightforward it was to convert it for this role. Together with our revitalised lifeboat, we expect it to serve our team for the next 40 years.’

Callum Design, the automotive design house headed by ex-Jaguar man Ian Callum, is transitioning into a car maker in
its own right. The company has unveiled its first own-brand vehicle, developed fully in-house – and it’s an off-roader.
Specifically, the Skye is ‘the world’s most beautiful high performance, multi-terrain vehicle.’

Built in very small numbers for people with very big bank balances, it will combine lightweight with an advanced all-electric drivetrain to combine sportscar performance and handling with a 170-mile range and ultra-fast charging times.

Measuring 4047mm long and 1900mm wide, the Skye promises ‘impeccably balanced 50/50 weight distribution.’
Its buggy-like 2+2 body is mounted on a steel spaceframe supporting all-independent suspension with high ground
clearance and long travel for all-terrain use. Callum says the vehicle’s styling is ‘focused on its rugged practical
capabilities and off-road prowess.’

Full details of the vehicle’s specifications are promised by the spring of 2024, with final development work and testing continuing in the meantime. Callum speaks of ‘curated variants, each finely tailored for focused on or off-road use’.

Skoda is upgrading the Enyaq for 2024. Our former Electric SUV of the year gains new, more powerful 85 and 85x powertrains with 286bhp, while vRS models develop 340bhp, and next-generation battery management technology will bring charge times down to less than 30 minutes. Further improvements include a longer range of up to 353 miles.

At the entry-level end of the range, the Enyaq 60 remains unchanged – however all models drop the ‘iV’ which was previously part of the vehicle’s name. On top of the existing spec options, meanwhile, Skoda’s high-end Laurin & Klement trim comes to the Enyaq for the first time.

Subaru will launch a new model, called the Crosstrek, in the first part of 2024. Replacing the existing XV, this has the familiar 2.0 hybrid engine and auto box driving all four wheels, with Subaru’s X-Mode system providing Normal, Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud drive modes.

Subaru says the Crossback will be a safety leader, with its latest Eyesight system among the driver aids and the whole vehicle being underpinned by the company’s excellent Global Platform. It’ll be loaded with kit, too, including an 11.6” info screen running phone pairing and built-in sat-nav on top-spec models. Prices are expected to start at £34,500 on the road.

Dacia has lifted the wraps on a new, significantly modernised Duster – the first production model in the company’s journey towards realising its ambition of being seen in the same light as the likes of Jeep and Land Rover. Based on the CMF-B platform shared by Renault and Nissan, the vehicle promises to be more rugged and, in 4×4 form, better off-road than before, while also adding new hybrid powertrains to its offering.

As before, all-wheel drive will only be available with part of the engine line-up. This will include the TCe 130 mild-hybrid petrol model, in which a 6-speed manual box will be available with a choice of 4×4 and 4×4 models. The rest of the range will include full hybrid and bi-fuel LPG options, however diesel will no longer be in the mix.

The promise of enhanced off-road capabilities comes from from a range of updates over the previous Duster. These include a smart virtual centre diff lock, which distributes torque to the front and rear wheels according to grip and speed, and separate drive modes for mud, sand and snow.

Dacia quotes ground clearance of 217mm and approach, departure and breakover angles of 31°, 36° and 24°. Downhill speed control also becomes standard on 4×4 models, as do heavy-duty body cladding and skid plates.

The Duster will be available in four grades, including a new Extreme spec with features like roof bars, rubber mats and washable seat fabrics. You’ll be able to get a roof rack to mount on said bars, too, as well as a Sleep Pack for turning the vehicle into a basic camper.

The new Duster is expected to go on sale in the spring, with deliveries starting a few months later. Prices are yet to be confirmed, but they won’t be dramatically higher than for the outgoing model.

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