Who’s who in the world of ATVs? We take a detailed look at the market for quad bikes, putting them through their paces on a full working farm. Highly entertaining, they would make fantastic leisure 4x4s, but can they work for a living? And just how good is this new electric model?

Words: Howard Sherren   Photography and test riding: Wayne Mitchelson

For many, these are the ideal 4×4. Small, nimble, great fun to drive and highly capable of doing serious work when needed. But how do you choose the quad for you? We took six quads to a 250-acre livestock farm in Cheshire to see how they handled on a number of operations. Models came from the five key players in the market, with the exception of Yamaha, unable to supply us a machine at this time. More significant, perhaps, is the fact that we were able to try the latest electric ATV, the Eco Charger, which gave us a chance to see how a small manufacturing firm could compete with the existing leaders.

With an all-new Range Rover Sport on the way, second-hand prices of the current model, with its renowned blend of luxury and performance, look set to drop to more affordable levels

Price range: £12,000 – £70,000

When is a Range Rover not a Range Rover? That was a question asked by many when the Range Rover Sport first broke cover in 2005, because it quickly became known that the Sport was based on a trimmed-down Discovery 3 chassis. The answer is that it really doesn’t matter, and you only have to consider the popularity of the Freelander-based Range Rover Evoque to accept that the underpinnings are inconsequential, what does matter is the stunning appearance, blistering performance and exquisite interior opulence of the car, whatever badge it’s wearing. As for the Range Rover Sport, it had our seal of approval right from the start, winning the 2006 edition of our 4×4 Of The Year competition (which was actually published in the September 2005 issue). What we said at the time still stands: There could be only one winner, because there was only one car that filled our enthusiast senses with its unbelievable blend of charismatic off-road ability and breathtaking on-road performance. These qualities could to a large extent be applied to the Range Rover and the Discovery 3, but what if you combined the best values from each of these stunning originals?

It’s not all about satellite phones and high tech GPS devices. Sometimes, it’s just that Morocco’s warm winter sun is so overwhelming. And you can get there with a Land Rover, a compass and a map – such are advantages of back to basics overlanding

Words: Ros Woodham    Photography: Ros Woodham and Jimmy Hayes

Beneath the weight of our expedition gear, the 1984 Land Rover Santana 88in sank onto its rear axle. The rear leaves had long ago lost their significant curve, but she was in good company beside the other ageing and overloaded Mercedes queuing up to cross the Moroccan border.

The idea for this expedition arose as a challenge. My Series III had been off the road for several years and I needed a reason to revive her. My co-driver, Jimmy Hayes, dreamt up the idea and was probably the only other person willing to undertake this journey in ‘Trucky’. To complement our 28-year-old steed, we had decided to use conventional navigational techniques: a map and compass. We believed that travelling in a classic vehicle would help penetrate the cultural barriers that a more modern 4×4 might present, and the absence of technology would promote communication. We planned a loop crossing to Melilla from Almería in Spain and heading south towards the Erg Chebbi dunes in order to spend Christmas in the Sahara. West from Merzouga to the Todra Gorge, where we would travel north crossing the High Altas towards Fes, and our final waypoint in the mountain village of Chefchaouen for New Year. Our return to Europe would be a shorter ferry hop from Ceuta to Algeciras.

Today, we have to cope with the ever-increasing cost of petrol, so if there was an alternative that was around half the price, shouldn’t you consider it for your 4×4? We went to visit WCRLPG to find out the latest about this alternative fuel option

Words: Nigel Fryatt
Photography: Nigel Fryatt, WCRLPG

There was something wonderfully appropriate when Mark Wain showed us under the bonnet for our first view of one of his LPG conversions. It was fitted to a lightweight Land Rover of late 1970s vintage; technically simple, and easy to understand and appreciate, the conversion looked as though it was designed to be there. There was nothing add-on about it… apart from the fact that the LPG vaporiser was a little bit cleaner and more shiny compared to the rest of the Land Rover’s hard worked engine. A neat conversion and it had been completed by Mark’s 14-year old son, Joseph.

It was appropriate as the origins of LPG-powered cars are thought to go back to the 1940s and the fuel was being used due to a shortage of petrol. Today, there’s a similar shortage, not of petrol admittedly, but of the cash to pay for it. Not surprisingly therefore demand for LPG-conversions is keeping Mark Wain very busy, and most of that business is on 4×4 vehicles, which is why we were there to find out more. With petrol costs rising inexorably, is this the way you should go with your 4×4? Time for an admission here, this author has little experience of LPG powered vehicles, so we went to Mark’s Norfolk premises with an open mind, and a lot of questions. The time spent there was certainly eye opening and has convinced me that LPG conversions and 4x4s go together pretty well, and that the number on our roads is likely to grow.