Vehicles - SA 4x4

Tests & Reviews

Motorhome Review: Custom Campers Iveco Eurocargo 4×4

When the owner of this “Big Daddy” of overlanders took his dream ride for its first shake-down trip to a resort near Brits for a weekend of quiet camping, he was in for a big surprise. The sheer scale and obvious luxury of his larger than life ride attracted a crowd of 150 to 200 fellow campers, who all wanted to climb in and take a look around, before they told their friends about this epic home on wheels. The camper itself is built on an Iveco Eurocargo 4×4 truck chassis, and the camper section alone is 10 metres long.…

Llewellyn Edwards’ Bone Crusher Patrol V8

How did Llewellyn Edwards turn a mild-mannered Patrol Wagon into a certifiably insane supercharged beast? Let’s just say that the engine from a P1 racing powerboat is involved… THE SCREAMING BARBARIAN Whether or not you’re partial to big power and over-the-top builds, there is something to be said about the deep rumble of a tuned V8 and a barbaric, screaming supercharger. Stick the two into just about anything and you’ll end up with a beast – on land or water. In the case of this build by electrical engineer Llewellyn Edwards, the Patrol’s heart was sourced from a P1 racing…

Suzuki Jimny GLX 1.5 auto

Off-road test: Suzuki Jimny GLX 1.5 Auto

Stronger, better, more capable. Is the Jimny all of this? A torture test at Honingklip sorts opinion from reality… A cult, as defined by Google dictionary, is “a system of religious veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure or object”. Few vehicles muster such appreciation amongst their fans, but the Jimny is one of them. Fortunately for the faithful, their deity hasn’t gone all soft like others have… (ahem, Discovery). Instead, it has been improved in every way, and been made tougher and more capable both on and off the road, while still maintaining its quirky character. That’s the…

First Drive

First Drive: Mercedes-Benz X350d

Okay, so you’re probably wondering why we’re featuring the X-Class yet again, and that’s fair, given that it’s dominated motor magazine pages of late. Part of the reason is the massive hype generated by ‘the first of a new kind’ – a truly premium bakkie from a truly premium manufacturer. But to be honest, we just have to tell you what it’s like to drive the V6! The big boss of the X-Class line-up is here, and it’s powered by a proper Mercedes-Benz drivetrain, consisting of a 3.0L, 190kW, turbocharged V6 paired with a smooth-as-all-heck 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission. From…

First Drive

First Drive: Hyundai Santa Fe (2019)

Hyundai has always had a very hard time shaking off the shackles of its humble, budget beginnings, but the time has come to recognise the undeniable quality that the Korean manufacture is producing year in, year out. The new Santa Fe is a prime example, combining a sublime interior with a silky driving experience to create something that seems far more German than Asian. The price point reflects that, as well, moving the Santa Fe into uncertain waters between the value-for-money Fortuner and more premium options like the VW Touareg. For the consumer looking for a spacious, comfortable and well-built…

First Drive

First Drive: BMW X5 (2019)

The BMW X5 is one of the cars of our time – a massive status symbol and an imposing presence on any road, in any country. Since its introduction in 1999, it has shaped and defined the SUV segment, and the fourth generation is no different. At the launch in George, we were treated to both models on offer in SA: the grounded, exceptionally-capable xDrive30d, and the almighty, quad-turbocharged M50d. There are no plans for a petrol variant at present, but after driving the M50d, it seems that there’s no need for one at all. The soundtrack produced by the…

Vehicle Test

Zero hero

The big talk at the moment is that the Nissan NP300 “Hardbody” scored Zero stars – that’s right, a fat zero – for passenger safety in a recent re-test commissioned by a philanthropic organisation styled as #SaferCarsForAfrica, and conducted by the Automobile Association and the Global NCAP organisation. In an effort to ensure that vehicles which are exported to various countries make the cut in safety terms, this is quite laudable. The NP300 is apparently exported to about 35 sub-Saharan countries, and to places like the UAE, Russia, the Ukraine and Lebanon. It’s been an export success, and over the…

First Drive: Renault Duster 2019

After spending a great deal of time negotiating many thousands of kilometers in a previous version of the Renault Duster, it was with great anticipation that I accepted the invitation to the Nelspruit launch of the all-new Renault Duster. My co-driver felt the driver’s space was a little tight, but I did not share his sentiments. I found the seats well bolstered, very comfortable and torso-hugging − which might have contributed to his feeling of less driver’s space. We had the opportunity to test the Duster in various conditions during the two-day launch; and, as I wrote in my review…

First Drive

First Drive: Suzuki Jimny

The wait is over. After 20 years, Suzuki has finally blessed the local automotive market with a brand-new Jimny, and it’s a monumental step-up from its predecessor. Visually, it’s a nostalgic return to the boxy, angular LJs and SJs of the 70s and 80s, with plenty of modern improvements. And before you say what we’re all thinking, Suzuki wants to clear something up – the first LJ preceded the first Gelandewagen by several years, so in fact, the G-Wagon looks like a Jimny! Despite first impressions, the new model is in fact pretty much the same size as the last…

Black Ops Build

IRONMAN 4×4’S BLACK OPS BUILD: PHASE 6

I enjoy music a lot, more so than most people I know. I grew up playing my dad’s seven-singles on his retro Hammerstein radiogram. It was an FM unit with a turntable. Despite his best efforts to lock the glass covering of the turntable section, I always managed to open it. When I think back, I realise that my dad (an Afrikaner) had a surprisingly comprehensive collection of 60s Brit Rock; I think my British mom contributed a little. His Valiant had an 8-track tape player − and the likes of Jose Feliciano, Nana Mouskouri, Johnny Mathis, John Denver and…

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