• Home
  • /
  • Category Archives: Four Wheel Drive

Jim Ratcliffe and Why You Might Want to Know His Name

When Land Rover ended production of the Defender, the assembly line had not yet come full stop before an eccentric billionaire began making claims he was going to single-handedly bring the vehicle back to life. The uber-rich are prone to such musings, but Jim Ratcliffe is not your garden variety rich guy, he’s a genuine…

Automotive News: September 2017 Edition

This is the time of year in the automotive world when we start to see hopeful teases become official announcements and anticipated concepts reduced to crowd-groaning flubs. September is, of course, the launch of the auto-show season with the Frankfurt event in Germany the belle of the ball. Vehicles worthy of the public’s attention don’t…

La Aduana: 1991 Turbo Diesel Syncro Doka

Few vehicles are as iconic or sought after as the VW van. Regardless of the year, body style, or drive train, the Bus and Vanagon platforms have been the gleaming symbols of wanderlust for generations, and will likely continue to be for generations to come. Unfortunately, solid running examples have become difficult to find, which…

Fiat-Chrysler to Produce 2018 Model Year Jeep JK

As the world holds its collective breath for the release of the latest generation Jeep Wrangler, fans of the current JK will get another year added to the timeline. In an announcement made last week, Fiat-Chrysler plans to carry the JK forward for 2018, although it wasn’t made clear if that will translate to a…

How to properly align your lights

There’s a reason that auxiliary lights are used on expedition vehicles around the world, and it isn’t because they look cool. Well, not entirely at least. A high quality set of lights allows drivers to see obstacles and animals ahead of them before they become a problem, and that can be the difference between a safe…

Building a Pinnacle Vehicle: Overland Journal’s Land Rover Discovery I SD – Part II

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Gear Guide 2009. Modifying a vehicle is nearly always a compromise. Adding horsepower typically comes at the cost of efficiency. Lifting a vehicle often comes at the cost of high-speed stability, and each new modification usually adds more weight and complexity to a platform that…

Building a Pinnacle Vehicle: Overland Journal ’s Land Rover Discovery I SD – Part I

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Overland Journal, Fall 2008. I still remember the article about the 1991 Camel Trophy. The words and images are as visible in my mind today as the first time I saw them. I had casually picked up a 4WD publication from a newsstand. Thumbing through its pages,…

What’s in your winch bag? The basic gear you should be carrying

The other day I ran into the proud owner of a well-built four-wheel drive. Eager to talk shop, he began to list a few of the numerous pieces of equipment he had installed on his new vehicle. The list included 37-inch tires, aftermarket wheels, a 4-inch lift, lights, a roof rack, a front bumper, and…