Off Road Cars

When Ford revived the Bronco earlier in 2020, Jeep introduced the V-8-powered Wrangler 392 Concept. But what seemed like a PR stunt created to crash Ford’s celebration has morphed into a production model. Meet the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392, the first-ever Wrangler powered by a V-8 engine and the most powerful Wrangler built since the nameplate was introduced back in 1987. The muscular powerplant, shared with the Dodge Charger and Challenger, is backed by enhanced off-road capability and several special features inside and out.

BMW kind of broke the internet with the new M3 and M4. By slapping the sedan and coupe with the bucktooth grille introduced by the 4 Series, the Bavarians did enough to spark a lot of controversy among gearheads.

Since then, we’ve seen tuning companies trying to capitalize on BMW’s grille by offering kits that decrease those vertical kidneys to more eye-friendly proportions and even big-name designers giving their two cents on it. But maybe the problem wasn’t the grille, but the rest of the car. Maybe the M4 looks better with a more utilitarian vibe to it.

The new Land Rover Defender is a very capable vehicle, but purists surely miss the old one. The old Defender had a different aura and charm, something that the new one will probably never be able to match it. Although numerous aftermarket companies are restoring and rebuilding it, the fact is that the same models are in circulation. But, that’s about to change now.

Aftermarket specialist Bowler has been granted the license to use the iconic Defender shape in the next phase of development for all-terrain performance cars and rally raid vehicles. In case you have apprehensions about another company building the classic Defender, let me tell you that Land Rover purchased Bowler last year. So this is as good as Land Rover building it.

The only chink in Bronco’s armor is the missing V-8 engine under the hood. Although Ford matched the Jeep Wrangler in every aspect, dare I say, even better in some, the lack of a V-8 will be a deal-breaker for some folks. However, aftermarket tuners have grabbed on to this opportunity. PaxPower was one of the first companies to announce a Bronco V-8 and soon many companies jumped the wagon. The latest one to do so is Hennessey Performance.

Hennessey has announced that it will be building a VelociRaptor version of the Ford Bronco with a V-8 mill that will churn out 750 horses. This will be a limited-edition build and will cost around four-times the cost of a standard Bronco. Is it worth it?

Chelsea Truck Company has returned with another Jeep Wrangler rendition called the Protest Edition. Although the name could be considered slightly controversial, the changes made to the SUV are pretty neat. Nothing under the hood has been changed and it is stock, which means all the changes are cosmetic only. This Wrangler is a right-hand-drive model and is brand-new, unlike some of the examples from Chelsea lately that have had previous owners.

Himalaya is known to create builds of timeless vehicles. One of them is the Defender, with which the aftermarket company has had a love affair for a long time. Last year, Himalaya worked on the new Defender to create a special edition called Spectre. Now, the company has laid its hand on the renowned moniker to build a 650-horsepower beast that inducts itself into Himalaya’s flagship Summit Series.

Not too long ago, the Mercedes G-Class 4x4² was spotted undergoing high-altitude testing in the Alps, thus confirming the return of the alter-ego version of the luxurious off-roader.

While we were expecting to hear more about it, Mercedes decided to divert our attention from it by introducing a 4×4² concept version of its all-electric SUV, the EQC. To put it simply the EQC 4×4² is the off-road version of the standard EQC. Do we need something like this at a time when Mercedes is still trying to find its feet in the electric segment?

Although the Ford Bronco checks most of the boxes, and then some more, there are a few rather noticeable things that are missing. One is the V-8 engine, which looked like it could feature somewhere in the future, but Ford confirmed that’s not happening.

The second one is the foldable windshield. When the Bronco was unveiled, it came with almost all the stuff that is offered on the Wrangler as well, but it was conspicuous by its absence. Ford has now thrown some light on it citing compromised construction as the reason for it not being offered.

Supercar Blondie is known to review supercars primarily, but this time, she’s gotten hold of something completely different. Filmed on a beach in the UAE, she laid her hands on an amphibious beast known as Avtoros Shaman 8x8. The Shaman 8x8 is a monster in terms of size and has some pretty large wheels and tires. The best part about the Shaman 8x8 is that you can take it for a swim in the ocean if you’re bored with roads. If this was part of GTA: Vice City, it would be the only car that didn’t need the “SEAWAYS” cheat code to swim in water!

If you’re a fan of restomods, you probably know that Ringbrothers is one of the best names in the business. The Wisconsin-based company is know for building tremendous restomod vehicles out of classic muscle cars, all of which stole the show at specific events across the U.S. in recent years. But the company also has an affinity for old American SUVs like the Chevrolet K5 Blazer. A while back they built the Seaker, a 430-horsepower, LS3-powered Blazer. Come 2020 and Ringbrothers unveiled a new custom SUV designed for American rapper and singer Future.

The brand-new, 2021 Ford Bronco is more than just a hauler to drive around in. Just like the Jeep Wrangler, the Bronco was conceived with off-road capability in mind and the right specs will enable it to climb muddy and rocky trails with ease.

Do that without the doors into place and the interior will get dirty, but this isn’t much of an issue since it’s the kind of vehicle you can clean with a hose. And because the Bronco’s floor is fitted with no fewer than 10 plugs, draining the water out of the cabin is not a problem.

Air conditioning is not a ‘feature’ in cars anymore. It’s available from the entry-level cars to the most expensive ones. The only thing that differs in cars across the range is the availability of rear A/C vents, automatic climate zone, multiple-zone control, etc.

When Ford launched the Bronco, one such feature that didn’t made the cut was the conventional rear A/C vents as seen in other cars. Although it didn’t seem like a deal-breaker considering its niche, some people have been nitpicking this feature to a point where Ford had to address the “issue” and shed some light on it. This goes on to show how entitled people are these days.

To commemorate the brand’s eight-decade existence, Jeep has introduced the “80th Anniversary Edition” for six of its vehicles - the Wrangler, Gladiator, Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, Compass, and the Renegade. While most of the changes are cosmetic, some come with a few new features. On the Wrangler, the special edition package is available for both two- and four-door models.

After what was a rather dumb move on Ford’s part, the company has officially confirmed that it will be offering the seven-speed manual gearbox with the Sasquatch Package. When the company announced this off-road package, it checked all the boxes and made even the lower trims off-road worthy. But, the only thing missing was the manual gearbox, and it didn’t go down well with potential customers. Fortunately, Ford heard them and decided to offer it before it was too late. We’re happy now.

What started as guilt-trip driving around in an oil-burning-engined car to access the innermost parts of Australia resulted in a start-up that now converts, sells, and rents electric Land Rovers. Australia-based Jaunt Motors recently converted an old diesel Land Rover into an electric car, the reason behind it being to create an environment-friendly four-wheel-drive vehicle. The yesteryear SUV now comes with electric motors and Tesla batteries powering it. Is this the best way to enjoy classic, hardcore SUVs without feeling guilty about harming the environment?

The Mercedes G-Class is arguably one of the best off-roaders to have graced our planet. Over the years, the company has equipped it with a premium interior and an exorbitant price tag, but it is still regarded as a hardcore off-roader and has a strong footing in the segment despite heavy competition. To further cement this perception, Mercedes created a hardcore version of the already-competent G-Class called the G-Class 4x4. The previous model’s production ended in 2017, but it looks like the monster is back.

The new G-Class 4x4 was spied undergoing high-altitude testing in the Alps and it looked a lot bulkier and monstrous than its normal self – especially the wheel arches – thus reigniting the news of the 4x4 making a comeback. Are we excited? Hell yeah!

News about the Ford Bronco Raptor has been heading in the right chronology until now. We first heard hushed talks about sparked the news, then some leaks here and there with a few spec details, then an “error” by a Ford engineer on Linkedin, and finally some confirmation on what to expect from the Bronco Raptor. But, it looks like there’s a twist in the story.

Ford recently filed a trademark application for the ‘Warthog’ moniker, and netizens believe it is going to replace the Bronco ‘Raptor’ badge. The application doesn’t anything of that sort; so, are we reading too much between the lines?

Customers in the U.S. have been craving the Ranger Raptor since it was announced for other markets. Ford has denied giving the pleasure so far, but there is news of the Ranger Raptor finally heading Stateside when the 2022 Ranger arrives. Since that is still some time away, the Blue Oval has decided to give us a taste of what to expect by introducing the Tremor off-road package for the mid-size pickup truck. While it is no Raptor, it is a lot more capable than the existing FX4 off-road package. Ford has priced the package at $4,290, but the catch is that is won’t be available on all the trims.

In all honesty, the 2021 Ford Bronco has ticked all the boxes and it shows how much Ford has worked to make it a purposeful and near-flawless product. However, one thing creating a vacuum is the missing V-8 under the hood. Ford has offered a four-cylinder and a V-6 engine on the Bronco, but not a V-8. Now, the company has answered the question once and for all, and the truth is that there is no V-8 Bronco in the works.

Speaking with Muscle Cars and Trucks, Ford has indirectly laid the final nail in the coffin by saying that a V-8 Bronco is unlikely to happen, thanks to the emission regulations.

At the 1981 Chicago Auto Show, Ford unveiled a rather unusual concept called the Montana Lobo. It seemed too radical for its time and felt as though it was taken straight out of a sci-fi movie. It broke all the perceptions associated with a rugged off-roader like the Bronco. The company came up with this unusual concept to get in the flow with the growing popularity of smaller pickup trucks and SUVs. Although it didn’t make it to production and none of the ideas or design elements were incorporated in the future models, the Bronco Montana Lobo goes down in the history books as one of the most interesting concepts Ford has ever built.

Before the SUV received its moniker, the Land Rover Defender was simply called Land Rover 90 or 110, based on the model’s wheelbase. It was almost a decade after its launch that Land Rover decided to call it the Defender. So, on sale here is a 1990 Land Rover 110 that has been all around the globe. It was first exported from the U.K. to Italy and then overhauled bycThe Landrovers in the Netherlands five years back. In 2016, it finally reached U.S. shores and it has been here ever since. Now the current owner has put this three-decade-old model on Bring-a-Trailer.

At the time of writing, the current bid stands at $45,000 and there’s a week left before the auction closes. Has this piqued your interest?

When Ford Bronco was finally unveiled a couple of months back, it looked quite complete and had ticked almost all the boxes. Almost. The one unticked box that kept the off-roader enthusiasts wanting more was the super-rugged Raptor version of this competent off-roader.

It didn’t take long for the news to start pouring in which more or less confirmed that the Bronco Raptor is arriving soon. If that wasn’t enough, the LinkedIn profile of a Ford engineer came to light where he mentioned that he was working on the 2023 Ford Bronco Raptor.

Even though Ford hasn’t officially announced the Bronco Raptor yet, there are quite a few things already known. Now, Ford Authority has reported them again, which confirms the things we already knew.

The Jeep Wrangler is one of the most sought-after vehicles for tuners and aftermarket companies, thanks to its mod-friendly nature. While Mopar and Jeep Performance Parts offer hundreds of accessories for this off-roader, there are a lot of aftermarket companies that customize it in their unique ways as well.

One such unique, impressive build comes courtesy of none other than Afzal Kahn of the Chelsea Truck Company. Although the SUV is right up there in terms of ruggedness, what makes this different is how luxurious it is on the inside, something that’s uncommon on the Wrangler.