Overlander 4x4 Magazine

4 November 2022

The future of off-roading has been turned inside out. That’s the message from a couple of vehicles featured in the new issue of 4x4. One is from Jeep, the other from Dacia. Two very different companies but the former’s Rubicon Birdcage and the latter’s Manifesto are two concept vehicles that strip away the bodywork and put their occupants right out there in the middle of nature. Which is of course why you drive a 4x4 in the first place. This month’s travel story is a good example of that. The tale of a young couple who took a month off to explore Europe in a modified Discovery, it’s less than a full expedition but a whole lot more than a holiday. Definitely inspirational, if work commitments mean travelling round the world is too much to bite off. Our roadbook is pretty inspirational too, taking in some of the best, longest and wildest green lanes in the area north and east of Llandrindod Wells. Whether you do it on your own or combine it with last month’s route (they’re designed to work separately or together), it’s exactly the sort of thing that makes green laning such a fabulous experience. We’re also looking at a highly modified Defender 90 this month, which has received a BMW M57 diesel engine – and in addition to that, the suspension from something the same but very different… And talking of people taking a different approach to suspension, would you believe a comp safari racer with Range Rover axles… and leaf springs? Thought not.