Latest news with #4x4
Al Etihad
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Etihad
Travis Scott brings record-breaking tour to Etihad Park
16 July 2025 00:31 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)Big news for hip-hop fans. Global powerhouse Travis Scott is bringing his record-breaking 'Circus Maximus Tour' to Etihad Park, Yas Island for one night only on Saturday, November 15, the success of his chart-topping album 'UTOPIA', the 34-year-old make his highly anticipated return to the UAE and it's set to be one of the biggest live shows of the over 76 sold-out shows and 1.7 million fans already in attendance, the Circus Maximus Tour has become the highest-grossing rap tour of all time. From a sold-out SoFi Stadium in LA to breaking merchandising records in London, Scott continues to push the boundaries of the live music a powerful performance featuring hits like '4x4', 'FE!N' and 'SICKO MODE', alongside mind-blowing visuals and energy that only Scott can deliver. Tickets go on sale on Friday, July 18, at noon.
Auto Express
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Challenging expedition coming up? This is the Land Rover for you
The appeal of this new Land Rover Defender Trophy is almost entirely subjective. If you like the Sandglow yellow paint and gloss-black details, or have a particular affinity to the Trophy event from the late 20th century, then you've got a unique-looking Defender that will get you anywhere you choose to take it. Yet many will see the opportunity to save the best part of £20k by opting for a less polarising but just as capable take on the venerable 4x4 – and with a broader paint palette to boot. Advertisement - Article continues below Land Rover is no stranger to a special edition. You only need to have scanned the Auto Express website over the last few weeks to know that; from the premium Discovery Tempest to the stealthy Range Rover SV Black, almost every model in the range has been gifted additional variants to boost their popularity in 2025. The Land Rover Defender is no exception. At the end of May, the firm announced a series of model-year changes applicable to all versions, as well as a nostalgic Trophy Edition inspired by the 4x4s that competed in the legendary Camel Trophy between 1980 and 2000. Those aforementioned model-year changes are also applicable to the new Trophy model you see here. These include a subtle tweak to the Defender's iconic daytime running-light signature, brighter LEDs to the rear that also now fit flush with the body – and are therefore easier to clean – plus reprofiled bumpers and 'Defender' branding for the wheel centre caps. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below View Defender View Defender View Defender View Defender On top of this, Trophy cars get the option of Deep Sandglow Yellow paint – exclusive to the special edition – plus, for £4,500 extra, a matte protective film for some, but not all, of the body panels. They also feature the firm's new 20-inch 'Style 9013' gloss-black alloy wheels wrapped in all-terrain tyres, inspired by the smaller steel wheels available elsewhere in the range. Trophy-branded tread plates, decals and body-coloured dash inserts add to the bespoke look. Advertisement - Article continues below Land Rover also offers a curated accessories package, which includes a roof rack, fold-down ladder, externally mounted 'gear carriers', mud flaps and a snorkel. Priced at £4,995, it's not cheap, but probably pales into insignificance when you're spending £80k-plus on a go-anywhere family hauler. Otherwise though, this is the Defender we've known and loved since its introduction five years ago. As suggested, our drive was limited to a short off-road route, which showed the Trophy in a particularly strong light; no slope is too steep, and no ravine too rutted, for example. While it's not as soft or controlled as the range-topping Land Rover Defender OCTA with its '6D' hydraulic interlinked dampers and height-adjustable air springs, there really is very little the Trophy won't make light work of. The myriad drive modes are simple to access via the now standard-fit and easier-to-reach (according to Land Rover) 13.1-inch touchscreen, with the Mud Ruts setting engaging the car's low-range gearbox and automatically activating the excellent hill-descent control. Lifting your feet from the pedals and allowing the car to safely traverse a steep slope will never not feel utterly alien, but the precision it displays gives you great confidence. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Our car was fitted with the mud flaps found on that optional accessories package, which we found to occasionally scrape along the ground on approach to particularly treacherous terrain. We first thought we'd breached the car's generous breakover angles, so unpleasant was the sound; we'd avoid ticking this option box if you regularly plan to take your Defender off the beaten track. Besides, all Land Rovers look better with a layer of countryside-created muck up the side. Advertisement - Article continues below But given that the changes are aesthetic only, the driving experience is unlikely to differ too dramatically compared with a standard Defender. The mild-hybrid, twin-turbo D350 diesel engine is a strong performer with near-endless amounts of torque – meaning A-road overtakes are as easy as 45-degree climbs on loose rock. It's quiet, relatively economical (Land Rover claims up to 31.2mpg), and with a huge 89-litre fuel tank, is capable of long journeys at the drop of a hat. The Trophy is also offered in P300e plug-in hybrid guise, with roughly 29 miles of electric range. If on-road refinement is a priority, we'd suggest opting for the all-season – as opposed to all-terrain – tyres, which are a no-cost option. This should help reduce road noise and boost fuel consumption – at the detriment of some off-road ability, of course. Elsewhere, the Trophy – like all models in the far-reaching Defender range – feels built to withstand the rigours of family life, without sacrificing the quality and luxury you expect at this price. There's loads of room in the back, and even with the roof rack fitted, the panoramic roof, small skylights and large all-round glasshouse make the car feel airy and spacious. The boot is massive – despite the fact the Trophy is only available in the middling 110-length bodystyle. Model: Land Rover Defender Trophy Edition D350 Price: £84,815 On sale: Now Powertrain: 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel MHEV Power/torque: 345bhp/700Nm Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, four-wheel drive 0-62mph: 6.4 seconds Top speed: 119mph Economy/CO2: 31.2mpg/237g/km Size (L/W/H): 4,758/2,008/1,967mm Want a Defender on your driveway? Take a look at our latest deals on a new Land Rover Defender , or find top prices on a used Land Rover Defender . Share this on Twitter Share this on Facebook Email New MG IM5 has the Tesla Model 3 beaten on price and range New MG IM5 has the Tesla Model 3 beaten on price and range The all-electric IM5 brings new technology and design to the MG line-up New MG Cyberster Black is a dark sign of things to come for the brand New MG Cyberster Black is a dark sign of things to come for the brand MG boss thinks special editions like this might be the ticket to keeping up demand for the electric sports car Vauxhall Mokka vs Hyundai Kona: small hybrid SUVs in a big battle Vauxhall Mokka vs Hyundai Kona: small hybrid SUVs in a big battle Hybrid newcomers slug it out for family buyers' hearts and minds Car group tests 12 Jul 2025
Auto Car
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
Ineos Grenadier gets portal axles for £147k
Ineos will sell the extreme portal-axled version of the Grenadier 4x4 shown at last year's Goodwood Festival of Speed, with prices starting at €170,000 (£147,000). Called the Grenadier Trialmaster X Letech, it can be had as both an SUV and a pick-up, with a choice of BMW-supplied 3.0-litre straight sixes powered by petrol or diesel. Built by German firm Letech, it replaces the regular Grenadier's coil suspension with a new portal-axle design with five reinforced links at its front and rear ends, and offset wheel hubs. Combined with a set of 18in Hutchinson Industries beadlock wheels and 37in BFGoodrich tyres, this raises the Grenadier's ground clearance by 186mm to 450mm and its wading depth rises to 1050mm. The new axles are also said to provide greater wheel articulation and better weight distribution, further improving the 4x4's off-road capabilities. Advertisement Completing the package are flared wheel arches, a ladder with a jerry can mount, spotlights, a spare wheel carrier and a front winch capable of lugging 4.5 tonnes. The conversion will be offered first in European Union and European Economic Area (EEA) markets. Ineos has yet to confirm whether it will be launched in the UK, saying only that a wider roll-out is 'subject to future announcements'. It added that it has received more than 1000 expressions of interest from customers, such as from rescue services. The decision to offer the portal-axle conversion officially confirms Autocar's previous report that it was being considered alongside a range of other special editions, in a bid to maximise the brand's revenues from relatively few sales.
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
I went green laning in Wales in an Ineos 4x4 - here's how to take the ultimate rural driving adventure
The world is moving at a frantic pace and for many, the great outdoors is an oasis away from all of it – a chance to breathe fresh air and be awed by unspoilt landscapes. And for motorists, and in particular 4x4 enthusiasts like me, there's no better way to explore those great outdoors than to go green laning; driving on unsurfaced public byways known as 'green lanes' in some of the most rural parts of the UK. Some people think the only adrenaline you can get in a car is driving around a track fast. But green laners are in on the secret that tackling almost inaccessible countryside in a 4x4 is a whole different kind of driving rush. I was lucky enough to spend a day getting to grips with some of the most dramatic green lanes in the UK when I headed to West Wales with Sir Jim Ratcliffe's 4x4 brand Ineos to hit the legendary Strata Florida green lanes. Motoring Reporter Freda Lewis-Stempel takes you along for a ride with Ineos to induct you into the countryside pursuit you've never heard about... What is green laning: Is it the same as off-roading? Before I get into the Strata Florida experience, it's best to explain what greenlaning is, and how it differs from off-roading. Green laning is driving or riding on 'green roads' - unpaved roads, tracks and byways found in rural and remote areas. Some people drive 4x4s like I did, others ride motorbikes. Green lanes can be anything from dirt roads to river crossings, smooth gravel to grassy tracks – and most of the time they are in some of the most beautiful parts of the country. Green laning is often used interchangeably with off-roading as both are done in 4x4s – anything from old Land Cruisers to Series I Land Rovers. But while you are tackling some of the most challenging and exciting terrain in Britain, green laning is not technically off-roading. Off-roading involves private land or organised events, and non-road legal vehicles are permitted, whereas greenlaning is legal driving with road-legal vehicles and has a code of conduct that emphasises responsible exploration of the countryside. 4x4 Sir Jim Ratcliffe built to revive original Defender The Strata Florida in Wales is a place few people know about. Many people head to Snowdonia (now the Eryri National Park), but the Strata Florida in the folds of the Cambrian Mountains is a Meca for greenlaners. Strata Florida (Ystrad Fflur), meaning Vale of Flowers in Latin, is famous for its Cistercian abbey that sits at the start of the green lanes - some of Wales' most popular and demanding byway routes. The route includes 12 ford crossings, a bomb hole drop of 45 degrees, rock slabs, forest tracks and heather vistas. Ceredigion had seen a fair amount of rain in mid-February, and weather conditions can drastically change the way the terrain behaves. So, despite growing up in 4x4s in the Brecon Beacons, and being very au fait with the Ineo Grenadier's immense capabilities off-road, I was glad Green Lane Association rep Adam Hearne from 4x4 Wales led us long the 73-mile route which starts at Llandovery and ends at Rhayader. In our groups of three Grenadiers we journeyed on a selection of small roads, single tracks over the hills and through forests to the official start. The warm up miles got us used to following the slippery ruts, taking it slowly and consistently over rocky climbs, using the overhead 'cockpit' in the Grenadier to select Off-Road Mode and changing into low range (which allows the car to crawl at slow speeds with increased torque) by lifting the transfer case selector collar. Green laning is my favourite thing to do in a car because it requires a different kind of attitude and concentration than track driving The Strata Florida starts along elevated forest tracks over rocks, tree roots and slate - not for people afraid of heights Slow and steady is the name of the game: Speeds of 4mph (or less) are standard because you have to be very previse to make sure you don't damage the car and get over obstacles safely The green lane begins by deviating off the stone forestry track, instead swinging left along a thin elevated track over rocks and tree roots. While not a cliff drop, the right-of-way is high enough and thin enough to give you pause for thought. Then it was onto miles of rocky sections, many moments when the cars crossaxled (when the two diagonal wheels lose contact with the ground) and deep troughs. The views across the valley, although bleak as it was a barren February, were still utterly breathtaking. We were wading along stone roads with water up to the bonnet in some places, which is nothing when the Grenadier has a wading depth of 800m and 'Wading Mode' to kill off the radiator fan. But we did have to hang back and make sure we didn't bunch up and get swept up in the car in front's bow waves. The twist and turns were flagged up on our walkie-talkies, with Adam making sure everyone in the convoy knew when there's an jutting rock in the riverbed that could take out even a Grenadier's BFGoodrich tyre. The single track continues until the main event: the legendary bomb hole. You can go around if needed, but not us. The Grenadier's Hill Descent could do the job for you, but where's the fun in that? The near 45 degree angle is so sharp that you can't see anything below the front of the car and are essentially tipping into it blind You'll need a spotter to guide you down it. I had professional green laner Adam Hearne guiding me, and he explained that I had to brake 'harder than I'd ever braked in my life'.... Even these photos don't do the bomb hole justice: approaching it is most akin to the moment when you're at the top of a rollercoaster and you can't see the drop below because the angle is so steep. A 45 degree plunge of glossy rock, the approach has to be exact. Adam and the Ineos team got out to spot us with Adam merrily saying: 'Prepare to brake harder than you've ever braked in your life'. He wasn't wrong – I was inching the Grenadier forwards, unable to see anything under the front of the car and just relying on my spotters while my foot was all but cemented to the brake pedal. The bomb hole incline is so sharp that you can easily catch the back end when you get to the bottom and pull away. Many people catch their tow bars and rear bumpers here. There's no phone signal on the Strata Florida, it's just you and your friends in the middle of nowhere The bomb hole highlighted how track driving requires one kind of concentration, while green laning requires a whole different kind. But they're equal in that you can't lapse in focus for one second. For green laning you need patience because its a slow and steady pursuit, you have to wait your turn, and it takes a while for all groups in the convoy to get past obstacles. But this all brings a great sense of comradery. It's the antithesis to speed - and that keeps you connected to the countryside around you. There's no phone signal, it's just you and your friends in the middle of nowhere, watching the red kites and skylarks and the sheep grazing while you wait for everyone. The moments of pause, while you wait your turn or for the cars behind you, are also a nice chance to stretch your legs - so hop out when you have the chance. Even in the ridiculously comfy Grenadier seven hours was a long time to be sat down. There's a real sense of comradery when green laning, as you often go out as a pack and work together to guide your way along the routes. Walkie-talkies keep you in communication The closing stretch was a mixture of pine tree-walled stretches of troughs, rocks and river crossings until a gravel track took us back to a tarmac road that rejoins civilisation. One memory will last with me forever: The convoy had regrouped, the car was full of people as a few crew members had piled in for the ride home, and we drove the final stretch over the mountain ridge as I played Led Zepplin's Whole Lotta Love. All you could see in the closing darkness of the Welsh sky was a line of Grenadier lights making their way down the valley. It was everyone together, it was the green and burnt orange of the valley, and the power of the Grenadier – and it was spectacular. It was green laning at its best. The end of the greenlaning brought us all back together in convoy Why is green laning popular and when did it take off? It's hard to know the exact number of people who enjoy green laning in the UK. The Green Lane Association – a national not-for-profit organisation founded in 1995 - has an active membership of 6,000 individuals, with another 20,000 affiliate members. However, as people don't have to green lane with an association, and many go privately or via experience packages, it's difficult to ascertain how many are doing it at one time. The modern term 'green laning' came in with recreational use and rose in popularity during the late 20th and early 21st Century when the publication of Ordnance Survey maps made the green-dotted routes more accessible to the public, and more people owned 4x4s and motorbikes. Greenlaning became popular in the late 20th and early 21st Centuries are more people bought 4x4s and Ordnance Survey maps made the green-dotted routes easily findable How to green lane – where can you drive and the rules to live by For a complete A-Z guide to green laning - from everything to whether you can move obstructions to what kit to take - your best bet is to head to the Green Lane Association website. But we'll cover some basic information anyway. When you're wanting to go to green laning, there are two route options: Byways Open to All Traffic (BOATs) and Unclassified Roads (UCRs) - look for these green routes on a map. Your best friend will be an OS map - make sure you're fully clued up as to where you're going, where field boundaries are, and how to navigate yourself out of wrong turn. We've all come up against a wrongly marked footpath, and it's the same for green lanes. Some could have a Traffic Regulation order (TRO) on them, or it could just be impossible to pass through in a vehicle, so make sure you can map read! The Green Lane Association shows you which green rights of way to look out for on an OS map - the greenlaners guide to the countryside This is why I'd fully recommend going green laning for the first time with an experienced rep from the Green Lane Association, or someone they recommend, because a rep will know the routes with their eyes closed and will warn you of any unseen obstacles or unsafe routes. If you are still determined to go off your own back then, as well as diligently planning your routes, make sure you know your vehicle's capabilities - wading depth, ground clearance – these are vital. You might be wondering how dangerous can green laning be if you're going as slow as 4mph - but deaths do happen, including in 2008 on this very route. The Strata Florida has some huge vitas over the Cambrian Mountains. This part of Wales is much less frequented by tourists than Snowdonia Why greenlaning is the perfect way to see the countryside Navigating the rugged terrain, constantly being tested by the changing landscape leaves you with an immense sense of satisfaction and a high that will last for days. And you're a better driver when you've spent seven hours behind the wheel crawling through the countryside appreciating the power and scope of a true off-roading car. And at the same time, you've explored landscapes most people don't even know exist. And the slow pace allows you to look out the car window and properly absorb the way the wilderness changes as you go.
The Herald
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Herald
BMW X3 M50 balances power, comfort and efficiency
The interior is smart and polished in feel and build quality, while the electric seats are comfy and generously padded. Standard amenities are generous but you'll need to raid the options catalogue for more. From behind the multifunction helm you get the sense that you're driving a premium car and you are driving an X3 that's larger than any model before. The new iteration stretches 4,755mm in length, 1,920mm width and 1,660mm height, making it 34mm longer, 29mm wider and 16mm taller that the previous X3. You notice the growth spurt everywhere, especially between the lanes, where it can drive autonomously. Occupants enjoy more leg, head and shoulder room, and more luggage can be swallowed by the expanded boot with a power tailgate. At times it felt like commanding an X5 but it's nicely measured and feels poised, refined and powerful, thanks to the 280kW and 580Nm 3.0 l twin-turbo straight-six petrol engine that's paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and xDrive all-wheel drive system. It has a mild-hybrid 48V system injecting 13kW to the mix and silently powering the car at crawl speeds. It kicks out a combined 293kW and can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 4.6 secs to run out of steam at 250km/h. It's a tarmac bruiser when you need it to be that also corners keenly.
