- In the News
- Is It True?
- Your Government at Work
- What’s Happening in the Industry
- 2023 Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek
- Watch Episode 1 of the 4×4 Garage Video Series!
In the News
- If you’re a fan of both Land Rover vehicles and horses, you best sit down, because your day is made. The automaker and the U.S. Equestrian Federation have launched a bunch of equestrian-themed doodads and wearables. The horse package includes mudflaps and a custom cooler with horse motif (we’ll take “odd bedfellows for $500”) for a $5,000 price tag.
- Not truck-related, but shoutout to Toyota for sticking a manual transmission into its 2023 Supra.
- Ground has been broken for the expansion of Navistar’s 110,000-square-foot powertrain plant in Huntsville, Alabama.
- The next generation of EarthCruiser Overland Vehicles—EXP, FX, and CORE—will use the Class 4 Isuzu NPR Series platform.
- Rocket Auto did some surveying and learned 80.6 percent of drivers said a backup camera was the No. 1 feature they’d pay more for in this insanely spendy automotive market. A similar number of millennials wanted a USB fast-charging outlet.
- $383 million is what Toyota will invest in four of its U.S. manufacturing plants for producing four-cylinder engines (a hybrid electric is one such type).
- If you’re craving a convertible Land Rover, Heritage Customs out of the Netherlands is doing it to the Defender 90.
- Or perhaps you’re craving this: Expedition Motor Company’s newest version of its Wolf Geländewagen is the 2022 1991 250GD. The total restomod G-Wagen features a 0M602 diesel engine with a Mercedes-Benz five-speed 722.6 automatic transmission and original gearshift lever from an S-Class. Write that check out in the amount of $120,000.
Is It True?
- Is Ford working on tank-turn tech for the electric F-150 Lightning?
- Did Klaus Zyciora, the head of Volkswagen Group Design, post a rendering of an ID. Buzz pickup on Instagram because … it’s actually happening?
- Did someone in the Middle East spent almost $10 million at auction to get the license plate AA8?
- Is a Dodge Hornet EV SUV on the way?
- Did a crash on Interstate 70 in Missouri on 4/20 end with 500 pounds of packaged marijuana strewn about the highway?
- Is a Hot Wheels live-action movie in the works?
Your Government at Work
- One of the names on the list to design NASA’s crewed, moon-stalking Lunar Terrain Vehicle? Nissan North America. That’s for its know-how on things like autonomous driving tech.
- The Department of Energy has given $4.09 million to Borg-Warner to develop a cost-effective, advanced direct-current fast charger for EV-related infrastructure.
- According to Intel Labs, DARPA has awarded the company “the opportunity to develop advanced simulation solutions for off-road autonomous ground vehicles.” It’s for the Robotic Autonomy in Complex Environments with Resiliency-Simulation (RACER-Sim) program that intends to “create the next generation of off-road simulation platforms to significantly reduce the development cost and bridge the gap between simulation and the real world. “
- The U.S. Postal Service bought thousands of trucks for its fleet, but now it’s being sued by the United Auto Workers and environmental groups (and also states that include California). The issue? USPS bought gas-powered trucks, not just EVs, and allegedly signed the contract before an environmental review.
What’s Happening in the Industry
- Advance Auto Parts is now joined at the hip to the Los Angeles Dodgers, signing a multiyear agreement to become the team’s official auto parts retailer. Who among us doesn’t wonder hourly what would be the official car battery of their favorite baseball team? (Dodger fans can stop wondering—for them, it’s DieHard. )
- onX Offroad is doubling down on efforts to help improve and conserve public land access nationwide and will do so in various ways, including through grants, partnering with off-road organizations, and raising awareness with the public and policymakers about off-road access.
- Tread Lightly! and Nissan are working together to promote responsible off-road and outdoor recreation. Examples of this include dealing with damaged and closed roads in the Delta National Forest.
- Tread Lightly! again: Quadratec’s new 50 Cleanups in 50 States stewardship grant fund is in partnership with Tread Lightly!. According to Quadratec, “The ’50-for-50′ program will fully support one stewardship project in each state, over the next 24 months, that enhances or improves off-road or public land access. The ’50-for-50′ stewardship grant fund will help project managers pay for equipment, fees, volunteer support, food, fuel, signage, and other miscellaneous costs. “
2023 Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek
- The buzzwords are in full swing here for this new Pathfinder in the lineup: “off-road-inspired,” “buyers seeking a higher level of fun and adventure,” and “has both the style and hardware.” Translation: tuned suspension with 5/8-inch lift, all-terrain rubber, and a slight bump in performance numbers over the regular Pathfinder—295 horses (versus 284) and 270 lb-ft of torque (compared to 259). The fine print on those numbers? “When using premium fuel, due to revised fuel mapping.” The ‘Creek is available in four-by form only.
Watch Episode 1 of the 4×4 Garage Video Series!
4×4 Garage, sponsored by RealTruck, is the new video series that shows you how to make smart modifications to your real-world 4×4. In Episode 1, Four Wheeler’s Christian Hazel tears down the suspension of a 1988 Ford Bronco for a 6-inch Superlift system and dives into the axles to prep them for new 4.88 gears and Eaton Truetrac differentials to support the 37×12.50R17 Falken A/T3W all-terrain tires for awesome performance. To stay up to date on the latest episodes by subscribing to MotorTrend’s YouTube channel today!