ROAD 14: 4x4 Off Road Special

Welcome to the first 4×4, off (& on) road, green lane special of www.roadmagazine.co.uk – this month, binning the tempting track tarmac, or ace A-road asphalt, in favour of nice bit of green lane by-way action.

If you’ve never ventured onto one of Europe’s amazing oldfashioned by-ways – open to ALL traffic, legally – then you need to sort that ASAP: It’s one of the most fun things you can do in your motoring life: Low speed kicks at their best.

Of course, you can’t just take your Porsche off-roading (unless its a Cayenne that is), so you need the right tool for the job… a rugged, tough 4×4, with low ratio differentials, huge ride height and proper boots on – essential green lane tools.

We’ve got three absolutely cracking 4×4’s here for you: Toyota’s big, burly and bionic TD V8 Land Cruiser, Isuzu’s “farmer’s choice” Rodeo & Mitsubishi’s sensational Shogun LWB.

Off course, 4×4’s don’t just do off-roading these days, they are comfortable, well mannered and stylish on the road too. And to prove this, we took Mitsubishi’s Shogun into Buckingham Palace, to meet the queen, for an MBE! No, really, we did! Enjoy our town and country issue folks! What-ho!