Anytime you take big iron off the beaten path you’re in for some fun. Sure, some vehicles like bulldozers are generally king of the hill when it comes to industrial off-roading, but never underestimate a good four-wheel drive tractor with a big honkin’ diesel up front. The video you are about to see shows one of the best 4×4 saves I’ve ever seen. Now keep in mind, I have no idea where or when this was filmed, but what I do know is that if I came across a rig that was 75% submerged in a river, the odds of me walking away would be pretty damn good. As for the driver of this tractor though, well, lets just say he had other plans.

Source: Streetfire.net

I always find it amazing how there are times when shear determination will override commonsense and the need for self-preservation. Take Tim Cameron for example – he’s the owner of this wickedly cool rock crawler that wouldn’t take no for an answer when it came time to climbing this hill. Upon his initial ascent Tim unfortunately broke his RCV shaft which turned his four-wheeler, into a three-wheeler. Undeterred however Tim pressed on, but instead of conquering the hill he ended up breaking both front axles and the rear drive shaft thus ending his day. There is no question that these buggies are very cool and ungodly powerful, but I can’t help but think that poor Tim’s wallet is going to hit him over the head hard when he pulls this thing apart.

Source: TheSmokingTire.com

For the last two years I have been taking still photographs for a personal project entitled ‘It’s Better In The Wind,’ all the while collecting video footage from each ride as we traveled around the Western United States together. I have been slowly editing the footage into a visual scrapbook of sorts for those who partook, and those who followed us via the web. No preaching the triumphs and failures of the motorcycle industry, no divisive commentary between manufacturers and styles…just a collection of imagery that will hopefully inspire more people to take to the road and discover what there is outside of our respective communities. Chuck Ragan was kind enough to collaborate with me to write an original soundtrack for the film, to give me some anthemic tunes to edit with, and I can’t thank him enough for the kind gesture towards a fellow traveler. Please, enjoy the film, everybody who took part in it is family, we are all grateful for your support these past two years while we tried to build a concept around the positive nature of motorcycling.

- Chuck Ragan

Source: chromjuwelen.com

Jeep is proclaiming its “Call of Duty – Modern Warfare 3 Edition” Jeep Wrangler the toughest vehicle in the world, and the staged footage in the video below would tend to support that. On the other hand, staged footage isn’t real life, just like being able to smoke the enemy in COD doesn’t make you a stone cold killer.

An open-top Jeep wouldn’t be my ride of choice when being chased by assault-rifle firing bad guys in a former Soviet bloc military vehicle. Even with a brush guard in place, a Jeep Wrangler isn’t going to emerge unscathed after tangling with a chunk of corrugated steel at 40 mph or so, and an RPG is going to do a bit more damage than what’s portrayed in the video.

I’m not dissing the Jeep Wrangler, since it remains one of the most capable (and durable) SUVs on the planet. Still, when you release a trailer like this, you open yourself up to all kinds of trouble from buyers who wreck their Jeeps driving up stone stairs at 30 miles per hour, facing down a tank, and then going head to head with an attack helicopter.

Since Jeep didn’t pass along this helpful advice, I will: don’t try this stuff at home.

I swear, the military gets all the coolest toys. Earlier today we showed you a pretty trick floating bus that was designed to take tourists all over the city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands via their surrounding waterway. Now however, it’s time for something with a bit more grunt, a lot more speed and gun mounts. This is an Alvis Stalwart, an amphibious military truck that served with the British Army. It has the capacity to carry a payload of 9-tons, is capable of traversing almost any terrain thanks to its 6-wheel drive system and once it hits the water, it can cruise up to 6-knots thanks to its vectored thrust water-jet propulsion units. The Alvis Stalwarts are no longer in military service, however that has no bearing on the fact that we’d love to have one here in the Ridelust garage.

Source: Youtube.com

Let’s face it: if you’re a guy, you could look at giant, bouncing Tatras all day long. In fact, it’s really hard not to stare, and to call them “distracting” is a vast understatement. After all, who wants to get work done when you could be watching ten minutes of jiggling Tatra action on You Tube?

Tatra, in case you don’t know the brand, is a Czech manufacturer of heavy duty trucks and military vehicles. A subset of the population, namely those with a strong death wish, finds racing these giant, lumbering beasts in the farthest corners of the globe to be good fun. Perhaps the only people crazier than the drivers are the fans, who crowd the course to get a better look at something the size of a Miami Beach condo, coming towards them at speeds normally associated with aircraft.

The video below gives you highlights of the Loprais Tatra Team’s exploits over the past five years. I guarantee you’ll see more Tatras that you ever though possible, and I guarantee you’ll want to watch the video over and over again. Go ahead and stare: we won’t think any less of you.

Source: You Tube

When Ford initially launched the SVT Raptor back in 2009, its promo videos would have led you to believe the truck was ten-feet-tall and bulletproof. While close, even the stoutest off-roaders have their weak points, and in the case of the Raptor this appeared to be the rear frame. After 10 of 14 trucks on a a single high speed desert run reported bent frames, Ford was quick to point out that the trucks suffering damage hit something hard, at speed. Besides, Ford said, all the trucks made it home, which wouldn’t have happened if a stouter frame caused the shock mounting points to fail.

Ford has upped the Raptor’s ante for 2012, and it now comes with a Torsen front differential for even better climbing ability. There’s also an industry-first front view camera system, which allows a driver to pick a line through a boulder field or up a steep, rocky trail. Ford show’s off the new Raptor’s capability in the video below, but you’ll notice it depicts lower speeds and less flight time than earlier promo vids.

We’re still fans of the Raptor, warts and all, since there’s nothing else like it in a new car showroom today. If you want a stouter truck, you’ll have to build it yourself, and we’re guessing it’ll be quite a bit more than the Raptor’s $43,000 starting price.

Source: YouTube

Whatever mad genius inside Ford’s SVT group was ultimately behind the development of the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor, we salute you. No one else could have pulled off the idea of a hot-rod, off-road pickup truck, and sales have been brisk since the truck made its debut back in 2009.

There have been a few well-documented problems along the way, most notably a group of off-road enthusiasts who experienced bent frames after a high-speed desert run. Ford is quick to point out that the trucks were still drivable with a bent frame, but if a rear shock failed or tore loose, that may not have been the case. Despite the type of hoonage depicted in video ads for the Raptor, Ford insists that the truck isn’t bulletproof, and that if you hit something hard, at speed, damage will most likely result.

For 2012, then, Ford is shifting focus away from high-speed pre-running and onto rock crawling, boosting the Raptor’s off-road resume. The truck gets a Torsen front differential, which will better distribute power from a wheel with no traction to the front wheel with traction. This will boost the Raptors rock-crawling ability, but will also help it scale steep grades and get though mud, snow and sand.

There’s an off-road camera system for 2012 as well, designed to let the driver see exactly what’s in front of his truck. It broadcasts live video to the navigation system display, and can serve as backup to having a spotter when the going gets particulrly tough. Ford knows that Raptor owners will be playing in the mud, so the camera system even boasts a dedicated washer function.

Image: Ford Motor Company

Aside from those changes, there’s a new color (Race Red), a new interior trim accent package in blue anodized, new wheels (that have inside-mounted weights for protection from rocks and debris) and new exterior graphics. The graphics now feature a gloss, matte and textured finish, which Ford describes as giving a “racing” and “off road” feel. We love the Raptor, but could do without the graphics; making them even bolder for 2012 just doesn’t do it for us. Of course a few hours with a heat gun would solve the problem entirely, but we wish Ford would give customers the option of “graphics delete.”

Ford hasn’t priced the 2012 Raptors yet, but don’t be surprised if they cost a few dollars more than last year’s models.

Source: Ford

The Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen. Image: Mercedes-Benz

If you’re Mercedes-Benz and you’re launching a new version of the legendary Geländewagen in Australia, you probably want to demonstrate how rugged and off-road capable your new truck is. What better way to do so than to pick a trail known to be among the most challenging in the world, like the Canning Stock Route that traverses the unforgiving Australian Outback? Some 1,150 miles long, the Canning Stock Route was used by early 20th century ranchers to get cattle to market. It really hasn’t been improved in the century since, and driving its length is a strain on both driver and machine.

Mercedes-Benz had such confidence in their new G-Wagen that they shipped in seven to drive the Canning Stock Route from end to end in a planned 14 days. The good news is that all seven remained “drivable under their own power;” the bad news is that only one, a heavy-duty version designed for military use made the journey intact. Six of the seven G-Wagens suffered broken rear shock absorbers on the seventh day of the trek, requiring Mercedes to fly replacement parts in on chartered aircraft. The sole survivor was a G-Wagen G-Professional model that Mercedes was considering importing into Australia. I’d say that demonstration proves there’s a a viable market for it down under.

Source: Autoblog

Have you ever wanted a vehicle that was capable of tackling the toughest off-road terrain while at the same time giving you the feeling the pure exclusivity? Well look no further because the Rally Fighter from Local Motors may just be the ride for you. Designed using a collective influence model and powered by a 430 hp GM V8, the Rally Fighter is a vehicle that definitely performs as well as it looks. Translogic’s Bradley Hasemeyer spent the day with Local Motor’s co-founder and CEO Jay Rogers to discuss not only how the Rally Fighter came into being, but how it’s built process is one of the most efficient in the industry.

To find out more about the Rally Fighter head on over to Local-Motors.com, and make sure to click through for the video

Source: Autoblog.com