4x4 Magazine wishes all of our readers, fans, partners, supporters and contributors a very happy, prosperous new year full of well-being and joy!
Please stay with us for 2012 also at www.4x4magazine.asia
or
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Sunday, January 1, 2012
Friday, December 23, 2011
UNIMOGS HELP FLOOD VICTIMS IN THAILAND
Mercedes-Benz Thailand is helping the Thai government
combat the effects of the flood by providing two all-terrain Unimog
all-wheel-drive vehicles. Now that the floodwaters are receding, crews have
begun to clean up Bangkok – a task that might take weeks or even months to
complete. This is a task for which Mercedes-Benz-Unimogs are ideally suited.
They will help to transport debris from areas that would otherwise be
inaccessible.
Mercedes-Benz Thailand officially handed the vehicles
over to the Thai Red Cross Society on December 23. The ceremony was attended by
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand. She is also
known as the Princess of Technology, due to her interest in and knowledge of
new technologies and how they can benefit her country.
Unimogs have been selected for the cleanup task because
the vehicle has special characteristics, in particular the ability to ford
unusually deep waters of up to 1,200 mm. Says Gerald Buechler, the manager in
charge of the project at Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks, “As a result of a
concerted action by all of the relevant units at Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks,
it took us only ten working days to complete all of the preparations for
transporting the two UNIMOG U4000 trucks by air.”
Thursday, December 22, 2011
PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT
Following the market launch of their full-size counterparts, detailed
miniatures of the new Mercedes M-Class have become the latest additions to the
Mercedes-Benz Collection. The efficient off-roader is available as high-grade
miniatures in scale 1:87, 1:43 and 1:18. Developed in collaboration with renowned
manufacturers Busch, Herpa, Minichamps and Norev, these collectors' models are
being sold through Mercedes-Benz outlets, Mercedes-Benz dealerships, the
Mercedes-Benz Museum and the online shop.
As
is customary for the Mercedes-Benz Collection, a huge amount of emphasis was
placed on authenticity. It's why the model cars are available in many of the
original paintwork colours and with popular special equipment features such as
ILS headlamps and panoramic roofs. The miniatures in scale 1:43 and 1:18 even
have the same interior trims as their full-size equivalents. The front doors
and tailgate and the bonnet and boot lid of the 1:18 models can be opened.
Even the miniature vehicles bearing the three-pointed star are produced
with enormous attention to detail – so much so that they even stand up to
comparison with their full-size counterparts. But before that stage is reached,
much work has to be done. The developers first turn their attention to the
original, using state-of-the-art CAD technology to precisely map the basic
shape and size. Modelling specialists then modify and process this information
for use on a smaller scale. Only then can the exact configuration of the model
car begin. Certain special equipment features are also replicated from the
real-life originals – from the engine and the interior trim to the choice of
alloy wheels. A detailed photo of the door hinge is just as important in the
overall scheme as one of the cockpit controls and the texture of the
leather-upholstered seats.
In a painstaking process, the modelling experts integrate the countless
individual photos of the genuine article into the CAD data and use them for a
final comparison with the original. It can take up to three months to go
through this development process and to achieve the aim of getting as close to
the original as possible. Extremely ambitious considering that a finished model
car in scale 1:18 is made up of up 120 individual parts.
Once the
design is perfect, work begins on the moving parts. The boot lid, bonnet and
doors all have to open and close in the same way as the original. It
can take up to four months to develop the first working model – another three
to four months is invested in the 'first shot', the initial, unpainted metal
model. Only now is the miniature ready for series production.
1 DAY15 HOURS 54 MINS
After thousands of hours of planning, preparation and hard work the
Thomson Reuters Polar Vehicle expedition team smashed the world record for the
fastest land crossing to the South Pole on 20 December 2011. The previous
record stood at 69 hrs and 21mins – amazingly the TRV powered to the Pole in
just 39 hrs and 54mins!
On 14 December 2011, exactly 100 years since Amundsen became the first
man to reach the South Pole, a three man team (polar explorer Jason De
Carteret, Lotus engineer Kieron Bradley and Canadian contest winner Jason
Thomas) wanted to break the world record for the fastest overland crossing to
the Pole.
Their first official record attempt started at 13.30 GMT on 12
December, but the weather has worked against them. Due to the heavy snowfall
the visibility was almost zero, so after checking the weather report and
forecast for another couple of hundreds kilometers, the team came to the
conclusion to return to Patriot Hills and wait for the weather to clear up.
In the camp at Union Glacier the team had to repair both front-end
wishbones and their associated parts and they planned the second official
attempt for 17 December. Meantime Jason Thomas had to leave the team because of
his flight back to Chile and then to Toronto. Finally, one day later on Sunday,
18 December at 20.42 (GMT) the team set off and arrived on 20 December at 12.36
(GMT) to the bottom of the world in record time 39 hours and 54 minutes.
Sponsored by global information company, Thomson Reuters, the team used
a revolutionary new concept vehicle designed by Ian Nisbett Design Ltd (IND)
based on Toyota Tacoma. The concept vehicle has been designed with two goals -
to break the Antarctic crossing speed record, and also to act as a blueprint
and inspiration for a new era in faster, safer and more environmentally
friendly polar travel.
The vehicle features a bioethanol fuelled, 390-horsepower supercharged
V6 four-liter engine paired with a five-speed automatic transmission and state
of the art solar and wind turbine energy systems. The cabin is crush proof with
both internal and external cages, while integrated crevasse bars and snow
anchors are employed against the dangers in Antarctica. Oversized ice specific
tires and heavy duty, adjustable suspension maintain speed and agility, while
the interior houses live GPS tracking and navigation enhanced with vehicle and
safety monitoring systems.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
PATHFINDER RE-IMAGINED
The Nissan
Pathfinder Concept, which is set for its world debut at the 2012 North American
International Auto Show beginning on January 9th, takes all of Pathfinder's
traditional SUV hallmarks and wraps them in a new platform and dramatic new
aerodynamic body.
With thoughtful technology, comfortable seating for
seven and ample cargo room, the 4-wheel drive Pathfinder Concept previews the
next-gen production Pathfinder that is scheduled to go on sale next fall.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
PANAMERICANA IN RECORD TIME
Rainer
Zietlow and his team have set a new course record in the renowned Carretera
Panamericana race with a driving time of just 11 days, 17 hours and 22 minutes,
driving a Volkswagen Touareg 3.0-litre V6 TDI.
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