Some good news for Wrangler enthusiasts

Defender owners have their cross to bear with that DC100 concept running around, clearly signaling that Land Rover intends to dilute the Defender name. Jeep Wrangler owners have had their own cross to bear in the form of ongoing suggestions that the vehicle will be built in Italy or, even worse, hung on a Fiat platform for its next generation. However, the big boss, Sergio Marchionne, insists Wrangler production won't take place outside of Toledo, Ohio. Anything else was "unthinkable", he said. The factory can build about 160,000 vehicles a year. As for a Fiat platform, surely you wouldn't think so.

Yes, well it's different

Spotted this at the Nissan dealer in Edinburgh. It's the V6 Navara we're getting in the new year (see the item below) and has this weird canopy, available as an accessory in the UK. It looks okay, if you like that sort of thing, but the raked back really cuts into the usable space. Don't expect to see it in New Zealand.

Letter from abroad

4wdNewz is currently in London, staying in the upmarket Little Venice area. This must be England's off-road capital of the rich. Every second vehicle is a black Range Rover or Range Rover Sport. There's barely a common Discovery to be seen, and as for Japanese 4WDs … well, it seems like there aren't any. I did see a short wheelbase Series III behind one gate, but it must have been a pet; its garage-mates were a Lamborghini and an Aston Martin DB9.

Nissan to reclaim ute torque supremacy in Feb

Nissan's D40 Navara with the 550Nm Renault V6 will go on sale in February, reclaiming the title of torquiest Japanese ute that it lost to the new 470Nm Ford Ranger and Mazda BT-50. The 450Nm Navara previously held the title. Does anyone need 550Nm in a one-tonne ute? Probably not, and even Nissan's New Zealand boss, John Manley, admitted to 4wdNewz today that he expects it to be a low volume "hero" model. Perhaps even more interesting than the torque-dripping engine will be its seven-speed automatic, derived from the one in the 370Z sports car.

And for those wondering when the new Patrol will be here, the answer is: not for ages. It's not even available in RHD yet.