High octane super Jeep arrives: buy it and fly it

The new Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 has drifted into town wearing a $106,990 price tag. This Street and Racing Technology version is powered by the new 6.4-litre Hemi V8 engine producing 344kW and 624Nm of torque (4.8 seconds 0-100) and has fuel saving MDS cylinder shutdown to help get it between pumps. Fuel consumption is rated at 13 litres per 100km overall, which is quite good for an engine of this output, but Jeep recommends it be run on 98 octane go lotion. And don't plan on off-roading it as the suspension has been lowered and those expensive 20 inch rims won't mix well with rocks and tree roots.

Anyone for some winter safaris?

Checking the calendar of events in the latest 4x4 Action Adventure magazine, it seems the tag-along safari season's well and truly over. Good news, though, for the trials, off-road racing and winching enthusiasts whose coming months look busy. I know all the potential problems with winter safaris, but it would be great to have a few to keep non-competition types amused. After such a lousy summer, in the north at least, maybe winter's going to be dry and mild. I bet I'm not the only one who stayed away from many of the summer offerings because the idea of a day of slithering followed by a night of tenting in the rain has lost much of its allure.