Awesome 4×4

Ford Performance amps up the already impressive Ford Bronco with a model fine-tuned for high-speed desert hijinx and rock crawling. It packs a 3.0L twin-turbo V6 that makes at least 400 hp, a Raptor HOSS 4.0 suspension system, and rides on 37″ all-terrain tires. It’s also a whopping 9.8″ wider than a base 4-door Bronco.

Enter to win this one-of-a-kind Ford Bronco RTR, and help support restoration efforts for Dearborn, Michigan’s Fair Lane: Home of Clara and Henry Ford. The custom Big Bend Bronco is loaded with RTR upgrades selected by champion drifter Vaughn Gittin, Jr. Awesomer readers get 30% bonus entries. Sweepstakes ends 12.20.21.

Like many 4×4 fans, we’ve been dying to get behind the wheel of the new Ford Bronco. Well, we finally got our wish times two with a chance to drive both the 2-door and 4-door versions in the same week. Suffice it to say, we were blown away by the SUV’s design, ride, and capabilities in both on- and off-road settings.

Ford Performance will make just 50 of its $200,000 Bronco DR, a production desert racer with a 5.0L Coyote V8. Ready to race, it has a roll cage, Multimatic suspension with 15.8″ front travel and 17.4″ rear travel, and body and chassis upgrades to handle high-speed off-road travel in the Baja 1000. It rides on massive 37-inch BFG tires.

We love Traxxas’ classic 1979 Bronco, and we’re equally smitten with their latest R/C Ford off-roader, based on the 2021 Bronco Wildtrak. The 1/10-scale 4×4 rides on the rugged TRX-4 chassis, with steel frame rails, aluminum shocks, floor pans, portal axles, a high/low transmission, and is powered by a high-torque brushed motor.

Inspired by the Defender Works V8 Trophy, Land Rover will make just 220 of the 2022 Defender Trophy Edition. Based on the Defender 110 P400 X-Dynamic SE, it has a special yellow and black wrap, black trim and wheels, air suspension, an 11.4-inch touchscreen, the Cold Climate, Off-road, and Advanced Off-road Capability packs.

The new Ford Bronco is one of the most desired off-road vehicles in decades. Now you could win a Bronco Wildtrak, complete with the Sasquatch package. One lucky entrant will win this fully-loaded Cyber Orange Bronco while supporting the Museum of Boulder with their donation. Awesomer readers get 25% bonus entries.

This custom 4-door Jeep Wrangler features a sturdy hardtop with mini windows and a roof rack that remind us more than a little of a classic Land Rover Defender. It also has painted steel wheels, limb riser wires, quad door steps, and a winch. The 4×4 can be equipped with 3.6L V6, 3.0L turbo diesel, or a 392ci V8 engine.

Grind Hard Plumbing Co. continues to upgrade and retrofit their insane 100hp Power Wheels Jeep. For extra winter fun, they swapped out its tires and replaced them with Camso UTV tracks that can tear through snow like it’s nothing. Though they don’t seem to be the most durable things.

Jeep hasn’t made a Wrangler with a V8 since 1981, but is teasing us with a concept 4×4 that packs a 6.4L engine making 450 hp and 450 lb-ft. of torque. It also rocks a 2-inch lift kit, Dana 44 axles, electric front- and rear-axle lockers, 37″ mud-terrain tires, and a sub-5 second 0-to-60 time. Here’s hoping they put it into production.

Just like a real 4×4, if you’re going to take your R/C vehicle off-road, it needs proper tires. Traxxas is showing off their extreme new Sledgehammer tires. Designed for their badass Rustler 4×4 VXL, the oversize tires increase ground clearance, and have an open-block pattern for traction and mud-clearing on the most rugged terrain.

This limited-edition version of Jeep’s 4×4 truck has been upgraded for high-speed off-roading. It has a desert-tuned suspension with FOX hydraulic jounce bumpers and 2.5″ internal bypass shocks, along with a 1″ front lift, a reinforced frame, a front skid plate, and rides on 33″ Falken Wildpeak all-terrain tires.

ICON 4×4 has introduced a stripped-down version of its hand-built Toyota truck tribute. The FJ40 Roadster Edition is all about purity of experience. To trim weight, it has no doors, a fabric roof, and no A/C. But it still rocks a 6.2-liter GM V8 that makes 430hp, and a rugged, lifted suspension that’s ready to dominate any terrain.

We spent some time in Wyoming putting GMC’s 2020 trucks through their paces, including the Sierra 1500 AT4 on a dirt and rock course. It has a 2” lift, a 2-speed transfer case, Rancho monotube shocks, skid plates, a locking rear diff, and is now available with a 3.0L Duramax turbo diesel, making 277 hp and 460 lb-ft. of torque.

We managed to get our grubby little paws on the Ford Performance F-150 Raptor, and were blown away by just how good this truck is at everything. It hauls ass, handles any terrain, and offers a supremely comfortable ride on-road thanks to its new Fox suspension. Read on for our full take on this monster of a truck.

We recently spent the day at one of our favorite off-road spots in the Midwest – Badlands Park in Attica, Illinois. There, we were given free-reign to explore acres upon acres of challenging terrain behind the wheel of the 2020 Jeep Gladiator, and 2019 Ram 2500 Power Wagon.

Recently we went to Moab, Utah with our friends at BFGoodrich to check out the sights and sounds of the Easter Jeep Safari. Held every April, Jeeps from all over the country descend on the remote desert town to hit the trails, see old friends, and live the Jeep life.

Inspired by the classic 1960s truck bearing the same name, the 21st century Jeep Gladiator has the 4×4 capabilities of a Wrangler, with a 5-foot truck bed. It can be equipped with a removable roof, its doors can be popped off, its windshield folds down, and it rides on up to 35″ tires.

People often use the terms 4-wheel drive and all-wheel drive interchangeably, but that’s just wrong. The Team O’Neil Rally School explains how the two types of drivetrains differ. Proper 4x4s might be better at off-roading, but modern AWD systems are typically more versatile.

We spent a day off-roading in Toyota’s latest Tacoma, Tundra, and 4Runner TRD Pro series. All three now ride on rugged FOX shocks and are ready to take on just about any terrain you can throw at ’em. Check out our running footage, then read on for more.

The RZR RS1 is based on the RZR XP 1000 but with a lighter chassis and a center-cockpit setup. That means better visibility and stability, especially when ripping through corners. It has a 110hp 4-stroke twin cylinder engine, 16″ travel front suspension and 18″ travel rear suspension.

Outfitter Iron and Resin teamed up with 4×4 restorers New Legend to bring this classic 1972 International Scout II back to life, loading it up with a modern GM LS 5.3L engine, a leather and waxed canvas interior, modern roof racks, a swing-out motorcycle mount, and more.

Honda’s concept autonomous ATV is designed to work like a robotic pack mule, carrying loads to work sites, and also performing tasks like plowing snow, tilling soil, or harvesting crops with attachment modules. It’s rugged, has a 4-wheel drivetrain, and runs on electric power.

The Jeep Wrangler JL combined visual cues from the CJ line with a ton of modern conveniences and updates including a powered soft top option, a convenient fold-down windshield and a choice of 2.0L turbo I4, 3.6L V6, and 3.0L V6 diesel engines.

UTVUnderground and MadMedia let off-roader RJ Anderson go absolutely bonkers in a highly-modified 2017 Polaris RZR XP Turbo EPS UTV, taking on treacherous terrain and manmade ramps, culminating in a sideways ride around the WALL OF DEATH, and an epic backflip.

Toyota’s most rugged mid-size pickup yet, the new Tacoma TRD Pro rides on 2.5″ FOX Shocks, is wider, taller, has a 35º approach angle, and a 1/4″ skid plate to protect components. We dig the blacked out grille, hood scoop, and overfenders. Read our full review on 95octane.