Awesome Off-road

Like Odd Tinkering and Rescue & Restore before him, TRG Restoration gave a rusty Tonka truck a new lease on life. But he went one better, and once he cleaned it up and repainted it, he added a 4×4 R/C drivetrain and lifted suspension so it can be driven off-road. The metal body does it no favors in the speed department though.

Building upon the TRX concept, Ram is finally making a production version of this powerful off-road truck. It packs a monster 6.2L supercharged V8 that makes 702hp, launching the truck from 0 to 60 in 4.5 sec. The lifted truck has 11.8″ of clearance, is 6″ wider than a standard Ram 1500, and rides on massive 35″ all-terrain tires.

Zack Nelson and his wife Cambry from JerryRigEverything teamed up with Utah Trikes to develop an alternative to wheelchairs which gives people with disabilities the freedom to roam off-road. The electric quad chair can be equipped with a full suspension and knobby tires, and offers a range up to 35 miles.

This unique off-road lighting system lets you custom configure an LED light bar to your exact needs. Simply install the waterproof power rail, then attach light modules, which come in spot and flood beam widths, amber or white colors, with blackout or frosted faceplates. Rails come in a variety of lengths from 6″ to 50″.

When it comes to extreme action video, Mad Media is at the top of their game. The guys behind the Mint 400 dirt race have now released a pro tool from their arsenal to the public. This adjustable aluminum roll cage mount ensures your GoPro won’t move or fall off while traversing even the most punishing terrain at speed.

Torsus’ rugged bus is designed for carrying passengers in challenging terrain. It’s powered by a 6.9L MAN diesel engine with 4WD and locking differentials, and rides on massive off-road tires. With 15.7″ of ground clearance, and parabolic leaf springs, it can navigate rough surfaces while carrying up to 35 passengers and gear.

This rugged electric skateboard is built for all-terrain riding. It features 4-wheel independent suspension and an impressive 6.1″ ground clearance to take you over the roughest surfaces. It comes in 2WD or 4WD configs, with 2000W or 4000W of power, respectively. Top speed for both boards is 27 mph.

While we’re hoping to get behind of the wheel of the new Land Rover Defender soon, a small group of journalists was invited to take the rugged, yet modern off-roader on a 3-day drive through the harsh terrain of Namibia. Carfection’s Henry Catchpole was one of the lucky few, and shares with us his African odyssey.

Racing expert Rhys Millen and Off Road Racer show off a whole new 4WD vehicle platform that combines parts from rallycross vehicles with a scaled-up UTV chassis to create a faster and stronger off-road racer with trophy truck looks. Its design allows for a wide variety of off-the-shelf turbo-4 engines too.

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.

The little brother to Bruder’s versatile and capable EXP-6, this smaller model is still rugged as hell, ready to take on the most intense off-road conditions. Its suspension offers insane amounts of wheel travel, and its chassis is airtight and sealed to keep debris and water from getting into it.

All-terrain vehicle maker SHERP introduces the latest version of its rugged, short wheelbase off-roader. The new model has a more powerful and fuel-efficient diesel engine, larger 72″ tires, a 30% bigger passenger compartment, more payload space, increased fuel capacity, an a more comfortable cabin.

Gymkhana driver Ken Block shows off another awesome vehicle – this one being an off-roader optimized for the slopes. Ken walks us around this custom Can-Am Maverick X3 Max X RS Turbo RR as he prepares to tear up Baldface on its quick-moving Apache Backcountry LT snowtracks. We can’t wait to see the action video.

Hennessey Performance Engineering amped up the GMC Sierra Denali pickup truck, adding a 2.9L supercharger to its 6.2L V8, taking it from a stock 420hp up to a bonkers 700hp. Combined with a stage-1 off-road package, it gets a 6-inch lift, 20″ wheels, 35″ off-road tires, and a menacing GOLIATH front bumper with LED lighting.

An impressive looking follow-up to the off-roading simulation game MudRunner. In SnowRunner, you’ll hit the most extreme terrain in varying weather conditions, through massive, open environments. You can drive solo, or play with up to four vehicles in co-op multiplayer. The game hits PS4, Xbox One, and PC on 4/28/2020.

A while back, we checked out Grind Hard Plumbing Co.’s awesome amped-up Barbie Power Wheels Jeep aka “Cinderella.” They recently rebuilt its 50 horsepower engine from head to toe, tightened up the steering, and took it out for some frolicking in the snow.

Tesla’s Cybertruck might be getting most of the attention, but well-funded startup Rivian is working on an electric pickup that actually looks like a truck. Its R1T and R1S have offer a neat party trick – the ability to turn on a dime by independently controlling its four motors. It only works on loose terrain, but it’s still awesome.

Off-road vehicle makers Sherp show off their largest variant yet. The Ark is capable of conquering the most extreme terrain. It can overcome obstacles up to 5 feet tall, cross 6 foot gaps, climb a 40º grade, and drive through ice, water, bushes, and swamps, all while transporting up to 22 passengers and crew.

We might have to wait until Spring 2020 to see the new Ford Bronco, but the Bronco R is a hell of a tease. This awesome looking 4×4 from Ford Performance will compete in the Baja 1000 to celebrate Rod Hall and Larry Minor’s legendary 1969 win. It has 14″ of wheel travel in front, 18″ in rear, and is powered by a twin-turbo EcoBoost engine.

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.

Kawasaki’s side-by-side UTV packs 2.5″ Fox shocks, offering 18.6″ of wheel travel in front and 21.1″ in the rear, and has a longer wheelbase and wider footprint than the competition. It rides on enormous 31″ x 10″ tires, wrapped around beadlock rims, and looks particularly badass in Lime Green with Metallic Onyx Black.

Chevrolet’s updated Colorado ZR2 off-road truck features a bold and aggressive new fascia and standard red tow hooks, while retaining its impressive Multimatic DSSV dampers, 2-inch lift, wide track, front and rear locking diffs, skid plates, and more. The truck will make its public debut at the 2019 SEMA show in Las Vegas.

Wide Open Baja offers incredible off-road experiences for adrenaline junkies. Drive a $100,000 purpose-built race buggy on the same treacherous dirt and rock trails that comprise the famed Baja 1000 course, and enjoy restful evenings after each days’ thrills.