A massive thanks to Phil for sharing all of his great advice on the history and how to drive this amazing Australian track.
This was going to be my new Ute. The rumours were that it was going to have a new 3.6 litre Petrol engine with a lot more power. The Ecoboost engine was meant to have 336kW and 690Nm. The new diesel has 147kW and 470Nm.
We discuss with Robert Pepper, renowned 4WD journalist about -
We also look at the shocks, gearbox and the tyres. At least with BF Goodrich tyres is a serious statement from Ford that the Raptor is meant to go offroad.
When first announced, people were putting deposits down on the Raptor without knowing the price, which is pretty amazing. How will the reaction be once people know what the specs are going to be.
It will be interesting to see how the Baja mode works, it does sound like it will be a bit of fun to drive offroad, but the other question is where can we take one of these to really give it a good go and drive it to it's full potential.
We also talk about how some of the pressures of modern vehicle design are shaping what is possible for vehicle designers. The smaller engine is part of a trend. It is a bit of a surprise that it is a diesel. We've spoken before about the death of diesel.
The reaction to the engine size has not been great, it will be interesting to see what the final price for the Raptor ends up as. It will be more expensive than the Wildtrak, but just how much will be interesting to see.
Robert gives an example of how the comparing engine and gearbox pairings and how the performance of the new 10 speed gearbox in the Raptor will be really important to how powerful the Raptor feels. The bi-turbo will also assist with off the line performance.
What is the future of big engine 4WDs and cars in general?
Between 1,500 and 2,000 a year do the Canning Stock Route. What is there to see and what is there to do when travelling the CSR.
We talk with Canning Stock Route expert, Phil Binachi about the activities and attractions on the stock route.
The dune systems are an amazing site and an amazing driving experience.
There is a large amount of aboriginal art some of which is incredibly old.
There are of course, the wells and a number of graves.
We discuss the work of Track Care and how they are working to maintain the tracks.
Phil talks about how the 4 wheel drivers are working together with conservationalists to ensure ongoing access to the tracks.
We discuss the concept of 4WD Tourism and the effect that it has on the economy of Australia as a whole and for rural towns in particular.
We talk about the access to the Canning Stock Route. What parts are open and which parts are effected by the weather.
We answer the big question - how long should you take to do the Canning Stock Route and which way should you travel the Canning?
North to South or South to North, which way should you go? Phil talks about where you can get your repairs done, which is a bit factor in travelling the Canning. It is 1,800kms and there is a high chance of vehicle damage, so thinking about repairs is an important part of doing the Canning.
Phil Bianchi is a historian and 4 wheel driver who has documented a lot of history of the Canning Stock Route and he has driven the route many times.
From Wiluna to Halls Creek, it runs 1850 kms and was first surveyed in 1906.
We discuss Alfred Canning and his initial trip to survey the Canning Stock Route and the expedition to build the stock route.
The history of the Canning Stock Route is fascinating, with murders, sabotage,Beef barons and a Royal Commission.
We talk about the initial survey and the Royal Commission that followed. Some of the documents from these early times are still locked up in Government Departments.
In 1908, Canning started construction creating a lot of issues with the local Aboriginals.
This is a fascinating discussion about the history of this iconic 4 wheel drive track.