Ferrari Four-Wheel-Drive (4WD)

It’s Forza Ferrari! Meet the FF, Ferrari’s replacement for the 612 Scaglietti. Not only is the newcomer an all-new model, it’s also the company’s most powerful four-seater ever, as well as its first ever four-wheel-drive car.

The FF - an acronym for Ferrari Four (four seats and four-wheel drive) – is described by Ferrari as a car that “represents not so much an evolution as a true revolution”.

And that includes an all-new naturally aspirated 6.3-litre V12 with direct injection. The unit produces 651bhp at 8,000rpm and an impressive 683Nm at 6,000rpm. Performance is suitably rapid, with 0-62mph taking 3.7 seconds, and a top speed of 208mph. The 612 managed the sprint in four seconds and hit 199mph flat out.

Drive is fed via a transaxle-mounted dual-clutch F1 gearbox, but the big news is the FF’s patented four-wheel-drive system. Called 4RM, Ferrari claims the system weighs 50 per cent less than a conventional all-wheel drive transmission, and helps to maintain a 47:53 weight distribution, although is yet to detail whether the system features conventional driveshafts or uses electric motors to power the front wheels.

The FF’s drivetrain is integrated with the car’s electronic dynamic control systems, and Ferrari claims it “delivers record levels of performance on all terrains and in all conditions”.

Despite the addition of four-wheel drive, the FF weighs 1,790kg – 50kg less than its predecessor. That also helps curb fuel consumption, with the FF returning 18.3mpg and 360g/km when specced with the HELE stop-start system, down from 13.8mpg and 470g/km respectively.

Completing the FF’s dynamic package, is Ferrari’s latest SCM3 adaptive dampers and Brembo’s new carbon-ceramic brakes.

As for the striking design, the FF was penned by Pininfarina, under the guidance of Ferrari’s styling chief Flavio Manzoni. It breaks with tradition by offering a unique two-door hatchback. The newcomer measures 4,907mm long, 1,953mm wide and 1,374mm high, making it longer, but narrower and taller than the 612.

Mercedes G63 AMG 6X6

Mercedes have unveiled a monstrous new rugged off-roader with six wheels - their first since a similar model was produced for the Nazis in 1930s Germany.

The outrageous Mercedes G63 AMG 6x6 is a limited edition model based on the iconic G-Wagon.

It has been designed to have the off-road capabilities of a tank, accelerate like a hot hatch and provide the luxury feel of a limousine.

To give it brutal acceleration, Mercedes has replaced the standard G Wagon's 3-litre diesel engine with a twin-turbocharged 5.5-litre V8.

The result is a 536bhp behemoth which is capable of 0-62mph in less than six seconds - despite measuring 19ft in length, weighing 3.85 tons.

Mercedes claims the 6x6 - which has 37 inch wheels - can negotiate rocky terrain with 'all the agility of a mountain goat', while fording a river is 'almost child's play'.

They add: 'Anyone exploring the on-road performance is certain to be impressed by the catapult-like acceleration of this 3.85-tonne pickup.'

However, the 6x6 comes with a massive £350,000 price-tag - making it the most expensive model in the Mercedes range and three-times as pricey as a typical G Wagon.

The off-roader, which is likely to be most popular in the Middle-East, will be limited to around 30 sales per year.

The new model is not the first six-wheel off-roader from the German firm, with Hitler owning eight during the Third Reich. 

The G4 was a heavy-duty off-road car Mercedes produced for the German army between 1934 and 1939. 

Mercedes built 57 G4s during this period with heads of state and top military brass regarding them as a 'prestige all-terrain vehicle'.

Rare: It is understood there are just three G4 models in existence which are absolutely authentic although other models have been rebuilt

Hitler was a huge fan and had eight of the six-wheeled cars, with a number located at his various castles around Germany. 

However, unlike the new Mercedes G63 AMG, the G4 wasn't six-wheel drive with power only sent to the rear four wheels. 

It is understood there are just three models in existence which are absolutely authentic although other models have been rebuilt. One of these models is owned by the Spanish royal family after Hitler gave it to General Franco in 1939.

Ford Ranger 2012

A revelation in the ute world, the Ranger is almost certain to give Ford its long-awaited lift out of the doldrums. The Ranger, destined for more than 180 countries on five continents, will come in three cab styles: double, super and single and in cab chassis and pickup bodies.

Then there are 4x2 and 4x4 drivetrains, two ride heights, two transmissions and three engine choices: a new 110kW/375Nm 2.2-litre Duratorq turbodiesel four, a 3.2-litre Duratorq turbodiesel five cylinder with 147kW and 470Nm and a 2.5-litre Duratec petrol four with 122kW and 225Nm. The engines are designed to run on a variety of locally blended fuels with different octane ratings in the various markets.

It's choc-full of technology, with some models boasting innovations like trailer sway control, adaptive load control, a rear-view camera that's built into the blue oval badge on the back and rear park assist.

Another clever move is that the battery is charged on deceleration, freeing the engine of a fuel-robbing generator. There's also hill descent control, hill launch control and, for really rough patches, a diff' lock.

Official fuel consumption  figures for the 3.2-litre are 8.4 litres/100km for the 4x2 variant and 9.6 litres/100km on the 4x4. Safety gear includes stability control that includes four-wheel traction control, yaw control and roll-over mitigation.

They will be built in Thailand, South Africa and Argentina.

DESIGN

The hi-tech Ranger is longer, taller and wider than the earlier version, has a frame twice as stiff and the 3.2 model has a class-leading towing capacity of 3350kg and a payload of 1500kg. It also has the deepest cargo box, lined and able to hold 1.21 cubic metres.

Interior storage includes up to 20 pockets and nooks. There are bottle-shaped pockets in all four doors can easily fit water bottles and a deep centre console with cooling feature. Also, the glovebox can hold a laptop computer. There's also a hidden storage area for electronic items and small packages under the back seats.

Bluetooth, USB and iPod2 integration and voice control over the radio, CD, iPod, USB, and mobile phone are standard on all models, likewise cruise control.

Dual-zone climate control is fitted to all XLT and Wildtrak models and the range-leading Wildtrak 4x4 will come with a five-inch colour screen with satellite navigation and rear parking camera.

DRIVING

The large glass-surrounded cab easily copes with five 2.0m tall adults and the quietness inside rivals that of a upspec' sedan. The easy-driving five has loads of grunt and switching between 2WD and 4WDH and L is via a rotary switch, and can be done on the fly.

FORD RANGER XL AND XLT DUAL-CAB 4WD

Warranty: 3-years/100,000km

Service interval: 15,000km/12 months

Safety: N/A

Engine: 3.2-litre, 5-cylinder common-rail direct-injection turbodiesel, 147kW/470Nm

Body: 4-door utility

Weight: 1795-2159kg

Transmission: 6-speed manual or 6-speed auto, four-wheel drive

Thirst: 8.9-9.6l/100km, CO2 235-256g/km