Approach Angle 17.1 - Fresh Calendar
By Budd Stanley
I know when you read this, the “new car smell” of a new year will already be wearing off, but as I am writing this in early January, it seems wrong not to feel excited about the start of a fresh calendar. And so I should, as 2015 is looking like it will be a great year for the 4WD community.
For one, there is a lot to look forward to in the new car world. I can’t remember a year when there were so many all-new 4WD’s tumbling onto the scene all at once. I just happen to be writing this editorial in the Detroit International Airport, still exhausted and 4WD-drunk from the massive quantity of trucks that were tossed in front of my face (and camera) over a two day binge of flash, pomp, circumstance, shiny metal and scantily clad models.
I can feel the manufacturers PR people loading up new product launches like a firing squad with a machine gun, ready to strafe the press corps with a constant barrage of fresh new 4WD metal. Nissan’s new Cummins powered Titan will be one of the first and perhaps most interesting launches, and we can’t wait to see what this Japanese-American partnership will yield. Likewise, one of our favourites, the Tacoma is getting a long deserved refresh and Ram is going Raptor fighting with a new 1500. Not to mention, Ford let us in on what the next generation Raptor will look like. As such, this issue is pretty new vehicle heavy as NAIAS hit us with a sneak peak of the whole year to come, but if it's the trail reports and older 4WD’s you’re savouring, not to worry.
Future issues in 2015 will have us revisiting some projects we started in 2014 and start a couple new ones at the same time. Stinky Jeep is getting a heart transplant, while my Samurai will also finally move under its own power. Fresh builds being teed up include a working mans F-350, a Tacoma trail rig, a couple of Jeeps and we finally dive into Project Canyonero. You’ll want to stay tuned for that.
We are not just testing new trucks and building up old ones, we’re going to be out on the trails and planning some new challenges for 2015. We have some epic long distance expeditions planned later this year and one we’ve already completed… err… attempted, you know how it goes.
2015 promises to be an exciting year and we can’t wait to bring you all along for the ride. We will do our best to cover as much Canadiana as we can in these pages. And for those who want to keep up to date online, check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/4WDrive, and Editor-in-Chief Mack has informed me that we are also now on “the Twitter…” (@4WDriveCanada). I guess I’ll have to come kicking and screaming into the 21st century now.