Toyota Land Cruiser 2006 News

A Mustang is a wild brumby in the USA but also one of the all-time best muscle cars; the LandCruiser does just what the name says, even if the land is the worst of the Australian outback; and the Enzo is a tribute to the man who founded the world's best-know supercar company, Ferrari.But the name game can go badly wrong.  The Nissan Cedric was never going to be a hit in Australia with a name that creates a picture of an aging uncle Arthur in a cardigan, Taurus is tough in the USA but was always going to flop against the Falcon, and the Skoda Roomster has just been dumped after failing to find a home down under.Holden was careful to avoid the VD in its Commodore line, but why did it start with the VB and not the VA? And what about the Statesman, which went well as the WB but was never updated into the WC?  Just this week I was following a Citroen Jumpy delivery fan in Portugal, and wondering if the name was a reflection of the driver's behaviour or the way it runs on the road.The craziness goes on and on, like the Citroen Picasso people mover which is anything but an oil painting.  Today's showrooms also have cars whose names have more numbers and letters than a cryptic crossword, with just as much meaning. Who really knows the difference between an A7 and a C350?But head back in history and there are some absolute clangers.  Henry Ford named the 1950s Edsel after his son, but is now recorded as one of the biggest flops in blue-oval history.  Japan has given us everything from the Daihatsu Rocky and Rugger to the Honda Ascot and Acty Crawler and on through the Isuzu Big Horn to the Subaru Justy.Nissan created the Tiida name from nothing, even though it claims it has something to do with waves breaking on a beach, and Lexus is even a made-up brand name, in contrast to Mercedes which was named after an early Daimler customer's daughter.  Over in America, the AMC Gremlin was a flop, the Dodge Neon never went up in lights, Plymouth Reliant never lived up to its promise, and the Lincoln Town Car was so big it needed its own postcode.Even some of the names which have worked create more questions than answers about their creation.  The Kia Mentor is more likely to need one, the Honda Jazz is not much of a music machine and the Suzuki Cappucino was too frothy to sell in Australia.Some names also paint a picture because of their history.  Mention Celica and lots of people in Australia think hairdresser.  Ask about the Nissan GT-R and you'll hear about Godzilla.Camry is shorthand for fridge-on-wheels, Kingswood is classic sixties kitsch, and then there is the Goggomobil.  So, what's causing a Rukus today? The Toyota Rukus, for a start.We could also get the Nissan Cube, which is as boxy as its name, although Nissan Australia is also pushing for a return of the Pulsar badge which worked so well before the silly switch to Tiida.  Right now we have the Skoda Superb in Australian showrooms. If that's not a name which creates a serious expectation then we don't know our Falcodores.When Toyota was looking for a new name for a mid-sized car alongside the Camry it thought it had the ideal choice. It settled on Centaur - the mythical man-horse - because it sounded tough.  But no-one at Toyota Australia had taken into account a nasty incident in World War II during the battle for the Pacific.A hospital ship called the Centaur was sailing towards Brisbane when it was torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine. The idea of a Toyota Centaur sunk even faster.  The Centaur badges were crushed, all the paperwork was changed and so was the advertising. The Centaur quickly became the Avalon for Australia.  How do we know? Carsguide made the call to Toyota to warn about the problem. Japanese cars have always led the way in the silly-names race.  How about the Mazda Bongy Brawny? No, not the name for an off-road tough SUV, it was the badge on the back of a city delivery van with a 1.3-litre engine.Everyone has heard the story about the Mitsubishi Starion, and whether the company's sales team actually meant to call the turbo coupe the Stallion.  And then there is the Pajero. It's called the Montero in Spain, because Pajero is the word for something usually done alone in private.

Try as we might — and we did try — we couldn't shake the deceptively comfortable home-away-from-home camper trailer we'd hitched to our wagon, a 100 Series Toyota LandCruiser.The heavy-duty offroad camper-trailer is the ultimate camp follower, as tough as the full-blooded four-wheel-drives it's designed to follow — maybe tougher, if our test at the Melbourne 4x4 Training and Proving Ground at Werribee is anything to go by.John Spence, of Geelong Prestige Jayco, looks a little nervous as he descends into the Valley of Mechanical Death, his spotless Jayco Flamingo Outback in tow.Pop-up camper trailers are the lightweight convertibles of the caravan world. Only slightly bigger than a trailer, they become full-sized caravans when set up. Creature comforts are impressive: fridge, four-burner stove, sink, microwave oven, fold-up mini-wardrobe, sleeping room for seven.There is an Outback version of all Jayco camper trailers — whether Doves, Hawks, Eagles or Swans. They have extra protection underneath, heavy-duty suspension, electric brakes and a 250mm higher ride.The kit adds 90kg, bringing the Flamingo up to a still trim 1120kg.Proving ground chief instructor Rob Emmins is impressed."There's strength where you need it and decent shock absorbers, which is important," he says.Emmins is happy with the ride height, too: "You need clearance but you can't have them too high or they get unstable. This one is pretty good."The Werribee River is the first obstacle. We nervously take the 'Cruiser through the water and scramble up the bank. The Flamingo follows faithfully. We then do a quick lap (the camper trailer doesn't help in a tight turning circle), then splash through again.Emmins chuckles. "You did it the hardest way possible, really."A good start, but now it's test two: the formidible Suspension Twister. Spence looks anxious.The Twister, or articulation test, is a series of deep ruts — first left, then right — designed to belt the heck out of the shock absorbers. Metal bangs earth as we enter. But it's the 4WD bottoming out, not the Flamingo. Spence owns the LandCruiser. He doesn't look happy.Further in there's another bang, this time on the other side of the 'Cruiser as it lurches right. The Flamingo is on an awkward angle, but otherwise handles the whole test with ease.After crunching our way through, we think about doing it again.Spence says he's happy to, but the look on his face says otherwise. We proceed to test three instead — a scramble up a steep slope, complete with wet, greasy logs.We get halfway, but hit our limit. Wheels spin, the diesel engine grumbles, but we go nowhere.Is the extra weight the problem?Emmins says it would be a tough task even without towing. "It's simply too slippery."We give up and go back down.Overall, Emmins is happy to give the Flamingo a tick, and so are we. Anywhere we're likely to want to go, the Flamingo will happily wing its way too.The Jayco Flamingo Outback, from $22,500, will be at the Melbourne Caravan, Camping and Touring Supershow.

Free from the everyday responsibilities of kids and work, the bands of grey nomads escape on the long and winding Australian roads, with their custom-built vans, their freedom and their desire to explore our sunburnt country.Many of these free spirits will be part of the 80,000-plus crowd expected to check out the latest technology and mobile home trends at the Caravan, Camping, 4WD and Holiday Supershow. The Rosehill Gardens Racecourse event starts today and runs until next Sunday. There will be more than 500 new makes and models of caravans on display, which include about 140 camper-trailers, more than 60 luxury motorhomes and 100 types of tents.One couple to be found wandering around the show is Rob and Jan Compton."We come as lookers but we always end up customers. We don't need anything this year, but there's always something," Jan says.The Comptons are just one of the many retired couples rediscovering the freedom of life in their caravan.The Queensland couple have put their working life behind them, and have moved on to the next stage — "a whole new life" where freedom is to be enjoyed and where "nobody is dictating what we will do"."The opportunities are not there in your working life because you can't take the time off," 58-year-old Jan says.For seven to eight weeks at a time, and travelling between 10,000km and 13,000km a year, the Comptons jump into their LandCruiser, which is equipped with a fridge and a shower, and travel around Australia.They also tow their 2003 Jayco Heritage, 21ft (6.4m) caravan, which also has a shower, toilet, two-door fridge, airconditioning, TV, oven, microwave, and of course, an electric blanket."The longer you're away, the harder it is to go home," Jan says. "The biggest thing is taking that first step and driving out the front gate."Rob says it is important to plan your trip and make sure you relax and smell the roses."We travel for about four to five hours a day, leisurely of course. We get up late and stop early ... there's no pressure," the 63-year-old grandfather of seven says.Caravanning for the Comptons isn't just a new fad adopted in their retired lives.They have always enjoyed holidaying on the road, buying their first van in 1966 and taking their three children on vacation.Rob says as their kids got older, they lost interest in going on trips with "Mum and Dad", forcing them to put their adventures on hold. With their three children now in their 30s, and living overseas with kids of their own, the Comptons have rediscovered their interest in the open road.They say while some may dread retirement, they were "winding up to it".Since 1998, their travels have taken them far and wide. They have been locked in a theatre in Wyndham, in Western Australia; visited a deserted town in Tasmania; had a ball in Mackay and taken their seven-year-old Canadian granddaughter to Victoria. These are just a few of their journeys.The Comptons, who found their new retirement home in Hervey Bay after holidaying there, say one of the best parts of the travelling life is meeting people who share a common interest, labelling it an "instant friendship"."You make friends you pass in the night, and everyone has a story to tell. It doesn't matter what your background is or where you come from," Jan says.One common interest is taking their mini-poodle, Molly, on every trip. "She has her little bean bag under the table. One other lady, she had two maltese dogs and she had a child's playpen for them," Jan says.The Comptons worked as wheat farmers for most of their lives, before spending their last five working years employed by Jayco.They believe they have acquired the skills needed to drive the vehicles and are always prepared for conditions on the road.But to potential owners, they warn that there are many things to consider before jumping on the caravanning bandwagon."Do your homework, work out what you want to do with the caravan. It's not much good touring Australia in something that's not very comfortable," Rob says. "The biggest is not necessarily the best," Jan adds.And for a final piece of advice from the Comptons, a little unwritten rule from the caravanning world. "If the van's a rockin', don't come knockin'."