Out on my back lawn sits a 1988 Toyota Century V8. It’s quite rare and when it was built it was the pinnacle of Toyota’s technology and luxury. The flagship, pre-Lexus, but in a very understated, conservative and Japanese manner. It’s been my pride and joy. Not only that, my daily driver for four of the five years I’ve owned it, but that duty is now handled by a more efficient Volvo XC70, which is a five-cylinder petrol with a turbo. I do 750km a week just commuting to work.

I used to think the Century was quite spritely until I began hopping between the Japanese and Swedish models. I am now reminded that time marches on and I should adopt an appropriate attitude in each vehicle despite not playing golf and avoiding IKEA like the proverbial out-of-date spicy meatball. Plus, in the Century I am merely the chauffeur making sure that the rear-seat passenger is suitably comfortable as that’s who this car is designed for, with their heated, reclining and massaging, pure-wool-clad couches.

In the Volvo I now delight in watching the distance-to-empty function on the trip computer. The game is to make it increase as I drive, which it does, and 920km is the most I’ve managed after a refuel and gentle application of the throttle. At the other end of the scale, once it reaches about 150km it’s not long before the light comes on and there’s a rush to find a servo. The Century, slightly out of tune, managed 26-30L/100km for quite some time until the mechanic noted the timing was out 10 degrees.

Which leads me to our two lead stories this month. What exciting times we live in. The world is changing at its usual rapid pace but with it comes examples of how we humans can adapt to survive, as well as develop our own technology just to make things better. Take the hybrid-drive camper – the benefits that this system offers are huge and only just beginning to be realised. OzXCorp is an Australian company too, and if you have been following the story of their other prototype caravan with massive solar and battery capacity on our website and social pages, you will see that your caravanning future looks set to be revolutionised. How does app-based control of a diff-lock on your van as it assists you drive off-road, while storing battery power from braking to power your camp when you arrive sound?

And with revolution usually comes an overthrow of the old guard. And despite those manning the barricades against the advance of the electric vehicle, defences are collapsing with the realisation that the proliferation of EV tech is inevitable. But the sky need not fall on your head. EVs provide buckets of torque for great performance and towing, and while currently our government’s talk is cheap, hopefully we’ll keep pace with the rest of the world and not become a Mad Max petrol-dependent outpost to fuel the last of the ‘Cruisers. As always, I look forward to your letters. Please let me know your thoughts. 

*Slade, Merry Christmas Everybody, 1985

LOOK TO THE FUTURE NOW, IT’S ONLY JUST BEGUN*

TIM SCOTT EDITOR - RV DAILY