Off-roading is the act of driving or riding in a vehicle on unpaved surfaces such as sand, dirt, gravel, riverbeds, mud, snow, rocks, or other natural terrain. Off-roading ranges from casual drives with regular vehicles to competitive events with customized vehicles and skilled drivers.
60-651: The Citroën E-Méhari is a limited-production electric off-road subcompact SUV produced by the French car maker Citroën from 2016. Approximately 1,000 cars were planned to be produced in collaboration with the French electric car producer Bolloré . Sales began in France in spring 2016 with pricing starting at €25,000 excluding the battery leasing. It reaches a top speed of 110 km/h (68 mph) and accelerates 0–50 km/h (0–31 mph) in 6.4 seconds. The E-Mehari
120-562: A Dodge Dakota with a top speed of 217.395 mph. Forums citing the Dakota's top speed indicate a standard production Dakota R/T would only reach about 125 mph. Production cars under the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) rules refers purely to the body class. Beyond that the cars are extensively modified. Various countries have laws that define production vehicles. For example, in
180-499: A Range Rover , removing the body, cutting the chassis down to an 80-inch wheelbase, and attaching it to the body of a Series I Land Rover , retaining the Range Rover's V8 engine and coil-spring suspension in a light, maneuverable body. In recent years, the value of early Land Rovers and Range Rovers has risen to the extent that this is no longer practical. CCV trailers now usually base their vehicles around Land Rover Defenders or
240-524: A " spotter ", who is an assistant on foot by the vehicle to provide information about areas out of the driver's field of view All progress is made at low speed and the emphasis is on skill rather than on finishing first, although trialing can be highly competitive. There are three traditional forms of off-road trialing. During some competitive events, such as the Turkey Run in Idaho and other events around
300-564: A cars manufacturer since the mid 1980s has been the vehicle identification or VIN. The first three digits are the manufacturer or WMI identifier . If the performance specialist is the manufacturer then its WMI identifier will be in the VIN. An example would be vehicles made or modified by tuning and manufacturing company RUF , which specialises in Porsche based vehicles. In general, if the RUF vehicle
360-705: A coalition of conservation groups including the Friends of Juniper Flats, Community Off-road Vehicle Watch, California Native Plant Society, The Center for Biological Diversity , The Sierra Club , and The Wilderness Society who initiated the legal challenge in late 2006. Many U.S. national parks have discussed or enacted roadless rules and partial or total bans on ORVs. To accommodate enthusiasts, some parks like Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida , were created specifically for ORVs and related purposes. However, such designations have not prevented damage or abuse of
420-636: A dedicated off-road driving center and are usually organized by a dedicated trialing body (such as the All-Wheel Drive Club or the Association of Land Rover clubs in the UK, or by a vehicle owner's club. The course consists of 10 to 12 "gates" marked by two garden canes (sticks) and are vertically placed. The gates are just wide enough to get a standard vehicle through. Vehicles start in a stagger, proceeding one by one, and are deemed to have cleared
480-422: A gate if at least one of the front wheel hubs passes between the canes. The vehicle's attempt ends when it comes to a stop (depending on the exact level of skill the trial is aimed at any stopping may end the attempt, or a few seconds may be allowed). Long-wheelbase vehicles are usually allowed to perform a three-point turn if needed, providing the driver declares where the turn is going to be made before they attempt
540-424: A high level of modification over the original. In 2006 a Pontiac TransAm of John Rains Racing was classified as being the fastest production model (Bonneville D/PS class) with a top speed in excess of 297 mph (478 km/h). Road tests of the same type of car available from the production line were incapable of anything like this speed and Popular Mechanics referred to the car as production based , which
600-520: A minimum of 200 cars were required for homologation, Group A , a minimum of 2,500 identical models have to be built in 12 consecutive months However, FIA rules tend to allow a degree of modification from the original. Another example is the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association , which is concerned solely with the speed of a vehicle. The Association uses its definition of a production vehicle. The Association allows quite
660-730: A review of their production car definition. The investigation concluded that turning off the limiter was not a fundamental modification. Guinness reinstated the Bugatti record. Guinness also reported some sources that at least 50 identical vehicles are needed to constitute a production car. Nevertheless, several models with less than fifteen units produced were certified for production car records. In February 2014, Road & Track wrote that Guinness required 30 identical vehicles. There have been numerous disputes over what constituted production and modified cars when used in motorsports . Even under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA),
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#1732801899061720-425: A roll cage for safety in the case of an overturn . The tire pressure is often reduced to gain more traction by increasing the footprint of the tire and lowering the ground pressure of the vehicle on the sand, comparable to a person wearing snowshoes to walk on snow without sinking. Some cars are equipped with beadlock wheels, which allow tire pressure to be lowered even further without risking separation of
780-415: A standard 100-inch chassis from a Range Rover or Series I Discovery . The Suzuki SJ series of vehicles also make good bases for CCV-spec vehicles. Some vehicles are specially built, taking the form of light "buggies" with tractor tires and "fiddle" brakes (fiddle brakes give the ability to lock a wheel, which enables much better turning, better control descending hills, traction control by slowing or locking
840-418: A walking pace and a course properly laid out would be drivable without damage. However, the terrain usually includes steep slopes, water, side slopes, deep ruts, and other obstacles that could potentially damage a vehicle if mistakes are made or poor driving techniques are used. As such, the use of modifications can increase the chances of success. RTV trials usually take place on farmland, a quarry site, or at
900-484: A winch to get unstuck, going out of bounds, and going in reverse. These rules lead to the sport being technical, with drivers having to plan ahead to reduce the penalties they receive. Vehicles used for rock crawling are usually modified with different tires , suspension components that allow greater axle articulation , and changes in the differential gear ratio to obtain characteristics suitable for low-speed operation for traversing obstacles. Commonly, rock crawlers have
960-573: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Off-road Off-road vehicles are either capable of or specifically developed for off-road driving. These vehicles often have features designed specifically for use in off-road conditions such as suspension lifts , off-road tires , skid plates , snorkels , roll cages , or strengthened drivetrains . Dune bashing is a specific form of off-roading performed on sand dunes . Dune Buggies , Sport-utility vehicles , and ATVs are often used. Vehicles driven on sand dunes are often equipped with
1020-778: Is a RUF modified Porsche then the WMI will be Porsche's (WP0), but if it is built by RUF then its WMI will be RUF's (W09). These are usually vehicles where the production run is restricted to a specific number of vehicles. An example of this is the 1957 Rambler Rebel , a limited-production car where only 1,500 were produced. Motor vehicle production statistics are available for countries worldwide, by country, make, and model. Production statistics by country and by model, as far as announced, are available for each make as well. Pre-production cars come after prototypes or development mules , which themselves may be preceded by concept cars . Pre-production vehicles are followed by production vehicles in
1080-463: Is a wide-ranging form of motorsport with various competitive motoring elements such as speed tests (sometimes called "rally racing" in United States), navigation tests, or the ability to reach waypoints or a destination at a prescribed time or average speed. Rallies may be short in the form of trials at a single venue, or several thousand miles long in an extreme endurance rally. Depending on
1140-586: Is based on the Bolloré Bluesummer , and references the original Citroën Méhari from 1968 in both name and design, featuring a fabric roof and hose down interior. Citroën were reported to be concentrating sales on the rental car market in Southern Europe , particularly around coastal areas. This article about a modern automobile produced after 1975 is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This France -related article
1200-437: Is intended to be vehicle-damaging, mistakes and accidents are inevitable. A standard-specification vehicle would not be expected to be able to complete a CCV course, but it would still be possible. The event is run along the same lines as RTV, with a course made up of cane-marked gates. CCV trialing differs greatly from RTV trials in the vehicles used. Since CCV judges adopt an "anything goes" attitude, CCV trials rely on having
1260-416: Is open to non-road-legal vehicles, which greatly increases the scope for modification. The terrain covered will be of greater difficulty than that found on an RTV trial. Since there is a risk of touching rocks and trees with the bodywork, CCV trialing will usually require more careful use of speed to get the vehicle across certain obstacles will attempting to mitigate the risk of vehicle damage. Whilst no trial
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#17328018990611320-407: Is that there are a number of the same models with the same specifications. There is no fixed definition of the number of vehicles or the amount of modification allowed outside of motorsports or national regulations or laws that determine what is or is not a production vehicle. For example, Guinness recognized a modified two-seat Jaguar XK120 as the world's fastest production car in 1949. In 2010,
1380-539: Is to drive as far as possible without getting stuck. There are many types of tires that are often used for this activity, including balloon tires, mud-terrain tires and paddle tires . The activity is popular in the United States , although it is illegal on public land due to the environmental impact. Mud plugging, as practiced in the United Kingdom , refers to the motorsport of classic trials , where
1440-436: Is used to differentiate such a car from a "race car", a special, custom-built car designed only for racing purposes. The actual degree to which the cars conform to standard model specs has changed over the years and varies from country to country. Today most American stock cars may superficially resemble standard American family sedans , but are in fact purpose-built racing machines built to a strict set of regulations governing
1500-551: The Guinness Book of Records awarded the record for the "Fastest production car" to the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport . In 2013, their decision was appealed because the Bugatti was modified with its speed limiter turned off, a circumstance already known in 2010. Guinness, which had listed speeds by British cars with modified limiters as production car records in the 1990s, upheld the appeal and initiated
1560-557: The Dakar Rally , Spanish Baja , Africa Eco Race , Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge , Russian Baja Northern Forest , King of the Hammers , San Felipe 250 and Baja 500 & 1000 , which are a test of navigation skills and machine durability. Off-road parks and motocross tracks also host several events and may be the only legal place to off-road in the area. Off-road vehicle use on public land has been criticized by some members of
1620-689: The Environmental News Service article: Scalia noted that off-road vehicle use on federal land has "negative environmental consequences including soil disruption and compaction, harassment of animals, and annoyance of wilderness lovers. Several environmental organizations, including the Rangers for Responsible Recreation, are campaigning to draw attention to a growing threat posed by off-road vehicle misuse and to assist overmatched land managers in addressing ORV use impacts. These campaigns in part have prompted congressional hearings about
1680-535: The mass production for distribution through car dealerships . For example the Bugatti Chiron in which Andy Wallace achieved a maximum of 490.48 km/h (304.77 mph) on 2 August 2019 was described by Bugatti a "near production ready prototype". Three lists within Misplaced Pages and the discussions on their talk pages illustrate the difficulty in defining what a production car is. These are: In
1740-614: The BLM failed to follow route restrictions established in the agency's conservation plan, resulting in the establishment of hundreds of illegal OHV routes during the previous three decades. The plan violated the BLM's regulations, specifically the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The ruling was considered a success for
1800-421: The BLM's proposed designation of additional off-road use on designated open routes on public land. According to the ruling, the BLM violated its regulations when it designated approximately 5,000 miles of off-road vehicle routes in 2006. According to Judge Illston the BLM's designation was "flawed because it does not contain a reasonable range of alternatives" to limit damage to sensitive habitat, as required under
1860-707: The National Environmental Policy Act. Illston found that the Bureau had inadequately analyzed the route's impact on air quality, soils, plant communities and sensitive species, such as the endangered Mojave fringe-toed lizard , pointing out that the United States Congress has declared that the California Desert and its resources are "extremely fragile, easily scarred, and slowly healed". The court also found that
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1920-479: The U.S. government and environmental organizations including the Sierra Club and The Wilderness Society . They have noted several consequences of illegal ORV use such as pollution , trail damage, erosion , land degradation , possible species extinction , and habitat destruction which can leave hiking trails impassable. ORV proponents argue that legal use taking place under planned access along with
1980-755: The United States Briggs Cunningham 's business was classified as a hobby by tax officials because he did not manufacture enough of each model for the Cunningham automobile to be considered a production vehicle, but rather the IRS classified them as high-performance prototype automobiles built as racecars . Legislative definitions tend to revolve around issues of safety or revenue (taxation). Not all performance specialists are officially recognised and their cars are not usually referred to as production vehicles. The primary means of identifying
2040-630: The United States, point systems may be used to determine rewards. RTV (Road Taxed Vehicle) trialing is the most common form of trialing. As the name suggests, it is for vehicles that are road-legal (and thus required to pay road tax ). This excludes vehicles that are highly modified or specially built. RTV-class vehicles can carry a wide range of suspension modifications, as well as off-road tires (provided they are road-legal), recovery winches, raised air intakes, etc. Vehicles on RTV trials are usually best described as "modified from standard"—they use
2100-628: The agencies are ignoring unregulated use "with significant consequences for the health of our public lands and communities, and adverse effects on other authorized public land uses." Video games that allow users to off-road include Forza Horizon , Dirt Series , MudRunner , Grand Theft Auto V , Dakar Desert Rally , and the MotorStorm series. [REDACTED] Media related to Off-roading at Wikimedia Commons Production vehicle Production vehicles or production cars are mass-produced models of automobiles offered for sale to
2160-502: The car design ensuring that the chassis , suspension , engine, etc. are architecturally identical on all vehicles. For example, the NASCAR Sprint Cup series now requires fuel injection . The closest European equivalent to stock car racing is probably touring car racing . In the UK and New Zealand there is a racing formula called stock cars but the cars are markedly different from any road car one might see. In Australia there
2220-413: The correct vehicle to a much greater extent than in an RTV trial. Competitors can design and build vehicles that are much more optimized for off-road use, than in the lower ranks of trialing. CCV vehicles have powerful engines, high ground clearance, light, minimalist bodywork, and good approach and departure angles . For many years, in the UK, the ultimate CCV vehicle could be built by taking the chassis of
2280-409: The course (this puts a strong emphasis on ground-reading ability). This can also be called a "shunt", where the driver has to attempt a gate and then shout "shunt". They are then allowed a space of one and a half car lengths to reverse and line the car better to enter through the gate The course between the gates is a "section": between the start line and the first gate is "Section 1", the part between
2340-479: The discussion was the "travel planning process", a complex analysis and decision-making procedure to designate appropriate roads and trails. Both the Forest Service and BLM have been engaged in somewhat similar travel planning processes now for years, but some of the committee members didn't seem to think those processes were going along so well. "The BLM has identified travel management on its lands as ‘one of
2400-483: The driver with the lowest score is the winner. Since the terrain covered in RTV trials should be well within the capabilities of any reasonably capable vehicle (even in standard form), these trials emphasize driver skill and ground-reading abilities. Skill and experience have a larger bearing on success than having a well-equipped and modified car. Cross Country Vehicle (CCV) trialing is the next step up from RTV trialing and
2460-546: The exact definition of what was (or was not) a production car was unclear and controversial, which led to rules written in 1955. Although the term is defined for particular types of vehicles, and that a certain number of a model must be produced to qualify as "production", it is another matter to enforce the rules. For example, the 1968 FIA rules state that "production" for sports cars need to have at least 25 identical cars produced within 12-months and they were meant for regular sales to individual purchasers, Group B race series,
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2520-462: The first and second gates is "Section 2" and so on. An RTV course is often laid out so that each section is progressively more difficult, although this is not always the case. If a driver fails to complete Section 1 they are given 10 points. If the attempt ends in Section 2, 9 points are awarded, etc. A clear round results in gaining only 1 point. A day's event will consist of many different courses and
2580-460: The format, rallies may be organised on private or public roads, open or closed to traffic, or off-road in the form of cross country or rally-raid. Competitors can use production vehicles which must be road-legal if being used on open roads or specially built competition vehicles suited to crossing specific terrain. Mudding is off-roading through an area of wet mud or clay, leading to extremely low traction and problems with moving forward. The goal
2640-440: The front enlarged tires, which maintains optimal stability at high speed. These types of trucks are often called Trophy trucks or PreRunners. Rock racing involves driving over rocks, but unlike rock crawling, does not specify penalties for striking cones, backing up, or winching . In addition, rock racing incorporates a level of high-speed racing that is not characteristic of rock crawling . See article: Rally Rallying
2700-556: The greatest management challenges’ it faces," stated committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman , D-NM. "Likewise, the Forest Service has identified unmanaged recreation — including ORV use — as one of the top four threats to the management and health of the National Forest System. Despite these statements, it seems to me that neither agency has been able to successfully manage off-road use." "Existing rules for managing off-road vehicles are not being enforced," Bingaman added, and
2760-505: The growing impact of unmanaged off-road vehicle use. The House Natural Resources Committee Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands held an oversight hearing on "The Impacts of Unmanaged Off-Road Vehicles on Federal Land" on March 13, 2008. A second hearing on off-highway vehicle (OHV) management on public lands was held by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on June 5, 2008. The Senate committee hearing
2820-422: The main objective is to complete a challenging course of (mostly unpaved) roads and (often muddy, and frequently uphill) off-road terrain. This form of motorsport is one of the oldest to survive to this day, dating back at least to the 1920s. Rock crawling involves driving over rocky terrain, with the goal being to get as far as possible with the fewest penalties. Penalties are received for striking cones, using
2880-513: The multiple environment and trail conservation efforts by ORV groups will mitigate these issues. Groups such as the BlueRibbon Coalition advocate for the responsible use of public lands for off-road activities. Noise pollution is also a concern and several studies conducted by Montana State University , California State University , University of Florida and others have cited possible negative behavioral changes in wildlife as
2940-552: The natural environment on which human-powered and equestrian recreation depends and alter the remote and wild character of the backcountry. Motorized recreation monopolizes forest areas by denying other users the quiet, pristine, backcountry experience they seek. It also presents safety and health threats to other re-creationists. In 2004 the Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia listed several problems that result from ORV use in natural areas. From
3000-655: The policy. In 2004, several environmental organizations sent a letter to Dale Bosworth , Chief of the United States Forest Service , and described the extent of damage caused by ORV use, including health threats to other people: It is well-established that the proliferation of off-road vehicles and snowmobile use places soil, vegetation, air and water quality, and wildlife at risk through pollution, erosion, sedimentation of streams, habitat fragmentation and disturbance, and other adverse impacts to resources. These impacts cause severe and lasting damage to
3060-469: The public and can be legally driven on public roads . Legislation and other industrial rules define the production vehicle within particular countries or uses. There is no single fixed global definition of the term. The earliest use of the term production car being applied to motor cars, found to date, was in a June 1914 American advertisement for a Regal motor car . The phrase was a shortened form of mass-produced or quantity-produced car. The phrase
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#17328018990613120-837: The result of some ORV use. Some U.S. states have laws to reduce noise generated by off-road and non-highway vehicles. Washington is one example: "State law requires off-road and other non-highway vehicles to use specified noise-muffling devices (RCW 46.09.120(1) (e) maximum limits and test procedures). State agencies and local governments may adopt regulations governing the operation of non-highway vehicles on property, streets, or highways within their jurisdiction , provided they are not less stringent than state law (RCW 46.09.180 regulation by local political subdivisions)". The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) supervises several large off-road vehicle areas in California's Mojave Desert . In 2009, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston ruled against
3180-478: The spinning wheel) for the best performance. Vehicles are required to meet certain safety regulations. Roll-cages must be fitted and be built to a suitable standard, recovery points must be fitted front and rear and fuel tanks must meet certain standards. A 4-point harness for all occupants is required and a fire extinguisher is recommended. In some countries off-road activities are strictly regulated, while others promote cross-country off-road endurance events like
3240-501: The standard chassis, drive-train, and body that the vehicle was built with, but are fitted with a wide array of modifications to assist in the trailing. Whilst modification is not necessarily required for an RTV trial, at the very least the vehicle would be expected to have some underbody and over-the-body protection such as skid plates or roll cages, often made from durable stainless steel , aluminium or mild steel . RTV courses are intended to be non-damaging and driven at little more than
3300-617: The time of the application for the Record Attempt and either homologated by the FIA, or for which an application for homologation has been made to the FIA or recognised by the ASN of the country in which they are manufactured for National Records. The high level of modification allowed under these FIA's rules would tend to indicate that the cars are production based, rather than straight from an assembly line. For example, Category B Group III had
3360-579: The tire and rim. Upon entering the desert, it is customary for drivers to meet with a pack of other vehicles and a group leader before proceeding. The group leader then leads the pack through the stunts in a single file line. The rationale for this technique is to prevent drivers from becoming disoriented and getting lost. High-speed racing in the desert includes chases and racing at maximum speed through rough desert terrain with numerous pots and bumps. Drivers often use rear-wheel drive and 4-wheel drive trucks with long-travel suspension and wide stance between
3420-602: Was a formula that was similar to NASCAR called AUSCAR , but it has been ended, and a form of touring cars has taken its place (this is known locally as sSpercars , featuring the Bathurst 1000 and Adelaide 500 ). The FIA Land Speed Records Commission has regulations governing series-production cars attempting land speed records under its 2014 Appendix D - Regulations for Land Speed Record Attempts . Series-production cars fall under rule D2.3.2 and state that they must be: Category B: Series-production Automobiles in production at
3480-481: Was also used in terms of the car to be made in production, as opposed to the prototype. At that time, production cars referred to less expensive vehicles, such as the Ford Model T, made in relatively large numbers on production lines instead of the more exclusive coach-built models. Now, the term has broadened to include hand-assembled vehicles and those made on production or assembly line . The main criterion
3540-458: Was convened to find out why the agencies are failing to grapple with the negative impacts of off-road vehicle use on US public lands and what the agencies might need to start doing differently. For the first time in perhaps a decade, members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee grilled leaders of the Forest Service and the BLM about why off-road vehicle use is being allowed to damage America's national treasures. Taking center stage in
3600-611: Was probably a more accurate description. A similar racing association is the Dry Lakes Racers Australia which holds evenets on Lake Gairdner in South Australia. It also has a Production Car category with its own set of definitions. A stock car , in the original sense of the term, is an automobile that has not been modified from its original factory configuration. Later the term stock car came to mean any production-based automobile used in racing. This term
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