I was invited to Tixover quarry near Stamford, on a very wet and miserable day, to drive the IVECO X-WAY 8x4 wagon. Parked up were a fleet of around four X-WAY 8x4 in ‘Off-Road’ form; despite the weather it was going to be a good day.

Next was the opportunity to drive the huge X-WAY 8x4.  I don’t have a HGV licence, but it didn’t matter as we were on private land, plus we had experienced off road instructors sat beside us.

During our press briefing we were bombarded with so much information that the majority didn’t sink in.......and I thought some new car briefings were information heavy!  Here’s what I remember...

The X-Way is available in 3 versions: On Road, On+ and Off Road.  The Off Road version has a ground clearance of 511mm and a 28º approach angle, and depending on which type of X-Way you go for has 4x2, 6x2, 6x4, 8x2 or 8x4 wheel drive.  There’s also a choice of engines, transmissions, hub or single reduction axles, mechanical or air suspension, the list really does go on.  It was suggested that I write an article on the X-Way for a friend who’s an editor for a trucking magazine, but in all honestly that’s all I can remember!

The important bit is how easy it is to drive?

Jumping into the cab I was confronted with a really easy to read dash.  To start I put my foot on the brake, pressed a button to start the engine, pressed the D for drive button and release the handbrake and off I went,

I want to say that from here it was man vs machine vs uncompromising and unforgiving terrain, but instead it was one of the easiest things I’ve ever driven, honestly!  The only thing I had to concern myself with was the length as some of the sections were quite tight, even that wasn’t a problem as the turning circle was surprisingly impressive, and being a forward control helped, of course.

Checking the door mirrors as I eased my way through deep-ish water and over purpose-built obstacles I watched as all axles articulated for maximum traction.  It was poetic, a bit like watching a softy sprung Range Rover Classic driving through axle-twisters.

Of course I’m not going to say that driving an X-Way was boring, far from it, but it was far easier than I ever expected it to be, to the point I was itching to get it on the road and drive home!  My neighbours moan about the number if press cars I have parked on the street, can you imagine their faces if I turned up in a 8x2 X-Way?

Far too soon the day was over and I found myself on my way home in the Volkswagen Amarok, which after the X-Way felt tiny.