Meet Charlie: Our Steyr-Engineered 1991 Fiat Ducato 4x4 Campervan

Every overlander has a trusty sidekick. Ours just happens to be a 1991 Fiat Ducato 4x4, a rare breed that combines Italian design with Austrian engineering muscle. Built in Italy by Fiat and equipped with an all-wheel-drive system developed by Steyr-Daimler-Puch - the same minds behind the VW Syncro and the legendary Puch G. Charlie is as happy picking through muddy tracks as he is cruising sealed coastal roads.

He is quite rare - never built in large numbers and time has definitely thinned the herd. Unfortunately many have retired, rusted out, or been driven into the ground. Those still out roaming the world are cherished by their enthusiastic owners for their reliability and the simple, mechanical honesty of their design!

Under the skin:

• Full-time AWD via a visous-coupling centre differential

• No low-range gears, but excellent traction on loose, wet or snow-covered roads

• Rear live axle with a limited-slip differential, front transaxle - giving stability and predictable handling

• Powered by a 2.5-litre Sofim turbodiesel (95 hp) - slow but steady wins the race

Charlie's not the fastest, but he has been getting the job done - over 35K in Africa over the last 18 months. That AWD system doesn't need engaging - it's always ready when the road turns tricky. He's taken us up sandy tracks, through ankle deep mud, across river crossings and over corrugated gravel without drama.

But more importantly he is our home. We have made Charlie a complete home away from home with all the modern conveniences - including a modernized electrical system with solar and LiFePo4 batteries. Starlink for all the time internet. And a 60 in projector screen, coupled with a server based entertainment system that serves up a huge library of TV shows and movies - to keep us entertained even when we are totally off grid and without internet!

And if that didn't make it clear, my background is in automotive engineering! I will keep most of the posts focused on publishing the book series but as they say - start posting about something you know!