Over on the Continent, manufacturers with nearly unpronounceable names were developing off-roaders with capabilities of near biblical scale. The Pinzgauer was created by the Austrian maker of all things moped – Steyr-Daimler-Puch – in the late ’60s, and brought a new level of prowess to the breed. Portal axles, a central transmission and differential, all helped to give the military-aimed truck legendary capabilities. An edelweiss field away in Germany, Unimog built a truck with similar features. There’s few product niches in which the Japanese fail to compete, and the off-roader is one where they can tout success. Nissans have been Patrolling the globe for decades, and Toyota’s Land Cruiser has become almost as beloved and esteemed as either the Land Rover or Jeep. In fact, while the Land Rover was inspired by the Jeep, the Land Cruiser’s ancestors were actually based on the specs of a Bantam Mk II captured during the war. The Toyota trucks of today are luxo-barges, but the originals could seriously rock the rocks. So with of all those, plus the multitude of others, each country has bona fides to extol in claiming the crown of producer of the world’s best off-roaders. But which one is it? Image sources: [seriouswheels.com, 4x4offroads.com, Priuschat.com, Wikipedia.com]