About Us

4XJournal came about as a need for high-quality, 4WD adventure story content, from little old New Zealand. With a plethora of Japanese-imported, and New Zealand-new four-wheel drive vehicles available here, we’ve been lucky to have had vehicles capable of exploring our very own backyard. There are stories here down every side road, every trail, and down every beach — this beautiful country is bursting with 4WD adventure stories to be told. We’re here to capture the vehicles, the people, and the New Zealand businesses within this space. 

René Vermeer — Founder and Editor

I’m René Vermeer, and while I’ve spent nearly a decade in the performance car industry (NZ Performance Car Magazine, Timeattackr.com), four-wheel driving wasn’t always on my radar. That changed after I caught the camping bug and built an Audi Allroad V8 into a touring rig. An 18-day trip around the South Island sparked a craving for more off-road capability, leading me to a Land Cruiser (thanks to my partner’s Cruiser-loving family and my job at Toyota).

Why 4XJournal? I’m a natural storyteller. When I got into 4WDs, I noticed a lack of the adventure stories and truck builds I wanted to see — so I created 4XJournal. It’s more than just a social media page; it’s a website, a print magazine, and a 4WD adventure community. If you’ve got an epic 4WD adventure or build, let’s tell the story!

editor@4xjournal.com

Damian Smuts — Photojournalist

Damian Smuts is one our talented Auckland-based photojournalists. With a life-long passion for performance and off-road vehicles, Damian brings a unique perspective to 4XJournal through what he captures with his lens and follows through with compelling stories. We're stoked to have Damian supporting us on the 4XJournal team.

"Hi, my name is Damian and let’s just say I love anything with wheels on it! Since I can remember, I have been fascinated about cars and trucks, from growing up watching motor racing in the '90s to being in the automotive industry myself for nearly 15 years. Passion for anything automotive runs in my veins and I am glad to be given the opportunity to share that passion with you. "

Glen McNamara — Photographer

Glen McNamara is a talented photographer that has specialised in capturing automotive and motorsport photography for nearly a decade for some of New Zealand’s largest publications. A feature car specialist, we’re incredibly stoked to have Glen involved in the 4XJournal team, holding down Christchurch and surrounding areas.

Kaleb Johnston — Photographer

Kaleb needs no introduction in the automotive media space, but we'll give it our best shot! Kaleb is a Christchurch local that has transitioned like many of us from performance vehicles to off-road vehicles. During this journey, Kaleb has been photographing professionally for clients around New Zealand, while also capturing his own automotive shenanigans. You can see more of his work here.

"Hi, my name is Kaleb. From low cars to big trucks, I love anything automotive. Growing up me and my brother were always fascinated with cars and that later inspired me to pick up a camera and start shooting. Fast forward 8 years and I’m now fulltime shooting professionally for clients all around New Zealand covering many genres. However my true passion is within the automotive world and I’m excited to expand on that with 4XJournal!"