Cars - Toorak Tractor

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	Cars - Toorak Tractor

In Australian slang (particularly in Victoria), a Toorak tractor is a pejorative name for a 4WD (SUV) vehicle. The reference to the wealthiest Melbourne suburb of Toorak alludes to the ownership and use of such vehicles as status symbols, rather than for their designed off-road abilities. "Tractor" refers to the perceived lack of manoeuvrability of these vehicles and their owners' perceived willingness to ride roughshod over other road users.

Historically, the Toorak Tractor came to be in the mid 1990s with the Range Rover 4WD. In Sydney, they are named "Mosman Tractors" or "Vaucluse Tractors" after affluent suburbs of Sydney.

Similarly in New Zealand 4-Wheel Drive cars are often referred to as "Remuera Tractors" or "Fendalton Tractor" after affluent suburbs of Auckland and Christchurch respectively. The term implies that the vehicle is never driven off a sealed road and its main significance is as a status symbol.

A 4-Wheel Drive that is pristine and shiny clean is even more likely to attract the epithet.

A United Kingdom version of the term is "Chelsea Tractor", after the well-heeled district of London. The term has been popularised by Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London.

The use of the term is prevalent amongst two distinct groups: those who are actively involved in the offroad use of Four-Wheel Drives, and the anti-4WD lobby. The one see it as a waste of the vehicles capability, the other as an example of conspicuous consumption and environmental irresponsibilty. The possible legitimate reasons for such a vehicle not being used off-road, such as it's being safer for towing heavy trailers or horse floats, tend to receive little attention.

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