We have 2 classes: Winch truck (also known as Challenge and Ultra 4 Buggy Class), and Super Tourer.
Our classes are not modeled on any other motoring association. Cliffhanger has been around a long time, we have listened to a lot people over the years and we have trialed a lot of different things to eventually come up with what we believe are the best ingredients for our 2 separate classes.
The specs are not negotiable. Sure it can be hard to accommodate a rule that says you cant have something if you already have it but we cant define the future of the sport for years to come around the fact some people already have some items they may have to remove. We are also onto our fifth year with these class specs so we have done the hard yards introducing new specs - they aren't new any more. There can be no point penalties for overlooking something either. If you have something that's not allowed in your class but it can be disabled so it can not be used and offers no advantage by having it then best bring it to our attention and we can work with that.
It is important that we stay within the "spirit of the class" and that way everyone has fun in a class suited to them.
Refer to 2025 Cliffhanger Class Specs
Super Tourer Class:
Have you ever heard...
- "It's getting too expensive to build a truck that is competitive."
- "I want to still be allowed to drive my car on the road."
- "I want to race but it's not really a race car yet."
- "I'm not out to win against 100 others - I just want to have fun with other teams just like me"
Well this much talked about class addresses these head on.
Our Super Tourer class brings newbies into the sport. Not only are they sustainable as in teams will build a car and stay in a particular class but these new classes introduce people to the sport who build up and eventually compete in Challenge Class and already we have seen this. So this class is already proven to be feeding the sport.
Teams are entering Super Tourer with an affordable budget. They are buying an older unregistered or street car and adding a winch, roll cage, GPS and tyres and they are well on their way to having a stack of fun for not much money.
The safety standards are now all the same across all classes. This means no matter your class you do all the same stages and there are no limitations such as speeds or degree of difficulty. In fact all entries race together as if they are all the same and it's not until presentation do we acknowledge who was in what class.
In Super Touring class we allow like for like modifications to engines and running gear. That means they stick to what the factory of their car has offered for example, a Rangie with a 3.5 engine can have a 3.9 engine and a gear box from a later model. A GQ Patrol can run GU diffs and upgrade from carby to EFI or add a turbo to a non turbo diesel. But because Nissan don't have a turbo petrol we shall not permit a turbo on a petrol Nissan engine in this class. Rules out V8 conversions and alike to keep it affordable and in the fun competitive spirit of the class.
Suspension mounts to chassis and diffs as well as wheel base lengths must remain unchanged and the only chassis mods we permit is cutting off surplus over hang front or back.
Ute conversions and body restyling is also permitted.
Tyres are limited to 37", and although you can have 24v, a longer drum and free-spool, you still can only have 1 winch motor and 1 GPS device.
This class is about it being affordable to fit in and remain competitive.
So far this class has attracted Hilux, 40, 60 & 80 series, GQ & GU patrol and Suzuki.
It is cheap fun.
Winch Truck (Challenge / Ultra 4 Class) Class:
These are our traditional Winch Trucks. Over the years this class has developed into spectacular high performance machines. They take low range north of 120km/h, can hit big bumps at full speed and winch faster than you can jog. A massive amount of product development and upgrades to handle big horse power go into building these rigs. Certainly very exciting to watch and spectators come from all over Australia to see these guys strut their stuff.
Ultra4 buggies start out as a working drawing and built from scratch. They may have rear wheel steering, any size tyre, drop portal axles and they don't need body panels - pretty much open slather where anything goes, given they meet safety requirements.
Cliffhanger is now a fully endorsed Ultra4 event and will appear on the Ultra4 official calendar. With 1000km of outback trails over a week Cliffhanger presents to the Ultra4 movement as Australia's version of Americas King of the Hammers. No doubt this has attracted great interest from around the globe.
