There was a time when being an off-road vehicle meant that you could drive to the end of the earth in it. With the increasing popularity of the SUV, this has changed dramatically. The vast majority never leaves the asphalt, are fitted with performance tires, and some don’t even have four-wheel drive… We take a look at four SUV’s with apocalypse defying capabilities, and didn’t give up their Haute looks for it!
Mercedes-AMG G63/65
Some cars you just buy for the engine sound, and the Mercedes-AMG G63/65 is one of them. Powered by either a twin-turbo V8 (the G63) or an even crazier twin-turbo V12 (the G65), both versions accelerate faster than you would ever imagine from a car with the aerodynamics of a bread box. But while the G-class has no problem burning rubber, it was originally built as an off-road vehicle for the German Army, as well as for civilian use in Germany’s more rural areas. Those qualities have been kept and polished over the last few decades, making this Mercedes-AMG perhaps the best combination of pure power and off-road capabilities.
Range Rover
The world might explode behind you, but the Range Rover will get you anywhere in an environment fit for the Queen. While nowadays the emphasis is more on the luxury this car has to offer, underneath is one of the most capable off-road vehicles on the current market. Even an extra long version is available, complete with two-tone paint jobs, but people who want truly something special might want to get one of the special limited editions, like the haute exclusive Holland & Holland
Lamborghini LM002
The godfather of performance off-road vehicles, the Lamborghini LM002 is so ugly that it becomes beautiful. It was originally developed by Lamborghini in the late 1970’s in the hope to sell it to selling it to oil exploration companies. When it was finally introduced in 1986, it was more a car for oil sheiks then oil workers. It was fitted with the same V12 as the Countach and connected to a five-speed manual. The LM002 was also the very first Lamborghini to feature four-wheel drive. They even commissioned Pirelli to develop special tires for the car. Named “Scorpion” they came in two varieties, of which one was made especially for desert use. To add even more to its Haute exclusivity: Lamborghini only made 328 LM002’s between 1986 and 1993, but its spiritual successor, the Urus, is still expected in the near future.
Hummer H1
The Hummer H1 was never intended for civilian use, yet popular demand turned this military off-road vehicle into a public favorite, at least for a while. Powered by a large diesel V8’s the H1 can tackle any terrain from the deserts of Iraq to the red carpet of the Oscar’s. Arnold Schwarzenegger introduced the car as a luxury must-have, while Desert Storm gave it is utilitarian credibility. While the civilian versions of the H1 are quite luxurious, it never truly transcended far from its roots. Big and bulky, it is not the most obvious choice when maneuvering into the more cultivated parts of our world, but you will have two guarantees: you will never go unnoticed, and won’t ever get stuck anywhere either!
