Just when you thought Ford’s Ranger Raptor was the ultimate off-road performance vehicle, Californian mentalists Scarbo Vintage have created the world’s first “street legal hyper-truck” with an 820kW mid-mounted supercharged V8 – and a $2.3m price-tag.
For the price of nearly three Ferrari SF90 Stradales, you can get yourself the ultimate off-road performance vehicle, a bespoke, hand-built, trail-ready monster with one of two powertrains – the aforementioned petrol donk with an eight-speed paddle-shift transmission; or 750kW from dual electric motors.
Looking like a Land Rover Defender that’s just crawled out from under the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, Scarbo Vintage fits the SV Rover with huge, 40.0-inch tyres on 20.0-inch forged wheels; while taking care of bumps at high speed is fully independent push-rod suspension and height-adjustable air springs offering up to 30 inches of wheel travel. Drive can be switched from rear- to all-wheel-drive at the push of a button.
Keeping the turning circle nice and tight, there’s all-wheel-steering; while the brakes are a mega 400mm carbon-ceramic discs clamped by Brembo six-piston calipers.
A two-seater, the SV Rover comes with either a 246-litre fuel tank or a 75kWh battery pack, depending on your choice of hydrocarbons or pure electrons.
Scarbo Vintage doesn’t list what we’d assume is the vehicle’s prodigious weight; nor claim 0-100km/h times or top speed, but the Californian brand does promise serious off-road ability with front and rear locking differentials and a high- and low-range transfer case.
Beneath the carbon-fibre and aluminium bodywork there’s a full interior with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 12.8-inch infotainment touchscreen. Alcantara and billet aluminium items add a special touch, while Sparco supplies the front seats.
Out the back is a rear cargo area, while there’s a push-button start, power windows and climate control. And of course for an American-designed vehicle, there are cup-holders.
As a low-volume manufacturer that only builds to order, it’s entirely possible you could purchase an SV Rover and have it shipped to Australia – although while getting it made in right-hand-drive is simply a matter of wallet thickness, getting it past the Australian Design Rules to get it properly registered would be a different matter altogether.
Not to mention the Australian taxes on the $2.3m.
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