Eclectic car brand Rezvani is adding a new member to its ranks: the beefy and borderline over-the-top Arsenal.
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The US firm, known for everything from lightweight sports cars to 6×6 utes, has once again used the Cadillac Escalade as a base for a fortified SUV.
Like the 2022 Vengeance, the Arsenal cloaks Escalade mechanicals under radically different styling.
Unlike the Vengeance, however, the company's latest model is intended for the civilian market rather than military and paramilitary applications.
The Arsenal can seat seven or eight, and there's genuine armour protection that means its tough looks aren't just for show.
Rezvani says it's the first civilian application of a composite material rated at B6 ballistic protection, which means you'll be safe from standard assault rifles and armour-piercing rounds should you ever have to cross a battlefield.
The composite material features weight-saving properties that mean it's claimed to weigh a third of what traditional steel ballistic protection does.
A steel ram bumper is standard, with a winch optional.
Also available is an additional military package, which adds underside explosive protection, a smoke screen, military-grade run-flat tyres, reinforced suspension, electromagnetic pulse protection, thermal night vision, sirens and warning lights, electrified door handles, and bulletproof glass and body armour.
Additionally, you can get magnetic dead bolts which Rezvani says "provide maximum security against unauthorised or forceful access", and strobe/blinding lights "to blind trackers at night" – in case that's a concern of yours.
If that's not enough, the package also adds bulletproof vests and helmets, gas masks, a hypothermia kit, optional explosive device detection, and a pepper spray dispenser.
Engines mirror the Escalade lineup: there's a 317kW 6.2-litre petrol V8, as well as available 3.0-litre turbo-diesel inline six or 522kW 6.2-litre supercharged V8 mills.
A 10-speed automatic transmission is standard.
In terms of comfort and convenience features, you get heated and ventilated leather seats, satellite navigation with augmented reality, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a head-up display, camera rear view mirror, hands-free power tailgate, and a panoramic sunroof.
The interior design is largely unchanged from the Escalade, despite the radically different exterior styling.
All up, the Arsenal is priced from US$225,000 (A$337,480) and limited to 100 units. Deliveries are expected to start later this year.
For context, the RWD Cadillac Escalade starts at US$86,890 ($130,328), while the Escalade-V kicks off at US$157,290 ($235,923).
Rezvani does more than just armoured vehicles, as it released its 746kW second-generation Beast supercar earlier this year. It's based on a Chevrolet Corvette, limited to just 20 units, and costs US$485,000 ($742,000).
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Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
