Autoblog

We enjoy reporting on even the most removed niche vehicles on the market, but here's something that will only be of interest to drug lords living in the hillside jungles of South America, because few others would have use for an armored, stretched Range Rover (with the possible exception of the British royals).

This Range Rover has been stretched by 25 centimeters (about ten inches), primarily to the benefit of its rear seat occupants. The body panels and floor have been lined and plated in Kevlar, the same stuff police use in their bulletproof vests. Reinforced windows have been fitted that can even withstand volleys from automatic machine guns and sniper rifles. Match all that with an Explosafe rupture- and fire-proof fuel tank and the requisite run-flat tires, and you've got yourself a very swanky armored personnel carrier.

Since such a vehicle is likely to spend most of its life helping occupants evade capture by US drug enforcement agents, it's only fitting that it has been outfitted with all that gear by First Defense, an American personal security firm.

[Source: Sybarites]

Microsoft, looking to get the message out about it's Zune doohickey, has turned a Toyota FJ Cruiser into an urban assault vehicle. The test run occured in a New York City neighborhood in the wee hours of a Sunday morning with the FJ Cruiser blaring out music at such a volume that it could be heard inside nearby apartments with the windows closed. Being young and living in the city doesn't mean you like obnoxious crap any more than anyone else. Rather than entice the general public to buy a Zune, these idiots just pissed them off. They likely all went out the next day and bought the most pimped iPods they could afford, with the full boat car install kit, iFM radio, a spiffy little case, Shure E3 earbuds, the works. I know I would. That way, I'd be safe and snug in my bed, white noise ringing in my ears (that iPod headphone amp can give you blistering tinnitus) when the FJ Cruiser puttered back around. In the meantime, there's an open letter to Microsoft at wakeupmicrosoft.com - along with documentation of "the act."

[Source: engadget]

Click on image for enlarged diagram

What's a moneyed Anglophile to do when his life has come in danger? The Mercedes S600 Guard offers a nice package, but a Benz is just so very cliché. Enter the Armoured Jaguar XJ Long Wheelbase, a bespoke motor of sublime elegance and protection for those who demand both in equal measure.

The pouncing cat has teamed up with independent security firm Centigon to build an armored luxury saloon that meets Jaguar standards of driving dynamics and luxury. The result is a Jaguar virtually indistinguishable from a stock XJ, but packing a host of anti-assassination goodies. The car comes complete with Kevlar body panel inserts, a titanium roof, even underbody armor plating. It's certified with a B6 level of ballistic protection, and capable of withstanding grenade blasts. The self-sealing fuel tank has an over-ride should the chauffer decide you need to move, fast. The car rides on Pirelli PZeros with the Roadguard run-flat system and a beefier suspension to handle the added weight. There's also a list of options including an independent oxygen supply, tamper-proof exhaust and alarm sirens.

The stock 4.2-liter V8 should be sufficient to remove the motor-carriage and its occupants from harms way in a hurry. Just what the doctor ordered for an afternoon drive through Belfast.

[Source: Jaguar]