How the military does an SUV

As gas continues to increase in price, what will happen to those lumbering SUVs that guzzle the stuff like Diddy swills Cristal? Perhaps they should be pressed into military service to help secure the very oil they are blamed for wasting. While an SUV draft might be far off (those built in Canada would, of course, be exempt), the military has built its own literal Sport Utililty Vehicle and is outfitting it with advanced technologies designed to improved the survivabillity and safety of its occupants.

The beast of an SUV you see here is called the ULTRA AP and it was shown publicly for the first time last week at a military technology meeting in Virginia. It showcases lightweight, cost-effective armor,  a "blast bucket" that protects occupants from mines and improvised explosives, as well as a healthy dose of get up and go for a mobile whoop-ass unit.

The development team included professionals with backgrounds in high performance automotive engineering and even NASCAR. GM's former Corvette chief engineer, Dave McLellan, even had a hand in developing the ULTRA AP, which probably means its cup holders are too small.