vinspired by stealth aircraft, this jet-black SUV is a ground pounder
The stealth aircraft is the subject of many a childish fascination. In retrospect, it is understandable — what’s not to admire about a sleek black triangle that represents the height of engineering sophistication? Those who want that same look in a somewhat more practical package would want to hear about Karlmann King, which is producing an SUV that has been nicknamed ‘Ground Stealth Fighter.’
It does look the part. The jet black body, made of carbon fibre and steel, is full of facets and edges that bring a stealth aircraft to mind as much as it does the Batmobile from the Nolan films. Karlmann King, which seems to be based out of Dubai (at least, the Burj Al Arab appears in the marketing video, and it’s a very Dubai type of vehicle), boasts of a production team consisting of 1800 people.
The interior looks to be opulent and enormously spacious, with plenty of diamond-stitched leather (in a multitude of colours) as well as star-field lighting on the ceiling. A Playstation 4 apparently comes as standard, as does a refrigerator.
The numbers are enormous, too. The SUV is nearly six metres long and two-and-a-half metres wide, and the engine is quoted as a monstrous-sounding 6.8-litre V10. And yet, the top speed is curiously low at 140km/h. This may be due to its hefty 4,500kg weight, with the bulletproof option checking in at 6,000kg.
If the objective was to be noticed, it will certainly succeed. The Karlmann King SUV will also certainly not be cheap, with the price reported to be as high as US$3.8 million (RM15 million).
