Last month we wrote about the Russian-made $1.5 million Monaco Red Diamond Edition luxury armored SUV, featuring gold and diamond accents and an interior upholstered in whale penis leather. The unnerving upholstery is apparently in tribute to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, who had whale penis leather aboard his yacht the Christina. Now pneumatic actress and animal rights activist Pamela Anderson, Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Federation have complained to Dartz, the company responsible, causing them to ditch plans for any whale genitalia to be used in making the insane vehicle. We can't imagine anyone but the Prince of Brothels would ever buy one anyway. Dartz's Leonard F. Yankelovich has now issued an unintentionally hilarious apology of sorts, in Russian-inflected English:

"We have no ideas to kill the whale or something like that," he insists. "All we want - to make just luxury car. Real luxury car which will be world number one car. We just looking for most expensive products for this car - and that's why we choosed whale penis leather when we checked it is most of most. After wave of protest we realised our mistake and make a decision not to use natural leather at all. We will focus on world most advanced nanotechnologies to achieve interior highest quality using artificial materials which also was never used for cars. We want to tell our hello to all whales: 'Our Sea Brothers! We all know that earth are stand on three whales - we will keep You live! We don't want Earth fall down to Ocean!'"

Back in May we wrote about he Russian-made Dartz Kombat grenade-proof luxury SUV debuted at Top Marques Monaco. Now the company has unveiled plans for a $1.5 million special edition featuring gold and diamond accents and an interior upholstered in.... whale penis leather. Apparently this is not a joke. The Monaco Red Diamond Edition will be shown under the name Prombron at the 2010 Top Marques show. The Red Diamond is being billed as the world's most expensive, luxurious and strongest armored car. It features a matte ruby red paintjob, gold-plated bulletproof windows, 22′ Kremlin Red Star bulletproof wheels, tungsten and white gold gauges decorated with diamonds and rubies, an additional outside kevlar coating, and a custom Vertu mobile phone with a panic button in addition to the disgusting-sounding interior. It also comes with three bottles of the world's most expensive vodka, RussoBaltique, another Dartz sideline adorned with yet more gold and diamonds.

[via JamesList]

Since its debut back in 1979, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class has been an automotive design icon known as much for rugged good looks as versatility; what other vehicle after all can lay claim both to having won the famous Paris-Dakar Rally and being deemed a worthy means of transport for the Pope? It not only constitutes the gene pool for a Mercedes-Benz SUV family that now numbers four model series in all, but with its 30th anniversary it's also the longest-serving passenger car model series there has been since Mercedes-Benz came into existence in 1886. Meticulously handcrafted at a special manufacturing facility in Graz, Austria, it can climb grades up to 36 degrees (80% slopes), and remain stable on lateral inclines up to 24 degrees (54% slopes) - and it rivals anything on the road for luxury finishes.

Only a few thousand G-Class models are sold here per year - perhaps not surprising given the $100,000-plus pricetag but certainly appealing to those who can afford it - making it the most exclusive SUV on the road, bar none. There are two versions: the G550 (the 2009 model of which my colleague Jonathon Ramsey wrote about earlier this year) and the supercharged G55 AMG, which delivers supercar-type performance. It's the one Abu Dhabi's royal family recently used to create an unrivaled bespoke offroad vehicle, and of course it's the one The Classicist chose to go cruising in. With its AMG-built 5.5-liter supercharged V8 engine kicking out 500 hp and 515 lb-ft of torque, it can do 0 - 60 mph in 5.4 seconds. Externally the G55 AMG is set apart from the G550 by exclusive chrome trim and "V8 Kompressor" badging as well as new 19-inch five-spoke wheels.

So yes it's a mean machine, but far from flashy; the utilitarian design conceals the sexy beast lurking within. Some find it too boxy, but we happen to love the retro military-inspired, no-nonsense styling; so damn many SUVs look like half-melted minivans. The only other thing that comes close to being as pedigreed, good-looking and tough-as-nails is the Land Rover Defender, and those haven't been sold in this country since the mid-90's. Moving on to the enticing interior, the G55 AMG features an exclusive Designo charcoal Nappa leather interior, natural maple wood trim and special AMG gauges to remind you what's going to happen when your foot hits the floor. A heated wood and leather steering wheel, power windows, and 10-way heated and ventilated multi-contour front seats round out the list of creature comforts. Added to solid axles front and rear and three electronically locking differentials to handle anything the terrain can throw at you, it gives new meaning to the phrase "best of both worlds."



A new COMAND infotainment system features a large color display screen with a standard in-dash, six-disc DVD / CD changer and a Bluetooth interface that allows a cell phone still in a pocket or purse to be operated through the car's audio system. It's also equipped with an iPod/MP3 interface, SIRIUS satellite radio, HD radio, and enhanced voice control system, as well as a 610-watt digital Harmon/Kardon Logic7 audio system that can play tracks stored on a data CD, DVD or SD memory card. It also displays maps and directions for the hard-drive navigation system, which are set up for SIRIUS real-time traffic info and Zagat restaurant ratings as well. If there's a five-star eatery on top of that mountain, you'll get there. To truly appreciate the G55 you need to head into the countryside and let it lead you off on some adventures: we visited Kaaterskill Falls, the Orvis Cup and the Vanderbilt Mansion to name a few. Sadly the G55 had to go back home, but we still have the memories - and some pictures, which we might show you if you're lucky.

Exotic auto tuner Mansory, makers of the $2.5 million Vincero Bugatti Veyron we wrote about earlier this year, have turned their attention to the Porsche Cayenne for their latest over-the-top creation. The Chopster as it's called has basically been completely rebuilt in carbon fiber with the addition of sporty chrome wedge-shaped panels on the doors. A product of Mansory's recent acquisition of Rinspeed's Porsche tuning arm, the revamped super-SUV has a wider, lower profile. Powering the beast is a 710 hp turbocharged V-8 with 665 lb.-ft. of torque and a top speed of 188 mph, while amped-up brakes are housed in massive 23″ x 11″ wheels. Inside you'll find even more carbon fiber, two-tone leather upholstery, a refrigerator, DVD player, internet-enabled laptop, head-rest monitor screens and more.

What's the best, most luxurious SUV in the world? Well, at least until the long-awaited $300,000 Spyker Peking-to-Paris finally materializes, the Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG holds the top spot. So that's what the royal family of Abu Dhabi decided to base its bespoke off-road vehicle on. They turned to German tuner A.R.T. for the one-off AS55K YAAS Edition (above). Output from the standard model's supercharged V8 engine has been amped up to an impressive 620 hp. Aerodynamic components were added to the front, side, rear, and roof, including a whole new hood, all finished in carbon fiber. Numerous highly-polished stainless steel decorative elements highlight the air vents and other details, and red brake calipers add a pop of colour. Rounding out the bespoke options are bi-xenon headlights, four fog lamps, a two-tone leather, wood and carbon fiber interior, an A.R.T steering wheel and of course a customized entertainment system.

One of the very first models of the Spyker D8 Peking-to-Paris, the world's most expensive SUV, is being offered for sale via global online luxury marketplace JamesList for about $300,000. Made by the Dutch supercar company, the Peking-to-Paris was originally styled the D12 and and featured a V12 engine in concept form, but will be fitted with a V8 for production. The vehicle is being offered for delivery shortly after the Frankfurt Motor Show in September where the production version will make its long-awaited debut. The custom-built four-wheel drive four-door is styled a "Super Sport Utility Vehicle" or SSUV, with supercar performance. The Peking-to-Paris model commemorates Spyker's participation in the 1907 cross-country race of that name. The incredibly luxurious interior is completely fitted out in glove-soft leather.

Volkswagen is not a marque one usually associates with luxury, and so we admit to being somewhat skeptical about the new 2010 Touareg V6 TDI and not all that enthusiastic at first when the chance came to test it out. MotorTrend changed our mind with its recent comparison of diesel and hybrid luxury SUVs - amazingly, their pros all concurred that it outclassed more expensive models like the Mercedes ML320 BlueTEC, BMW X5 and Lexus RX 450h. Plus it's one of the most fuel efficient and cleanest SUVs in the world.

We had a chance to experience it firsthand on a recent jaunt to Washington, DC and Annapolis, Maryland. The Touareg handled all situations with poise and equanimity, from navigating the city streets to an amazing dinner at Wolfgang Puck's The Source, to finding the right marina in Eastport through the bay's backroads for some sailing (the touchscreen GPS was a big help there). We could easily have kept on going, as the comfy interior with its wood and leather resembles in MotorTrend's words "a den in a ritzy Alaska fishing lodge" - or for our purposes make that the upstairs bar at the Annapolis Yacht Club.

Don't think that "diesel" means noisy and slow like those old Mercedes wagons of your youth. The Touareg TDI is powered by a hushed 3.0L, turbocharged six cylinder engine that produces 225 horsepower and an impressive 407 lbs-ft. of torque. Tourque, we learned en route, is more important than horsepower in diesel engines. The TDI's torque gives it performance equal to the gas-powered Touareg V8 that's rated at 350 hp and 324 lb-ft of torque, to give you an idea. And whereas the latter has an EPA mileage rating of 13/18 mpg city/hwy, the TDI gets 17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

The other day we told you about the awesome $1.5 million armored Rolls-Royce Phantom. If you're looking for something a little more utilitarian (and less expensive) though equally anti-ballistic, feast your eyes on the new Russian-made Dartz Kombat T98 SUV. The Hummer lookalike, a sort of tank-meets-luxury SUV, features heavy steel plated doors and 3-inch windows, and is impervious to everything from AK-47s to rocket-propelled grenades. Powered by an 8.1 liter Vortec V8, capable of 110 mph, it's priced at about $200,000. Prince Albert of Monaco was spotted checking the vehicle out at the recent Top Marques Monaco auto show.

At the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress (SAE) in Detroit Utah-based Raser Technologies just unveiled its hybrid version of the Hummer H3 which they claim gets 100 miles to the gallon. The range-extended eco vehicle has an all-electric range of 40 miles with a hybrid 200 kW electric motor / 100 kW gasoline-powered engine. With a 90 mph top speed, off-road capability and a lithium ion-battery that's rechargeable in as little as three hours, the SUV maintains its acceleration, towing and off-road capacities. California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a longtime Hummer enthusiast, praised the vehicle during a visit to the exhibition.

Subtlety isn't a term you'd ordinarily associate with sport-utility vehicle. Certainly not one as large as the Audi Q7. But that may be the only word to describe the update which the German automaker has given to its largest SUV. In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the 2009 model and the new 2010 version, so we'll tell you what they've done. Although the headlights are the same shape, they now incorporate a strip of LEDs; the front bumper has been subtly restyled, as has the rear end; the interior now has more wood veneer; there's a new satellite navigation system; and the 4.2-liter V8 turbo-diesel available overseas (but not in North America) gets a bump in power while consuming less oil. Again, subtle, as you can see from the images in the gallery below.

It doesn't exactly seem like the right time to launch a new SUV but the Knight XV is designed to appeal to a very limited audience. The new luxury SUV from Conquest Vehicles is being unveiled on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 at 1:30pm at SEMA 2008. The vehicle is described as a handcrafted, fully armored , V10, 6.8-litre Biofuel powered SUV. It has a selling price of $295,000.

Oleg Deripaska (right), 40, the richest man in Russia with a fortune of $28 billion and the 9th richest man in world (Luxist fave Roman Abramovich is #15), has reportedly held talks with General Motors about acquiring their beleaguered Hummer division.

As my colleague Deidre Woollard reported last month, Hummer is in financial trouble in the wake of the oil and gas price explosion, with sales of the SUV having tumbled some 40 percent through June. Ailing GM has announced plans to unload the brand, and Deripaska, whose company Russian Machines recently acquired a major stake in Canadian auto parts manufacturer Magna International, is a natural buyer.

In the wake of the reports, Russian Machines issued a statement saying it was "not strategically interested in such a deal", which sounds to us like a non-denial denial. We would hardly expect him to invite counter-offers by publicizing a planned acquisition before the deal is signed. This past New Year's Eve Deripaska paid Barbadian signer Rihanna $500,000 for a private 40 minute performance for his friends.

It's truly a thing of beauty. The new X6, BMW's answer to consumers' burgeoning love of crossover utility vehicles (or "sport activity vehicle," as BMW bills it), dresses the part without losing the style and driving dynamics that make it a BMW. As BMW head design honcho Chris Bangle hints, it's higher off the ground but is every bit a sports car as, say, the M3.

Though it's "technically" a concept in this form, we expect to see this in production form as a 2008 model. It is also expected to be BMW's first production hybrid vehicle, upping efficiency by 20% over the gasoline-powered model.

[Via Autoblog]

The Hummer H1 is being discontinued by General Motors this year, which means that the last ones will be built in June. The car was the cornerstone of the Hummer brand, and though the company has sold 12,000 of the $140,000 (base price of $106,000) vehicles since they were introduced in 1992, spokespeople say that they plan to focus on models that will have a broader appeal. GM reps also noted that rising gas prices didn't impact their decision because their customer base for the massive SUV isn't comprised of people who typically worry about that sort of thing. They do, however, worry about more luxury options, which is where GM will be taking the brand.