Range Rovers are surprisingly versatile vehicles. The British SUV can go just about anywhere while offering supreme levels of comfort, and if you need to get somewhere fast, there are versions for that too. There are also countless custom variants out there (check out this one with a built-in liquor cabinet), but recently, two more challengers entered the fray.
Inkas, an armored vehicle manufacturer based out of Canada, recently introduced its interpretation of the upscale Range Rover Autobiography. The very next day, Land Rover premiered the 2016 Holland & Holland Range Rover, which features unique touches from a British manufacturer of custom shotguns. So whether the bullets are coming into or out of your vehicle, there really is a Range Rover for everyone … if you have a couple hundred grand to spare, that is.
Let’s start with the Inkas. From the outside, there isn’t a whole lot to differentiate it from the standard mill, but this beast is far from stock. The passenger compartment, battery, and electronic control module are all lined with tough armor plating, and the suspension and door hinges are heavily reinforced. The vehicle also boasts a BR6 armor level, which means it shrugs off 7.62mm weapons fire and DM51 hand grenade explosions with ease.
If buyers need a bit more peace of mind, options like emergency lights, fire suppression systems, and heavy duty wheels are available as well. And if you need to make a break for it, the vehicle’s 510-horsepower supercharged V8 should do the trick.
While the Inkas primarily focuses on occupant safety, the Holland & Holland Range Rover is all about style. Style and guns, apparently.
The NRA-approved model is based on the Range Sover SVAutobiography, which comes from Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations division. Power output bumps to 550 horsepower for this green beauty, but the best part lies out back. In addition to various luxury accoutrements like engraved brightwork and polished French walnut — the same variety used to craft Holland & Holland firearm stocks — the 4×4 features a leather-trimmed gun case that deploys from the rear. Cool.
Which version do you prefer? Let us know in the comments.
Volkswagen’s newest EVs in China are making its American and European models look unusually conservative.
With Xpeng’s help, VW has introduced 800-volt charging and advanced urban driving assistance. The new VEGA technology package brings its locally developed vehicle platforms and CEA electronic architecture under one umbrella. Bloomberg reports that Volkswagen intends to update VEGA every three months. Western buyers can find pieces of that package, but not the whole thing in a Volkswagen.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?