Is the Karlmann King the world's most expensive SUV?

The Karlmann King (IAT)

The world doesn't seem to be able to get enough of SUVs at the moment, and just about every manufacturer is either rushing to get into producing their own takes on the genre or expanding their existing portfolios. But if you want to drive an SUV or crossover and retain an element of individuality, it can be a challenge. However, there's now a surefire way to own and drive an SUV that will make you stand out in any crowd, but it will mean shelling out for what can probably claim to be the most expensive SUV in the world right now.

When it comes to hypercars it's not too difficult to find something ultra exclusive and intensely powerful that will set you back more than US$2 million, but, perhaps surprisingly, it's not quite the same with SUVs. But if you have got a reported $2.2 million to splashout on a new utility vehicle, the Karlmann King could be just what you're looking for.

It's the perfect antidote for those who think all today's SUVs look pretty much the same because nothing else on earth looks like this. This limited-run vehicle is based on Ford's F-550 platform, has been designed by a Chinese company called IAT, and is being built by a team based in Europe. The makers say it's a "stealth" vehicle and that it offers what they call "an unprecedented visual feast."

How much of a visual feast the Karlmann King provides is obviously in the eye of the beholder, and just how stealthy this monster actually is could also be open to debate. But it's probably fair to say that if Batman was looking for an SUV to add to his collection, this is where his search would begin and end.

The Karlmann King measures in at almost six meters from front to back and weighs in at 4.5 tonnes. But if you want to go for the optional bulletproofing (and why wouldn't you?), this mighty beast will then tip the scales at an astronomical 6,000 kg.

What's perhaps a little less impressive is the engine powering the KK, which is the 6.8-litre V-10 that normally powers the Ford F-550. The 395 bhp it's said to produce in this case would normally be more than sufficient for an F-550, but it could probably do with quite a bit more here, especially in bulletproof form.

It might be ponderously slow, but your wait to get where you're going will be a comfortable one as the interior is on a par with a Rolls-Royce. Then again, it needs to be with a price of almost $2.2 million.