Missed the Knight XV during its first debut at the SEMA 2008 in Las Vegas? Well here’s another chance for you to see it in person. At the upcoming Barrett-Jackson show on January 11-18 in Scottsdale, Arizona, this luxurious and handcrafted SUV will be on display for the public. That’s right! Two days from now, you are off to see this Conquest Vehicles Inc.’s flagship vehicle.

Seriously combining security, excellence, and luxury, the Knight XV is a one-of-a-kind SUV that is equipped with a V10, 6.8-liter engine which supplies 400 hp and 498-ft lbs of torque. Why it’s one-of-a-kind? Here, see for yourself.

At first glance, you might think that it’s one of those vehicles that will be used in Batman movies. Hmmm. Why not? After all, it could be Conquest’s Dark Knight.

So, are you ready to see this dark , powerful, armoured, and ultra luxurious SUV? Read more about this press release and start marking your calendar now!

Press Release:

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA–(Marketwire - Jan. 8, 2009) -

Editors Note: 3 photos are included with this press release.

KNIGHT XVTM, the world’s most secure, luxurious and handcrafted SUV will be on display for the public at the world famous Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event in Scottsdale, Arizona, announced William Maizlin, President of Conquest Vehicles Inc.

The KNIGHT XV will be one of the featured vehicles in the DuPont Registry (booth #SP-03) throughout the entire Barrett-Jackson show beginning January 11 through January 18, 2009.

“Since launching the KNIGHT XV at SEMA to the auto industry in November, the demand by auto enthusiasts and media to see and experience this vehicle has been so positively overwhelming that we decided to feature it at Barrett-Jackson so the public could see it in person for the very first time,” said Maizlin.

Inspired by the Gurkha military vehicle, the KNIGHT XV is an ultra luxurious, handcrafted, bio-fuel (also available in gasoline and diesel) powered full-armoured SUV which is powered by a V10, 6.8-litre engine and sits on a super duty Ford modified platform chassis. The KNIGHT XV provides 400 hp and 498-ft lbs of torque.

The KNIGHT XVTM is priced at $310,000 USD. Only 100 will be made available as a limited first run. Each vehicle takes 1,500 hours to build by hand.

“Barrett-Jackson is the preeminent automotive collector show in North America. We figured what better of a show to introduce the KNIGHT XV to the general public than at this incredible week-long event,” said Maizlin.

The KNIGHT XVTM offers interior appointments including Wilton Wool luxury carpeting; Andrew Muirhead leather; 6-way electric leather boardroom-style seating; Tandem sunroof glass with privacy shades; Personal side-mounted lap top trays; LED cabin lighting; Alpine AM, FM, CD, DVD navigation and Bluetooth equipment; TV Monitors; Night vision and rear op camera system and Playstation 3 (PS3). The cabin’s 283-cubic-foot interior is larger than the interior of most SUV’s on the road today and can comfortably seat six professional basketball players.

The KNIGHT-XVTM is built using ballistic hardened steel making it fully armoured including ballistic fiberglass fenders and bumper, and up to 64 mm. (2.5 inches) transparent armor (glass). The KNIGHT XV’s armouring level varies based each client’s specific requirements.

The KNIGHT XVTM is 240″ in length, 98″ in width with a ground clearance of 14″ and stands at 100″. Its wheelbase is 141″ and has an armoured curb weight of approximately 12,000 pounds. The vehicle holds 40 gallons of fuel and sits on four, LT40X13.50R20 Mickey Thompson Baja Radial ATZ tires with ballistic run flats. The vehicle’s 20-inch rims are custom designed and engineered using a solid piece of forged 6061 aluminum.

Additionally, the KNIGHT XVTM contains an E-85 Ethanol conversion system (Flex Fuel) with California emission certification, thereby making it certified in all 50 States.

About Conquest Vehicles Inc

Conquest Vehicles Inc., specializes in the design and manufacturing of ultra-luxurious, fully armoured, handcrafted sport utility vehicles. The company, headquartered in Toronto, Canada, is comprised of the automotive industry’s most respected talent whose award-winning experience in engineering, fabrication, design, armouring and customization combine to create one-of-a-kind SUV’s unrivaled and unmatched in today’s automotive marketplace.

For more information about the KNIGHT XVTM or Conquest Vehicles, please visit www.conquestvehicles.com.

To view the Photos associated with this press release please visit the following links:

http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1Knight800.jpg

http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/2knight800.jpg

http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/3knight800.jpg

Photo Credit: Conquest Vehicles Inc.

Wow, is this for real? If you happen to be in search for a new SUV this year, this deal will sure catch your fancy as you’ll be getting two new rides by paying only one.

So, what’s in store for you in this “buy one, get one free” deal? Well, it’s like this: when you buy a 2008 Dodge Ram, you get another Dodge Ram SUV for free!

Isn’t this deal amazing? Whether you’re out there looking as a first time buyer or wanting to replace that old ride of yours, now is the right time to grab a deal as great as this one.

So, what are you waiting for? Check out The University Dodge dealership in Miami, Florida now to know more about this offer.

To all SUV shoppers out there, Mercedes just announces the competitive price tag for their upcoming small SUV - the 2010 Mercedes Benz GLK350 4MATIC. Starting at a competitive price of $41,800, this SUV boasts great features such as a set of 19-inch wheels, 10-way power adjustable heated front seats, CD changer, dual-zone climate control, Bluetooth interface, and many others. An optional premium package is also available if owner wants to jazz up the vehicle with motorized steering column, power tailgate, panoramic sunroof, and more.

According to Marcus Breitschwerdt, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Canada, the 2010 Mercedes Benz GLK350 4MATIC will offer customers an unmatched level of value within the mid-size premium SUV segment. And with its sporty handling characteristics, numerous standard safety and convenience features, and bold exterior design, no doubt the GLK350 4MATIC will be another compelling option for SUV shoppers to join the Mercedes-Benz family.

The 2010 Mercedes Benz GLK350 4MATIC is powered by a tried and tested 3.5-liter V6 engine. It features a seven-speed automatic transmission, a lock-up clutch mechanism, and a powerplant that nets an output of 268 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. It’s up against Infiniti EX35, Acura RDX, Lexus RX350, BMW X3, and Land Rover LR2 from Europe.

Would you believe this claim by a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, California? Human fat to fuel SUV? Bizarre, huh!

Dr. Alan Bittner, a top Beverly Hills cosmetic surgeon, used fat which he sucked out of patients in liposuction operations to fuel his SUV. He called this fuel as “lipodiesel’.

All claims by Dr. Bittner were posted on his website lipodiesel.com; however, this site is no longer accessible. Dr. Bittner took down all biofuel posts on the site and is believed to have left the country for Bogota, Colombia after shutting down his Rodeo Drive office.

So, can you really fuel your SUV with human fat like what Dr. Bittner did? Well, you can, since a gallon of fat can be turned into around a gallon of biodiesel.

Now, the question is: Would you dare try it?

Photo courtesy of: flickr.com

Yes, it’s true! The 2009 LTZ Chevrolet Tahoe will be the grand prize in a raffle being held by United Way. This is actually the last GM-Janesville plant SUV which GM will donate to United Way. The plant is scheduled to close on December 23, so GM officials said it’s their way of giving back to the community.

Gary Malkus, GM-Janesville plant manager, said he’s hoping businesses will sell tickets to their employees because they will not only help the nonprofit organization but also have that chance to win a piece of Janesville’s history.

Tickets are sold at $20 per piece and $300 for six. Drawing will be held on February 25, during the United Way of North Rock County’s annual meeting. To know more about the raffle, simply log on to www.uwnrc.org or call 608-757-3040.

Snow is coming. And so perhaps, you were thinking about how difficult it is to drive in this condition again. No need to worry because with Mercedes-Benz GLK 4MATIC, you can hit the snow without the fuss. Ever heard of this system? Well, it’s the name given to the AWD four-wheel drive system developed and used by Mercedes-Benz. If you haven’t heard of it, here’s a press release published today by Mercedes-Benz. It highlights the prowess of the GLK 4MATIC system, so any questions you have in mind about this intelligent four-wheel drive system will be answered in just a few minutes.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Safer, more pleasurable driving on snow and ice: The GLK 4MATIC gets to grips with winter

Stuttgart/Hochgurgl – Soon it will be time to head for the ski slopes again, and drivers of Mercedes models with the permanent all-wheel-drive system 4MATIC can rest assured as they set off en route to their chosen winter paradise. Because the performance of the drive configuration on roads affected by snow or ice is truly impressive. Mercedes-Benz is demonstrating the high traction reserves coupled with excellent directional stability and safety in the new GLK at its 4MATIC workshop. In extreme winter conditions at a height of 2500 metres on the Austrian Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road this compact SUV is demonstrating that its driving dynamics really are in a class of their own.

As is the case with 4MATIC’s fine-tuning on a dry or wet road, directional stability and therefore the active safety of the GLKmodels is always to the fore when wintry conditions prevail, too. The basic 4MATIC mechanism with a 45:55 percent torque split between the front and rear axles along with the multiple-disc limited-slip centre differential with a basic locking torque of 50 Nm adds up to an ideal solution. This basic design delivers high traction since, on the one hand, the dynamic shift in axle load toward the rear axle that occurs during acceleration is used to deliver more drive torque to the rear. Meanwhile, the multiple-disc limited-slip centre differential can also variably shift the drive torque from 30 to 70 or 70 to 30 percent between the front and rear axle, whenever the road conditions so dictate. As such, the electronic control systems ESP®, 4ETS or ASRcan intervene as late as possible; the bulk of the torque is converted into traction on slippery roads.

All interventions go virtually unnoticed, but the drivers are still informed immediately if they are driving on the limit. In this case a yellow warning light flashes in the instrument panel – a clear signal to adjust their driving style to the road conditions.

The arrangement featuring a permanent design mechanism has key advantages over other systems that first need to diagnose a lack of traction before activating their 4×4 all-wheel drive. The 4MATIC on the GLKwill have already made use of this valuable time to transmit drive torque via the wheels to the road.

4ETS: integrated “automatic start-off aid” for ice and snow

When pulling away in wintry conditions the engineers use the off-road algorithms on the GLK4MATIC to develop optimum traction. Certain road conditions are automatically detected and the interventions of the 4ETS electronic traction control system adjusted so that as much acceleration as possible can be achieved with minimal wheel slip, providing optimum directional stability in the process. This strategy also allows the vehicle to pull away under adverse conditions, such as when one side of the vehicle is on an icy slope (the so-called µ-split) or both wheels on the front or rear axle have limited grip (µ-jump).

Stable conditions on wintry roads

On winding roads covered with snow and ice, vehicle stability is primarily controlled by means of engine torque regulation in the acceleration skid control system ASR. Taking into consideration the longitudinal and lateral dynamics of the vehicle continuously determined by the ESP®sensor system, the ASRcontrol thresholds are adjusted according to the driving situation. In order to ensure stable driving conditions, on winding roads the longitudinal force must be controlled via engine torque regulation in such a way that sufficient lateral force is always available. In order to comply with this law of physics, when driving on winding roads the control thresholds for engine torque regulation on the outer wheels are reduced considerably at low frictional coefficient, ensuring that the tyres can develop sufficient lateral force.

4MATIC: top performance in all areas

The 4MATIC drive system in the GLKis among the most powerful all-wheel-drive systems there are; its control systems break new ground. Advantages over other systems with a transversely installed drive unit are achieved thanks to the basic compact, light and friction-loss-optimised design with its longitudinally positioned engine and integrated main and transfer case. Fuel consumption, for example, is at the same level as that of a comparable, conventionally driven vehicle, whilst noise and vibration levels are on a par with those in higher vehicle categories.

105 years of all-wheel-drive technology from Mercedes-Benz

The history of all-wheel drive from Mercedes-Benz begins way back in 1903, when Paul Daimler, the son of the company’s founder, creates the foundations for designing vehicles with all-wheel drive. Since then the accepted maxim has been that all-wheel drive is the number-one technology for making better and safer progress on poor roads. As the decades pass it is successfully introduced in a variety of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, in both passenger cars and commercial vehicles. Some models, such as the G-Class and the Unimog, have attained legendary status all over the world. But all-wheel drive has its benefits in everyday driving on asphalt roads too, as demonstrated by the saloons and sports utility vehicles (SUV) from Mercedes-Benz.

4MATIC available in no less than 51 Mercedes models

The Mercedes-Benz all-wheel-drive line-up includes nine model series and offers an broad range of options: starting with the C-Class and E-Class, both available as saloon and estate versions with 4MATIC, through the S-Class, the luxury CL Coupé and the R-Class touring SUV, the Stuttgart-based manufacturer offers the compact GLKSUV as well as the GL-Class and M-Class off-roaders. The evergreen G-Class off-roader, which really comes into its own off the beaten track, will be celebrating 30 years of loyal service next year. It has a reputation as being one of the world’s best cross-country vehicles and is just one of 51 passenger car models which Mercedes-Benz offers with permanent all-wheel drive.

Source: eMercedesBenz

So, who says you can’t have fun with winter driving? With the GLK 4MATIC system, driving in snowy and icy conditions is made easier and safer. Now, if you want to have a closer look at how the 4MATIC system is implemented on the new Mercedes GLK, feel free to browse the photos included in the gallery below.

Image Source: eMercedesBenz

What else would you ask for in a vehicle with all these great advantages? No emissions, no working combustible parts, and most of all NO GAS! Believe it or not, this new hydrogen powered SUV offers all these and is now hitting the streets of New York. What vehicle am I talking about? It’s the custom built Chevy Equinox which was tested to go up to 200 miles on a tank full of hydrogen.

But wait! Before you go on asking where you could get one, be wary of the downsides of this hydrogen powered SUV. First, it’s so expensive. But according to the Westchester resident who conducted the test, it could drop to $20,000 in five years time. And second, there are only three cities where you can fill your vehicle up with that needed hydrogen. If you’re not near to any of the three, well that makes a huge problem.

Okay, so what do you think? Are you up to the advantages of no emissions, no working combustible parts, and no gas offered by the new hydrogen powered SUV? Or does cost and the very few number of hydrogen gas station hold you back from having it? Think again.

You read it right! Kentucky dealer just launched the Red Tag Event on the Saturn Outlook Crossover SUV. So, if you’ve been eyeing on this Saturn model for months, then there’s no better time to get this than now. Check out the Red Tag Event’s lowest prices and see what’s in store for you.

If this is your first time to hear about Saturn’s Red Tag Event, well here’s a bit of info. This event is known for its lowest prices offerings on various 2008 and 2009 Saturn models, mostly starting with the supplier pricing. And with the consumer cash bonus, prices are even reduced further, so you get really huge savings during this event.

Take advantage of these red tag clearance prices. Let the new Saturn Outlook be the best gift you’ll give yourself this holiday season.

To know more about the Saturn Red Tag Event, check out http://www.saturnoflexingtonky.com.

With gas falling below $2.00 per gallon, of course this is good news to all SUV owners out there. You see, SUVs are known to have very low miles per gallon (MPG), so the drop in gas prices will indeed rev them up.

For sure, if you are an SUV owner, you can’t wait to take out your keys and start fillin’ your baby up. Just a few months ago, when gas prices still ranged at $4-plus, perhaps you were looking at your Toyota 4Runner with disgust. How about your Dodge Durango? Maybe you were thinking of reselling it, but then again you realized who in the right mind would even dare buy an SUV that time.

Now, with this drop in gas prices, you will fall in love all over again with your dream SUV. You will again appreciate its spacious cargo area, roomy and luxuriant interior, and its towing and off-road capabilities.

So hang on to this good news for as long as OPEC can handle it. Because for sure, this won’t last forever.

Image from: gasprices360.com