Who hasn't ever dreamt of driving a tank on the public road? Richard Hammond got to live out that fantasy in a recent episode of The Grand Tour, rampaging through the streets of Dubai, smashing through a shopping mall, and driving over desert dunes. This wasn't your standard military machine, either. Ripsaw specializes in converting former military tanks into high performance luxury vehicles and has developed the EV2 as the world's fastest luxury super tank.
Powered by a 6.6-liter diesel V8 producing 400-hp, the standard Ripsaw is acknowledged as the fastest tracked vehicle ever built as Hammond explains in a video taken from the video. The EV2 model, however, ups the ante even further, cranking the power up to 700 hp and 975 lb-ft of torque.
0-62 mph takes just 3.5 seconds making it faster than some supercars while its top speed is 80 mph. You'd expect a tracked vehicle with as much might as the Ripsaw to have a bone-jarringly harsh ride, but not so in the EV2. Ripsaw has fitted the luxury tank with more suspension travel than a Range Rover, resulting in a surprisingly smooth ride. As a result, it can tackle just about any terrain with ease with the ability to climb gradients of up to 75 percent. That's just insane. Inside, the EV2 is equipped with luxuries like air-conditioning, electrically adjustable leather seats and a stereo. That doesn't make it a Bentley Bentayga rival, but need we remind you that this is a road-going tank that weighs nearly four tons.
You'll need deep pockets to afford one, though. Each Ripsaw is custom-made, and the EV2 featured in The Grand Tour cost its owner around $400,000.