Indians love SUVs, and it’s a matter of being practical, really. Might is usually right on Indian roads, and the biggest, baddest looking vehicles usually gets the right of way. In such circumstances, what better a tool than a heavily modified SUV? While there are a number of tastefully modified SUVs cruising about Indian roads, there are also more than a few wild and wacky ones. Today, we’ll check out five of them.
Thar by GS Customs
The folks at GS Customs need to call themselves “tank makers”, for almost all their designs look like battle tanks. The recipe is simple. Make the SUV look like a tank by eliminating all plastic bits. Add plenty of protruding metal to make the vehicle scare other traffic into keeping a safe distance. Then finally, add tractor tyres. Here are two Thars that’ve been done up using this formula.
Hummer Gypsy
Thanks to Bollywood and a bunch of big ticket celebrities, the Hummer is an instantly recognizable icon, and one that commands oohs and aahs on Indian roads. The list of regular SUVs modified into Hummers just keeps getting longer by the day. Here’s one more. In this case, a Maruti Suzuki Gypsy, also known as the mountain goat, has been heavily modified to look like a Hummer. Win or fail? You tell us.
Bolero pick up truck by GS Customs
The Mahindra Bolero camper is anything but an expedition vehicle. In fact, the pick up truck is used more by the Doodhwallas (milkmen) of India than overlanders. GS Customs has transformed one such pick up into something much more likeable. The vehicle looks mean even while standing still and if the red colour wasn’t overdone, this vehicle could’ve been called tasteful.
Scorpio wannabe MM540
Someone in God’s own country, a place that loves its SUVs, decided to buy a MM540 instead of a Scorpio. After buying, this somebody decided that he liked the Scorpio better, and the Scorpio wannabe MM540 was born. Well, how else do you explain this weird looking contraption that has many bits of the Scorpio spoiling what is a timeless Civilian Jeep (CJ) design of the MM540?
Kit Up! Bolero
Kit Up! is a custom body kit maker from India, with a penchant for very loud designs. Here’s one such example. The Mahindra Bolero in the picture gets the Kit Up! treatment. Called the Campaign Edition, this version of the Bolero is aimed at politicians, for use during electioneering. The MUV gets as loud as possible with its front end styling, while the top has motorized panels.