Elite Traveler March-April 2017

elite traveler MAR/APR 2017 37

TAKE THREE/// ULTIMATE RVs

1. BLISSMOBIL MERCEDES-BENZ ZETROS 6X6 When it comes to long-distance travel, not everyone is content to stick to the paved freeway. Enter Bliss Mobil, the Netherlands-based outfit that builds the ultimate in off-road-capable RVs. These are available in a variety of chassis options – ranging from an 11ft Unimog, up to the monstrous six-wheeled Mercedes-Benz Zetros seen here. While their interiors are a little more spartan than our two other offerings, the Zetros are engineered to tackle the harshest conditions on earth and can pack enough resources to sustain travelers for up to 90 days completely off the grid. From $200,000, blissmobil.com 2. FEATHERLITE PREVOST VANTARÉ H3-45-S2 The Prevost bus chassis conversion is always the name of the game for North American RVs, and Featherlite is a leader in the category. At a whopping 45ft long and using numerous slide-outs, the Prevost conversions can offer more square footage than your average New York studio apartment. Fully customizable, these three-axle diesel behemoths can quite easily crack the $2m benchmark, depending on how they’re configured. From $1.9m, Mark Eisenhart, meisenhart@ featherlitecoaches.com, featherlitecoaches.com

3. VARIOMOBIL PERFECT 1200 PLATINUM Germany-based company Vario has been around since 1985, but what really set it apart was an early innovation in 1990 that saw it include an on-board garage in the structure of its über-luxe motorhomes. Vario’s latest top-tier model is based on a Mercedes Diesel chassis, and this triple-axle beast can be clad in just about any exotic woods and fine leathers your heart desires. From $1.2m, vario-mobil.com

Small motor, big power

cars, whether they’re on the street or the track. As with most supercars of late, we don’t doubt that most of the Beast Alphas that will hit the road in 2017 won’t necessarily spend much time at the race track. However, with such a potent package they’ll certainly be up to the task if given the chance. $200,000, rezvanimotors.com

The Beast Alpha isn’t shy on quality, either. In the interior, task-driven sports seats, a leather-clad console and dash, and a programmable, fully digital instrument cluster give the cabin a luxurious yet thoughtful feel. On the exterior, LED lighting, an exposed carbon front lip and rear diffuser, and a pair of peculiar wing mirrors are interesting details. However, the real showstopper of its exterior design is the doors. At first glance, the rather unusual but extremely practical swinging/sliding doors look like a spin on the sliding doors most commonly seen in minivans. But Rezvani didn’t build this thing just to look fast. Adjustable suspension, a close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox and carbon-ceramic brakes are all available as options to allow its owners to get the best performance from their

These days, Porsche, Ferrari and other major automotive companies are shifting their focus toward hybrid and full-electric platforms. California-based boutique supercar house Rezvani has opted for a traditional-yet-effective approach. Its third creation, the Beast Alpha, packs a 500bhp turbocharged Honda Racing 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine into a Lotus-derived aluminum chassis wrapped in carbon fiber with a curb weight of less than 2,000lb, making for a simple and lightweight rocket whose 0–60mph time is only 10ths of a second slower than that of the Lamborghini Huracan.

Words Justin Mastine-Frost