Kahn’s Flying Huntsman 6×6 truck is a Defender like you’ve never seen before

By Ronan Glon September 25, 2015

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Kahn Flying Huntsman 6x6 truck

Kahn Flying Huntsman 6x6 truck

Kahn Flying Huntsman 6x6 truck

Kahn Flying Huntsman 6x6 truck

Kahn Flying Huntsman 6x6 truck

Known globally for its wild Land Rover-based creations, British tuner Kahn Design has introduced a six-wheeled version of the rugged Defender pickup truck.

Like the Flying Huntsman that was introduced in Geneva earlier this year, the truck is fitted with a full body kit that adds plastic cladding on the fenders and on the quarter panels, new lights on both ends and a redesigned grille that gives the 32-year-old Defender a much more menacing appearance. Black wheels with red inserts add a touch of color to the otherwise murdered-out look.

In an effort to mask the Defender’s purely utilitarian roots, Kahn has installed bucket seats for the front passengers, a new steering wheel with metal spokes, a diamond-quilted headliner and a full center console. Red leather upholstery and white contrast stitching on the seats as well as on the dashboard create an ambiance that’s worthy of a German luxury car.

In base form, the six-wheeled truck retains a bone stock Defender-sourced 2.2-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel engine that makes 130 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. The oil-burner is linked to a six-speed manual transmission, but buyers looking to go clutch-less can order an automatic gearbox at an extra cost.

130 hp isn’t a lot, especially when the weight added by the six-wheeled body is taken into account. To give the truck a little more oomph, Kahn can install a 6.2-liter LS3 V8 engine borrowed from the General Motors parts bin and tuned to make anywhere between 400 and 500 ponies. Performance figures have not been published yet.

Kahn Design’s six-wheeled Land Rover Defender is billed as a concept, but it’s already scheduled to go on sale in England and in a host of other markets across Europe in the coming months. Pricing will kick off at roughly £99,875 (approximately $152,000) before taxes are factored in.

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2023 Kia Niro EV first drive review: Practical doesn’t have to bore you to tears

Front three quarter view of the 2023 Kia Niro EV.

If you want to see just how quickly the electric car landscape has changed over the past few years, take a look at the redesigned 2023 Kia Niro EV.
When the first-generation Niro EV launched for the 2019 model year (following hybrid and plug-in hybrid Niro variants), it was a pretty big deal. The Niro was Kia’s first EV not based on a conventional gasoline model, and the first intended for high sales volumes.
The second-generation 2023 Niro EV boasts more tech, more space, and more extroverted styling than its predecessor, but it’s still very much in the shadow of the Kia EV6. Once Kia’s main EV attraction, the Niro is being refocused as a more affordable option to take on the likes of the Chevrolet Bolt EV/Bolt EUV, Volkswagen ID.4, and Nissan Leaf.
Kia plans to offer the Niro EV in trim levels named Wind and Wave, but hasn’t released pricing for either. Note that the previous-generation 2022 Niro EV started at $41,245; the new model could see a price increase because of its updates. And because it’s assembled in South Korea, the 2023 Niro EV won’t qualify for the revamped federal EV tax credit, Kia has confirmed.

Design and interior
Like the previous generation, the Niro is part of a three-pronged lineup that also includes the Niro Hybrid and Niro PHEV (plug-in hybrid models). All three maintain the tall-wagon shape of the first-generation Niro, but with much bolder styling.
Where the previous Niro was a wishy-washy mix of car and SUV styling elements, the 2023 Niro is the result of the same fearless design department that produced the EV6 and the 2023 Kia Sportage. The traditional automotive “face” was rearranged with a visor-like element, protruding grille, and hexagonal lighting elements. Contrasting trim panels break up the profile view, and conceal “Air Blade” elements around the taillights that, Kia claims, reduce aerodynamic drag.
Kia used sustainable materials to further decrease the Niro EV’s environmental impact.

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Front view of the 2023 Nissan Ariya.

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The Ariya is the long-awaited sequel to the Leaf, boosting updated tech, better performance, and an SUV body style to match current trends. But during the Ariya’s long gestation (it was originally supposed to launch in 2021), other automakers have come up with electric SUVs of their own. So while it was once a leader, Nissan must now follow the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Kia EV6, among others.
Pricing starts at $44,485 (with destination) for the base Ariya Engage trim level with front-wheel drive and the smaller 65-kilowatt-hour (63-kWh usable capacity) battery pack. Pricing rises to $61,485 for the top Platinum+ model with all-wheel drive and a 91-kWh (87-kWh usable capacity) pack, but all-wheel drive models won’t arrive until after the front-wheel drive models. Nissan hasn’t discussed plans to assemble the Ariya in the U.S., so it likely won’t qualify for the revised federal EV tax credit.

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If it had launched even two years ago, the Ariya would have looked cutting-edge. Its rounded exterior surfaces make a nod to aerodynamics while still preserving the SUV look buyers love. It’s a nice-looking vehicle too, but so are the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Kia EV6, all of which have gone on sale since the Ariya was announced in 2020. Nissan is no longer a trendsetter, but the Ariya can at least claim a more SUV-like feel than those other EVs, in both its tall profile and high-and-mighty driving position.
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Rounded surfaces nod to aerodynamics while still preserving the SUV look buyers love.

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Front three quarter view of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV.

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As the name states, the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV is an SUV derivative of the EQS sedan. With the EQS sedan positioned as the electric analog to the Mercedes S-Class, the EQS SUV is the electric version of the GLS-Class. And like that vehicle, the EQS SUV is available with up to seven seats across three rows.
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Design and interior
A defining feature of Mercedes’ EQ lineup is aerodynamic bodywork aimed at maximizing range. The typical SUV is not aerodynamically ideal, but Mercedes managed to achieve an impressively low drag coefficient for an SUV — at 0.26, it’s close to the Toyota Prius. But function clearly took precedence over form. Mercedes deserves credit for not going in the polarizing direction BMW did with its two-row iX SUV, but the EQS SUV looks like a melting scoop of ice cream.
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The EQS SUV looks like a melting scoop of ice cream.