The Rezvani Vengeance is a 690bhp seven-seat SUV inspired by video games

We’d argue that carmakers aren't really in a phase of designing cute, loveable-looking SUVs right now, and yet madcap Californian company Rezvani has decided that it needs to “address the mundane market” with “some of the most aggressive SUV designs”.

So, here is its latest. This is the Rezvani Vengeance – a seven-seat SUV based on the Cadillac Escalade but wrapped in a new suit that’s apparently inspired by the cars in video games. Heck, it was even designed by digital artist and video game vehicle developer Milen Ivanov.

Rezvani – makers of the already rather terrifying Tank and Hercules 6x6 – says that 3D printing and ‘virtual sculpting methods’ were used to come up with the Vengeance’s beefy, military-inspired looks. There are 22-inch wheels wrapped in 35-inch off-road tyres, a huge amount of LEDs up front and a sci-fi style lightbar out back.

Certainly hit that ‘aggressive’ brief, didn’t they? And yet, the Vengeance should also be rather good at the whole ‘defensive’ thing too. As with all Rezvanis you can spec a Military Package that adds bulletproof glass and body armour, underside explosive protection, army-spec run-flat tyres, a night vision system, EMP protection, electrified door handles, gas masks, a pepper spray dispenser, a steel bumper to ram things out of the way and (thankfully) reinforced suspension.

To move the mighty Vengeance you get to choose between the Escalade’s standard turbodiesel straight-six and its 6.2-litre petrol-powered V8. However, like in the new performance spec Escalade V, Rezvani is also offering a supercharged version with 690bhp and 673lb ft of torque. Good grief.

Prices start at $249,000, but be warned that the Military Pack costs a not insignificant $95,000. Oh, and you can have a $7,500 camo paint job, a $125,000 ‘Executive Seating Pack’, a $4,500 rifle compartment and a $2,500 solar power system that allows you to go completely off-grid. The supercharger is also an $85,000 option.

And so, to all our paranoid friends out there: what do you think of the Vengeance?