The Rezvani Vengeance: A Cadillac Escalade Turned Combat Vehicle for Paranoid Parents
The Rezvani Vengeance is not your average three-row SUV. Produced by Irvine, California-based startup Rezvani Motors, the Vengeance is a heavily modified Cadillac Escalade that exemplifies the “urban assault vehicle” moniker.
You probably won’t find this SUV at your local Carmax lot. Let’s dig into what this SUV is, who it’s for, and what makes it so extreme.
What is the Rezvani Vengeance?
The Rezvani Vengeance came out in late 2022, claiming the title of the biggest and most expensive vehicle based on the Cadillac Escalade. Boutique brands modifying Escalades is nothing new, but the Vengeance is unique even in the world of custom luxury SUVs. The 2023 Cadillac Escalade starts at $80,795, but the Rezvani Vengeance begins at $285,000.
It’s hard to know where to begin describing this SUV, so let’s start with the design. The Rezvani Vengeance was designed by Milen Ivanov, a digital artist who’s become a real car designer. He was the vehicle artist for the mobile game Ace Racer and the Netflix cartoon Fast & Furious Spy Racers. He’s moved from extreme concepts only possible in the realm of digital animation to designing an authentic SUV inspired by video games.
The Vengeance has a lineup of powertrains similar to the Escalade. The standard engine is a 6.2-liter V8 rated at 420 horsepower, and a Duramax turbodiesel with 460 lb-ft of torque is optional. A supercharged 6.2-liter V8 is also optional, and you can choose your tuning to either 650 hp or 810 hp.
Despite the wild exterior design, the interior is more Cadillac-like than you might expect. It seats seven or eight passengers and uses the same curved OLED display and AKG audio system as the Escalade. The list of optional features is where things get crazy.
Absurd and dramatic ‘safety’ features for the Vengeance SUV
Just a few options for the Rezvani Vengeance include limo-like Executive Seating ($125,000) with reclining, massaging, executive rear seats, a bar, a driver partition screen, a television with Apple TV, and iPads.
A Military Package ($125,000) gives it some crazy features like bulletproof glass, body armor, underside explosive protection, a smoke screen, a thermal night vision system, EMP protection, electrified door handles, a pepper spray dispenser, seven sets of bulletproof vests and helmets, and more. A comparatively affordable Security Package ($62,000) has many of the same features but without the bulletproof body or glass.
Who is the Rezvani Vengeance for?
Many online critics like Jalopnik and Insider pan the Rezvani Vengeance as being a tank for paranoid parents. However, since it’s priced so out of reach to most parents, it’s really a toy for the super-rich who want to drive something that looks like it’s from a video game. A few of Rezvani’s clients include celebrities like Jamie Foxx, Chris Brown, and Rampage Jackson, and a Rezvani Beast supercar appeared in an Enrique Iglesias video. In fact, the first-ever Vengeance is owned by Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper, who has no children.
Although some mommy bloggers have made videos and social media posts with the Vengeance, Rezvani doesn’t appear to be pitching it as a practical family car. There are no pictures of children on the car’s official webpage, and taglines in the ad copy read “Vengeance Is Yours” and “Luxury Meets Military.”
While the Rezvani Vengeance certainly could be used as an everyday family hauler, we suspect that’s rarely how it’s used in real life. Discerning parents in the real world who want safe and practical family transportation will continue driving SUVs and minivans with good safety ratings, despite a lack of bulletproof protection.
