It sounds presumptuous for any SUV to be called ‘Tank X’, but it seems okay in this case. PHOTO FROM REZVANI

You may have heard that the Land Transportation Office is now targeting aftermarket modifications done on off-road vehicles. Our favorite government agency is saying that since these vehicles are equipped with parts and accessories designed for off-road terrain, they shouldn’t be allowed on paved highways.

Apparently, the LTO believes that cars of this nature are automatically rendered unroadworthy by all the aftermarket bits and pieces installed by their owners. Well, what about those boutique mod shops overseas that transform stock vehicles into extraordinary land machines? Won’t their creations be allowed to roll on Philippine pavement?

Take California-based Rezvani Motors, for instance. The car-modification specialist makes superior vehicles based on otherwise boring models. Like the Tank X sport-utility vehicle you see here, which is supposedly underpinned by the basic framework of the Jeep Wrangler.

We wonder if traffic officers would dare to stop this. PHOTOS FROM REZVANI

Touted as the “off-road supercar” by its maker, the Tank X is an even more potent version of a brawny and equally menacing SUV that Rezvani unveiled last year. That one was simply called the Tank, which the company classified as an XUV (or Xtreme Utility Vehicle). It was propelled by a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 that churned out 500hp and 583Nm. The meaner Tank X? It now boasts a 6.2-liter supercharged Hellcat V8 that produces 707hp. Rezvani doesn’t mention the torque figure this time, but the engine in question has a tree-pulling 881Nm when doing duty under the hood of the Dodge Charger.

Who would suspect this to be based on the Wrangler? PHOTOS FROM REZVANI

The Tank X is not that long at 4,978mm from bumper to bumper, and not that wide at 2,134mm from flank to flank. It is a bit tall at 2,108mm from ground to roof, but it is not this aspect that makes the vehicle look so intimidating. What sets it apart from other sport-utes is its out-of-this-world exterior that would perfectly suit the chiseled physique of Luke Hobbs. And it’s not just for show: The body has Kevlar armor protection and the glass is bulletproof.

So, how do the bad guys run away from this beast? PHOTOS FROM REZVANI

With a price that starts at $259,000 (P13,944,000), the Tank X is available with an off-road package that includes “top-of-the-line Fox off-road suspension,” which the LTO likely wouldn’t approve of. It also has Grid off-road wheels, military-grade run-flat tires and high-intensity LED lighting that would surely result in hefty fines in the Philippines right now.

At least, the Tank X has thermal night vision, which should enable its driver to spot LTO agents lurking in the dark in search of modified off-road vehicles.

We would gladly pay all the fines just to drive this SUV. PHOTOS FROM REZVANI

If you’re going to be penalized by the LTO for driving an SUV with aftermarket parts, you might as well get caught in the most outrageously modified off-road vehicle in the world. Right? High five!