300STR Wildcat hits the street

Since Qt Services took over production of the Wildcat, they have developed and launched what can only be described as the meanest road legal off-road vehicle, equally at home in the City of London as it would be in the deserts of North Africa.

Powered by an ultra-reliable, 4 litre Rover V8, the 300STR is capable of 3-figure speeds over completely unmade terrain, something that even the ubiquitous Range Rover Sport would look askance at.  The secret of the success of this model is the suppleness of its chassis and suspension, derived from its big brothers that compete in 'raid' events such as the gruelling Dakar Rally, which makes it surprisingly easy and comfortable to drive.  And in spite of its incredible performance figures - 0-60 in 5.8 seconds – the Wildcat manages to achieve a good balance between performance and economy.

The car pictured not only has the usual Wildcat features that make it almost unbreakable – fully welded tubular chassis, 4-wheel drive, 5-point harnesses, heavy duty differentials and drive-shafts - but also creature comforts such as air conditioning, bluetooth, iPod dock and stereo hi-fi.  The boss of Qt Services, Dave Marsh, denies his wife wanted one modified for shopping but does admit to the chassis' versatility allowing for a certain amount of customising: "If you consider that the 300STR is essentially a two-seater, there are a number of options open to you and this first production 300STR has been specified with rear storage for the new owner's golf clubs.  We'd love to be there when he rocks up to the clubhouse and parks it next to the Astons and Mercedes! Definitely a head-turner."

Depending on your style of driving, there are three Wildcat variants to choose from - the 300STR (described here), the 400NSR which is a full competition model designed for hill rallies and tout terrain events and the top spec 500DKR which has the full rally raid package for serious and seasoned competitors.

For further information regarding the 300STR (or any of the models in fact) check the Wildcat website qtwildcat.com.