Developing an off-road vehicle usually involves a choice between dealing with the enhancements of the adventurous nature of the vehicle and the improvements of comfort. Today, however, the tendency seems to be to try to reconcile the extremes, by combining apparently contradictory fittings and finishes that push towards luxury with technical upgrades. This is the path chosen by Hermes Cavarzan – owner of Cavauto, which has established itself as one of the main importers of American cars in Italy – in creating the Militem brand, born in 2017 to offer the most demanding customers products that combine the appeal of “Made in USA” vehicles with a taste for Italian-style tailor-made products.
The range so far consisting of the Magnum, Hero and Ferox models, based on the Ram 1500 and Jeep Renegade and Wrangler, has now been joined by the Ferox T, derived from the Jeep Gladiator, which is perhaps the best expression of the brand’s philosophy. The design effort was focused on enriching the aesthetics with elements that would reinforce and embellish the rugged appearance of the basic model, which is 5.5 metres long and has a distinct off-road attitude.
The finishing touches are elegant and technical at the same time, with extensive use of carbon fibre for the M-shaped grille, which replaces the 7-slot Jeep grille and is available in natural or body colour, just like the enlarged mudguards that extend the side bulk by another 13 cm but cover the wider tyres fitted on 20-inch rims with bolt-on counter plates and a matt finish. There is also a new bonnet with large air intakes, retractable tubular footrests and a brand new rear shield with two large, specially made sports car exhausts, while the body, protected by a roll bar with LED spotlights, can be clad with nautically inspired materials in a customisable colour.
On the inside, Militem is pushing hard on luxury, by enveloping every inch of free surface with a combination of red leather and black Alcantara. Alcantara, in a specifically dedicated “absolute black”, covers the centre of the seats and seat backs, the central sections of the steering wheel and dashboard and the door panels, finished and modelled with red stitching that matches the leather inserts all around. Even the Militem star logo on the central armrest and the Militem inscription facing the passenger are made of black Alcantara on red leather. This is, however, the standard proposal, from which customers can opt for an almost unlimited choice of colours and materials, with various types of leather, fabrics and technical upholstery. Optional extras include the Adventure pack, which adds snorkels, luggage racks, bumpers with scratch-resistant paint and other accessories.
