YOUR AUTOMOTIVE OTT OVERLOAD TRIO OF THE DAY

Conveniently released in close chronological proximity to one another, for Ford F-450 Harley Davidson; Bentley Arnage Final Series; and TechArt Porsche 911 GTstreet RS are all absolutely over the top in multiple ways.

That's not to say The Good Car Guy can't cast an appreciative eye towards the Ford, Bentley, or TechArt tuned Porsche. The trio just happens to be..... wildly averse to the goings-on around the globe. Other recent debuts include: the next Volkswagen GTI, a subtle performance car with a normal appearahce and surprising efficiency; the Jeep Patriot Back Country Concept, Jeep's small Jeep in tough drag; and the 2009 BMW 3-Series, a vehicle that capably mixes performance; luxury; and efficiency. 

Yet from Ford, Bentley, and Porsche you have the complete opposite. Consumption, both of space and stuff, is the order of the day. Ford calls their F-450 Harley Davidson the "Big Hog Daddy" of the road. Um-hmm. TechArt "offers a virtually endless range of possibilities to meet all tastes in furnishings." The special edition of the Arnage has a steering wheel tha requirest "16 hours of double-stitching" and the car needs 17 hides. The brake discs are the largest fitted to any production car on sale today.

But somebody wants to buy a gigantic pickup where the blue-flame paint scheme "starts at the side vents and runs down to the box side of the truck" and is then carried inward to the gauges in the IP. Indeed, oh yes, somebody wants a gigantic Ford truck with Harley-Davidson badges on the fenders, tailgate, and box side.

TechArt believes some customers demand a 911 GT2 with 690 horsepower and 634 lb-ft of torque. A car which has undergone egregious exterior modifications like the rear apron with carbon diffuser, air outlet and carbon air wings.

Meanwhile Bentley will find buyers for the Final Series, a car that'll be bult just 150 times in a farewell to the Arnage. To be a fond farewell, a Bentley needs a jewel fuel filler cap made from billet aluminum and polished stainless steel treadplates. There's a new rear cocktail cabinet, three optional woods for the picnic tables, 42 exterior colours, 25 interior leather shades, and a top speed of 179 mph. You read that correctly: 288 km/h.

Quite clearly Bentley, Ford, and TechArt are of the belief that an automobile manufacturer can never go too far. Somebody... somewhere... somehow, will want you to step it up a notch.