Huge, imposing and brutally fast, the Fornasari RR650 cannot help but stand out from the crowd at this weekend's Top Marques Monaco show where it is at the centre of attention as part of the 'test drive' contingent'.

Huge, imposing and brutally fast, the Fornasari RR650 cannot help but stand out from the crowd at this weekend's Top Marques Monaco show where it is at the centre of attention as part of the 'test drive' contingent'. That in itself is no mean feat at all, as the exclusive luxury and supercar show being held in the Grimaldi Forum on the waterfront in Monte Carlo is packed with only the very finest of exotica.

Inside the Grimaldi Forum the most expensive supercars jostle together for attention, while outside in the hot sunshine and under a clear blue sky, the world's most desired cars line up in the 'test drive' paddock to be tried out by interested show visitors. Fornasari's giant SUV has many eye-catching fellow paddock dwellers to muscle up against, cars such as the Pagani Zonda C12 S, Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder and Ferrari F430. And the hulking Fornasari stands out with ease.

The Fornasari story starts in 1999, when Giuseppe Fornasari started building off-road racers. But the story goes back further, and like many niche Italian automotive companies a deep passion for high performance cars swirls thickly through the family blood, and his father was raced in fabled events such as the Mille Miglia. Giuseppe quickly developed a fascination for American 'muscle' cars and began importing Corvettes into his native Italy. This developed into an association with famous Corvette tuner Callaway, before he took it one step further to create his own machines.

These were off-road racers which soon tackled the toughest rally-raid events across the world, with distinction, and within five years Giuseppe had fitted four seats, luxurious interiors and the all the refinements demanded of day-to-day motoring. However not compromising on its rally roots, the world's fastest SUV had been born.

The Fornasari SUV is available with a range of performance steps, of 450 to 700 bhp, asqueezed from its powerful GM V8 engine. Each model, built by hand, is completely unique, individually tailored to the customer's specific requirements. Power is split 60 pct rear, 40 pct front. "No two cars are the same," says Mrs Marie Louise Fornasari," the American wife of Giuseppe, who is in Monte Carlo this weekend to demonstrate the SUV to interested show visitors around the principality's bustling streets, "we have had customers who have specified ivory, fur or even horsehair trimmings."

The vehicle stands 4.4 metres long, 2.1 metres wide and 1.67 metres high, and the most popular model, the V8-powered RR600 (610 bhp at 6,000 rpm/748 Nm at 5,100 rpm) weighs in at 1,650 kg, reaches a top speed of 280 km/h, and achieves the 0-100 km/h dash in 3.8 seconds. It is available either with a Hydra-matic 4 speed (with overdrive) automatic transmission, or with a Borg Warner 6-speed manual offering.

Around five Fornasaris a year are made for the road at the company's facility in Montebello Vicentino, Italy, by its 20-odd staff and the small circle of partner companies that combine so effectively to put this monster onto the road, placing it firmly in the 'ultra-exclusive' category. A similar amount of racing versions are also built annually. Proven to be an exceptional performer on the sand, mud or snow, this is a genuine 'sports' SUV which has evolved into a road capable vehicle, straight from its roots as a tried an tested racer. This is in marked contrast to its many other SUV 'pretenders', such as Porsche's Cayenne which is more at home dawdling in London traffic and a vehicle that is always quick to reveal to the driver its myriad inadequacies brought to light through its humble mass-production underpinnings. The Fornasari though is billed as the fastest SUV in the world, and it offers the driver a sporty drive, helped by embedded features such as uniball suspension, though the firm can happily tailor the 'comfort' levels to the customer's requirements.

"It's an emotional vehicle," says Marie Louise, "like it or not like it, you will react to it, it doesn't leave you indifferent." And judging by the plethora of camera phones being aimed at it, the RR650 is making a positive connection in Monte Carlo. "It's as fast as a Ferrari, but you can bring the family."

The ivory-coloured RR650 (650 bhp) present in at Top Marques Monaco this weekend, gleams in the sunshine, its imposing frame, riding on massive 5-spoke alloy wheels, easily standing out from its competitors. With its Ferrari-style quad round rear lights and a slim roof spoiler a thoroughly sporty feel is generated from its flowing design. The doors shut with a reassuring 'thunk', always an important signal from a very low volume production car, and the engine loudly busts into life once the aluminium 'engine start' button is depressed. The beige leather interior appears opulent and very well stitched together, while the Fornasari lettering is neatly applied to the banks of round gauges that line the dashboard.

There is very little to be drawn from driving around Monte Carlo's heavily clogged weekend afternoon streets, but the Fornasari seems capable, the racy exhaust note will please enthusiasts, the ride seems firm and sports-orientated, but comfort is good; the seats are well made and supportive, and the interior demonstrates plentiful space and has been very well maximised to create a pleasant environment.

by Edd Ellison in Monte Carlo