Wild, Wild Hearses

For those of you interested in the exciting world of hearse production (I'm assuming that's a large portion of our audience), Japanese limo maker Lequois is planning to roll out a line of hybrid hearses based on the Toyota Prius. And while these extra green casket carriers promise to be environmentally friendly, at $80k a pop, they're not cheap. Or good looking. In any case, seeing the sketch made me curious about what other souped-up, modern hearses are on the market. Here are just a few that I found:

For the Monster Hearse Rally

If you're looking to jump over and crush a long string of average-sized hearses, or you're simply hoping to off-road it to the funeral, Jalopnik and Declubz have a couple of ideas for you.

For Getting There Faster (Much Faster)

Apparently, hearse drag racing is pretty popular. Seems like a perfect premise for The Fast and The Furious 5.

For the Motorcycle Enthusiast

Motorcycle hearses are surprisingly common. This UK site boasts all sorts of hearses made from Triumphs and Suzukis and Harleys. In fact, they'll even provide you with a trained and experienced British driver to escort your dearly departed to the service.

For the Buddhist Funeral

Wikipedia's page on hearses showcases a number of beautiful rides, but I think this ornate Japanese hearse is probably my favorite. From other views online, it seems like these models are equally beautiful on the inside.

For the Harold and Maude Tribute Funeral

While this car doesn't look quite as stylish as the one Harold zipped around in, George Ball & Son does have a fleet of Jaguar hearses and even Jaguar limos for your funereal needs.

For the Budget/DIY Funeral

I'm sure ReadyMade and Make Magazine have better tricks for doing this. Still, it seems to have served its purpose.

And One After My Own Heart

I simply wouldn't trust a hearse that you couldn't go camping in. Or one that doesn't have horns on the front. Thankfully, this "Koolabago" has both.

Of course, if you're legitimately interested in buying a hearse (they actually pop up on eBay occasionally), the hearse appreciation site Grim Rides features both a helpful FAQ, and a classified section.