Shelley Emling
Cox News Sevice
Jun. 17, 2005 11:19 AM

LONDON - Maybe your rugged SUV never goes anywhere wilder than the
mall, but you can look like a wilderness adventurer with Spray-On Mud.

For owners who don't want it to look like they're driving an
unnecessary gas-guzzler, a little splash signals that the vehicle spends time
tackling the back country.

The product is the brainchild of Colin Dowse, a businessman from
Shropshire, England, a village close to the Welsh border. advertisement

"Spray-On Mud is an urban camouflage designed to give the impression
that you are a serious off-roader," he said.

Dowse, a Web designer, came up with the idea about a year ago while
sharing a few pints with friends at a local pub.

It's genuine local dirt - strained to remove stones and other debris -
mixed with water and a secret ingredient that Dowse says helps it stick to a
vehicle's bodywork.

But don't use it to obscure the numbers on one's license plate, he
warns on his Web site - that's a fineable offense.

Dowse said he can barely keep up with Internet sales of the product at
$14.50 a quart.

"We're selling it from Japan to New York," he said. "It's also getting
very, very big in Germany, which is kind of strange bearing in mind that they
like to keep their cars a bit cleaner than we do."

Distribution is to begin in the United States and Canada within a few
months.

Ron DeFore, communications director at the Sport Utility Vehicle Owners
of America, a nonprofit consumer group in Washington, said he wouldn't be
surprised if the product sold well in America.

"There are some who would buy this product to show how macho they are,"
he said.

But he also fears the product could fuel more SUV-bashing.

"Some will hold this product up as evidence that there's a bunch of
people out there who aren't taking these vehicles off-road and therefore don't
really need them," he said.