Wildest 6×6 Trucks Built for Off-Road Domination
If you found yourself fighting for survival during Armageddon, facing the toughest conditions known to mankind, you would want the most capable off-road vehicle on the planet. Some of the vehicles on this list certainly fit the ‘Mad Max’ brief, while others are far less extreme.
Equipped with an extended wheelbase, three axles, and six driven wheels, 6×6 pickups promise greater off-road capability and substantially more payload capacity than the 4×4 trucks on which they are based. But while they look as though they were built for crossing deserts, climbing mountains and escaping the apocalypse, they are much more about theater, status and turning heads than tackling genuinely hostile terrain, or even trying to navigate the confines of the urban sprawl.
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Hennessey VelociRaptoR 6×6
Based on the Ford F-150 Raptor R, the Hennessey Performance VelociRaptoR 6×6 is powered by the same 700 hp supercharged 5.2-liter V8 used in the F-150 Raptor R, although up to 1,000 hp is available with upgrades. At nearly 27 ft or 324 inches in length, roughly seven feet tall and seven feet wide, it’s a behemoth. It has a curb weight of around 6,500 lb and an expansive eight-foot cargo bed that increases the load capacity by more than 45%.
As with the F-150 Raptor R, the VelociRaptoR 6×6 features Live Valve Fox off-road suspension. A three-inch lift increases ground clearance, in combination with the 20-inch custom alloy wheels wrapped in 37-inch off-road tires. With the addition of a second rear axle and lockers from front to rear, traction is improved by 50% over the 4×4 version, making this an off-road beast.
At a starting price of $499,000 (including the $114,000 donor Raptor R), it’s certainly more wish-list material than attainable for most people, although a 6,500-mile 2023 version sold on Bring a Trailer this year for $138,000, which is an absolute bargain. Hennessey is also renowned for the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6-powered VelociRaptor 6×6, the Ram 1500 TRX-based Mammoth 6×6, and the Goliath 6×6 which is built on the Chevrolet Silverado platform.
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Mercedes-AMG G63 6×6
As a showcase of what was possible with its military-grade G-Class, Mercedes-AMG produced a limited run of G63 6×6 vehicles from 2013 to 2015, with just over 100 sold worldwide. With 536 hp from its 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8, portal axles, five independent differential locks and an on-board tire inflation/deflation system, it’s an outrageous version of Merc’s extremely capable off-roader.
When new, the G63 6×6 was priced at around half a million dollars, but values continue to climb due to the prized image and status of the G-Class, which is further enhanced by the rarity of the 6×6 version. If that’s not exclusive enough for you, then Brabus versions will be just the ticket. These highly customized models were sold at anywhere from double to triple the price of the ‘standard’ Mercedes-AMG G63 6×6.
Listings for G63 6×6 models on Bring a Trailer this year show a 2016-registered example customized by Bespoke which was bid to $529,999 but did not meet reserve. A 2015 Brabus B63S-700 reached a maximum bid of $831,000, while a similar 2014 14,000-miler sold for $915,000.
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Apocalypse Juggernaut 6×6
Apocalypse by SoFlo Customs produces some of the craziest, madcap 4×4 and 6×6 vehicles on earth – seemingly designed to head straight into Armageddon at a moment’s notice. The company claims to have produced over 1,000 vehicles, many of which are owned by celebrities, or used in TV shows and films. One of its noteworthy appearances was in The Lost City (2022) where a Jeep Gladiator-derived Apocalypse Sinister 6 6×6 was driven by Daniel Radcliffe’s character, billionaire villain Abigail Fairfax.
The company’s range-topping Juggernaut 6×6 is a monster measuring 275 inches long and 95 inches wide, built on a lengthened and highly modified Ram 1500 TRX. It is powered by a 750 hp HEMI Hellcat V8. Pricing starts at $249,000. Also available are the wild Jeep Gladiator-based Hellfire 6×6 models, which start at $149,000 with the 500 hp HEMI 392, or up to 750 hp depending on model.
Apocalypse lists various new and used inventory on its website, starting at $159,500. With the outrageous looks and gargantuan dimensions, it’s no surprise that these don’t come up for sale often, but two Gladiator-based vehicles were sold on Bring a Trailer this year – a 2021 3.0-liter V6 EcoDiesel Doomsday 6×6 for $70,000, and a 2023 Hellfire 6×6 for $98,000.
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Rezvani Hercules 6×6 Military
On the surface, the Rezvani Hercules 6×6 Military appears to be a more elegantly styled vehicle than the predatory Apocalypse Hellfire, yet it is apparently designed for civilians, despite what the name suggests. Under the skin, it is fully kitted out for Armageddon, keeping zombies at bay or getting out of an active war zone.
The list of armored features is extensive, including bulletproof glass and ballistic body armor, underside explosive protection, smoke screen, military runflat tires, thermal night vision, electromagnetic pulse protection, explosive device protection, electrified door handles, magnetic dead bolts, and a lot more.
This 244-inch off-roader is equipped with Jeep’s 285 hp 3.6-liter V6 as standard, but one of the far meatier powertrain options is a must – either in the form of a 500 hp 6.4-liter SRT V8, or up to 1,300 hp with a 7.0-liter supercharged V8. Prices start at $249,000, while the only listing on Bring a Trailer is from two years ago for a 2020 model which sold for $150,500 with 8,000 miles.
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Next Level Jeep Gladiator 6×6
Next Level Offroad was associated with boutique customizer Rezvani, and introduced its Jeep Gladiator 6×6 in 2021 for sale through select authorized Jeep dealerships in the US, although the company now appears to have shut its doors. It took the standard Gladiator and retained the original looks, but added an extended eight-foot load bed, a third axle and a variety of suspension upgrades.
Customers had the option of several engines, from the meager 270 hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder to nearly four times the power with the 1,000 hp Dodge Demon V8.
The base 6×6 in Sarge Green Clear Coat was listed at $142,000 in 2022, while the Demon V8 bumped the price up another $95,000. Other available options included an Off-Road Extreme suspension with remote reservoir Fox Extreme shock absorbers and a five-inch lift. It’s not known how many were produced, and they are exceptionally difficult to find.
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Ulterio Motiv Toyota Land Cruiser 6×6
Toyota’s Land Cruiser 79-series pickup is forbidden fruit in the US, but it remains the default choice for die-hard off-roaders and overlanders in Australia, and throughout Africa. These vehicles are revered for their proven tough-as-nails durability, even in the toughest conditions.
South African-based Ulterio Motiv is one of a handful of specialists that produce a 6×6 version of the Land Cruiser, available in single cab or double cab form. The conversion raises the gross vehicle mass to over 13,000 lb – nearly double that of the standard vehicle – which dramatically increases the load-carrying and towing ability. The standard engine in the current 79-series Land Cruiser is a 2.8-liter Hilux-derived four-cylinder turbodiesel that produces 201 hp and 369 lb-ft. It can also be specified with a gas-guzzling 4.0-liter V6 that produces 228 hp and 266 lb-ft. The recently discontinued 4.5-liter V8 turbodiesel remains very popular, despite having just 202 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque, although it does offer substantial tuning ability. Engine swaps for Lexus or GM V8s are common, but these do come with a huge thirst.
Ulterio Motiv lists the basic conversion at a starting price of around $62,000, while the base vehicle adds $46,700 for the single cab, or up to $68,300 for the top-spec double cab model, based on South African list prices. Unfortunately, the Land Cruiser 79-series remains largely unobtainable in the US due to strict regulations governing the import of non-US-spec vehicles not older than 25 years. But if you’re looking for an ultra-tough, back-to-basics off-roader to conquer Africa or the Australian outback, few things come close to a Land Cruiser, and the remarkable 6×6 version takes that legendary toughness to another level.
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Arctic Trucks Toyota Hilux AT44 6×6
Born of the need to conquer the most extreme conditions in the unforgiving snow and ice of the polar circle, the aptly-named Arctic Trucks does a wide range of conversions covering numerous vehicle brands. The company is best known for its Toyota Hilux AT38 that enabled the Top Gear trio of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May to take the first passenger vehicle to the Magnetic North Pole in 2007.
The Hilux AT44 6×6 is the immensely capable six-wheel-drive model that is used for expeditions deep into the Arctic or Antarctic, where off-road capability and traction are a matter of life or death, not an image statement. The Arctic Trucks AT44 6×6 is substantially re-engineered in Iceland from the base Hilux, with an overall length of 239 inches or nearly 20 ft. The 6×6 layout, in combination with the lengthened and reinforced chassis, gives it a load capacity of around 4,400 lb, which is double that of the standard vehicle.
For polar expeditions, the Hilux AT44 is equipped with special 44-inch tires that maximize the footprint to provide flotation and traction on the snow and ice. Pressures can be dropped to as low as 2 psi when required using an automated inflation/deflation system, while the minimum ground clearance is 14.6 inches. Power comes from Toyota’s trusted 3.0-liter D-4D four-cylinder diesel engine, mated to a five-speed automatic gearbox, and the vehicle has a huge 145 gallon fuel tank for those long and tough excursions into the white wilderness.
Arctic Trucks also builds AT44 6×6 versions of the Ford F-150 and F-350, both of which can be produced as cargo-carrying versions, or with motorhome-style campers fitted on the back. As highly specialized vehicles, pricing is available on order, and according to the specific customer or project requirements. More conventional 4×4 Arctic Trucks conversions are more readily available for everything from a Toyota Tacoma to a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter cargo van.
Sources: Hennessey Performance, Mercedes-AMG, Apocalypse 6×6, Rezvani Motors, Ulterio Motiv, Arctic Trucks, Bring a Trailer, Toyota
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