This aftermarket build costs more than most homes, has the horsepower of a Ferrari, and six-wheel drive.
The first thing that comes to mind looking at the six-wheeled Hennessey Ford VelociRaptor is: Why? And that’s according to John Hennessey, who helped create the five-passenger leviathan.
“Why would anybody want to have a six-wheel drive Ford Raptor pickup with 600 horsepower?” he asked in a promotional video that launched the limited-edition vehicle last month. “It’s because we can.”
Well, the team at Hennessey Performance Engineering could and did. The modified Ford F-150 Raptor debuted at last month’s SEMA show, took home Best in Show honors, and garnered enough attention to spur a very limited production run.
Ford VelociRaptor 6×6 Pickup Truck
Before you read any further, crank up AC/DC’s “Back in Black.” It’s the only music fit for this walkthrough. And if you don’t have it handy, Hennessey has taken the liberty of queueing it up for you in the video below.
With 50 percent more axles and power to the wheels than mortal trucks, the VelociRaptor offers superior traction and an unrivaled driving experience for valets.
“How are our customers going to drive this?” Hennessey asks. “They’re probably going to park it in front of a fancy restaurant or cool hotel.”
That’s probably because this Frankentruck costs $349,000. And while that’s more than the combined value of every vehicle on most city blocks, it’s less than the half-million dollars Mercedes wanted for its beastly six-wheeler, the G63.
But if you have that ungodly amount to spend, you’ll get a 600-horsepower upgrade to the 3.5-liter V6 engine found on stock Raptors. That’s thanks to added twin turbochargers, a front-mounted air-to-air intercooler, and upgraded computer.
And while those under-the-hood goodies, two rear locking axles, and a six-pack of 20-inch off-road tires add about 700 pounds to the vehicle, the extra oomph will still launch you and your shiny cufflinks 0–60 in 4.9 seconds.
Now before you give up energy drinks and sell off your exotic knife collection to start saving up, know that only 50 VelociRaptors will be sold in the U.S. (and one of them is already spoken for). Fifty more will ship outside the country, making this the stuff of heavy metal dreams.
