Six 6x6’s You Can Own

The growing trend of 6x6 off-roaders, and how you can get in

By Budd Stanley, photos courtesy of Land Rover, Kahn Design, Mercedes, Hennessey, Arctic Trucks, Multidrive and Wild Boar Off-Road

As we all know, when you change a 2WD vehicle into a 4WD, you extraordinarily enhance the capabilities of that vehicle. However, if four is better than two, then six must be that much better – right? Large cargo vehicles do it and even mid-sized military utility vehicles have been making great use of a 6WD drivetrain.

However, there is a curious trend going on in the off-road world today, that of adding 6x6 drivetrains to light duty 4x4’s. A visit to SEMA last year confirmed this trend as manufacturers are stretching conventional wheelbases to accommodate a third axle that inevitably conjures up that “wow” factor amongst a crowd of spectacular looking off-roaders. The 6x6 rides a little taller, looks a little meaner, and simply stands out from the rest, a trait valued by companies trying to flog their goods, and also by individuals looking to do the same.

Mercedes G63 AMG 6x6

Let’s start with the loudest, flashiest, most flamboyant of the bunch – the Mercedes G63 AMG 6x6. Prior to the G63, only a couple of military and agricultural-focused 6WD’s were available, but Mercedes were the first to make the 6x6 sexy. Sporting carbon fibre body trim, chrome rollbars, special matte paint finish and an interior lifted straight from Mercedes most prestigious saloons, the G63 AMG 6x6 made traitors out of the supercar elite. Those who decorated their garages with Bugatti’s, Pagani’s, Ferrari’s and Koenigsegg’s, soon found themselves lusting after a vehicle that would easily crawl over top the supercar royalty.

However, the G63 AMG 6x6 backed up its pretty looks with real-world mechanicals that would make Arnold Schwarzenegger blush. I’m talking about 37” tires mounted to beadlock rims and held in place with three sets of portal axles, each with its own locker (five in total). The G63 AMG 6x6 was fitted with Mercedes' 7G-tronic seven-speed automatic transmission; its transfer case can alter between a 0.87:1 high-range ratio for on-road driving and 2.16:1 low-range ratio for off-road conditions to all six wheels in a nominal 30:40:30 split. The tire pressures are adjustable from inside the cabin along with many other technological niceties.

All this makes for a rather heavy package, 4,105 kg (9,050 lb) to be exact. So, to get all this mass moving, Mercedes dumped a 5.5L, 536-hp, 561-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 32-valve V-8 AMG engine that gets the G63 AMG 6x6 up to 100kmh in just 7.8 seconds.

While the G63 AMG 6x6 was just a concept car in the beginning, Mercedes couldn’t turn their backs on the massive profit margins such a vehicle could produce for the company. In 2013, production began, selling the special edition for a cool $671,658. Before the 100th unit was built in 2015, Mercedes decided to pull the plug on the program to keep the prestigious status of the vehicle. However, if your pockets are deep, there are used versions currently for sale for around $1.3 million.

Land Rover Defender Perentie

From the glitz and glamour of the G63 AMG 6x6, we bring you back down to something a little more… obtainable. Land Rover is no stranger to building 6x6 versions of their already capable line of off-roaders. However, the Australian Defence Force wanted a Land Rover Defender that could carry heavy loads over long distances.

Enter the Land Rover Defender Perentie 6x6, a specialized version of the Defender built by Land Rover in Australia specifically for the military.

The Perentie came in several different specifications, including a cargo box version used as an ambulance, light troop carrier, maintenance and cargo vehicle, and then there is the Long Range Patrol version you see here – that boasts a particularly high cool factor.

The Aussies started with a Defender 110 wheelbase and added the third axle to the rear and stretched the body accordingly. To get the most extreme articulation from the two rear axles, they engineered three driveshafts from the transfer case. One to the front, a second to the first rear axle, and a third to the rearmost axle. This third driveshaft is jointed with CV joints and is directed over the middle axle so each can move independent of each other, maximizing articulation. Clearance wise, the Perentie had an approach angle of 42°, departure of 33° and ramp-over of 150°. To finish it off, a turbocharged Isuzu 4BD1 3.9L 4-cylinder diesel engine was lumped into the engine bay to handle the increased weight.

Built in the 1980’s, these vehicles are now being taken out of service and are eagerly snapped up by overlanding enthusiasts at auction. The cargo versions with a rear box are particularly popular as owners transform them in to campers. If you find yourself in Australia or know someone who can purchase on your behalf, a diesel 6x6 camper would be a pretty cool expedition vehicle to own.

Hennessey VelociRaptor 6x6

The latest and greatest of the 6x6 class is this – the Hennessey VelociRaptor 6x6. Hennessey Performance is well known for taking North America’s most infamous off-roader, the Raptor, and shoving horrific amounts of power under the hood with a supercharger and tweaking both the chassis and aesthetics to create the VelociRaptor. Well, it appears for some, the VelociRaptor just isn’t enough truck, so Hennessey has recently come up with this jaw dropping package of over-the-top off-road insanity, the VelociRaptor 6X6.

Like the regular VelociRaptor, this 6WD version will be based on the 2017 Ford Raptor, which the team from Hennessey will transform into a 6-wheel drive off-road vehicle with 600+ horsepower thanks to more efficient turbo upgrades.

Starting at $295,000 USD, the VelociRaptor includes the base 2017 Raptor 4-door truck, 6X6 locking rear axles, upgraded Fox suspension, upgraded 20-in wheels and off-road tires, special front and rear bumpers, roll bar and LED lights. HPE will also be offering its VelociRaptor 600 twin turbo upgrade for the 6X6, for owners seeking even more power and performance. The 600+ hp upgrade includes upgraded twin turbochargers, stainless steel exhaust modifications, upgraded front mounted air to air intercooler and plumbing and re-tuned factory computer. Other optional upgrades include: Brembo front and rear brake enhancements, larger wheels and tires, improved LED lighting, bespoke interiors, augmented electronics, and armouring systems.

Kahn Design Flying Huntsman Land Rover Defender

Ah, Kahn Designs, they are a love it or hate it type of company that takes high-end vehicles and gives them their own… flare so to speak. Of particular interest to the company is the Land Rover Defender, very much not an Aussie Perentie, the Flying Huntsman 6x6 comes in two flavours – modern cool and horrifically immoral.

While there is a V-8 (GM 6.2L) station wagon version with a stretched front-end and enough bling dripping off it to turn Kanye West away, we are going to stick with the more sedate version you see before you.

In all honesty, we really don’t know all that much about the Flying Huntsman, mechanically speaking, although the body has been stretched 880mm from the original Defender 110 and it is also 150mm wider thanks to somewhat tasteful fender flares. Kahn Design say the Flying Huntsman gets an upgrade to the suspension and braking system, locking differentials all round and a six-speed automatic gearbox.

The interior gets fitted with a liberal assortment of carbon fibre, leather, blackened wood and almandine wool as well as a bespoke Kahn Design clock and fixed panoramic glass sunroof. If you can smuggle a new Defender into the country, expect to drop £99,875 ($162,307 CAD) for one of only 20 that get built per year.

Arctic Trucks Hilux 6x6

The Icelandic built Arctic Trucks have a sweet spot in our hearts here at 4WDrive. Built to cross the frozen continent of Antarctica, Arctic Trucks build some of the most capable and most visually appealing off-roaders we’ve ever come across. The Toyota Hilux AT44 is a particularly impressive bit of kit, but if you need to haul a lot of gear over inhospitable terrain, Arctic Trucks also makes a 6x6 version.

On a by order basis, Arctic Trucks start with a standard Toyota Hilux, lengthen and strengthen the frame rails and then add a custom made third axle housing. The added axle housing contains a locking differential that delivers a 60/40 torque split between the two rear axles. With all three axles lockable, this is a proper 6x6 capable of handling extreme off-road conditions.

Holding it all together, Arctic Trucks build a new custom 4-link style suspension system on both rear axles, heavy duty coil springs and high performance shock absorbers. The front suspension also gets additional strengthening and a massive set of Arctic Trucks very own 44x18.5x15 high-floatation tires that are mounted on bespoke 15x16” wheels.

When it’s all said and done, you have yourself a proper 6x6 whose resume includes travelling over 200,000 kilometres on the Antarctic high plateau. While the Mercedes, Kahn Design and Hennessey are more directed at the posers, the AT44 6x6 is the working man’s 6x6. Arctic Trucks will take your order and custom build a vehicle to your particular specifications from an Iceland-sourced Hilux (you will want one at least 15-years old for ease of importation); however, they have built a couple Tacoma’s before, allowing you to drive a new and legal Toyota 6x6.

Multidrive Technology Toyota Landcruiser

From one working man’s 6x6 to another, we come to our final 6WD vehicle, the Multidrive Toyota Landcruiser. Multidrive proclaim their Southern Scorpion 6x6 Landcruiser will go anywhere a standard LC79 Landcruiser will, but will do it with three tonnes of gear in the back. While we are fans of the Hilux, a 79-Series Toyota Landcruiser 6x6 just seems all the more rugged.

The beauty of the Southern Scorpion is much more than skin deep. Much like Arctic Trucks, Multidrive start with a 4-door 4WD Landcruiser pickup, stretch the frame behind the rear door and strengthen the entire length. Standard Landcruiser axles (with lockers) are fitted in the rear; the middle with standard right offset, and the rear flipped to left offset. The genius of the system is thanks to Multidrive’s custom engineered drive splitter that directs the main tailshaft to the forward rear axle and locates a second tailshaft higher in the chassis that powers the rearmost axle independently to the first rear axle. The system allows for better articulation of the rear axles and thanks to a Detroit Locker in the drive splitter itself, fully locked 6x6 capabilities can be realized.

The Southern Scorpion is the company’s halo vehicle designed to compete with the Mercedes G63 AMG 6x6, however Multidrive will build just about any configuration you could want. This is what makes the Landcruiser platform so well liked, as it delivers more versatility in the body design. Multidrive will build a 2-door or 4-door; flat-deck, pickup, station wagon or cargo box, better allowing customers to cater to their specific needs. Whether it’s hauling workloads across a ranch, or outfitting a camper unit for overlanding, a 6x6 Landcruiser sounds like a pretty good way of getting the job done.