Skip to main content

Live your childhood monster truck fantasies in this six-wheeled Silverado

Though it likely didn’t know it at the time, Mercedes-Benz started a fad when it introduced the monstrous G63 AMG 6×6 in 2013. Five years later, American tuner Hennessey is keeping the trend alive with a six-wheeled version of the brand-new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado that’s starting to arrive in showrooms.

Recommended Videos

Meet the aptly named Hennessey Goliath 6×6. It started life as a Trail Boss Z71 model — a high-zoot variant designed with off-roading in mind — and received a third axle. Adding an additional pair of wheels required developing an entirely new suspension system, and Hennessey notes it lifted the truck by eight inches to help it drive right over anything that dares stand in its way.

The upgrades continue under the hood. The Goliath 6×6 retains the Silverado‘s 6.2-liter V8 engine but gains a 2.9-liter supercharger that bumps its output to a Dodge Charger Hellcat-like 705 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 675 pound-feet of torque at 4,200 rpm. It spins the six wheels through an automatic transmission. We usually don’t list 0-to-60-mph times for trucks, but a beast like this one deserves an exception. It performs the benchmark sprint in the mid-four-second range, which is about on par with the time posted by an entry-level Porsche 911 and faster than many hot hatches on the market.

Hennessey also added a model-specific grille, a roll bar in the bed, and 20-inch wheels wrapped by BF Goodrich 37-inch off-road tires. There’s no word yet on whether the tuner touched anything inside the truck.

The Goliath 6×6 isn’t merely a wild concept car. It’s headed for production, albeit with a huge asterisk. Production is strictly limited to 24 examples worldwide and each one starts at $375,000 including the price of the donor truck. You could buy a nicely optioned McLaren 720S for that price and still have money left over for a set of track tires. Buyers can venture even deeper into supercar territory by selecting extra-cost options like Brembo brakes on all three axles — which we suspect you’ll probably need — a custom-designed interior, and an upgraded V8 engine tuned to deliver 808 horsepower.

The good news is that the conversion is approved by Chevrolet. Buyers can order the Goliath 6×6 at participating Chevrolet dealers and rest assured knowing that each truck is covered by a three-year, 36,000-mile warranty.

Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
Tesla and Elon Musk sued over use of AI image at Cybercab event
tesla and spacex CEO elon musk stylized image

Tesla’s recent We, Robot presentation has run into trouble, with one of the production companies behind Blade Runner 2049 suing Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, for alleged copyright infringement.

Tesla used the glitzy October 10 event to unveil its Cybercab and Robovan, and also to showcase the latest version of its Optimus humanoid robot.

Read more
Qualcomm wants to power your next car with the Snapdragon Cockpit and Ride Elite platforms
Qualcomm Snapdragon Cockpit Elite and Ride Elite automotive platforms

It’s been a big year for Qualcomm. Alongside its massive launch into laptop chips through the Snapdragon X Elite series, Qualcomm is now entering the automotive space. The company has announced the new Qualcomm Snapdragon Cockpit Elite and Snapdragon Ride Elite platforms at its annual Snapdragon Summit, which it flew me out to attend.

The two platforms are designed for different purposes, and can be used togetheror separately. The Snapdragon Cockpit Elite is built for in-vehicle infotainment systems and services, while the Snapdragon Ride Elite is built to power autonomous vehicle systems, including all the cameras and sensors that go into those systems.

Read more
Scout Traveler and Scout Terra forge a new path for EVs
Scout Traveler and Scout Terra.

Electric vehicles are inseparable from newness, whether it’s new tech, new designs, or new companies like Rivian, Lucid, and Tesla. But the Volkswagen Group’s new EV-only brand also relies heavily on the past.

Unveiled Thursday, the Scout Traveler electric SUV and Scout Terra electric pickup truck are modern interpretations of the classic International Harvester Scout. Manufactured from 1961 to 1980, the original Scout helped popularize the idea of the rugged, off-road-capable utility vehicle, setting the stage for modern SUVs.

Read more