Why only have four wheels when you can have six? A question that has been asked by numerous car manufacturers, designers and customers in recent years.
From luxury custom vehicles to Formula 1 cars and fire engines, six-wheeled motorcycles have been appearing on roads and racetracks for decades – with varying degrees of success.
Most six-wheelers tend to be off-roaders designed to tackle the toughest terrain – though others have tried adding an extra pair of tires to improve driving performance.
Here are some of the most iconic six-wheeled cars from generations past.
Kahn Defender Flying Huntsman
Kahn Design’s Flying Huntsman wasn’t cheap – with prices starting at £250,000
London-based car manufacturer Kahn Design has repeatedly pushed boundaries with its models, but none more so than its Defender Flying Huntsman.
The Land Rover-powered Huntsman has been lengthened by 1200 mm (47 in) and also 150 mm (six in) wider to accommodate the tyres.
But the model doesn’t come cheap – with prices starting at £250,000.
Hennessey Veloci Raptor
The Hennessey VelociRaptor has six-wheel drive and costs $349,000 – or just over £312,000
Automaker Hennessey has created its own Ford VelociRaptor for consumers to buy – with the monster-sized vehicle proving to be a formidable presence on the road.
This six-wheeler comes with 20-inch wheels and off-road suspension, as well as additional lights and bull bars.
It has six-wheel drive and costs $349,000 – or just over £312,000.
Last year, the American brand launched its Mammoth 1000 6X6 TRX, which not only carried two extra wheels, but was also as long as a small yacht.
Under the hood is a 1,012 horsepower 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine, while the seven-foot-long body sits on 20-inch wheels wrapped in chunky 37-inch off-road tires.
Only 12 are produced each year, with each six-wheeler being offered at a price of $449,950 (£360,000).
Foers Ibex 6×6
The Foers six-wheeler is widely used by fire brigades, especially at airports
Foers may not be a familiar name to all car enthusiasts, but they are acclaimed in the 6×6 world for their specialized Ibex models.
Based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, the company supplies vehicles to the fire brigade, foresters and farmers who may need the capacity to operate both on and off road.
In addition to highly specialized models such as those designed to fight fires, they also sell six-wheeled trucks.
Williams FW07D
The Williams FW07D sadly never made it to the starting line in Formula 1 as six-wheeled cars were banned in 1983
When the Williams FW07D arrived for F1 testing in 1982, it was immediately faster than its rivals.
The vehicle offered potential advantages over other teams due to its ability to accelerate from a standstill with almost no wheelspin, and gain a competitive advantage in wet weather if dry tires were used on the rear axle.
It also offered a significant advantage due to its superior aerodynamics – but the project was ruined before the car could compete due to the FIA’s ban on six-wheelers and four-wheel drive in 1983.
Mercedes G63 AMG 6×6
A conversion of the Mercedes G63 SUV, it is an additional 272 mm (11 in) taller than its four-wheeled counterpart
Mercedes’ six-wheeler is sure to intimidate other drivers during school returns – standing on six massive 37-inch wheels.
A conversion of the Mercedes G63 SUV, it is 272 mm (11 in) longer than its four-wheel counterpart and was officially unveiled in 2013.
It’s designed to stay stable in even the roughest terrain, with five different locking options.
But it wasn’t cheap, with prices starting at £350,000 and upwards.
Panther 6
Only two Panther 6 cars made it to the production line after launch in 1977, probably due to cost
The Panther luxury car company introduced their own six-wheeled model in 1977, designed as an upscale open-top cruiser with two seats.
But despite its bold looks and 15 orders at the 1977 London Motorfair launch, only two were ever made.
It may have had to do with its £39,950 price tag, which made it 50 per cent more expensive than a Ferrari 512BB in the late 1970s.
Dodge the T-Rex
The Technology Research experimental vehicle had six wheels, an eight-foot cargo bed, and a Ram pickup cab
The Dodge T-Rex was used as a test vehicle by the American manufacturer and lived up to its name by easily devouring any terrain presented to it.
The Technology Research EXperimental vehicle had six wheels, an 8-foot cargo bed and a Ram pickup cab.
The model was never produced for the commercial market, but is still a remarkable addition to the history of six-wheel use.
hustler
The original Hustlers were sold directly from William Towns’ home in Stretton-on-Fosse, Gloucestershire, as kits to assemble at home
The brainchild of designer William Towns, the Hustler was the result of a canceled project with British automaker Jensen Motors.
The vehicles stood out on the road due to their cubic shape with large windows that gave drivers an almost 360-degree view of the world around them.
In most models – not all of which had six wheels – people entered the car through sliding windows as doors.
The original Hustlers were sold directly from William Towns’ home in Stretton-on-Fosse, Gloucestershire, as kits to assemble at home.
Tyrrell P34
The Tyrrell P34 showed immediate promise on its debut in 1976, but was discontinued in 1977
The second Formula 1 car on this list, the Tyrrell P34, was older than Williams’ version and caused a revolution when it raced twin front axles in the 1976 Spanish Grand Prix.
Secretly designed by Derek Gardner, Goodyear made the necessary 10-inch tires that offered more grip and less drag than the competition.
At its fourth race, the P34 took a one-two victory for the team, but the model ended in 1977 due to a lack of tire development.
Citroën CX Loadrunner
The Citroën CX Loadrunner became famous in France and Belgium in the 1970s
This vehicle certainly stands out from other Citroën models due to its extraordinary length – it is no surprise that an extra set of wheels is required.
It became popular in France and Belgium in the 1970s and continued to be seen into the 1980s.
The car was specifically made to deliver newspapers at high speeds at night, rather than relying on larger trucks that took longer to cover the same distance.
With the invention of computers and the internet, the need for such vehicles rapidly declined.
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