Skip advert
Advertisement
Features

The world’s craziest pick-up trucks - page 5

From wacky concepts to rare collector cars and ground-shaking monster trucks – the humble pick-up has always inspired enthusiasts willing to take things to extremes…

‘Fedor’ Trophy Truck

Baldwin/@sincity_crook

BJ Baldwin is the Trophy Truck racer responsible for building – and driving – the incredible ‘Fedor’. It’s supposedly based on a Toyota Tundra, but the 800bhp monster has a scratch-built tube chassis which bears no relation to the production pick-up. Fedor was built for long distance desert racing, and events like the Baja 1000.

Advertisement - Article continues below

It competes in the ‘unlimited’ class, and its 30-odd inches of suspension travel is designed to eat rocks at speeds of 100mph and more. You’ve probably also seen it on the Recoil video series, which occasionally monsters the internet.

Land Rover Centaur

There have been plenty of whacky Land Rover conversions over the years, but few as eye-catching as the Centaur half-tracked version.
It’s the odd-looking love-child of a Series III Landie and an Alvis Scorpion light tank, and you can probably work out which of its key features were inherited from its parents.

With a muscular 3.5-litre V8 engine and three ton payload, the Centaur was used for battlefield logistics as a weapons carrier. There was also a version designed to rapidly scatter 64 anti-personnel mines in war-torn countries like Angola in the 1980s.

Hummer H1

Wikimedia Commons

Celebrity owners like Arnold Schwarzenegger played a role in popularising the US military’s utility vehicle, the Humvee, which was subsequently launched in civilian guise as the Hummer H1.

AM General’s M996 Humvee first sprang to public prominence in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, and quickly became the ‘must have’ accessory for LA celebs – and the bete-noir of environmentalists due to its immense size, and terrible efficiency.

Lots of the military specification was carried over to civilian models built from 1992 to 2006, including the 6.2-litre diesel engine, and a system for inflating and deflating tyres from the cab. It’s not surprising that nowadays Arnie is more likely to be seen driving a Prius. 

Read about the six-wheeled Mercedes pick-up on page 6….
 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Current affairs and features editor

Chris covers all aspects of motoring life for Auto Express. Over a long career he has contributed news and car reviews to brands such as Autocar, WhatCar?, PistonHeads, Goodwood and The Motor Trader.

Find a car with the experts

Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Ford Escort Mexico gets new lease of life with MST Sports
MST Ford Escort - front 3/4

Ford Escort Mexico gets new lease of life with MST Sports

While not officially Fords, the MST Mk1 and Mk2 Sports should drive as sharply as they look
News
7 Jul 2025
New MG IM5 has the Tesla Model 3 beaten on price and range
MG IM5 - Goodwood front

New MG IM5 has the Tesla Model 3 beaten on price and range

The all-electric IM5 brings new technology and design to the MG line-up
News
10 Jul 2025
Car Deal of the Day: Hot Volkswagen Golf GTI for a cool £287 a month
Volkswagen Golf GTI - front cornering left 1

Car Deal of the Day: Hot Volkswagen Golf GTI for a cool £287 a month

The Golf GTI has been a classic from day one – and it’s our Deal of the Day for 8 July.
News
8 Jul 2025