5 Trucks With A Surprising Number Of Wheels

Pickup trucks come in all sizes, but most share a few common attributes. Most are designed to be capable of carrying heavy payloads and many are also capable towing vehicles — although naturally, some trucks have a higher maximum towing capacity than others. Most trucks also have a pair of wheels at the front and a pair at the rear, although in the case of dually trucks, there are two pairs of wheels at the rear lined up along a single axle.

However, in any automotive segment where there are set design conventions, there are bound to be some automakers that go against the grain. Over the decades, truck manufacturers have experimented with various unusual wheel layouts, some of which have been surprisingly successful. Rather than sport the four wheels and two axles of a conventional pickup, these trucks all feature unusual wheel layouts, with some aimed at budget-conscious buyers and others aimed at the wealthiest car collectors on the planet.

While dually trucks technically have six wheels, seeing a truck with six wheels laid out in a 6x6 configuration is still pretty surprising. Even more surprising is seeing a 6x6 truck offered by a major manufacturer — most are low-volume specials built by boutique manufacturers. Unveiled in 2013, the Mercedes-AMG G63 6x6 is arguably one of the coolest six-wheeled vehicles ever made, with a 544-hp AMG twin-turbo V8 engine and huge 37-inch tires. The six-wheeled G-Class was originally designed for the Australian Army, but Mercedes-Benz quickly spotted that it had potential as a low-volume production car too.

The chassis was handed to AMG, which turned the 6x6 from a military vehicle into arguably the ultimate over-the-top luxury off-roader. It was designed specifically for ultra-wealthy Middle Eastern buyers and cost around half a million dollars, so it remained a low-volume car throughout its production run. It remained on sale for three years, being produced between 2013 and 2015, and it remains highly sought after among collectors today. On the rare occasion that one of these rare pickups appears at a public auction, they usually sell for more than their original asking price, with the costliest examples selling for over one million dollars.

While keen Mazda enthusiasts might know that the brand originally began as a cork making company, comparatively few know that the company briefly made motorcycles, before switching its focus to three-wheeled vehicles in the early 1930s. The first Mazda three-wheeled vehicle was a small truck called the Mazda-Go, which borrowed some elements from the Mazda motorcycle, including Mazda's in-house engine design.

At the time of the Mazda-Go's launch in 1931, Japan's domestic motor industry was still forming, and the truck helped establish the then-fledgling automaker as an important player in the industry. To prove the truck's durability, Mazda embarked in high-profile stunts throughout the 1930s, such as driving a convoy of Mazda-Go trucks almost 1,700 miles between Kagoshima and Tokyo in 1936. Mazda's original three-wheeled trucks looked like motorcycles with cargo beds, but its second generation three-wheeled truck, marketed as the K360 and pictured here, evolved into a more traditionally truck-like design. 

Its three-wheeled truck business formed the core of Mazda's operations until 1960, when it unveiled the R360 Coupe, its first passenger car. By then, four-wheeled vehicles had become favored by buyers, and Mazda slowly phased out its three-wheeled trucks and replaced them with four-wheeled trucks.

The Mercedes-AMG G63 6x6 is no longer in production, but well-heeled buyers looking for a 6x6 pickup aren't out of options. The Hercules is a similarly attention-grabbing 6x6 pickup, built by boutique American carmaker Rezvani. The automaker offers a Military Edition version of the truck that features an optional 1,300 hp V8 engine and bulletproof glass, and it starts from $295,000.

The Hercules is reportedly based on a Jeep platform but undergoes a thorough conversion at Rezvani's factory in California. Its 6x6 layout is modeled in the spirit of the G63 6x6 that arguably started the trend, but with a four-digit horsepower output, it's far more powerful than the AMG. If, for some reason, the truck's range-topping engine seems a little too much, Rezvani also offers a range of lesser engines, including a 285 hp V6.

The Military Edition of the truck can be optioned with a long list of military-inspired extras, including armor plating, gas masks, and a built-in smoke screen. Anyone who isn't sold on the pickup could instead consider Rezvani's other armored vehicle, the Tank Military Edition, or any number of other apocalypse-ready new vehicles, since the market for them is a surprisingly broad one.

Italian manufacturer Piaggio has churned out everything from seaplanes to scooters over its more than a century of existence. It's most famous for the Vespa scooter, which is still around today, but one of its other most popular products is a small three-wheeled truck. The Apé was first launched in 1948 and has remained in production in various forms ever since. It remains on sale today in markets like India, where it's available in several different body styles including an auto-rickshaw and a cargo-carrying pickup.

Despite being a key part of Italy's post-war mobilization and remaining popular in the decades since, the Ape is no longer offered in its original market, as it doesn't meet EU emissions requirements. It's also no longer produced in Italy, with production recently transferring to India. However, Piaggio's Italian division hasn't given up on three-wheeled vehicles entirely, since it still offers the MP3, a strange-looking scooter that has two small wheels at the front and a traditional single scooter wheel at the rear.

We've previously argued that the Land Rover Defender pickup is one of the classic trucks that deserves a modern refresh, and while there's no indication you'll be able to get a new generation model anytime soon, there are still plenty of boutique builders out there making restomod trucks for buyers with enough cash. One such builder is the Chelsea Truck Company, a British specialist that offers a 6x6 Defender pickup with an LS3 V8 engine.

Called the Flying Huntsman 6x6, this truck combines classic British design with brawny American power. According to the brand, its LS3 engine produces 430 hp, although it's safe to assume that buyers could boost that figure with aftermarket upgrades upon request. The truck is built by combining a classic Defender 110 Crew Cab with the rear end of a Defender 90, then extended the 110 chassis by almost 35 inches to accommodate the extra pair of wheels. The Chelsea Truck Company does not publicly disclose its pricing, with interested buyers instead needing to enquire for further details about the truck.