CARS AND WHEELS

CARS AND WHEELS

Thursday, December 21, 2017



You'd never get stranded in winter if you owned this: Kahn Design reveals its new SIX-WHEELED Land Rover Defender Flying Huntsman convertible

  • The Flying Huntsman 110 6x6 Double Cab Pickup Soft-Top is set to debut at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show
  • It will use a 430 horse-power 6.2-litre V8 diesel engine and measure in at a whopping 17-feet in length
  • The six-wheeled SUV is based on a Land Rover Defender though with an extended cabin and folding roof
  • No price has been confirmed but it is expected to ring in at a whopping six-figures - around £250,000 
Drivers across Briton would have been grateful to own a car like this during last week's wintry weather.
It's the latest creation by London-based Land Rover and Range Rover customiser Kahn Design and it laughs in the face of ice, snow and just about everything you'd encounter on and off road.
Called the Flying Huntsman 110 6x6 Double Cab Pickup Soft-Top, it takes an iconic Land Rover Defender, adds two more wheels to create a go-anywhere offroader with six wheels and a six-figure asking price.
It also has a folding fabric roof for summer days or a blast through the desert.
Six-wheeled soft-top: The Flying Huntsman 110 6x6 Double Cab Pickup Soft-Top is a convertible like no other and will be able to take you just about anywhere you want to go, even if there's not a road to drive on
Six-wheeled soft-top: The Flying Huntsman 110 6x6 Double Cab Pickup Soft-Top is a convertible like no other and will be able to take you just about anywhere you want to go, even if there's not a road to drive on
This isn't the first time the coach-building specialists have converted the military-bred 4x4 into a six-wheeled behemoth - in 2015 it showcased the first Kahn Design's Flying Huntsman, a double-cab Defender with a flatbed powered by a 170 horse-power 2.2-litre diesel engine capable of a maximum speed of 130mph.
But the new Soft Top version is expected to ramp-up the power output, swapping the modest motor for a 430 horse-power 6.2-litre V8 diesel powerplant that will be more capable of carting well over two tonnes of tank.
It also gets an extended rear cabin, likely to up the passenger count from five to seven, offering an al-fresco off-roading experience to those lauding it in the back row.
With the first six-wheeler measuring in at 17 feet, expect this elongated version to be equally as impossible to parallel park.
For now, it's in the design phase only, but Kahn assured This is Money and MailOnline that the real thing would be ready in the metal at some point in 2018 - likely to be in time for the Geneva Motor Show on 6 March.
How much is it set to cost? The original Flying Huntsman 6x6 conversion rang in at £150,000 (around £189,000 for a complete car) with the 2.2-litre motor and this one is expected to command almost twice as much - a fee in the region of a quarter of a million pounds.
The original Flying Huntsman 6x6, pictured here, launched in 2015 was an enormous beast itself, but adding more seats and a convertible roof is set to take things to the extreme
The original Flying Huntsman 6x6, pictured here, launched in 2015 was an enormous beast itself, but adding more seats and a convertible roof is set to take things to the extreme
The Land Rover Defender's traditionally sparse interior will be upgraded with a full leather cabin, race seats and plenty of technology to improve entertainment and comfort levels
The Land Rover Defender's traditionally sparse interior will be upgraded with a full leather cabin, race seats and plenty of technology to improve entertainment and comfort levels
Six-wheeled rival: The Mercedes G63 AMG 6x6 was unveiled in 2013 with a price tag of £370,000
Did many people buy the 6-wheeled Merc? This Saudi Arabian registered one pictured on the right was snapped in Knightbridge, London, in July 2015
Six-wheeled rival: The Mercedes G63 AMG 6x6 was unveiled in 2013 with a price tag of £370,000. Did many people buy the 6-wheeled Merc? This Saudi Arabian registered one pictured on the right was snapped in Knightbridge, London, in July 2015

The astonishing figures you need to know 

Engine:  6.2-litre V8 diesel
Horsepower: 430bhp
Top speed: Over 130mph
0-62mph: n/a
Number of wheels: 6
Drive: 6 wheel drive 
Wheel size: 18 inches
Length: 17ft
Weight: Over 2 tonnes
Price: £250,000, approx
MPG: unconfirmed, but possibly single figures
CO2 emissions: Enough to make Philip Hammond's eyes bleed A spokesperson for the brand told us: 'Having received much acclaim for fashioning the Flying Huntsman 110 6X6 Double Cab Pick Up and Wide Body models, our latest coach built 6x6 is set to translate into the real world very soon, bringing an element of adventure, engineering and romanticism to the most seasoned of Defender owners and enthusiasts.
'This teaser sketch is a statement of intent, announcing that the dream of owning an uncompromisingly designed Flying Huntsman soft top model, designed by the UK's most avant-garde designer, is now a reality.' 
More information will be leaked about the six-wheeled SUV in the coming week's on owner Afzal Kahn's Instagram account.
Kahn Design had originally set out to create a six-wheeled off-roader to compete against the £370,000 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6x6 launched in 2013.
When the Flying Huntsman was unveiled two years ago, the CEO told the Daily Mail: 'We are a fully independent British car company and it is an exciting time. It is a full six-wheel drive car and will be ready in the next few weeks.
'The Land Rover Defender is one of my top five favourite cars. There is something about it that makes you smile - it demands respect.
The Flying Huntsman 110 6x6 Double Cab Pickup Soft-Top is likely to measure in at the same 17-feet as the original, making it an utter nightmare to park in town
The Flying Huntsman 110 6x6 Double Cab Pickup Soft-Top is likely to measure in at the same 17-feet as the original, making it an utter nightmare to park in town
The finished SUV is set to make its debut in 2018, most likely at the Geneva Motor Show that kicks off at the start of March
The finished SUV is set to make its debut in 2018, most likely at the Geneva Motor Show that kicks off at the start of March



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