Payne: Hail Goliath, the Silverado-based, 6x6 pickup
Henry Payne
For those who don’t think the all-new, 2019 Chevy Silverado pickup’s earth-chewing, four-wheel-drive, high-strength steel, off-road-trimmed Trail Boss Z71 is tough enough, say hello to Goliath.
David’s sling may have met its match.
Texas-based, performance automaker Hennessey unleashed the six-wheel-drive mega-truck this week with 37-inch off-road tires, an eight-inch suspension lift, and enough firepower to scale the Grand Canyon. The six wheels are driven by a Hellcat-like 705 horses from a blown, 6.2-liter Chevy V-8. Mercy.
Only 24 copies of this biblical beast will be built at a price of $375,000.
“We are very excited to offer our new Goliath 6X6,” said company boss John Hennessey, adding that the vehicle “makes a huge statement anywhere our clients go — whether its Rodeo Drive or the sand dunes of the Sahara Desert.”
It’s not Hennessey’s first six-wheel rodeo. The Goliath follows the mod shop’s 6X6 version of Ford’s ferocious F-150 Raptor pickup — Hennessey calls it the VelociRaptor, naturally — which packs 605 horsepower and a sticker price of (just) $349,000. Mercedes also offers a 6x6 pickup — but it's not available on U.S. shores.
Like the latest evolution of the gigantic robots out of the movie “Pacific Rim,” Goliath ups the VelociRaptor’s pony count with a supercharged 705 making 675 pound-feet-of torque. With all six wheels churning, Goliath will sprint to 60 mph in just over 4 seconds — quicker than David can load a single rock. And about the same time as a V-8-powered Dodge Challenger coupe.
It’s not as quick, however, as Hennessey’s upgrade to Chevy’s Alpha male Corvette ZR1, which makes 1,200 horsepower and sprints to 60 in an eyeball-flattening 2.2 seconds.
The Goliath is based on Chevy’s lightweighted (by 450 pounds), 420-horsepower, V-8 Silverado with all the tech trimmings: hydraulic engine mounts, smartphone app connectivity, rear seatback storage. The Hennessey version is distinguished by the “Hennessey” logo stamped across the front fascia and rear tailgate, by quad tailpipes, and by — well, its six wheels.
To accommodate the third axle in the rear, Goliath gets a special 6-foot bed with a roll bar. But wait there’s more: Goliath can be upgraded to a bonkers 808 horsepower with Brembo brakes to make sure you can stop the thing after breaking the sound barrier.
The Silverado hit dealerships this fall as Chevy’s full-size pickup goes head-to-head against new entries from archrival Ford and RAM’s 1500. The 6x6 Hennessey Goliath can be ordered through select Chevrolet dealers — or directly from Hennessey Performance Engineering.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne. Catch “Car Radio with Henry Payne” from noon-2 p.m. Saturdays on 910 AM Superstation.