This small auto design and manufacturing company from California may have exaggerated its claim of being the first to release a “street-legal Hypertruck” on the market. I’m curious to know what Hennessey or Shelby have to say about that.
For example, the Hennessey Mammoth (based on the Ram 1500 TRX) has an upgraded 6.2-liter V8 engine with 1,012 horsepower and 969 lb-ft of torque. This allows it to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (96 kph) in just 3.2 seconds or complete a quarter-mile in 11.4 seconds. Not bad for a pick-up truck weighing over 6,400 pounds (2.9 tons), right?
Well, Scarbo Vintage’s offering is a different kind of beast and is not intended to compete with the Hennessey Mammoth or Shelby F-150 Super Snake. Originally, the project was designed to be a highly competitive desert race truck for Baja.
After 14 years of development, the Scarbo Vintage team decided to give it a shot and convert it into a street-legal vehicle. It made its debut in February at the F.A.T. International Ice Race in Aspen, Colorado – the perfect venue to generate buzz around the claim of being “the world’s first street-legal Hypertruck.”
Does it look familiar? The design elements of the iconic Land Rover Defender were intentionally incorporated to attract offroad enthusiasts. The grill, front and backlights, doors, and roofline give it a distinctive and easily recognizable appearance, especially for those “in the know.”
The 40-inch tires on 20-inch forged wheels are enough to make any offroad fan excited, giving this “Landy” a rugged “Humvee” look – mainly due to the inboard pushrod front and rear suspension with a total wheel travel of 30 inches.
Thanks to the air-ride suspension with adjustable height control and valving, one can only imagine the sensation of soaring through the air during jumps on those hilly roads. Alternatively, it can be enjoyed in the vast American desert areas, far away from other drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists… But more on the issue of “vastness” in a moment.
Returning to the offroad features, it includes a necessary high- and low-range transfer case, selectable 2WD and 4WD modes, as well as selectable front and rear locking differentials. It also has a convenient four-wheel steering system, although it may not have the tank turn capability that Rivian boasts about. Oh, and did I mention the Brembo 6-piston brake system with 400 mm carbon ceramic rotors?
So far, so good: it’s an impressive Baja truck. But why does it cost one and a half million dollars when the package I mentioned earlier is much cheaper? Well, there are other desirable features included. For instance, the bodywork is constructed from carbon fiber and aluminum, which significantly reduces weight and enhances overall performance.
Image: Scarbo Vintage
In the world of off-road racing, comfort and luxury are not typically associated with a Baja race truck. However, the interior of the SV Rover is far from the spartan environment of a race car. While it may not provide the same feeling as a Lamborghini or Ferrari, you can still enjoy the Alcantara interior with stylish billet aluminum accents and a spacious digital cockpit and multimedia displays.
But that’s not all. The SV Rover also offers climate controls, power windows, and power door locks – and I’m not joking. Add to that the convenient push-button start and the rear cargo area, and you have a two-seat supercar that is surprisingly comfortable and practical.
I can’t help but wonder if it can outshine a vibrant yellow Lamborghini Urus… Unfortunately, when it comes to interior luxury and exterior design, it falls short. However, it does rival the Italian bull in terms of raw power and high performance, thanks to its impressive 1,000-horsepower output. And let’s be honest, taking a Lamborghini SUV offroad would be quite foolish.
The Lamborghini Urus boasts a cutting-edge 4.0-liter turbocharged V8 engine with 666 horsepower. The Ferrari Purosangue is even better, with its 6.5-liter V12 engine delivering 725 horsepower. But the SV Rover’s supercharged V8, tuned to approximately 1,000 horsepower, competes head-to-head with these powerful beasts. All three vehicles share the same spirit of automotive excellence.
Image: Scarbo Vintage
Yet, what sets the SV Rover apart from its Italian counterparts? The answer lies in its all-electric powertrain, a feature that the Lamborghini and Ferrari lack. If desired, the SV Rover can be equipped with an electric motor that produces a peak power of 750 kW. This translates to a theoretical 1,005 horsepower, but the true allure of the electric motor lies in its undisclosed immense torque, which provides an unmatched driving experience.
Regrettably, the excitement may be short-lived. While the V8 version of the SV Rover comes with a generous 65-gallon fuel tank (approximately 250 liters), the battery capacity of the electric version is only 75 kWh. To put this into perspective, the previous Tesla Model X, equipped with a similar capacity battery, had an EPA-rated range of just 220 miles (around 350 km). It is unlikely that the electric SV Rover will offer greater value, so it is reasonable to expect the customization program to include higher-capacity batteries.
In the end, I can’t help but ponder whether the Cyberbeast (the eagerly awaited 845-hp tri-motor Cybertruck) or the 1,000-hp GMC Hummer EV truly qualify as “hypertrucks,” as both claim to achieve 0-60 mph in around 3 seconds. Or perhaps the question is: what truly defines a hypertruck?
Image: Scarbo Vintage
Depending on one’s interpretation, the Scarbo SV Rover could very well be considered “the first street-legal Hypertruck” or, at the very least, “the first street-legal electric Hypertruck.” However, let’s face it, not many people would be willing to invest in such a label. There is currently nothing quite like this extraordinary truck on the market. So, perhaps it is worth considering if you have the means to afford a Bugatti or a Rimac.
According to the Source autoevolution.com