If the Mercedes G-Wagen can go six wheels, why not the Land Rover Defender? That's the question that Kahn Design answers with an all-new Land Rover equivalent of the Mercedes G 63 AMG 6x6. The British tuning shop has revealed the "Flying Huntsman 110 WB 6x6," an absolutely maniacal Defender ready for world conquest.
If there's one vehicle on Earth that could look as good with six wheels as the Mercedes G-Class, it'd most certainly be the Land Rover Defender. To drive that point home, Kahn Design stretched the Defender 110 by about 47 inches (1,200 mm) – 15.7 in (400 mm) up front and 31.5 in (800 mm) out back, added a third axle, and gave it the same two front-wheel, four back-wheel configuration we've come to know and love on the G 63 6x6. It then rolled all six 20-in lightweight alloy wheels in Cooper LTZ 275/55/20 tires.
A heavy-duty chassis, upgraded suspension and braking, hi-lo ratio drive system and locking differentials ensure the six-wheeled Defender is more than just a wild show car, putting 430-hp of GM LS3 V8 grunt to work on any terrain the driver plots to master. The V8 does that work in collaboration with a GM six-speed automatic and channels waste through an upgraded stainless steel exhaust system.
"The Defender is probably the most iconic and well-loved British vehicle in existence – I believe even more so than the Mini," says Afzal Kahn, CEO and creative director of the Kahn Group. "The fact that Land Rover are retiring it is an absolute tragedy – it’s one of my top three all time favorite vehicles. With the Huntsman Concept, I set out to create something fashionable, iconic and revolutionary which carries on the spirit of the Defender."
Kahn is far from the first to come up with the idea of adding an extra axle to the Defender. Actually, that distinction probably belongs to a now-much-older teenage boy that saw one of the original Defenders in a magazine and immediately launched into an elaborate daydream about customization possibilities. A Google search reveals many levels of Defender 6x6 success and failure. Kahn Design smartly distinguishes its 6x6 kit by giving it a model name and launching it in grand style at a major international auto show – and not 15 yards away from a close competitor in the form of the Brabus Mercedes G 63 6x6 upgrade kit.
Beyond the added length and mechanical upgrades, the Flying Huntsman has also been dressed with hammered aluminum fender panels and widened by about half a foot (150 mm). The modified body also includes a new front bumper, X-Lander grille and plenty of Kahn badging, giving it aggressive, land-hungry looks to match its stretched, six-wheeled figure. The paint is a little mixture Kahn calls Volcanic Rock Satin.
The driver and passenger enter through larger front and rear doors and find a row for each axle and sports seat for each wheel. The red leather and tweed theme is rustic but maybe a bit more preppy and less "prepper" than we'd expect inside a Defender 6x6. The panoramic roof stretches from the B pillars back, providing sweeping views of the cliffs, tree branches and sky above. Other subtle updates include a red rev counter fascia and machined aluminum vented pedals.
Officially, Kahn calls the Flying Huntsman a coach-built concept, but we'd be surprised if it doesn't sell at least a few of these to customers. It's currently trying to sort out production plans, considering up to five possible versions, including a pickup for added utility and a four-wheel Huntsman for more traditionalist off-road customers. And since buying a go-anywhere, six-wheeled utility vehicle with zero armor would leave you open to all kinds of vulnerabilities, Kahn is also floating the idea of B4 to B7 armoring packages.
Source: Kahn Design
