Florida firm turns Land Rover Defender into 518bhp 6x6

Florida-based tuner Apocalypse has unveiled a dramatic six-wheel conversion of the Land Rover Defender.

Aptly named the World Ender, it is effectively a Defender 110 with a pick-up bed grafted onto the boot, adding a second rear axle. Other design tweaks include the fitment of front wheel-arch extensions, a roof rack and what the firm calls “cow killer” bullbars.

Underneath, a skidplate helps to protect the front axle from debris in the road, such as rocks or shrubbery.

The vehicle also gets 20in steel wheels and huge all-terrain tyres. Such is the size of the rubber that Apocalypse had to develop its own air suspension system in order to make room under the World Ender’s swollen arches. It can be raised or dropped by 203mm, as required.

Under the bonnet is the JLR’s supercharged 5.0-litre V8, sending 518bhp and 461lb ft through all six wheels via a new gearbox, which also has a rear-wheel-drive mode.

Apocalypse’s ambition is “eat the Mercedes G-Wagen 6x6’s lunch”, CEO Joseph Ghattas said. 

Prices start at $374,999 (£280,000).

The World Ender is the first such conversion of the current Defender, but the classic model was offered as a 6x6 by Land Rover itself. The firm's Special Vehicles arm converted a handful of cars to six-wheel drive during the car’s production run and the vehicles served as fire engines and army truck.

There has been a small industry around such conversions of the classic Defender for decades, with creations including tipper-style pick-ups, camper vans and opulent wagons in the mould of Mercedes-Benz’s AMG G63 6x6.