In the lead up to Halo Infinite finally hitting shelves, Microsoft partnered with Ken Block’s Hoonigan Industries to bring an icon – and longtime schoolboy fantasy – into material reality. Feast your eyes on this real-life Warthog assault vehicle.
“Our friends over at Xbox thought it was a good idea to build an actual functioning Warthog,” explains the Hoonigan YouTube channel.
“But instead of just a scaled replica as they have done so before in the past, they actually wanted to make something that would shred. So they called us up.”
Thankfully, the brief was a little more detailed and a little more tangible than simply ensuring this dream whip possessed the ability to “shred.”
“Microsoft wanted something that could exceed 100MPH, that could jump over 100 feet, that can climb any type of rocks or rough terrain, and have the same handling and driving characteristics that you would actually experience in Halo Infinite.”
RELATED: Jesus Christ… Someone Actually Built A Bentley Flying Spur Ute
Featuring a custom rock crawler chassis complete with rock crawler suspension and steering, a visual compromise here and there was necessary for functionality. The solid front + rear axles, for one, represent a departure from its virtual counterpart (which has fully independent suspension); though as Autoblog notes, it’s solid and offers great articulation for getting the real-life Warthog where it needs to go.
The axles are also fitted with steering assemblies, thereby achieving the game’s four-wheel steering system. As for the all-important issue of power, Hoonigan’s Warthog houses a 7.2-litre Ford V8 engine – similar to the one present in the Hoonicorn – paired with twin turbos for a total output of 1,060 horsepower, and mated to a Gearstar Supermatic80 transmission.
Other details the lads at the Hoonigan garage have managed to nail include the weathered exterior, chunky 43-inch tyres, auxiliary lights, fuel canisters, driver’s cockpit, curved windshield, and those distinct tow hooks. The only notable omission is the Gatling gun usually mounted in the rear.
Check out the real-life UNSC Halo Warthog in action above, debuted to the public during the premiere of Free Guy starring Ryan Reynolds; witness the build process undertaken by Ken Block’s Hoonigan Industries and flick through the photo gallery below.
RELATED: NERF Releases ‘Halo’ Editon Guns For Your Inner Master Chief
Halo M12 Warthog official description:
The M12 Force Application Vehicle (M12-FAV), more commonly known as the Warthog or simply the Hog, is a fast attack vehicle serving as the United Nations Space Command Armed Forces' primary joint light tactical ground vehicle. The M12 Warthog is the most common series within the wider Warthog family of vehicles, and saw service throughout the Insurrection and Human-Covenant War until the introduction of the M12B Warthog by late 2552.
