With the Fast & Furious franchise set to reach its long-awaited conclusion with the upcoming Fast X film, we’ve seen a couple of film props hit the auction circuit in recent months including the iconic Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 driven by Paul Walker in Fast & Furious 4. Next month, a slightly less conventional vehicle is arriving on the auction block in the form of the 2009 Howe & Howe Ripsaw combat tank that Ludacris piloted across an ice sheet in The Fate of the Furious.
While Fast & Furious has given us some of the most epic car chases ever captured on film, the scene where the Ripsaw combat tank is most heavily featured took things to another level entirely with the family roaring across a Russian ice sheet (incidentally shot in the same Iceland location as Die Another Day) as they’re chased by a nuclear submarine. Sure, it’s a long way from the illegal street racing in LA where the franchise began, but you can’t say it doesn’t make for an entertaining 100 minutes or so.
Originally developed by the Howe & Howe Technologies firm that specialises in armoured and military-grade specification vehicles, the army green Ripsaw combat tank is a functional vehicle that can reportedly still reach speeds of 100km/h and cost US$750,000 (AU$1.1 million) to build for use in the film. Powered by a thirsty 6.6L 2007 LBZ Duramax diesel engine mated to an automatic transmission, ripping around in it might be the most fun you could have on a private piece of land.
Despite the significant build cost, the team at Mecum Auctions have a presale estimate of just US$150,000 – US$180,000 (AU$226,792 – AU$272,151), potentially giving someone a sensational deal if they were looking to add an oddball to their car collection.
