Nothing screams America like a mean-looking muscle car fitted with a big-block V8. The rumbling sound of the massive engine reminds everybody that a four-cylinder engine is as exciting as a lawnmower. While muscle cars tend to be outstanding sports cars, nothing beats a powerful utility vehicle. Starting in the '50s, a special kind of machine started roaming the streets. Called either pickups or utes, these vehicles never failed to generate attention.
There were neither cars, nor pickup trucks. What was sure is that they were originally work vehicles. These Frankenstein-like oddities surprisingly attracted a large number of gearheads. These weird and wonderful pickups and utes have fallen out of favor in North America, but they sure remain popular in other parts of the world.
10 Dodge Rampage
American utes came out back in the 1950s. With the 1957 Ford Ranchero being the trailblazer, the ute became very popular until the late 1970s. Following the huge success of the El Camino, things sort of died around the late 70s. Made popular in the midst of the Malaise Era, it is no surprise that these oddities eventually fell out of favor.
The Rampage may not be among the fastest Mopar cars ever produced, but it sure has the potential to become a beast. Introduced in 1982, the Rampage came bone-stock with a sluggish 2.2-liter inline-four engine that made a lousy 99 hp at best. However, the Rampage has all the prerequisites to become a true beast. This particular Rampage was fitted with a mid-engine Hemi V8 that developed 650 hp.
9 Audi A4
Audi joined the off-road trend with its legendary Q7 SUV. Unveiled during the height of the SUV craze, the Q7 ended up being a huge hit upon its release. While the Q7 is great, it lacks the "utility" aspect that pickup trucks tend to have. It was rumored that Audi would have made a pickup truck in the same fashion as Volkswagen. However, an official Audi pickup truck never materialized.
This Audi A4 ute will give Audi owners tons of ideas. Equipped with Audi's legendary Quattro system, this A4 is both a sport and utility vehicle. Underneath the hood sits a turbocharged 1.8-liter inline-four unit. It would have been more interesting if the owner of this ute had moved forward with either the 3.0-liter V6 or the 4.2-liter V8. With that said, this highly modified A4 is definitely not a sloth.
8 Dodge Ram "Mammoth 1000" TRX
The muscle truck trend is not an ephemeral phenomenon. In fact, the very first muscle truck was released by Dodge back in 1964 when the company offered the Custom Sports Special package for the D100 Sweptline. Equipped with a 426 cu in Wedge-Head V8 that made 365 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque, the Sweptline was made to beat regular muscle cars on the drag strip.
The Dodge Ram 1500 TRX was the logical answer to the Ford F-150 Raptor. Unlike the Raptor, the Ram TRX is essentially a high-end muscle car with off-road capabilities. The mad men that make up the team of engineers at Hennessey Performance Engineering came up with another insane solution. The level of upgrades applied to the Mammoth 1000 brings the total power output of the 6.2-liter V8 to 1,000 hp and 969 lb-ft of torque.
7 Datsun 620 "Hakotora"
The '60s and '70s were absolutely insane. The three major car producers, namely the United States, Europe, and Japan, were churning out one great car after the other. While the car manufacturers from those countries did not always hit a home run, some of their cars ended up drastically increasing in value over time. These vehicles may have not been stellar upon their release, but they can be turned into monsters when equipped with the latest technologies.
The original Datsun 620 was not made to drift down a curvy road. Consequently, it was never given the power unit found in the Skyline GT-R of the same era. In an effort to give this gorgeous classic truck a second life, its owner revisited its most important aspect: power. This mean oldie is fitted with one of the greatest Japanese engines ever produced.
6 BMW M3
It is well-known that BMW has been experimenting like a mad scientist for decades. Cars such as the 1972 BMW Turbo or the 1996 7-Series ZBF never made it to production, but they tremendously influenced some of the designs made in the subsequent years. The BMW M3 also received its fair share of alterations. The reasons why anyone should consider buying a BMW M3 are numerous when looking at its modularity.
Gearheads worlwide fell in love with the BMW E90 M3 upon its release. For the first and only time, the M3 came with a meaty 4.0-liter V8 that pumped out a calming 414 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. While most buyers were hesitating between the coupe, the convertible, and the sedan, BMW had a go at turning the M3 into a ute once again. Though the ute version was never sold to the public, it gave professionals with the right skills some great ideas.
5 HSV Maloo R8 LSA
Things in the land down under are unlike anything else you may encounter in the rest of the world. Giant killer spiders, a man punching a Kangaroo in the face to rescue his dog, and outrageously expensive beers are the norm there. The one thing that Australia shares with the United States is its love for muscle vehicles. Believe it or not, Australia has a huge muscle car scene.
The front-end of the HSV Maloo looks exactly like the last Chevrolet SS in the States. As both cars are based on a GM platform, it is quite normal that other elements were borrowed from the Maloo. Though the name may seem funny, the Maloo is far from being a joke. Fitted with a supercharged 6.2-liter LSA V8, the Maloo goes from a standstill to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds.
4 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3
Since its launch in 1992, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution has been one of the most revered Japanese sports sedans. Winning countless WRC races, the Japanese sedan consequently won the hearts of gearheads globally. Sadly, the Evo was always built as a sedan. The only time the Evo changed shape is when Mitsubishi offered a limited edition station wagon.
The Lancer Evo needs absolutely zero introduction. At this point in time, it is fair to concede that the Evo is the best Mitsubishi car ever made. Though the background on this United Kingdom-based Evo is not available, its owner must have done what most Evo owners do whenever they customize their cars: give it more power.
3 FPV FG Super Pursuit
The war between Ford and GM has always been one of the most heated topics among piston heads for decades. With each side throwing jabs at one another, it has become clear that the rivalry between the two camps may never stop. Things are somewhat similar in Australia. When it comes to utes, Ford and GM dominate the scene.
The FPV FG Super Pursuit is the ute that should have made it to America. Despite not being as attractive as the Maloo, the FPV (Ford Performance Vehicles) Super Pursuit comes with a mean supercharged 5.0-liter Coyote V8 that makes 422 hp and 402lb-ft of torque. The production of Ford's most aggressive ute ended back in 2012. Those super-utes have logically maintained their value.
2 Mini Cooper Paceman Adventure
Since BMW took over Mini, things changed drastically. While Mini was maintaining its original image by offering the same car year after year, BMW wanted to offer more choices to potential buyers. From the Clubman to the JCS Edition, it is fair to say that there is a Mini for almost everybody on the market. With this said, Mini never tried to infiltrate the mini pickup truck market.
While everyone is still awestruck by the Toyota Tacoma, not everybody feels like driving a large mid-size truck. As people are increasingly attracted to urban centers, space is becoming scarce. Parking is often a nightmare. For those who live in the city and enjoy outdoorsy activities during the weekend, the Mini Cooper Paceman Adventure is made for them. Sadly, the four-wheel drive Mini pickup is just a one-off.
1 Rivian R1T
When it comes to electric cars, companies such as Tesla or Nio have the high-end section covered. However, those cars are not made to go airborne as portrayed in several videos. They are luxury sports cars. For the longest time, the electric pickup truck scene was made of Tesla's funny-looking Cybertruck, and the F-150 Lightning in the last year or so. Things are changing rapidly.
It has been said that the Rivian R1T is an incredibly fun electric pickup. The truck does look futuristic and includes all the bells and whistles most modern buyers are looking for. Things become much more interesting when looking at the numbers. The four electric motors can produce up to 835 hp, which allows the R1T to go from zero to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds.