Real life Halo Warthog goes for a test drive
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted Feb 2nd 2009 3:04PM
posted Feb 2nd 2009 3:04PM
One lucky writer over at OXM got his hands on a working Warthog -- yes, of Halo fame -- and he was good enough to snap some pics for us, even though we suspect that he's actually rubbing 'em in our faces. Because seriously, this is one helluva ride. And seriously, we're like totally jealous. Based on a Nissan Patrol 4x4 truck platform and built for Peter Jackson's abandoned Halo film, this is not a prop -- rather, its a fully working beast. The six-cylinder, diesel, automatic bad boy sports full four-wheel drive, a custom chassis, and for the lucky driver they do have a set or two of United Nations Space Command Marine armor available. This vehicle is currently billeted in New Zealand, so if you're in the area stop in and ask for a ride. What could it hurt? And tell 'em Engadget sent you. More pics after the break.
I'm so jealous, it makes me feel sick.
nerdiest article i think i have ever read. the first two paragraphs are almost painful.
gotta love it
There is a great video about it posted about a month ago. Check it out, it's pretty awesome seeing it running live. :)
http://halo.bungie.org/news.html?item=24914
http://files.bungie.org/oxm_wetahog.mov
Is the Halo film really been abandoned?
can i get a model Ghost or Hornet???
had this book mark for a while
http://www.mediabum.com/videos/Real-Halo-Warthog.html
FAKE!
This is not news... Do you have any idea how long these pictures and video have been out? Like 5 months...
old news they used this in the halo 3 landfall thing which was a promo released around the release of halo3. Bungie.net even posted a video of it in action before the landfall thing was finished
Nothing about the Warthog makes any sense. Yes it looks cool but how could soldiers ride around completely unprotected?
A gunner completely open to hostile sniper fire...
A vehicle so prone to rollover without side protection.
@flashpoint
if you played halo at anypoint
you realize
that the military goes with the amzing Russian idea of quantity over quality
and they are cheap shits xD
omg in jealous
Does the gun really shoot?
If the gun doesn't work, it wouldn't take a person too much time to rig up a working gun to take its place.
I doubt it, and i doubt it has four wheel steering like the real version.
BADASS!
But does it come in black?
Wow, a six cylinder... must truly have been built for some serious off-roading!
/sarcasm
6 cylinder diesel is pretty fucking intense dude.
So your saying the Nissan 350Z's 305HP V6 is weak? Not every V6 is created equal you know.
I drove a 350Z a year ago when I was looking for another car and yes, weak.
265 HP and 405 ft-lbs of torque. Yes, it will off road very nicely.
Yep, FJ Cruisers, Rubicons and Tacoma's suck at off-roading with those puny sixes.
/sarcasm
umm, its diesel not gas... a lot different from the 6cy gas 350Z u drove
All I'm saying is that there's a reason they put V8s in Humvees... which is what they should have based this on instead of a Nissan.
I know it's a movie prop, and quite frankly, I don't understand the hype about this thing. Even in the article when they wished they could have gotten independent suspension to make it more realistic... a Humvee would have gotten them that much closer.
it depends on what kind of off-roading you are going to be doing. top end speed, go with a v-8. low end torque (rock climbing, etc.) go with an inline 6. at least that's my preferences.
Obviously you know nothing about engines. Many of the large diesel trucks on the road (the ones designed to haul heavy loads) use Inline 6 engines.
my hummer has a i5.... it dominates v8 jeeps...
/srsly
There's a HUGE difference between a hummer and a Humvee.
6-cyl _diesel_? built on a Nissan Patrol? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_Patrol. the Patrol is, for all intents and purposes, the military version of a Land Rover.
Military uses these things in places like northern Ireland, Yugoslavia, and Afghanistan.
Ever seen a Land Rover run off-road? There's not much than can touch them. I can't find which exact truck they built this on, but the 6-cyl diesel in the 2010 refresh is rumored to push 265bhp and 405ft-lb of torque. That's no slouch.
If they geared this thing right, it could tow your HOUSE up Mt. Everest.
Think. Then type.
Whoops. Land CRUISER. Geez, I should take my own advice. Still a valid arguement, tho.
come on guys, everyone knows that more cylinders = more power.
ha.
Talk about a bunch of people jumping all over the wrong things. I clarified later (which none of you apparently read) that they should have gotten an old Humvee (which can be obtained pretty cheap now) and they would have killed two birds with one stone. The supposedly "quick and agile" Warthog would have been better suited with an old Humvee chassis. They could probably have found one with the gun mounts and all.
Shit, some really great off-roaders in the past were even just 4 cylinder! Wrangler, Samurai...
They were also rather small and light compared to this thing. The Warthog is supposed to be a fast and agile off road vehicle right? It's supposed to carry some hefty machine gun and ammo, right? It's supposed to be able to cruise along a rough terrain at high speeds, right? We are not talking about simple rock climbing and weekend warrior off roading here. We are not talking about slow, lumbering, geared climbing.
Remember that when adding a v8, you need a) more space, and b) it adds more weight. So your totally contradicting yourself about the whole fast and agile thing. Hell some of the fastest sports cars on the world have only a 4 cylinder engine, then again they are light as hell.
Yes, I know this... but you are missing the point. This is a Warthog. It has big ass suspension pieces, huge tires, most likely has a steel frame, totes around 3 (or more people) while handling mud, water, and whatever else you can throw at it. It's NOT a small 1-2 seat sports car with a carbon fiber chassis.
Plus, this is a 6 cylinder DIESEL. Plenty of pulling power for the vehicle plus the load. Besides, it's a pretty damn small vehicle itself. My lifted 5" Ranger is bigger and it's only a 4 cylinder. :)
NEEEERD FIIIIIIIIIGHT! *throws plasma rifle at Andir3.0*
*5" lifted I mean.
@ Hel
A bit of clarification ... the Nissan Patrol is made by Nissan. The Toyota Land Cruiser, while a slightly closer cousin than the Land Rover, is made by Toyota and is a direct competitor to the Nissan Patrol. (think Nissan Armada)
You'd think I mocked an ancient Samurai, pissed on a flag, killed a thousand babies or something horrendously awful the way people reacted to that. ;)
Andir clearly has never ever heard of a Land Rover Bobcat!
All this talk about Humvee's, Hummers and "Jeeps" makes me laugh. Another classic "not invented in America so not invented at all" set of posts that makes the rest of us cringe.
If you *really* want to talk tough then go buy a Toyoya HiLux. Hundreds of Taleban can't be wrong!
@Andir: I think the thing is that people just know the capabilities of a 6 cylinder diesel and didn't agree with your "sarcasm" tag. I'd give anything for a 4 or 6 diesel in a truck here in the States.
I know what a 4-cyl and 6-cyl diesel can do, but I wouldn't put one in a vehicle designed to be what the Warthog is supposed to be. I also fully know this was designed to be a movie prop, so it's not like they were going to do anything "real" with it anyway.
"All I'm saying is that there's a reason they put V8s in Humvees"
There is also a reason why a Humvee gas bill is huge..
Who gives a shit what the engine is, this thing is damn cool.
... yeah, because movie studios and vehicle prototype builders care about fuel consumption.
LOL @ the insecure 6 owners!
You know, if you all didn't harbor a little 8+ cylinder jealousy, you would've simply disregarded the comment as trolling or left it at a couple defensive replies.
As it is, this one comment is the single most replied to in the thread, and almost every reply is in defense of 6-cylinder engines. Congrats on making the original poster's point!
Great fail in this thread brought to you today by Andir3.0
@WyrelessMike:
Odd logic. He was the one complaining about how a movie prop wasn't built 'serious' enough and on top of that suggests that 6 cylinder DIESEL is weak, especially in something that small. I think the term you are looking for to describe the many comments is being 'called-out'. Besides, I'd wager not one person here commenting is lucky enough to own a 6 cylinder diesel truck so they aren't 'defending themselves'.
OMG NERDZ
OMG.. u ppl dont know anything about engines..
I bet you didnt know that Mack trucks are powered by a fucking 4 cylinder??? oh btw, its diesel too!
and most tractor trailers are powered by v 6's. sure, audi's 3.6 liter may be a v8, but it has nothing on a v8 on a 457 chevy..
the more cylinders the more horses, (which keep it moving, but wont gte it actually MOVE)
the more displacement, the more torque (which GETS it moving, accelerating, etc)
Hummers/Hummvee's aren't readily available in New Zealand. Especially when you're intending to cut one up.
Obviously Weta hired the guy who built this due to his considerable experience in doing so.
And Andir3.0, which one are you in the photos? Oh ... really... you're not there? Oh... I thought ... from your expert, first hand knowledge of building prop vehicles for a film production, on a budget & within timeframe, that you'd be there with grease on your hands and a steely look on your face.....instead of anonymously posting about it, from far away, in your undies.
My straight 6 truck has 325hp and 610ftlbs from the factory. and has a curb weight of 6k lbs. So whats your point?
Also wasn't the warthog independent front and rear?
Sure a humvee has ifs and irs, but its also humongous compared to what a warthog would be. a humvee is anything but light and agile. also its 6.2L V8 diesel is pathetic.
the hog here is ok for what it is. building a custom chassis/suspension would have made it into a class all its own.
I'm jealous of what these weta guys do for their jobs and what they can do...
So how do I get the tank?
tank? where's the banshee!?
Dude you can't pickup chicks in a tank!
You can't pick up chicks in any halo-related vehicle. Dude.
cxp3: you missed a joke
http://letmegooglethatforyou.com/?q=%22can%27t+pick+up+chicks+in+a+tank%22+rvb
@cxp3
- for not getting the RvB reference.
Like hell you can't!!!
http://www.englishrussia.com/?p=708
"Like Hell you can't"
Is, of course, referring to the can't pick up chicks in a tank comment.
http://www.englishrussia.com/?p=708
A chick not impressed by a real life Halo vehicle is a chick not worth impressing at all. :p
/end shameless geekiness
I want a real life Sheila! And a Lopez too!
On one hand I'm jealous... but on the other hand I'm thankful... If I were given the opportunity to drive such a vehicle it would surely be destroyed within minutes as I attempt to recreate one of the many warthog aerial stunts that are all-too-easy to pull off in the game. I'm sure whomever built this would be upset and I might die, so it is probably for the best that I have not been offered a test drive.
wooooord
I had been scheming with friends to build one for a years now. Sucks so much.
WOW!!
Despite the fact I haven't played Halo, that looks excellent!
chick magnet!
Damn, its not fully independant suspension like the real Warthog. Oh well, one can only hope...
one word. EPIC.
SICKNESS!
Now all we need is about a bucket full of frags.
nah, just invite a bunch of marines over one at a time, get them to stand behind it, and hit them in the back of the head with an assault rifle, and voila, pile of grenades
What is Halo?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_(series)
Halo is... overrated.
coolest article engadget has posted in a while
I think it looks like a Puma.
Naw, it's more like one'a them....Chupathingys.
You're making that up.
Where are the suspension springs?
looks like an over-sized quad-runner with a windshield.
It looks a little small by about a third, but it will do, all you'll need is a Mr. Microphone and an in-dash radio turned up to 11 and you can go picken up chicks!! ...."Hey good looken, we'll be back to pick you up later!"
Solarpos: LOL
Rear ends trailer and gets put out of commission: http://blog.wired.com/cars/2009/01/hummers-can-hid.html
Sweet....
If youre sitting around on the couch playing video games, youre not out picking up chicks anyway, no matter what youre driving.
I'll get them all in a white minivan, once I'm done surfing and playing guitar until they are throwing their pants at me.
And we have a winner for the douchiest comment of the day!
You've just won an at-home highlighting kit (to keep those frosted tips looking super fresh!), a $1,000 shopping spree at Tapout.com, and a pair of Oakley THUMP sunglasses!
Congratulations! You earned it!
ok all the stuff about being a chick magnet...no. its a damn military vehicle. not a good stereo probably, but stick in an alpine, some 20"s, lower it, wash it up a bit...now that would draw the ladies. except for the fact that the uniform completes the whole thing. nerds in t-shirts wont do shit.
But it doesn't have the four wheel steering! That's one of the cool things about it!
-Taylor
... did you even watch the videos posted in the 3rd comment?
you can see it dog-tracking all over the place (not on purpose, i would imagine) when it's not doing super tight, roll-threatening turns :]
i do agree that i would probably destroy this thing if i got a chance to drive it tho. Rocket barrel roll anyone?
They should have just bought a trophy from a few seasons ago and put a fiberglass body on it...36in rear suspension travel (solid axle 4-link), 21-24in front suspension travel (a-arm independent). Heck they could have even used a pro-truck chassis. Obviously the people who made this have no idea what it takes to have speed in desert/off road racing. Kids with front suspension kits and 4-links on their Ford Rangers and Toyota Tacomas would kill this thing. If you are not familiar with a trophy truck or desert racing...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trophy_Truck
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX-bkmQPchc
and if you want to see Warthog type jumping...check out the Laughlin Leap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA355h3sqyw
Pew Pew!
People really think that the Halo design is cool? Wow. MS trend cash well spend for them; opinion of the casual Engadget reader plummets.
If this thing was near me I would certainly have to get a grenade and attach some blue led's and adhesive coating.
Is that John Candy in the last pic? :)