The crazed big rig known as ‘Thor’ sold for a remarkable US$ 12 million at an auction in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia over the weekend, plus a 10 per cent buyer’s premium to get a final US$ 13.2 million figure.
Perhaps due to the fact that the creation was so unique, Worldwide Auctioneers didn’t publicize an estimated sales price in its listing of the truck. Road and Track reports that building the big rig cost approximately US$ 7 million so the man behind the creation, Mike Harrah, walked away with quite a healthy profit.
The powertrain of Thor is really something to behold. A pair of 13.9-liter Detroit diesel V12 engines have been arranged in a row and there are now less than 12 superchargers attached to the blocks to create a combined 3,974 hp, reportedly enough to send the 14,514 kg truck through to a 209 km/h top speed. Another intriguing aspect of the truck’s design is the fact that each cylinder has its own upward-pointing exhaust header and there’s even a handful of NOS bottles mounted in the middle cluster.
Unbeknownst to anyone who isn’t a big rig fanatic, ThorThor was originally a Peterbilt 359 crew cab semi that was stretched to 44 feet. Most exterior parts have been bathed in chrome or polished aluminum, including the driveline, hubs, brakes, and a number of frame components.
Making the final sales price all the more impressive is the fact that the car actually wasn’t sent to Saudi Arabia for the auction and available to view in person. Instead, it remains in Arizona where it was built. If the winning bidder does happen to live in the Middle East, expect the big rig to make the long journey halfway across the world in the not too distant future.
