Hennessey reveals VelociRaptor Ford F-150 6x6 ute

Depending which side of the fence you sit on, this 600hp six-wheeled predatory pick-up truck is either the dumbest idea in history or the coolest car of 2017.

A reworking of last year's wild 6x6 F-150, the 2018 version of the six-wheeled behemoth will be shown in Las Vegas – naturally – at the world's biggest aftermarket and car tuning show, SEMA.

The Hennessey VelociRaptor Ford F-150 6x6 rides on big 20-inch alloy wheels shod with rough-and-ready off-road tyres, features custom body work, roll bar, LED lights and a highly-tuned 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 engine that cranks out 447kW – up from a mere 405kW.

The engine upgrade comprises a new stainless-steel exhaust system to add intensity the gargantuan ute's battle cry, while new turbochargers, a beefier front-mount air-to-air intercooler and recalibrated engine computer conspire to make both rear locking axles light up like a New Year's Eve fireworks extravaganza.

Affordable Hennessey Peformance Engineering cars:

Hennessey Performance Engineering, which is based in Houston Texas, hasn't revealed torque output but considering the 'standard' Ford F-150 Raptor generates 690Nm, this monster should bang out at least 750Nm of gristle.

Priced at $US295,000 in North America, which converts to around $380,000 in Aussie dollars, you could buy a McLaren 570S supercar for the same coin. But could you fit dirt bikes in the back of the Macca, or tow a motor boat, or blast up the Oodnadatta track, flat chat?

The answer is no.

Hennessey will add more goodies to the wild VelociRaptor Ford F-150 6x6 if the customer desires, such as even bigger wheels and even tougher tyres, under-body protection, more LED lights and even custom interior fittings.

Ford F-150 Raptor owners can opt for the 600hp/447kW engine boost for a mere $22,500 or roughly $A30,000.

It's not the first ultra-powerful 6x6 pick-up truck we've seen though. Think back a few years and the UK-based Khan Project Flying Huntsman 6x6 looked like a bit of fun, forged from a Land Rover Defender 110 pick-up.

We also tested Mercedes-Benz G 63 AMG 6X6 in Dubai in 2013, giving it a right-royal thrashing in the deserts of Dubai. Its 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 and heavy-duty underpinnings ensure it wasn't all show and no go.

US tuner Hennessey is famous for making what it claims was once the world's fastest production car, the Lotus-based Venom GT, and it's planning to release its hypercar sequel alongside this mad pick-up at SEMA in Las Vegas (teaser video below). It's called the Venom F5 and is claimed to hit 300mph, or 480km/h.

At the end of the day, however, Hennessey is more likely to sell a stack load more F-150 Raptor upgrades than its Bugatti-beating supercar. And who knows… when the Ford Ranger Raptor launches in the USA, maybe Hennessey will make a 6x6 version? Bring it on!