Take the already capable Jeep Gladiator, extend its chassis, add a third axle and stretch the load bed, and you end up with something quite different from the bakkie that left the factory. Meet the Maximus 6×6, an independently developed specialist conversion that demonstrates just how far the Gladiator platform can be taken.
Behind its imposing six wheel stance lies some serious engineering. This is not simply a Gladiator with another axle added for effect. The conversion involves extensive structural and mechanical changes, including a chassis extension, a third axle, an enlarged load bed, revised drivetrain components, and modified gearing.
SIZE MATTERS
The numbers tell much of the story.
The wheelbase is extended by 1,040 mm between the second and third axles, taking the overall vehicle length to a substantial 6,577 mm. The load bed grows to 2,530 mm, while the conversion specialist claims a payload capacity of 1,090 kg and a gross vehicle mass of 3,490 kg.
Those figures move the Maximus conversation beyond simply creating an imposing recreational machine. Its increased load-carrying capacity, larger bed and configurable hardware demonstrate how the Gladiator platform can be adapted for customers with more specialised requirements.
Depending on its intended use, the Maximus can be further configured with suspension, braking, wheel, tyre and performance upgrades.
Available options include a six-inch suspension lift using Teraflex coil springs, Skyjacker 2.0 Reservoir shocks and adjustable control arms. The braking system can also be upgraded with larger 350 mm front discs and six-piston callipers, while steering modifications accommodate the revised vehicle configuration.
Buyers can choose between 17-inch and 20-inch alloy wheels fitted with substantial 37 x 12.5 inch all-terrain or mud-terrain tyres. Roof racks, bed racks, storage systems, auxiliary lighting, recovery equipment and winches are also available.
FAMILIAR POWER
Underneath all that additional metal, the familiar Gladiator hardware remains.
Power comes from Jeep’s 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 petrol engine, producing 209 kW at 6,400 rpm and 347 Nm at 4,400 rpm, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The Gladiator foundation also brings proven off-road hardware, including the Rock Trac 4×4 system, a 4:1 low-range transfer case, Dana 44 front and rear axles, 4.10 axle ratios and Tru Lok locking differentials.
And for those who look at six wheels and still decide that isn’t quite enough, additional performance enhancements, including a supercharger system, can be specified through the conversion specialist.
BUILT BY SPECIALISTS
There is, however, an important distinction.
The Maximus 6×6 is not a factory-built Jeep model, a Stellantis production vehicle, or an OEM-developed derivative. The conversion is independently engineered and carried out by a specialist using a production Jeep Gladiator as its foundation.
All conversion-related engineering, certification, homologation, warranty, service support and associated technical specifications remain the responsibility of the conversion specialist.
Stellantis South Africa’s involvement relates to communicating information about the Jeep Gladiator platform on which the conversion is based.
That distinction does little to diminish what the project demonstrates. The Gladiator’s body-on-frame construction and established off-road credentials provide a versatile foundation for specialist builders seeking to create vehicles that meet requirements well beyond the standard production brief.
SIX WHEEL STATEMENT
Of course, this level of transformation does not come cheaply.
According to the conversion specialist, pricing for the Maximus 6×6 starts from R3.5 million. This includes the six-wheel conversion, suspension lift, revised gearing, steering upgrades, an upgraded front braking system and 17-inch alloy wheels fitted with 37-inch all-terrain or mud-terrain tyres.
Final pricing will depend on specification, optional upgrades and accessories.
LAST WORDS
The Maximus 6×6 was never going to be for everyone, and that is exactly what makes it interesting. It takes an already capable Gladiator platform and shows just how far specialist engineering can push it. Big, bold and unapologetically different, this is one Gladiator that certainly lives up to the Maximus name.
Report by MUKOMA BRYAN | Images © STELLANTIS SOUTH AFRICA
