Every now and then, a car that is so bizarre will catch our attention and make us do a double-take. The Zeal Motor Fat Truck 2.8C is one of those vehicles and one example is currently up for auction with a somewhat reasonable price tag.
The Fat Truck has been brought to life by a small Canadian manufacturer dubbed Zeal Motor and shares a striking resemblance to the Sherpa from Russia. It is described as an all-terrain, amphibious vehicle that is just as adept as being used to access remote job sites as it is used by rescue operations or simply as a recreational vehicle.
Read: Russia’s Unstoppable Sherp ATV Meets Texas Clay, Gets Stuck
Like all other Fat Truck models from Zeal, this one is clad in aluminum body panels and sits on a set of massive tires that don’t just help it to clamber through dirt and up rocks but also provide buoyancy and propel it forward when it’s in the water. It offers 20.7 inches (526 mm) of ground clearance and can climb or descend 35-degree grades without breaking a sweat.
For as rugged as it is, the Bring-a-Trailer listing notes it’s not particularly fast. In fact, the Fat Truck is powered by a Caterpillar 2.2-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder with just 67 hp and is capped at only 25 mph (40 km/h). The engine is mated to a hydrostatic transmission driving all four wheels. Helping to keep occupants safe is an external roll cage.
You may notice that the Fat Truck lacks doors and instead, occupants gain access to the cabin through a hatch in the roof. Once inside, they won’t find much, other than a pair of grey vinyl seats up front, air conditioning, and a rear compartment with six small folding seats with lap belts.
