Custom 4x4 Mercedes-Benz W140-66 S-Class: video

WHAT do you get when you merge a Russian military truck with a luxury sedan?

The W140-66 you’re ogling right now is the brainchild of Russian gearhead, Ilya Nikolaevich Belyakov, whose off-beat idea saw him transplant a Mercedes W140 S-Class body onto the chassis of a GAZ-66.

7

The (what seems to be a mainly backyard) build took three years from go-to-whoa, with a heap of parts – both large and small – either custom-made or fettled from other cars.

The beast is urged up hills and through streams by Mercedes’ 5.0-litre V8 engine, capable of 320hp (240kW), which is mated to the Merc auto transmission.

Stopping power is courtesy of DAF Truck brake rotors and machined VW Touareg calipers. The one-of-a-kind sedan/truck hybrid rides on Mickey Thompson 38 R20 rubber.

7

Hear the V8 purr in the above clip, watch it win the tow tug-of-war against miserly competition, and see it plough through snow, ford rivers and kick up dust.

The video was posted to the DIY Garage YouTube channel where, as you’d expect, opinions are divided. Abomination or awesome? Let us know.