Some people strongly dislike other people, so instead of forging thick skin and putting up with it, they grow inches on their car's ground clearance and hit the untamed road. Since off-roading is an automotive sport, it means that participants will shell huge bucks, but hey, no one ever said passions are easy. On the plus side, we can always waste time thinking about what our dream garages would look like if the lottery gods smiled upon us, so here is a snapshot of that dream from the off-road fanatic's perspective.
We get it, the Mercedes G-Class 6x6 is in no way a timeless off-roading classic like, say, the bulletproof Mercedes Unimog. It's more of a rich person's weekend plaything that will spend more time getting attention than it will climbing hills. That being said, everyone needs that one outlandish and over the top car in their dream garage and the sheer ridiculousness of the six-wheeled AMG-powered beast certainly fits this bill. Despite the fact that most will use it to stand out like a peacock, the truck actually boasts some legitimate off-roading capabilities via the five locking differentials, an onboard tire pressure control system, and a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 sending 538 bhp to all six wheels.
When it comes to a proven off-road recipe, look no further then the Land Rover Defender. This old school earth-exploration machine is so hardcore that it managed to last a full 67 years with only minor changes being made to the car. When the Defender debuted in 1948, it was used to explore every possible corner of the world and many have claimed that it is the first car seen by a third of the world. Essentially, when nuclear warfare destroys humanity, the only two survivors will be the cockroach and the Land Rover Defender. With this kind of legend behind it, and with looks that still scream stylishly rugged better than the Nazi army's Hugo Boss uniforms, the Land Rover Defender is a must have for any off-road enthusiast.
Ford's F-150 has been a smash hit sales success that rakes in cash for the brand. When the F-150 SVT lightning came out, it was intended as a truck for quick stoplight-to-stoplight races. But Ford realized that they could make it so much more, so the F-150 Raptor was born as a straight-from-the-factory off-road hoonage machine. Previously, F-150 owners who wanted a truck that would abuse all terrains and not just politely traverse them had to resort to aftermarket parts. The F-150 Raptor eliminated the need for this work by adding rugged suspension and a 411 horsepower 6.2-liter V8. The result makes for some pretty spectacular off-road fun, and the Raptor a must-have for any off-roading garage.
The Jeep Wrangler is kind of like an all-in-one off-roading icon. It has the ability to go into some tough terrain even when its bone stock. Or it can easily be modified to make it the perfect vehicle to use to visit any corner of the world. Want to make it more hardcore? Then a few minutes is all it takes to remove the doors and roof to feel closer to the outdoors and more engaged in the off-roading process. Even though the car has gone through a few different reincarnations and lived through multiple parent companies, the body-on-frame and live axle setup remains and retains the way that real off-roaders were intended to be; simple and rugged. Take that mother nature.
Not many off-roaders get more respect than the Toyota Land Cruiser. The car has been around since 1951 and shows absolutely no signs of going anywhere, which is funny because the car can actually go anywhere it wants. Impenetrable reliability remains a constant for these cars despite the fact they have drastically evolved from basic metal shells bolted onto a frame that could conquer anything to being plush highway mile-munchers that can still conquer anything. Even though they are a favorite for terrorists, these cars have won the hearts and minds of nearly everyone by being available on every continent and in almost any guise that can be thought of.
