The Halo video game franchise exploded into popularity over twenty years ago, and with it, the franchise’s famed war truck. Paramount recently launched its ambitious adaptation of the franchise, which means die-hard fans can rejoice. However, while enthusiasts might think the real Warthog would pack an LS engine or a torquey EV, the truth might surprise you. There is a chance that the space truck is a Nissan Patrol under the skin. 

Is there a real Halo Warthog? 

Halo Warthogs are, unfortunately, science fiction. The fictitious truck first carried video gamers around under the name M12 Force Application Light Reconnaissance Vehicle (M12 FAV) and could seat three players. When Paramount announced the intent to make a live-action streaming series, the Warthog became a movie prop reality. However, while you might think that Paramount would commission a V8-powered buggy or a Hummer-esque EV truck, that doesn’t seem to be the case. 

The Drive Australia reports that photos of the vehicle suggest that the Warthog is really a Nissan Patrol. The Nissan Patrol is a 4×4 truck that Nissan sold primarily in African, Asian, and Australian markets. In preparation for a stillborn Halo movie, Filmmaker Peter Jackson reportedly had Weta Workshop in New Zealand build a working prototype from a Nissan Patrol donor vehicle. Furthermore, the spy photos released before the series started streaming have fans suggesting that the Halo vehicles are none other than that same Patrol build, powered by a six-cylinder diesel engine.

Who built the real Warthog?

Although the Halo video game vehicle isn’t based on any real truck, there have been many attempts to make a homage. Peter Jackson’s custom Weta Workshop commission based the build on a sensible Nissan Patrol, but the craziest version came from the wizards at Hoonigan. Hoonigan started by choosing a Ford Windsor V8 and adding a turbocharger. Oh yes, their Warthog is a lunatic. 

Unlike the Patrol Warthog, the Hoonigan version is a custom build from the ground up. First, observers might notice that the Hoonigan Warthog rides on 43-inch Mickey Thompson Baja Pro XS tires. Next, Hoonigan endowed the build with a custom Red Dot Engineering chassis citing its excellent geometry. 

MotorTrend says that the build has a Ford 351 Windsor engine which the builders bored out to 431 cubic inches. If the larger displacement wasn’t enough, Hoonigan added twin turbos. The result of the eager engine and formidable off-road setup was a working, driving Warthog with a simply silly 1,000 horsepower. 

Although you can’t buy an M12 FAV, you could build one

The Nissan Patrol Warthog and the 1,000-horsepower Hoonigan Warthog aren’t the only copies out there. The Drive Australia says that die-hard fans have lovingly built homages from Chevrolet Silverado and Land Rover Defender donor vehicles. So the question is, how will you make yours? 

Scroll down to the following article to read about other famous vehicles like Ryan Gosling’s Chevelle Malibu.