What happens when science fiction becomes science fact in the world of cars? It was hard not to think about this very subject when a host of vehicles from Mad Max: Fury Road became available at auction. But the cars built for a big-budget film that relied on practical effects are one thing; the filmmaking process basically demands that they’d need to be relatively functional from the outset. What about a vehicle that’s heretofore only existed as zeroes and ones in the code of a video game?
Specifically, what about the Warthog — aka the M12 Force Application Light Reconnaissance Vehicle — known for its appearances in the Halo franchise? The quest to build a working version in real life has been a goal of gamers and gearheads alike, but creating a futuristic vehicle is no easy task. Now, however, it appears the milestone has been achieved.
Writing at Engadget, Mariella Moon has more details on how the Warthog came to be. Rally driver Ken Block and his company Hoonigan were involved in creating it, and — according to a recent post on YouTube — they worked with Microsoft and Halo on the project. (As Moon notes, Halo Infinite is due out this fall.) If this doesn’t sound synergistic enough for you, the place where it made its debut — the premiere of the gaming-themed movie Free Guy — likely will.
As befits the in-game version, the IRL Warthog features four-wheel steering and 1,060 horsepower. The vehicle was built for durability, making it suitable for off-road adventures — albeit probably less taxing ones than you’ll find in the game. It’s an impressive engineering feat regardless.
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