Sam Krahn 
The Hennessey Maximus 1000 Jeep Gladiator is one of those ultimate toys. It’s a 1000 horsepower, Hellcat powered Jeep truck, after all. With only 24 units planned at $225,000, there’s nothing else quite like it. We first heard about the project last summer, and it was formally displayed at the 2019 SEMA show for the first time. Since then, there hasn’t been much new information on one of the world’s most radical Jeep Gladiator pickup trucks. That is until Hennessey released a video of the Maximus desert testing, which is pretty entertaining.
Finished? The beautifully shot video captures what the Gladiator Maximus is all about: tearing up the desert with lots of noise. It’s properly menacing, sliding and jumping around the dunes with the Hellcat soundtrack. If you’re not familiar with Hennessey’s mad Jeep Gladiator, here’s what you need to know.
Most important is the power plant. It’s Hennessey’s tuned HPE1000 Hellcat engine. It features a whopping 4.5 liter supercharger, upgraded fuel system, new intake, and a stainless exhaust to get the power boost. Based on the video, it all sounds very nice, if a bit terrifying.
The Maximus features a 6 inch King suspension lift, giving it a very imposing look. Hennessey also fitted strengthened axles and drivetrains, for good reason. All of those upgrades certainly help, as the truck lands jumps like a champ in the video. In addition, the truck puts down its 1000 hp surprisingly well in the sand. Big thanks to the Gladiator’s 4×4 system and the chunky BFG tires for that.
Until the Ram Rebel TRX debuts, there isn’t much else that packs the Hellcat engine into an off-roader, and definitely nothing with a factory warranty. When the covers eventually come off the TRX, it’ll have to make do with a measly 707 hp. But at least it won’t cost over $200,000.
