10 Jun - Is this the hint of something bigger to come? Maybe something as big as Malaysia's very own team of Transformers? Or maybe we're just reading too much into this. Or...are we? Why else would Sultan Johor (Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, a man well-known for his sweet collection of rides) get himself an Optimus Prime looking truck if he weren't also planning on getting a Bumblebee Camaro and a – no? Okay, let's take a look at what His Majesty does have for now.
Unveiled recently at the Brisbane Truck Show, Aussie portal Motoring reveals that the hot wheels pictured above are custom made for the Sultan himself, who contacted Mack Trucks Australia to get this deal done. The customised Mack Super-Liner was produced at the Mack Factory in Brisbane before handed over to the customisation team at Viking Trucks. It took a total of 30 men working on it to produce that perfection. Also, according to Johor Southern Tigers FB, the official Facebook for the Johor football teams, the originally white truck has been "painted like the JDT Cigarette Speed Boat, carrying an image of a tiger, the official Johor colours of red, blue and white, and the official symbols of moon and star. The official symbol of His Majesty is also included as well."
Curiosity kills the cat. But those who don't care and are still curious about the specs can read the details below as quoted from Motoring: "Powered by Mack's 16-litre, 685hp MP10 engine and mated to Mack's mDRIVE 12-speed automated manual transmission, the truck rides on a Mack FXL16.5 steer axle and Meritor RT46-160 drive axles." "A Primaax RADD-A4P air suspension system smooths the bumps while a custom 89-inch sleeper provides plenty of comfort while away from the palace."
"The Viking Trucks team weaved its custom magic to take the Super-Liner to a new level of regal style, all set off by a superb custom paint job incorporating the flag of Johor, the head of a tiger, and the Sultan's royal crest. It's a three-layer airbrush scheme, while the eight layers of pearl paint have been followed by six layers of clear coat." "The royal crests sewn into the seats comprise some 72,000 stitches and use real gold thread, and the leather and suede was imported from South Africa just for this job."
"The timber for the interior and exterior decking was painstakingly installed over three months and the hand-built rear bumper features a hidden electric tool panel." "Blue lighting adds to the truck's magnetic allure after dark, while the luxurious cab features two televisions, two iPads, an Xbox and a Sony PlayStation 4, plus a kitchenette with stone benchtop and a solid Jarrah timber floor." And now you wish you live in that truck. (Photo credits: Motoring & JOHOR Southern Tigers FB)