1984 Peterbilt 359 Ultra Custom THOR 24

The 3,974-HP, 24-Cylinder THOR Semi Just Sold for $13.2 Million (Yes, You Read That Right)

The high-selling truck, a 1984 Peterbilt 359 Ultra Custom TT Crew Cab called THOR 24, hammered sold at $12 million, which was boosted to its $13.2 million final price once the auction house’s 10 percent buyer’s premium was added. The auction catalog boasts many superlatives for the truck, calling it “the world’s greatest custom heavy truck,” and “the most powerful big rig ever built.” Those may well be true, with builder Mike Harrah instilling the truck with not one, but two 14.0-liter V-12 Detroit Diesel engines for a claimed total of 3,974 horsepower. The truck also features a customized independent suspension, a manual gearbox, and power disc brakes. The stretched Peterbilt chassis measures a whopping 44 feet long and weighs 32,000 pounds, but Worldwide claims a top speed of 130 mph when the nitrous boost system is activated. In addition to the engine’s 12 superchargers, there are also four 12-foot drag parachutes to help slow down THOR after Vmax runs.

Eight nitrous oxide bottles help the engine do its thing, and even though the big rig tips the scales at 32,000 pounds, Thor 24 can top 130 mph (210 km/h). Getting the truck to stop is a wholly different affair, which explains the four twelve-foot parachutes at the rear. Even more ridiculous is the intake manifold, weighing in at 1,000 pounds.

The cabin is a treat in itself, featuring more than 24 gauges and a 200-mile-per-hour speedometer. A broadsword shifter, Lamborghini-opening passenger door, and four 4- by 6-inch displays are also worthy of mention, along with a helicopter engine acting as an auxiliary generator for seven movie screens and a 1,500-watt audio system.

Making trucks and driving trucks are industries of utmost importance, and looking at the bigger picture, it’s these gentle giants that make the world go around. Those shipping containers arriving in ports are hauled to sorting hubs by semis, then a delivery man (or woman) ensures that your Chinese goods arrive at your doorstep by van.

The thing is, did you know there’s a semi tuning scene out there? I’m not talking about mere customization such as lights and paint, but proper tuning. Case in point, the Thor 24 is nothing like the truck on which it’s based.