Manufactured by Buick of General Motors from 1943 to 1944, the M18 Hellcat is one of the most famous tanks used in World War II. Officially designated a tank destroyer, one example of the 2,507-unit production run is now for sale for a slightly hefty $244,000. Ladies and gents, may we present you with the most expensive Buick yet.
Northeast Military Vehicle Services LLC is informing that this Buick M18 Hellcat SN1240 is in excellent condition. That comes courtesy of a restoration that "cost over $300,000," making this blast from the past "totally turn-key." The owner wants to part ways with his M18 "due to other financial obligations I have." Unfortunately, the Hellcat at hand is not packing heat.
Though the turret is fully functional, the 76 mm AT M1A2 gun isn't live, and the breech-loading weapon has been demilled. Compared to the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, World War II's idea of a Hellcat isn't animated by a 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V8. Somewhere under the armoured plates of the 39,000 lbs (17.7 metric tons) machine lies a Continental R-975-C4 nine-cylinder radial piston engine with 400 HP.
That equals to 22.6 horsepower per ton, an operational range of 105 miles (168 km) and a top speed of up to 92 km/h (57 km/h). Heck, the owner says that the C4 engine is running so strong that he managed to shift from 1st to 2nd going uphill. That's pretty interesting for a 72-year-old tank destroyer that helped Uncle Sam win World War II. Speaking of which, the Buick M18 Hellcat is enjoying a special place in history.
$244,000 won't buy you just a pristine condition Hellcat, but the machine that holds the record for being the most effective American tank destroyer during World War II. Grandpa still has the moves, alright, boasting the highest kill-to-loss ratio of any tank or tank destroyer used by the US in World War II.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News