As you often hear in movies, if you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself. Peter Dunkel took this to heart so, in 2008, he completed work on what he wanted to be “the mother of all multipurpose vehicles:” the monstrous F750 World Cruiser.
Of all the strange and strangely awesome recreational vehicles, the F750 World Cruiser occupies a very special place. Its main characteristic is its sheer physical enormity, as Mecum aptly pointed out when they listed it at auction in 2013: the thing is a monster of a home on wheels, but, at the same time, it is also a monster of a hauler. The image of the Apocalypse-ready rig has been overused in recent years, but the World Cruiser is definitely a good fit for it.
As its name implies, the F750 World Cruiser is based on the Ford F-750 truck, though you’d probably have a hard time seeing it underneath all the extra work. Peter Dunkel takes full credit for it, working on it from start to finish and constantly pushing the bar for himself higher and higher. Dunkel is one of the co-founders of the California-based Dunkel Industries makers of heavy machinery and a well-known collector of vintage (and racing) Porsches and vintage RVs.
The World Cruiser is his baby. Initially, Dunkel thought the project would only cost him about $2 million but, because he’s a perfectionist and wouldn’t settle for less, the cost went up three times the estimate. Indeed, Dunkel says the World Cruiser has $6 million of work and technology on it; the wiring alone was over $20,000, and that’s just one example.
Photo: Mecum Auctions
The F-750 was widened an additional 22-inches (56 cm) to maximize interior floorspace. The result is a proper motorhome, though the Cruiser is comparatively lighter than most motorhomes because of Dunkel’s determination to use premium materials. “Appointed for fun and relaxation on the road,” the Cruiser offers sleeping for six in total comfort and includes amenities like a full bathroom with a standing shower, a full kitchen, and a generously-sized lounge for Netflix and chilling.
The second video available at the bottom of the page shows the interior of the Cruiser; however, like most materials made available online, it’s limited to the lounge area and the kitchen. From what we can tell, no photos or videos were ever published of the bedroom area, which is supposedly over the cab, or the sleeping arrangements for the other four guests. But from what we can see, when Dunkel says no expense was spared in building this, he’s right.
The F750 World Cruiser comes with heated water and heated air, flat-screen TVs, and a Kenwood Supreme entertainment system with flip-up exterior speakers and a 10-inch (25-cm) subwoofer, all controllable by remote from outside the truck, so you can turn it into the centerpiece of a wild neighborhood party. Furnishes are all landyacht-like, from the carpet to the kitchen appliances.
Further upgrades included air suspension, 22-inch wheels, and adding two additional fuel tanks for a total capacity of 61 gallons (230 liters). You don’t want to run dry when you’re cruising the world (ha!) or to keep with the apocalyptic imagery when you’re outrunning hordes of zombies. The standard Ford engine was swapped for a Caterpillar turbodiesel engine rated at 300 hp and 1,200 ft-lbs (1,627 Nm) of torque, mated to an Allison 6-speed transmission.
Photo: Mecum Auctions
As noted above, Dunkel Industries specialize in heavy machinery and heavy-duty transportation. If the name rings a bell with you, it’s probably because it was contracted to haul the Endeavor space shuttle from LAX Airport to the California Space Center. In other words, if there’s one man with experience and know-how on massive, highly competent rigs, it’s Peter Dunkel.
So, the F750 World Cruiser isn’t just a luxury motorhome; it’s also a badass hauler. The extended bed of the truck is articulated and, most importantly, can carry a maximum payload of 4 tons. In short, you can pack a four-door Jeep and two quads in there to have a backup on your wild adventures.
According to Dunkel himself, the initial budget for the F750 World Cruiser was $2 million, but it ballooned as he kept working. “Let's just say the art piece got larger and we had to throw the budget out the window because we were going somewhere no one had ever tried to go,” he told Mecum in 2013, when he offered the rig with several other collectibles from his own collection, at Monterrey.
Photo: Mecum Auctions
Despite the fact that $6 million supposedly went into making the Cruiser the most expensive truck in the world (unofficially so), Mecum listed it with a $450,000-$650,000 estimate, despite the fact that it was still brand-new. Even so, it failed to sell, with the highest bid being just $50,000. Ouch!
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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