School drop-off lane car competition is real. As a dad of two, I’ve experienced it. Many parents turn that few-minute period of dropping their kids off at school into a competition: whose car is newer, nicer, better. It might be superficial nonsense but when you’re being judged by a flock of wealthy suburbanite parents, even the least superficial of us can eventually get defensive. If you want to dominate the morning school parking lot and shut those nosey Escalade-drivers up, there’s a customized four-door Peterbilt for sale right now.
This 2017 Peterbilt Bolt Ultra was converted from a working semi-truck to a seven-seat luxury truck and, if you have $349,900, you can currently buy it on Facebook Marketplace. Don’t think it’s gone soft since its conversion, though. This Peterbilt is still a workhorse, it’s just one that can fit all of your kiddos in supreme comfort, while scaring the snot out of anyone in its path.
Under its massive, imposing, minivan-intimidating hood is a 12.9-liter Paccar MX-13 straight-six diesel engine with 485 horsepower and 1,600 lb-ft of torque. Gearshifts are handled by an Eaton ten-speed UltraShift automatic. While it’s no longer a working truck, without the need to haul 30,000 pounds of cargo, its air-ride hitch and bumper hitch are still capable of just that.
Speaking of air ride, it has an air-ride cab, which keeps the cabin and its seven passengers nice and comfy. But there’s also air-ride front and rear suspension, adding an another layer of waft.
Inside that wafty cabin is seating for seven people. Behind the two front seats are two captain’s chairs, which provide each of their occupants with what looks like three feet of leg room. Behind those two passengers is a bench seat that looks like it can fit three adults pretty easily, though they don’t get the palatial legroom of the second-row folks. However, the third row is essentially a fouton as it folds flat into a bed for sleeping. Above the passengers, in their almost infinite headroom, are recessed lights, speakers, and eight storage cabinets, making good use of the Peterbilt’s massive roofline.
At $349,900, this converted Peterbilt is incredibly expensive and there are many jealousy-inducing choices for the school run at that price point. But whoever buys this four-wheeled luxury semi-truck likely already has a Rolls-Royce Cullinan or Bentley Bentayga at home and wants something a bit stranger for special occassions. Or maybe they just want something that will make every SUV and minivan driver in town cower in fear.
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