This is a 2018 Quadro Sherp Pro, it’s an unusual 4×4 that’s also amphibious and seemingly immune from getting bogged – possibly thanks to those elephantine 63″ low-pressure tires.
The Sherp series of vehicles are built in Kyiv, Ukraine and shipped around the world via an extensive dealer network. They have a few models in production though they all offer the ability to cross land, water, and deep snow without skipping a beat.
Fast Facts – The Quadro Sherp Pro
- The vehicle concept that would become the Sherp was first designed by inventor Alexei Garagashyan. The concept was later perfected by a team of engineers in Kyiv, Ukraine and production versions followed in 2015.
- The Sherp is a 4×4 that uses a tank-like skid steering system, it can drive over essentially any terrain thanks to its large paddle-like tires, and these tires also act as floats and propellers when the Sherp is crossing waterways.
- These vehicles initially proved popular in Ukraine, Russia, and Northern Europe. They are now sold globally through a worldwide dealer network and they’ve appeared on TV and in films – including both Star Trek and Jay Leno’s Garage.
- The Quadro Sherp Pro you see here is a 2018 model that is being sold out of Transfer, Pennsylvania. It’s powered by a Kubota 1.5 liter turbodiesel inline-four cylinder engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission which then sends power to all four wheels.
The Origins Of The Sherp
The first designs of the vehicle that would become the Sherp were laid out by inventor Alexei Garagashyan back in the early 2000s. This design was then developed over the course of a few years by a team of engineers and fabricators in Ukraine, before the final production version was ready for orders in 2015.
The off-road performance capabilities of the Sherpa family of vehicles is legendary. Interestingly, you can even store additional diesel in the wheel centers when on cross-country expeditions.
The fundamental design of the Sherp has remained much the same over the interning years, though more recent examples are larger, more powerful, and have a higher load rating than their early forebears.
The core Sherp architecture uses a galvanized steel platform-type chassis with an aluminum alloy body, this structure forms a water-tight hull that allows the vehicle to float on water, and to glide across deep snow and mud.
Different versions of the Sherp have been fitted with different engines. The example you see in this article is a Quadro Sherp Pro from 2018, it’s powered by a Kubota 1.5 liter turbodiesel inline-four cylinder engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. Power is then transmitted to all four wheels via a four-wheel chain-drive system.
The vehicle is fitted with 25″ bead-lock wheels and 63″ low-pressure tires with a paddle-like tread for traversing water and soft terrain. These tires are all linked to a central inflation system that can increase or decrease tire pressure on the go.
You enter and exit the Sherp through front and rear access doors, due to the large tires the vehicle doesn’t have traditional side doors. It also has an emergency roof escape hatch for getting out if you happen to get yourself stuck.
Due to the layout of the cab a reverse-view camera is fitted to allow safe reversing when needed, there’s also a towing hitch on the back, and a full roll cage is fitted just in case you happen to flip it over.
Above Video: This clip includes footage of Jay Leno and Kevin Hart from an episode of Jay Leno’s Garage which also features a Sherp being used in its natural habitat – off road.
Over the last few years we’ve seen Sherps appearing on a number of TV shows including Jay Leno’s Garage (with Kevin Hart), the Diesel Brothers TV show, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and in Kanye West’s music videos for Follow God and Closed on Sunday.
Sherps are a specialist tool of course, they’re not designed for the daily commute to the office or for a quick jaunt down to Starbucks, but for people who need to cross otherwise uncrossable terrain, and the Sherp is a lot more affordable than a helicopter.
The Sherp And The United Nations
The United Nations and the World Food Program have both been experimenting with the use of 15 Sherp ATVs, most recently in war torn regions in Africa like South Sudan where the UN has been using the vehicles for aid delivery and peacekeeping missions.
The fact that the Sherps can operate over exceedingly rough terrain including cross-country where there are no roads and across rivers where there are no bridges while carrying up to 1.2 metric tons (2,646 lbs) of goods or equipment makes them uniquely well-suited to the role.
The driver sits on the left and operates two levers to steer the vehicle. It uses a similar skid-steering system to a tank, and so it can do a full 360º turn on a dime.
As of 2022 the UN was evaluating their Sherps in the field with a view to buying more and developing the needed infrastructure to deploy them to war torn regions and disaster zones rapidly when required.
The 2018 Quadro Sherp Pro Shown Here
The Quadro Sherp Pro measures in at approximately 99″ high, 134″ long, and 99″ wide, making it slightly more compact than many anticipate after seeing it in pictures. Inside you’ll find two bucket seats up front and a cargo area in the rear that can also be used for carrying people if needed.
The interior of this Sherp is finished in diamond-stitched camouflage upholstery, with black seats, and cargo netting in the ceiling in the rear. Interestingly, the center of each of the four wheels can also be used for hauling diesel when you’re heading off on longer cross-country trips.
This Quadro Sherp Pro has a full roll cage fitted and it’s bering offered for sale out of out of Transfer, Pennsylvania.
The Sherp is rated to climb or descend up to a 30º grade, and the example you see here is fitted with a roof rack for carrying extra cargo as well as LED lighting, sliding side windows and a windshield wiper.
We don’t often seen these come up for sale in the United States, this one is currently being offered for sale on Bring a Trailer out of Transfer, Pennsylvania, and it’s been attracting a lot of attention. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
Articles that Ben has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
