The Mercedes Benz G-Class is one of the most popular vehicle tuning platforms in the world, with the rugged and long serving model joining the Jeep Wrangler and the Land Rover Defender in this elite club of customization. In the case of the G-Class, this insane amount of flexibility has seen plenty of creations emerge into the spotlight (even some from Mercedes engineers themselves). However, the beast unleashed by a firm called Expedition Motor Company takes a unique approach to the tuning formula, while also celebrating the 40th anniversary of G-Class production at the same time.
To help achieve this feat, the company used a 1992 military spec G250GD Wolf as a platform for this particular project. Completely rebuilt from the ground up, the rig has been repainted in Mojave Silver, and many of the parts have been rebuilt from scratch. As far as the exterior goes, Expedition engineers wanted to go far beyond a simple restoration job, and have outfitted this example with goodies such as a front mounted winch, modified bumpers and grilles, revamped lighting with LEDs in the back, as well as the fore-mentioned paint job. In a curious move, Expedition Motor Company chose to break away from other long running G-Class builds, and instead of using the traditional enclosed box shape, the firm chose to make it into a rugged 2 door convertible. This open air experience should resonate well with buyers looking for maximum interaction with their environment when piloting the rig through various off-road obstacles.
The interior here is largely reminiscent of early 90’s Mercedes design with a heavy use of plastics, square shapes, and distinctly analog gauges. However, Expedition Motors sprinkled some modern touches into its old school motif to try to spruce things up just a bit. A brown vinyl fabric treatment was chosen to maximize durability, while contrasting orange elements help bring some much needed balance to the cabin. All the old-school interior lighting has been replaced with modern LED units, and Expedition even sprinkled some LED accent lighting to help light things up more during night time commuting.
Performance for this particular example comes from a 2.5 liter inline five cylinder diesel, which has a solid reputation for both durability and ruggedness. Expedition aimed to enhance this proven pedigree even further by equipping the engine with an upgraded water pump, timing belt, pistons, and seals. A five speed manual helps send power to all four wheels, and this too benefitted from a ground up restoration, which includes a new throw out bearing, new seals, and a new clutch after it underwent an extensive cleaning process. A new transfer case is also part of the transformation, and upgraded brakes help ensure that this special G-Class can bring the festivities safely to a halt when it is indeed necessary. Even the electrical system received a rethink, with Expedition Motors replacing the 24-volt military grade electrical system with a more consumer focused 12-volt system. Look for this friendlier system to be more welcoming to many mobile devices, as well as other gear that consumers may equip to it when out on the field. On that note, the company revealed that it was extensively tested in various pieces of brutal terrain before it was wet sanded and polished for its time with the camera.
There’s no denying that this could perhaps be one of the coolest yet most unique G-Class conversions we have ever seen. It doesn’t hurt either that it has a base starting price of $90,000, which is a relative bargain when compared with other G-Class conversions that can easily start out at well over $100,000. Expedition also revealed that each model in this series requires 12-to 16 weeks to formally complete the conversion, but this minor test in patience will certainly be worth it in our eyes when all is said and done. The company even released a brief video highlighting the Silver Wolf which can be seen below.