Turbocharging An Emc G-wagen Turns A Fun Toy Into A Usable Vehicle

Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik

Rich group person a batch of money correct now, much than they person had successful a very agelong time. When thing for illustration that happens, they tin either walk their money connected things that are gaudy and tacky, aliases they tin perceive to their much tasteful broadside and bargain things that show nan world they cognize really to walk their money well. One of those things, for nan past fewer years, has been an Expedition Motor Company G-Class, aliases arsenic nan institution calls it, nan 250GD Wolf.

At first, these beautifully restored 1990s G-wagens were powered by Mercedes' neat and robust but profoundly underpowered OM602 inline-5 diesel engine. It produced a whopping 89 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque. That was capable powerfulness to possibly deed 55 mph while driving downhill, and meant you'd get passed by a family of Amish group connected their buggies arsenic you drove down nan road. It severely constricted nan usefulness of nan 250GD Wolf, but now there's a remedy acknowledgment to forced induction. Sure, nan caller turbocharger action is going to costs nan purchaser a beautiful penny, but it takes a plaything for nan rich | and turns it into an actual, applicable conveyance while still keeping each of nan nosy and silliness of nan original Wolf.

Full Disclosure: EMC brought maine down to their shop successful Frenchtown, New Jersey, to cheque retired their latest creation.

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Adding a turbocharger to nan 250GD Wolf doesn't alteration arsenic overmuch arsenic you'd think. Buyers still get nan aforesaid choices betwixt a four-speed manual transmission aliases a five-speed automatic originated from an early 2000s S-Class. Every Wolf still gets existent four-wheel thrust pinch locking diffs. Hell, it moreover has nan aforesaid brakes and leafage outpouring suspension. That rich | diesel smell that'll punctual anyone of a schoolhouse autobus connected nan measurement location aft a agelong time of being successful nan 5th people is still there. Most importantly, nan G-wagens still person nan aforesaid character. It's a happy-go-lucky truck, nan EMC 250GD Wolf. It's nan type of conveyance that invites group to activity astatine you and springiness you a thumbs up, acold much than immoderate modern Wrangler aliases Bronco aliases old-school Defender pinch an LS V8 crammed nether nan hood. With its agleam colors and happy face, nan 250GD is conscionable excited to return you wherever you want to go.

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Of course, nan large worldly alteration is an aftermarket turbocharger mounted to an OM602 diesel originated from nan Mercedes-Benz 250C aliases 250E that ups powerfulness from that measly 89 hp and 114 lb-ft to a acold beefier and much usable 200 hp and 300 lb-ft. Don't get maine wrong, this point is by nary intends a rocket ship. My very unserious (I utilized my phone's stopwatch) 0-60 clip clocked successful location astir 16 seconds — not quick, but much than capable to beryllium usable each day. EMC tells maine its apical velocity is location astir 75 aliases 80 mph. In each honesty, you could regular this pinch very small issue, and you tin return it off-road if you're emotion brave. It's thing EMC encourages its customers to do. After all, it is simply a G-wagen.

If these powerfulness numbers aren't rather enough, EMC will waste you a somewhat upgraded motor that brings powerfulness to an moreover healthier 225 to 250 horsepower. That's judge to get nan humor pumping. Even if that powerfulness isn't doing it for you, nan absurd level of turbo whistle should beryllium capable to warm nan bosom of moreover nan biggest cynic. It's specified a nosy and silly constituent added to nan car, and it mightiness really beryllium my favourite portion of nan Wolf.

To spell on pinch nan upgraded motor, EMC tells maine it upgraded nan injection pump and beefed up nan cooling strategy pinch a caller intercooler and electrical instrumentality meant to support temperatures successful check.

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EMC intelligibly knows its buyers. Anyone who spends this overmuch money connected what is astir apt a 5th aliases sixth car wants it to beryllium bully and usable, and that's what nan turbo G is each about. Its interior is conscionable arsenic bully arsenic those of nan non-turbo cars. There's plentifulness of hand-stitched leather to spell around, arsenic good arsenic existent wood and capable original touches that punctual nan driver that this utilized to beryllium a superior activity truck.

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There are besides a fistful of animal comforts that make nan driving acquisition arsenic modern arsenic imaginable successful a motortruck that is pushing 40 years old. The leather-wrapped seats are heated, of course, and you moreover get an aftermarket touchscreen pinch wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto truthful you tin bump each of your tunes pinch nan apical down. EMC will waste you a tile for your 250GD, but you're a goon if you ever put it down. This point is meant to beryllium driven pinch nary tile and nan windows down. Let nan upwind rustle done what is near of your hairsbreadth and watch arsenic everyone gets a grin connected their look arsenic you thrust connected by while commanding nan monolithic leather-wrapped steering wheel. To enactment cool connected moreover nan hottest of days, EMC fitted nan 250GD pinch a Vintage Air AC portion that does a awesome occupation of beating nan elements.

The 1 point missing from nan interior that I'd really for illustration to spot is simply a tachometer. I've sewage nary thought what nan low-revving motor is doing, but I judge would for illustration to.

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The folks complete astatine Expedition Motor Company cognize that astatine this value point, buyers are going to want to customize their cars. However, they besides intelligibly cognize that rich | group thin to get carried distant and ruin things. That's why nan company's online configurator offers each sorts of customizable options for illustration color, grille guards, nan benignant of apical you want, your engine, your transmission, really galore seats you want, and each sorts of different likelihood and ends. However, nary of nan options are successful your face. Sure, you tin get a agleam colour and a weirdly contrasting interior, but you can't do overmuch to ruin nan car. EMC knows nan bones of nan G-wagen are stone solid, truthful you really shouldn't messiness pinch that.

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With each of these options travel other prices. At nan astir basal level, a non-turbocharged 250GD is going to group you backmost astir $185,000, including nan value of nan philanthropist truck. From there, you tin adhd successful nan lower-power turbo for $20,000 aliases nan higher-power turbo for $35,000. Every azygous 1 of these trucks is different, truthful it's difficult to opportunity precisely what your perfect spec will cost, but for reference, nan black-on-red motortruck I tested came successful astatine $224,600.

That's a batch of cash, for sure, but you're besides getting a hand-built, incredibly reliable instrumentality you're not apt to spot excessively galore much of. Pull up pinch this astatine a cars and java meet, and I don't attraction what anyone other has — you win, plain and simple. If you want nan world to cognize you've sewage stacks of money and amended sensation than your compatriots, location are very fewer cars that broadcast that better.

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