Expedition Motor Company’s 250GD Wolf redefines what modern luxury can be

Success can be felt in many ways, and having money doesn’t change you into someone else; it just allows you to be more of who you really are. Sure, insecure people will find bigger and more lavish ways to overcompensate for their shortfalls. However, on the other end of the spectrum, good people create jobs and donate to charities, and fun-seeking dog lovers find new and exciting ways to explore the world with their four-legged friends. Being truly successful is not just about having things; it is about having a true-to-yourself lifestyle. But that persona is not some faux reality show caricature of a rich person either, but a true freedom to do what you want, when you want, and with whom you want. Of course, upgrading some of those things doesn’t hurt, as long as they align with your higher, wealthier, self.

When I accepted the invitation to tour Expedition Motor Company’s stateside facility in Frenchtown, New Jersey, and chat with its founder, Alex Levin, I admit I had some preconceived notions. As a lifelong car fanatic, I’ve spent plenty of time muddling around in autobody shops, asking questions, watching mechanics at work, and listening to small block V-8s redlining as they got dyno-tuned to performance perfection.

But unlike many auto body shops and shop owners I’ve known, Alex greeted me outside EMC’s facility and did not display any of the occupational hazards that typically accompany running a business that restores decades-old trucks all day. Far from the gruff and crass burly figure with grease and oil-stained skin, clothes, and fingernails I imagined, Alex was the complete antithesis of my default satirical expectation. Reserved, unassuming, and quietly confident, Alex’s personality reflected the resto-mod G-Wagens he had invested his life into—dynamic, capable, and refined.

Truth be told, despite Mr. Levin’s welcoming demeanor, when he opened the door to EMC, revealing more G-Wagens than a Kardashian birthday party, it was actually Alex’s shop dog and best friend Barnaby who stole the show and my attention, for a good deal of my visit. Barnaby, who unintentionally may be the best brand ambassador I’ve ever met, was gentle and disarming and added another layer of genuineness and depth to my entire experience, as only a good dog can. Slowly, my attention flowed easily from an affectionate dog to the pack of tenaciously savage yet sophisticated wolves parked just a tennis ball’s bounce away, and

A brief history of the 250 GD Wolf

Unlike the glitz and glamour of the G-Wagen of today’s world, the original Gelandewagen’s (German for “cross-country”) origins date back half a century when the Shah of Iran requested a military vehicle that could traverse any surface in any condition. With its typical German gestalt philosophy, Mercedes-Benz embarked on its mission with so much fervor and conviction that it created a slightly more civilized “G-Model,” as it was initially called, debuting for public use in 1979.

The vehicle that EMC focuses on is explicitly the military-spec 250GD Wolf. The Wolf stands out above the standard G-Wagens thanks to a fold-down windshield, a removable soft top, and, of course, must be a 250GD. Don’t bother asking Alex if he will restore a 300GD or a 230GE. He will very politely decline. His love of the 250 GD Wolf is what drives his entire company (no pun intended), and that enthusiasm is palpable when listening to him talk about any part of the restoration process.

Where do these G-Wagens come from?

Alex tells me that he finds these trucks worldwide, but they are primarily sourced from his first-right-of-refusal contracts with several European militaries. Those agreements allow Alex to be extremely judicious with the trucks he chooses to restore.

Levin notes that he tries to choose vehicles that aren’t too beat up. But much like a typical MMA fighter’s career, despite typically never seeing high mileage, these military trucks lead extremely tough lives during their time in service. Beyond the obvious needs for interior and exterior refurbishing (bullet holes can be left for character appeal, but thus far, no one has chosen that option), roughly eighty percent of trucks need a full engine rebuild. Most also need their transmissions’ second and third gears replaced, as they were the most common ratios used during active duty.

What is EMC’s restoration process like?

According to Levin, each 250GD Wolf he chooses to use as a starting point receives a 100-point restoration process that takes more than 2,300 man-hours (just shy of 14 weeks) to complete. After the tear-down, the truck’s sturdy steel ladder frame is media-blasted to remove surface contaminants, after which it is covered in an anti-corrosion primer and finished with a beautifully subtle powder coat.

Once the foundation is done, parts like the front and rear axles get rebuilt. Being an extremely niche vehicle, and even with his plethora of donor trucks to pick from, occasionally finding replacement parts for these restorations can prove nearly impossible, so Alex’s team will 3D-print or machine them from scratch.

While Levin is a purist at heart, he does not adhere to those principles with blind devotion. Upgraded brakes help haul down the three-ton truck far better than the original units could ever hope, while the steering box has been reworked to remove a vast amount of nerve-wracking free play in the wheel. Body mounts, along with brake and fuel lines, are replaced with new items, while urethane bushings take the place of the old rubber bits. It doesn’t take an astute observer to notice the almost two-inch lift EMC’s trucks sport compared to their original counterparts.

But what you don’t see is the reworked suspension featuring specifically tuned Bilstein shocks and Eibach springs, which gives EMC’s Wolf a much more aggressive stance. It looks ready to bound over a sand dune, ford a river, or simply provide a great vantage point to see your boat waiting for you in its Hampton slip.

The most controversial aspect of the EMC Wolf is its engine. The OM602 is a 2.5-liter inline-five-cylinder diesel that, although fairly bulletproof (figuratively and literally), typically gets a full rebuild complete with a new injection pump and injectors, which has multiple benefits, including a bit more efficiency, less noise, and a bit more power over the stock truck’s less-than-impressive 91 horsepower and 117 pound-feet of torque.

From there, tradition is conceded to performance, and power is routed through a customer choice of either a Mercedes-Benz-built five-speed manual or MB 722.6 automatic transmission typically seen in S-Class sedans. The original transfer case features 2WD, 4WD Hi, or the unstoppable 4WD Lo setting.

Updated headlamps light up the road far better than the original units, while BF Goodrich K02 All-Terrain tires make the most of the Wolf’s off-road prowess while not punishing on paved roadways.

The EMC Wolf has plenty of bespoke options

Twenty exterior colors are listed on EMC’s website, but Alex tells me that he is willing to paint a truck whatever color a customer may want. EMC has a swatch book of 40 choices for the interior, available in any combination of color, paneling, and stitching. Unlike traditional leather, EMC chooses a Vyva Fabrics synthetic Bella Grana material that is waterproof, wear and stain-resistant, and even holds up against salt water and sea air, allowing the removable top to stay down beachside without concern.

Beautiful Teak woodwork adorns the interior, along with a center console (complete with cupholders). Air conditioning and heated seats for the front and rear passengers are standard, although the optional folding fifth and sixth jump seats do not get the complete luxury treatment.

A modernized six-speaker stereo system complete with an amp and subwoofer features wireless Apple CarPlay, allowing a touch of tech that owners will undoubtedly appreciate. After looking around unsuccessfully for the aforementioned sub, I asked Alex where it was hidden. With a wry smile, he simply tapped the iron ammo box behind the center console. Out of all the impressive interior improvements, Levin also admitted that the wiring for the speaker setup was by far the most arduous and daunting task to get right inside the cabin.

By contrast, the least difficult addition was the security measure to keep drivers or passengers from unintentionally tapping the transfer case shifter into or out of gear. A simple nylon strap and plastic buckle, like you might find on a gym bag, is looped around a driver seat bracket and holds the shifter in place, proving that fabrication can sometimes be extremely simple but effective.

Driving and riding in EMC’s Wolf

Although it may be decades older than a new G-Wagon, EMC’s Wolf immediately delivers much of the same cachet. Having been driving a manual transmission most of my life, I had the opportunity to pilot a manual transmission diesel engine before, so I opted for the three-pedal setup.

Climbing up and into the cabin, I immediately noticed a couple of things. First, the seats were far more plush and supportive than the Wolf’s hardcore exterior led me to believe. Pushing the reasonably-pressured clutch in to fire up the engine, I realized there was no actual tachometer. Questioning this, Alex told me that he would let me know when the appropriate time to shift would be until I got used to the unconventional engine’s powerband.

Clutch takeup was very civilized, and the Wolf got going with relatively minimal effort. It did take several laps around the EMC facility before I felt like I had an understanding of how the Wolf’s powertrain all worked together. Having recently had the opportunity to review Maserati’s Grand Turismo Trofeo, I am not unfamiliar with driving $200,000 cars. However, the EMC Wolf is an extremely unique vehicle, and I decided to cut my own drive short to allow Alex to drive and enjoy the passenger side of things.

Happy to oblige, Alex swapped seats with me and hopped into the driver’s seat with exuberant familiarity. Revving the stout inline-five far higher than I would have ever thought to push it, we were out on the road and cruising in almost no time.

The one and possibly only complaint I might have about the Wolf is that, for New Jersey roads, it is underpowered. Unforgiving Jersey motorists leave precious little space between cars to allow anyone to merge, or turn onto a highway, so while the low-end torque of this truck felt great, it did seem a little gassed (no pun intended) above 40 mph.

That being said, riding along that road, EMC’s engineering input was clearly felt. Alex tells me how his team reworked the truck’s steering box to eliminate the comical amount of play older trucks can sometimes have. Commenting on how surprised I was by the smooth, predictable, and darn-near-sporty feel of the suspension, Alex proudly explains that the Wolf uses Eibach springs and Bilstein shocks, which have been re-valved to EMC’s custom specs and perfected after a bit of trial and error.

Riding along, I start to understand Alex’s obsession with this truck. “It’s over-engineered for what it is,” he tells me, and he is right. Sitting in the passenger seat of a nigh-unstoppable tank with its high seating position, expansive view of the road, and proud craftsmanship, it’s almost impossible not to feel a little bit of that pride rubbing off.

“You caught it on the wrong day,” Alex tells me, citing the chilly overcast weather of my visit. Although the Wolf’s heated seats work tremendously well, and I am quite comfortable, Alex paints a picture of the ideal day he sees himself (and his customers) enjoying the Wolf at its best.

To paraphrase, Alex sees the owner buying one of these restomodded G-Wagens as a third vehicle (though he says he has more than a few clients who drive their trucks daily). With the soft top taken down, and the windshield lowered, he envisions cruising down the main drag of a laid-back beach town. With a soundtrack provided by Apple CarPlay, or simply the sounds of the shoreline, the driver is accompanied by their partner and, of course, their dog. Suddenly, I understood why Barnaby was so disappointed when we drove off without him and felt tremendously guilty for getting his hopes up. At those around-town speeds, the powerband of the Wolf is more than adequate, and if there happened to be a bad storm, the Wolf’s capabilities would turn it from off-beat luxury to superheroic in the matter of a gearshift.

What does an EMC Wolf cost?

Alex doesn’t divulge too much about his pre-EMC life, but it’s clear he’s had plenty of financial education in one way or another. Unlike the a la carte optioning many of today’s luxury vehicles offer that can cause a financial binge fest and result in a bottom line that is exponentially higher than their base price, Alex chooses to provide his Wolves with most things standard.

He is transparent about his pricing on this website, and even offers a Custom G-Wagen Convertible Builder on the company website. Pricing starts at $180,000 and doesn’t climb much higher unless you choose every available add-on. An EMC winch bumper with Warn winch can be added for $4,500, as can an EMC Bull Bar to the front end for $2,500. The five-speed manual transmission is standard, while the five-speed auto is a $12,500 up-charge for the additional work involved.

EMC is preparing to offer a bigger, badder Wolf

Although his commitment to traditionalist views on the Wolf’s engine is admirable, Alex’s business-oriented mind has caused something of a change of heart. Although he plans to sell all of his current inventory of OM602-powered trucks first, Alex tells me that he has had a number of would-be customers asking for more power.

While he does offer an OM60X Turbo Diesel upgrade for $20,000 that would provide a noticeable power boost, for many potential clients, that is still not enough. The overwhelming suggestion/request Alex has gotten is if he will swap out the inline-five for a GM LS3 small-block V-8. As someone who drove a six-speed LS1-powered car to this meeting, I can’t help but concur with those suggestions. Apparently, neither can Alex, as an LS3 V-8 option is now available for his EMC Wolf.

Conclusion

Leaving EMC’s facility, I realized what Alex is offering with his customized Wolf is more than just another luxury car for the wealthy to use as a financial flex. Unlike many of today’s over-the-top offerings from modern carmakers, the EMC provides more than just a high-end vehicle. The Wolf is about laid-back luxury, packaged with an unpretentious style and a powerfully capable set of abilities that inspire confidence and fulfilling delight for any wind-in-your-hair afternoon drive.

Having driven a modern G-Wagen, the EMC Wolf offers considerably more uniqueness and personality than its great-great-grandchild’s mass-produced persona. In this writer’s opinion, the EMC’s only shortcoming compared to a new G-Class was its lack of power. But now, with an optional LS3 V-8 on the menu, there is no doubt that for anyone looking for a high-end SUV that will truly stand out in any crowd and a genuinely personalized buying experience, Alex Levin’s Expedition Motor Company offers in its Wolf, a vehicle like nothing else money can buy. And unlike the hyperbolic posturing messages that some high-end luxury SUVs convey, success feels authentic and well-earned from behind the wheel of EMC’s 250GD Wolf. If you need more proof, set up an appointment at the Frenchtown, NJ facility and see for yourself, and don’t forget to ask for Barnaby.

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