EMC's Mercedes-Benz 250GD Wolf Restomod Is The Slowest G-Wagen You Can Buy, And Maybe The Best

Restomodding a car is nothing new. People have been taking old beat-up classics and giving them modern touches pretty much since the first used car hit the market. It's especially popular these days, with companies like Singer (on the ultra-high-end), Icon 4x4 and East Coast Defender creating modern remixes of iconic classic cars. For the most part, these companies rely heavily on the "mod" part of restomod, but one outfit is doing it a bit differently, focusing more on the restoration process. That company is Expedition Motor Company, and its sole product is these 250GD "Wolf" G-Classes.

This relatively small company based in Frenchtown, New Jersey takes about 30 disused German military G-Wagens per year and updates them so they can be driven almost daily, all while keeping 99 percent of the charm of the original car.

In a lot of ways, this is the most authentic G-Class you can buy today, if the original truck's mission is what you're after. There really isn't very much in common with the G-Wagens of today, other than the price. The two trucks I drove cost between $178,000 and $189,000 with a few different options. That's actually right in line with the $145,000 to nearly $200,000 prices of the current G-Wagens that Mercedes builds.

Full Disclosure: EMC invited me down to its facility in New Jersey to check out what it had to offer. I drove myself there (in a different press car), but EMC did buy me a delicious lemonade.

Out back, there aren't too many ways to tell these trucks are anything other than normal G-Wagens, at least if you ignore the giant wheel cover with the Expedition Motor Company logo on it. The only thing that really gives it away are the updated LED taillights. They're not the best-looking units in the world, but they do a pretty good job of modernizing the G-Wagen a bit.

Every truck that EMC builds is based on two-door diesel soft tops built from 1990 to 1993, and they're rebuilt in Germany and Poland through a 2,000-hour frame-off restoration. Any parts EMC can't find are 3D printed.

It's pretty much all-original inside, save for some nicer leather and padded materials. You still get the large-diameter steering wheel and a massive multi-function turn stalk. The gauges are super simple and mostly original, too, but more on that later.

To your right is a manual transmission gear stick, a transfer case selector and a massive parking brake. You don't need much else in EMC's Wolf.

You won't find a big LS V8 motor under the hood of EMC's 250GDs. Like the rest of the car, the engine is kept stock. All of its G-Wagens are powered by an original (but rebuilt) OM602.939 engine, Mercedes-Benz's legendary 2.5-liter inline-5 diesel motor. This turbo-less engine pumps out a strong 91 horsepower and 117 pound-feet of torque.

It's not much power at all. You're gonna have to keep your foot pretty much to the floor just to get going, but that's all part of the fun. In fact, it takes about 16 seconds just to hit 55 mph. Oh, and all the while you'll have to raise your voice because this old diesel is loud. Who cares, though?

One benefit of keeping the original engine is that it's basically bulletproof. You're never going to have to worry about this thing crapping out on you.

To me, the G-Wagen has the perfect face and the perfect stance. Why mess with it? That being said, you can opt to have a brush guard installed if that's the vibe you're going for. Me? I prefer the clean look.

All EMC G-Wagens have a choice of two transmissions: A four-speed manual with a crawler gear or a five-speed automatic transmission from a W220 S-Class. I drove both, and while the automatic is easier to drive, the manual is really the one you want.

Sure, it feels like you're operating the transmission on a piece of farm equipment, but it's so damn charming. Gears are very widely spaced, and you've got to be very deliberate with your up and downshifts to avoid grinding, but once you get used to it, it's a lot of fun to use.

Unlike the G-Wagens that came later, there's no center differential. You've got a part-time four-wheel-drive setup like any other SUV, so you'll have to make do with 2WD, 4WD Hi and 4WD Low. If that's not enough to get you unstuck, there are a couple of plungers that engage the axle lockers, and, of course, the crawler gear.

If it's me, I'm showing off that big ol' tire.

Speaking of big ol' tires, these BF Goodrich all-terrain tires do more than just look the part for this brawny truck. If you're brave enough, you can take this thing off-roading. There's no reason not to, other than being a big baby.

EMC's owner tells me that plenty of 250GD buyers actually take their trucks off-road, whether it's hitting up sandy beaches or serious mud tracks. This 4x4 should be able to handle it. The truck also comes with a 1.6-inch lift, bigger front brakes and urethane suspension bushings on the front axle

All of EMC's G-Wagens come with a canvas roof, but I wouldn't bother. From the looks of it, it seems like a bit of a pain in the ass to take on and off, and the truck looks so much better with its top off. That's the way it was meant to be enjoyed.

These plenty of room in the back for your other beach-going friends on these two small seats.

It's just a nice place to be, the EMC 250GD Wolf. Obviously, this car is not on a Singer level of restoration, but that doesn't mean the company doesn't take a lot of care in making sure everything fits and feels nice.

The gauges on the right are original to the 250GD and the speedometer is aftermarket, but it's pretty hard to tell. I don't have an issue with the gauge cluster other than I wish EMC did something with that center pod. Throw a small tachometer (so I know what the hell this engine is doing) or a clock in there! Something!

Buddy, don't you worry. The doors on this 34-year-old G-Wagen still sound like bank vaults closing. You've really got to slam them just to get them to latch, which is sort of the point. Honestly, I could spend all day just opening and closing them.

These trucks can be optioned with two inboard-facing jumpseats that'll bring passenger capacity to six. I wouldn't suggest doing a long trip in them, but they're there if you need some extra space.

I really, really like EMC's creation, but this one area is a bit of a letdown to me. I know there is only so much that can be done in the confines of an old 250GD, but there could have been more effort put into making this center stack look a bit nicer.

My biggest issues lie with the heated seat controls, which feel very cheap, and the Pioneer head unit. It works well enough, and the backup camera is very useful, but I feel it could have been integrated better. I won't fault the company for the rest of the switchgear, since that stuff is from the original G-Wagen. Still, I think some more work could have been done here. The leather does feel very nice, though!

The good news is that the Vintage Air unit works really well. It was very hot while I was testing out this truck, and even with the roof off I still got plenty of cold air.

I say it all in my video, but if you want a thoroughly modern car, the EMC 250GD Wolf is not for you. When you're driving this car, you are fully aware of what it can and can't do. Namely, it cannot really keep up with modern traffic, but it can look absolutely badass as people pass you in the fast lane while the clattery yet characterful diesel motor powers you down the highway.

This is a truck you're meant to be seen in. As you drive around your Hamptons community people will look at you and think about how much taste and money you have buying one of these over a Bronco, Wrangler, Defender or even a brand new G-Wagen.

I absolutely get the appeal of it, and for the most part, I feel people will too. You've got to be a certain sort of person, one who appreciates old-school engineering and good looks over huge supercharged LS V8 motors. But, for the people who get it, it doesn't get much better than this.