EMC G-Wagen Engine Options
At Expedition Motor Company, we specialize in the G Class Gelandewagen, and the engine decision shapes a commission more than any other choice a client makes. Each custom G Wagon we build is engineered around one of three engines, and each engine is paired with the transmission developed for it: the Mercedes turbodiesels with a fully rebuilt 717 five-speed manual, and the LS3 V8 with a six-speed automatic. The sections below cover what each direction delivers and the truck it produces.
The Original Engine: Mercedes-Benz OM602 Diesel
Every Wolf began its service life with the OM602, the 2.5L five-cylinder diesel known as the "million-mile" engine, and its military-grade durability is a large part of why these trucks survived three decades of fleet service in good enough condition to restore. In that original form, the Wolf produced roughly 90 horsepower.
The OM602 is no longer offered on new builds. A SWB Wolf today is built around one of the engines below, each engineered to multiply the output the truck carried in service, and the original platform is referred to as the 250GD Wolf in our model lineup.
Mercedes-Benz OM605a Turbodiesel
The OM605a comes standard on every EMC build. It is a five-cylinder Mercedes turbodiesel, rebuilt in-house with an upgraded turbocharger+fueling system and tuned to approximately 225 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque, more than double the output the platform carried in service. It pairs exclusively with a fully rebuilt Mercedes 717 five-speed manual, which keeps the entire drivetrain within the marque while changing how the truck behaves: confident driving around town, composed highway cruising, and ample torque available from low engine speeds.
This configuration is referred to as the 250GD Turbo in our model lineup.
Mercedes-Benz OM606a Turbodiesel
The OM606a is a 3.0L six-cylinder, dual overhead cam Mercedes turbodiesel, rebuilt in-house and tuned to approximately 275 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. Like the OM605a, it drives through a fully rebuilt Mercedes 717 five-speed manual transmission, and the pairing produces a truck with roughly triple its original output that still asks the driver to work the gears.
The LS3 V8: The 620GE
The 6.2L LS3 V8 is a brand-new crate engine producing 430 horsepower, paired exclusively with a six-speed automatic. The engine is only the visible part of the work. Around it sits the engineering developed across our builds: a proprietary cooling system, custom driveline parts, bespoke engine and transmission tunes, and our in-house suspension, integrated so the truck drives as if it could have come from the factory this way. Every LS3 build also carries an AMG braking system, with calipers front and rear as well as enlarged, ventilated rotors.
The result is the acceleration, passing ease, and highway composure of a modern vehicle, delivered inside a period-correct truck. This configuration is referred to as the 620GE in our model lineup.
Configure Your Wolf
Every convertible G-Wagen is hand-built to its owner's preferences, and the engine sets the character of the drive: the turbodiesels for a Mercedes drivetrain and the engagement of a manual gearbox, the LS3 for effortless V8 performance with an automatic. The transmission follows the engine in every case, because each pairing was engineered as one system. Whichever direction a client chooses, the truck beneath it receives the same frame-off restoration across more than 2,500 man-hours.
Visit our custom G-Wagen builder to configure your classic Mercedes convertible.