The Wolf is a version of the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen that was developed for the Bundeswehr, Germany’s armed forces.
Much like the military versions of the Land Rover and other popular 4×4 vehicles, the Wolf was a ruggedized version of the civilian vehicle designed to be as tough and easy to maintain as possible, with no significant thought given to passenger comfort or luxury.
As ex-military examples of the Wolf began appearing for sale to civilians a roaring trade sprung up in refitting and restoring them, there are multiple enthusiast groups in Germany and further afield, and prices have been seeing steady appreciation in recent years as more people learn of them.
The Wolf uses the same basic chassis and body structure as the G-Wagen (or G-Class as it’s called today). They were fitted with almost bulletproof 2.5 litre, naturally aspirated diesel engines that produce a modest 91 bhp at 4,600 rpm and 114 ft lbs of torque at 2,200 to 2,800 rpm. These engines weren’t designed for breathtaking power, they were designed for extreme reliability in a wide range of conditions from arctic winters to baking desert summers.
The five-speed gearbox fitted to the Wolf featured a very low first gear followed by four standard higher gears, power is sent via three lockable differentials to the front and rear wheels, and the Wolf uses front and rear live axles on coil springs.
A Little Background On The Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen
The Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen was the German answer to the British Land Rover, the American Jeep, and the Japanese Land Cruiser. Never one to tackle vehicle development in half-measures, the Germans at Mercedes-Benz joint forces with the Austrians at Steyr-Daimler-Puch to create an all-new 4×4 vehicle that would be as good, or preferably better, than anything built built by the Brits, Americans, or Japanese.
The design they came up with was closely related to its competition, with a body on frame design, live axles front and back, and somewhat angular body work with flat glass fitted in all windows. Although the G-Wagen started out as a utilitarian vehicle it slowly developed into an unlikely luxury vehicle, with special high-performance AMG versions that have sticker prices well over $100,000 USD.
The Legacy Overland Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen Wolf
The G-Wagen you see here is an original ex-Bundeswehr Wolf that’s been restored by the team at Legacy Overland. Legacy Overland is one of the best known vintage 4×4 restoration companies in the world, they frequently work with classic Land Rovers, Range Rovers, and Land Cruisers, as well as G-Wagens.
The vehicle received a frame-off restoration, during the rebuild it was kept as original as possible however some nods to modernity have been added including LED headlights, a custom air-conditioning system, full grain leather upholstery, Dynamat sound insulation, a Pioneer sound system, a black mohair soft top, and a set of chunky Cooper Adventurer STT Pro tires on steel wheels.
The engine was completely rebuilt, as was the gearbox and transfer case, all brackets, bolts, nuts, and supports were galvanized, and Bilstein shock absorbers were fitted to the newly rebuilt suspension. The completed vehicle has been finished with custom boxwood green paintwork with tasteful black wheels and a black bullbar.
If you’d like to read more about this Wolf or register your interest in getting Legacy Overland to build you one, you can click here to visit their website.
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