If you had been to design the final word overlander, a automobile able to protecting greater than 100,000 miles throughout numerous international locations, the place would you begin? Would you go for one thing rugged, like a Toyota Land Cruiser, or would you begin with one thing snug and able to absorbing mile after mile on the street? For one adventurous duo, the best journey automobile is this Mercedes SLK with an identical journey trailer. Quite one thing, isn’t it.
Now, as I’m certain you may inform from the raised experience peak, large tires and total dimensions of this automotive, it’s not your commonplace SLK. But it couldn’t be, as this automotive was used to cowl greater than 150,000 miles throughout 116 international locations between 1999 and 2002. Instead of being a inventory SLK, this creation takes the very best bits of that automotive and straps them to the chassis of an outdated G Wagen.
The creation was developed for Jim Rogers and Paige Parker, who needed to make use of the automotive to journey the world. To construct it, they turned to California-based agency Prisma Design International, which took the physique of an SLK sports activities automotive and merged it with the chassis, four-wheel-drive system and diesel engine of the Mercedes G-Wagen.
As such, the creation – dubbed the Millennium Mercedes – packs in a six-cylinder, three-liter turbodiesel engine that produces 177 hp. Paired with a five-speed automated gearbox, the automotive produces 244 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm, which is routed by means of the G-Wagen’s four-wheel-drive system.
The bodywork for a inventory SLK was then bolted on prime, making a automotive with the identical footprint as the unique SLK however with a experience peak that’s raised by roughly a foot. With this elevated peak, the Millennium Mercedes has area to run on 18-inch Mercedes alloy rims, that are wrapped in a set of Bridgestone Dueler rugged tires. It actually is kind of the positioning to behold.
Other modifications made to the automotive to make sure that it lasted the mammoth journey included the set up of a 38.5 gallon gas tank, which provides it a spread of round 620 miles, and enlarged fender flares across the wheels.
The entire construct took the group three months to complete, together with the development of an identical yellow trailer that could possibly be towed behind the automotive. Once it was prepared, Rogers and Parker took the Millennium Mercedes on a around the world journey. Along the best way, the duo visited 116 totally different international locations, touring greater than 150,000 miles within the course of.
Interestingly, Parker and Rodgers truly set a world document within the course of, claiming the title for the most international locations visited in a steady journey by automotive.
Source: jalopnik.com