One-off, G-Wagen-based concept 1996 Heuliez Intruder Convertible

1996 Heuliez Intruder Convertible
Coachwork by Heuliez, Design by Marc Deschamps
VIN. WDB46322717067290

3,199cc Mercedes-Benz M104 DOHC Inline Six-Cylinder Engine
Bosch Electronic Fuel Injection
208 bhp at 5,500 rpm
4-Speed Automatic Transmission
Front & Rear Live Axles, Coil Spring Suspension
4-Wheel Disc Brakes

*A wild, one-off concept by French coachbuilder, Heuliez
*G-Wagen chassis meets sportscar, meets Tonka Toy
*Complete custom body in steel and carbon composites
*Fully functional automatic folding hardtop
*Over $300,000 reportedly spent on a recent restoration
*Bespoke interior in bright blue leather
*From the minds that brought the R5 Turbo and 205 T16

HEULIEZ CARROSSERIE

Louis Heuliez Carrosserie was once one of France's longest-surviving coachbuilding shops. Established in the 1920s to construct wagons and coaches, the firm built its first car body – a baker's van on a Ford chassis – in 1928. The company sustained itself on bus and commercial vehicles bodies until the 1970s, when interest in cars began to take shape. Various taxis, limousines, and some clever concept cars followed, and soon Heuliez earned major manufacturer contracts to build prototypes, concept cars, and develop low-production vehicles, particularly convertible conversions. In the early 1970s, Heuliez created the stunning Citroen SM Espace, with its power retractable T-Top roof, polished disc wheels, and wild, green-accented interior. Two of their most famous projects came via the world of rallying. Renault turned to Heuliez to engineer the bonkers Renault 5 Turbo – taking a mild-mannered front engine, front-drive hatchback and turning into a rally weapon with massive fender flares and a mid-mounted turbocharged engine. They repeated that feat a few years later, this time with Peugeot and their mid-engine Group B challenger, the 205 T16 – similarly based on a front-drive shopping car and converted to a 4-wheel drive, composite-bodied beast that ultimately took home two World Rally Championships in the fiercely contested Group B category.

THE CAR OFFERED

"A brand-new Ferrari would attract less attention than this..." - Classic & Sportscar Magazine

Offered here is the one and only Heuliez Intruder Convertible, a completely mad, sportscar-meets-off-roader, Tonka Toy come to life. Looking akin to a jacked-up Mercedes-Benz SLK on truck tires, this car is indeed based on a Mercedes chassis – but not the compact roadster it calls to mind. Instead, the Heuliez Intruder is based on the iconic G320 off-roader – but unlike the similar cars that come to mind (Jim Rogers' bright yellow SLK on a G-Wagen chassis, and Jeremy Clarkson's rather less refined "The Excellent"), the Intruder wears a completely unique body from the floorpans up, styled by and constructed under the supervision of respected designer Marc Deschamps. Looking every bit like a concept car of today, you may be surprised to learn that the Intruder debuted at the Paris Salon in 1996! While the design hints at the SLK, there are also touches of the modern SLS and AMG GT in the form, begging the question that perhaps it was more influential to Mercedes-Benz than it seems.

Beneath the steel and carbon fiber skin is an essentially standard G320 chassis, with the petrol M104 twin-cam inline-six, itself a legend for its bombproof reliability. The Intruder retains the G-Wagen's transmission, transfer case, solid axles, triple locking differentials, and a full 12 inches of ground clearance. Aside from some suspension tuning to account for a difference in weight, the Intruder is standard G-Wagen under the bonkers body – ensuring that any off-road adventures will end safely back at home.

Incredibly, designer Deschamps shunned computer-aided design, preferring to work with full-scale models and clay mockups, yet the car was completed in a matter of months. Once the body was finalized, a small team at Heuliez created the interior design on the fly, utilizing factory Mercedes-Benz components and switchgear to maintain an air of familiarity, but wrapping everything in this vivid blue leather. Exposed round-head Allen bolts juxtapose purposeful off-road functionality against the supple leather trim. The hard top is fully functional, and retracts neatly into the boot, or should you have faith in the fair weather, it can be removed altogether for even more luggage space. Additionally, it featured LED exterior lighting – a feature that would not become mainstream for decades.

The Intruder traversed the international show circuit and was repainted several times along the way – a common practice for concept cars. It appeared in Hong Kong painted red, was white in Paris and Hamburg, and finally was finished in silver for Geneva and Torino. After many years off the radar of enthusiasts, the Intruder arrived at the world-renowned restoration firm, DK Engineering in England. There, it was treated to an extensive restoration, reported to cost approximately $300,000. The consignor reports it can cruise the road or the beach, has a functional high-low range transfer case, and that the heat and air conditioning work well. It will also include a large file of receipts and photos from the restoration, as well as promotional brochures and period photos of its release. It was subsequently imported to the United States, arriving in early 2024.

Whether talking glittering pre-war classics or fire-breathing hypercars, few automobiles on the road can turn heads quite like the one-off Heuliez Intruder – a madcap Franco-German mashup of off-roader and roadster that truly must be seen to be believed.
This vehicle is titled as a 1993 Mercedes-Benz.