Photo: DK Engineering
The vehicle we are discussing here is a bizarre concept car we didn’t expect to fancy so much right away. And here is why. This is a one-off coupe/convertible SUV that was way ahead of its time. It’s the Heulietz Intruder brought to life by the French coachbuilder in 1996.
This unicorn of a car was built in 1996 based on the original Mercedes-Benz G320, but it doesn’t actually look like a G-Wagon but more like a sportscar, and it comes complete with a fully-functional, fully-electric foldable metal roof, which allows it to convert from an off-roading coupe to an off-roading roadster in just 30 seconds.
It’s the only example ever built with a foldable metal roof similar to that of the Mercedes-Benz SLK of that time, which had debuted only four months prior, in April 1996, at the Turin Motorshow. It was the first vehicle to come with a foldable metal roof built by Mercedes-Benz and also started a new lineup in the German carmaker stable.
We’re saying this is a unicorn because the production model of the Intruder, of which only five examples were ever made, had a hardtop instead.
Besides that, the 26-year-old Intruder is also a powerful enough car, as the coachbuilder kept all the goodies on the first-generation Mercedes-Benz SLK, including the 3.2-liter inline-six engine, the four-speed automatic transmission, the all-wheel drive system, and the locking differentials. It also features a set of big all-terrain tires.
What’s more, this one-of-a-kind car went through an extensive restoration and cosmetic refinishing job in which the engine and the folding metal hood received an overhaul. The reported cost of the restoration was a whopping €280,000 ($299,000). Considering all this, the $219,000 (£174,995) asking price listed by DK Engineering is a steal.
Since its unveiling in 1996, Heuliez’s Intruder has been painted in three different liveries. It originally wore silver, then went for a white respray, followed by red before returning to silver. It is now being sold in its original silver color scheme, as seen in the photos.
It is sold in pristine condition, and DK Engineering claims it’s been recently serviced and has only 1,700km (1056 miles) on the odometer.
For those not familiar with the Heuliez name, know that the company was founded in 1920 and used to handle specialist vehicle builds for mainstream manufacturers. It worked with Renault on building the Renault 5 Turbo and was also involved in the production of the road-going versions of the Peugeot 205 T16.
Paradoxically, as cool as this Intruder concept looks, it would appear DK Engineering has had a hard time convincing prospective buyers to grab it. It has been listed on their website for more than two years. Maybe that’s because it’s destined to be yours!
It’s the only example ever built with a foldable metal roof similar to that of the Mercedes-Benz SLK of that time, which had debuted only four months prior, in April 1996, at the Turin Motorshow. It was the first vehicle to come with a foldable metal roof built by Mercedes-Benz and also started a new lineup in the German carmaker stable.
We’re saying this is a unicorn because the production model of the Intruder, of which only five examples were ever made, had a hardtop instead.
Besides that, the 26-year-old Intruder is also a powerful enough car, as the coachbuilder kept all the goodies on the first-generation Mercedes-Benz SLK, including the 3.2-liter inline-six engine, the four-speed automatic transmission, the all-wheel drive system, and the locking differentials. It also features a set of big all-terrain tires.
What’s more, this one-of-a-kind car went through an extensive restoration and cosmetic refinishing job in which the engine and the folding metal hood received an overhaul. The reported cost of the restoration was a whopping €280,000 ($299,000). Considering all this, the $219,000 (£174,995) asking price listed by DK Engineering is a steal.
Since its unveiling in 1996, Heuliez’s Intruder has been painted in three different liveries. It originally wore silver, then went for a white respray, followed by red before returning to silver. It is now being sold in its original silver color scheme, as seen in the photos.
It is sold in pristine condition, and DK Engineering claims it’s been recently serviced and has only 1,700km (1056 miles) on the odometer.
For those not familiar with the Heuliez name, know that the company was founded in 1920 and used to handle specialist vehicle builds for mainstream manufacturers. It worked with Renault on building the Renault 5 Turbo and was also involved in the production of the road-going versions of the Peugeot 205 T16.
Paradoxically, as cool as this Intruder concept looks, it would appear DK Engineering has had a hard time convincing prospective buyers to grab it. It has been listed on their website for more than two years. Maybe that’s because it’s destined to be yours!
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