SCG Developing Modern Baja Boot To Set New Altitude Record

Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus (SCG) is known for making over-the-top supercars. The man behind SCG, James Glickenhaus, wants to expand the company’s lineup with a modern variant of the Baja Boot. So, he took to Facebook to announce that work has started on the SCG Boot.

Eight years ago, Glickenhaus purchased Steve McQueen’s 1967 Baja Boot. The off-roader was built by Vic Hickey, who used his connections at General Motors to obtain some high-performance parts, like a 450-hp V8 engine, a thick tube steel frame, heavy-duty suspension and a Hydra-matic automatic gearbox.

Owning the vehicle isn’t enough for Glickenhaus, who wants to come out with a modern variant of the Baja Boot that can tackle some serious off-roading. As he said in a comment on Facebook, the SCG Boot will be used to set a new record for altitude reached by a car. To do that, the off-roader will need to best the ’86 Suzuki Samurai, which traveled 21,942 feet up the Ojos del Salado volcano in the Andes Mountains.

Besides that lofty goal, SCG also wants to drive from New York to Paris through the Bering Strait, which makes for yet another bold expedition.

Specifications on the reborn Boot are limited at the moment. The vehicle is expected to come in both two-and four-door variants (two-door models are called the Steve), feature a central driving position, and be powered by a 5.0-liter V8. Two-and four-wheel drive will be available, while it will boast 20-inches of suspension travel. To ensure it’s still functioning at frigid temperatures, the four-door Expedition version will feature military-grade sensors and seals.

The Boot will reportedly only be offered with an automatic transmission, as SCG believes no one will want a manual gearbox. The off-roader is expected to go on sale in 2019 or 2020 with a price tag of around $100,000.