The wooden exterior trim from the ’70s might not have made its comeback as a factory-fit option yet, but the return of the Jeep Grand Wagoneer inspired a company called Motive to do so. The Texas-based firm announced a limited production run of Performance Art Grand Wagoneers, combining the classic touch of the woodgrain panels with additional visual tweaks and luxurious features.
The highlight of the project is the woodgrain trim on the profile, which adds a retro flair to the SUV. As reported by our colleagues at Autoblog, Motive orders the Grand Wagoneer donor vehicles directly from Jeep, and sends them to the California-based firm Aria for the special paint job. The woodgrain is hand-painted on the vehicle by artist Stuart Lyman, before an extra round of clearcoat is applied for protection.
Motive showed renderings of the “Classic Woody Edition” with a white exterior and dark walnut trim, and the “Grand Touring Edition” with a silver exterior and blackwood trim. The former gets 22-inch Heritage aluminum wheels, and the latter features 22-inch chrome-finished forged wheels by Vossen. Additionally, there will be more custom options, including Redwood, Oak, and Hawaiian Koa, combined with white, black, silver, or grey exterior shades.
Other upgrades include the Air-Speed rear spoiler, the optional performance brake package, and the polished stainless exhaust for those who wish to add a sportier note to the full-size Jeep. Owners can also choose from a number of optional accessories, like the special luggage set made from leather that matches the interior of the vehicle, or a cool picnic basket to carry around in their SUV.
Motive will build 15 examples of each color combination. Owners of the limited-production SUVs will be able to join lifestyle automotive events as part of the Performance Art Concierge Service by Motive. If you are wondering about pricing, it will start from $150,000, representing a premium of $61,360 from the base price of a standard Jeep Grand Wagoneer. The project is sponsored by the Hagerty Drivers Foundation, and for each one that will be produced Motive will make a donation. The first finished example will be shown at a new facility in California this spring.
This is not the first time an aftermarket kit puts wood back on the large Jeep, as last year, US-based Wagonomaster offered faux-wood vinyl for both the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. However, this was just a $1,899 accessory, much cheaper and with less extensive modifications compared to Motive’s take.
