Sergio Marchionne famously called the Jeep Commander “unfit for human consumption,” but he probably never saw this coming.
Set to go under the hammer at Mecum’s Kissimmee Summer Special later this month, this highly customized 2008 Jeep Commander is virtually unrecognizable as it has been transformed into a wooden locomotive.
The listing doesn’t say anything about the vehicle, but the pictures are worth a thousand words. As you can see, the model has been gutted and equipped with custom wooden bodywork.
The front end features a wooden cowcatcher and a boxy engine compartment. The latter is topped with a wooden ‘barrel’ that is designed to resemble a steam engine cylinder.
The unique styling continues further back as there’s a wooden roof and an open interior with a U-shaped rear bench. We can also see a wooden dashboard, wood flooring and a wood center console. About the only things that reveal the model’s identity are the steering wheel, center stack and circular air vents.
Continuing out back, the Commander has a wooden fascia and a platform that holds a grill. Needless to say, the latter might be a bit of a fire hazard.
There’s no word on why the particular customization took place, but the model appears to be street-legal as it features head- and taillights as well as mirrors and a seatbelt for the driver.
While a lot of questions remain, the 2008 Commander was offered with three different engines including a 3.7-liter V6 that produced 210 hp (157 kW / 213 PS) and 235 lb-ft (319 Nm) of torque. Customers could also opt for a 4.7-liter V8 pumping out 305 hp (227 kW / 309 PS) and 334 lb-ft (453 Nm) of torque. Sitting at the top of the range was a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 with 330 hp (246 kW / 335 PS) and 375 lb-ft (508 Nm).
There’s no word on what powers this particular model, but speed probably isn’t its forte.