An iconic SUV? Yes, already

SUVs are so popular these days that it’s perhaps only a matter of time before family wagons of different eras begin to acquire new-found classic cachet. Not that we’re struggling to come up with feelings of joy at the sight of expert American 4x4 restomodder Icon’s latest restoration.

Before it was replaced by the Grand Cherokee, the Jeep Wagoneer was America’s land yacht for the larger family for nearly 30 years.

Featuring copious amounts of seating and luggage space and a thirst for fuel that would have had Texan oil tycoons rubbing their hands with glee, the Wagoneer introduced the idea of the SUV as far back as 1963.

We’ve already praised Icon in the past: it has made its name as a restorer of some of the finest Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40s that (a lot of) money can buy. Icon has also revitalised some swishlooking Ford Broncos of late, following the same new-underold-skin template.

The gorgeous 1965-era Icon Wagoneer the company recently unveiled continues the theme. It looks stock but features a 6.2-litre Chevy LS3 V8, with plenty of modern componentry inside the cabin and up-rated Fox shock absorbers. True to tradition, the Wagoneer features a Dana 60 rear axle and Dana 44 front axle. At least the woodgrain panel trim decals were left in place.

Of course, the Icon Wagoneer started us thinking; which of the many current SUVs available in

2018 might one day become a future classic? In decades to come, will an Icon-style restomodder disassemble and then reassemble a first-generation Volkswagen Touareg? Will a classic show-and-shine event in

2040 feature carefully polished Ford Territorys and gleaming BMW X3s, upstaged by that stillpretty Volvo XC90 with the ‘Best In Show’ ribbon under its quaint windscreen wiper?