BAW Automotive's mean and green 200 Series

You've no doubt seen or read about vehicles built overseas in the US of A for SEMA, one of the wildest automotive shows in the world.

Well, some of those vehicles might be incredible to look at from afar, but once you get up close they are severely lacking, and honestly just downright unsafe in some cases.

When I first laid eyes on the BAW Automotive chopped 200 Series at the 2022 Brisbane 4WD Show, my first thought was 'this is how you build a show car'. This is an Aussie version of a SEMA build done right, but it is also so much more than that.

This isn’t something to be hidden away and covered in a tarp, only to be wheeled out for trade shows a few times a year to showcase the work that Queensland-based BAW Automotive undertake on a day-to-day basis.

No, this is the family vehicle of BAW Automotive's owners – their daily driver, their tourer and the vehicle used to pick their three kids up from school. That’s a tough gig for any vehicle, let alone something so unique and heavily customised.

All you have to do is take a look at the interior to see just how much effort has gone in to this rig, it’s over the top but in all the right ways.

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Let’s not forget the paint job on the 200 Series, splashed in the now uniquely BAW Automotive Nori Green, somewhat a signature move for the company having other vehicles in their fleet painted the same colour.

Why the 200 Series instead of a 300 Series, or just stick with the BAW Automotive 79 Series we featured back in issue 460 of 4X4 Australia?

“After building the 79 Series with every accessory imaginable, the weight of the vehicle had essentially reached its maximum GVM, so it wasn’t terribly suitable for towing unless we remove the canopy,” Amy Westbrook, the general manager and owner of this 200 Series tells us.

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“Our three children have grown considerably since the purchase of the 79 and it didn’t quite fit our family anymore. We were hoping to wait for a 300 Series, but the delay in the new model meant we made a choice to purchase a 200 Series in the last run of production in September 2020, the vehicle arrived in February 2021.”

With this build, the BAW Automotive team told us they have deliberately left the canopy quite open for the vehicle to be able to be used as a ‘mums taxi’ Monday to Friday, then loaded up for trips when required. The tent and awning are simply removed when towing to decrease weight of the vehicle to make sure they stay within the legal limits.

So that’s the reason why this glorious 200 Series was created and, as shown hereabouts, what the BAW Automotive team has achieved with this one-of-a-kind show-worthy vehicle that actually gets used daily and on off-road adventures.

Stretched chassis

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With a 350mm chassis extension, the ¾-sized Boss Aluminium canopy is the perfect match. Amy Westbrook, BAW GM and owner of this 200 Series, told us they leave it empty for the 9 to 5, then load it up for trips away to keep the vehicle versatile.

Frontal protection

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A Jungle 4x4 front bar is a unique choice and gives the front end of the 200 Series an aggressive look. It’s also the perfect place to mount the 17,000lb Sherpa winch, which should have enough grunt to pull the fully loaded Cruiser and a camper out of any bog.

Canopy storage

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Inside the Boss Aluminium canopy there’s plenty of space left for clothes bags or last-minute firewood runs, and still loads of full-time storage options, including an Engel fridge mounted to a Clearview Easy Slide. Being a family vehicle the LC200 has to be good at everything, not just a great camping 4x4. A job well done, I say.

Show-spec interior

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The interior and seats in the BAW Automotive 200 Series are a work of art, with custom leather work, green stitching and the BAW logo prominent throughout. You have to see this thing in the flesh, to truly appreciate how much work has gone in to this one-of-a-kind interior.

Lifted

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Adjustable high-end Kings suspension has been used on all four corners. In typical BAW Automotive fashion, even the coil springs and upper control arms have been given attention with a slash of green paint.

Off-road rubber

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There’s a total of six tyres bolted to the BAW 200 Series, with the preferred choice of rubber being Yokohama X-AT in a 285x70R17 size mounted to ROH Sniper alloy wheels.

GVM upgrade

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The rear end of the 200 Series sees a JMACX rear axle housing for increased strength, and to help allow the GVM upgrade to 4200kg. A Brown Davis 185L long-range fuel tank provides a decent increase in touring range.

Shelter for days

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The Boss Aluminium 270-degree awning sets up in next to no time according to the BAW team, and provides loads of shelter from the scorching Queensland sun.

More power

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Engine performance hasn’t been left standard as you’d expect, starting with a Safari Armax performance ECU and PWR thermo fans mounted on top of the factory intercooler for lower intake temps. A Torqit DPF back exhaust adds a nice note to the grumpy twin-turbo V8 diesel.

Touring mods

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The 150W of solar mounted to a Rhino-Rack Pioneer platform gives charge to the Invicta lithium battery system when parked up. The roof platform is also the perfect place for the Xray Vision quad-optic light bar and four Maxtrax recovery boards mounted on the driver’s side.

BAW Automotive's LC200 specs

ENGINE
Rapid Power water-cooled fully sealed alternator, PWR thermo fans mounted to OEM intercooler, Direction Plus pre-filter and Provent oil separator, Safari ARMAX ECU and snorkel.

EXHAUST
Torqit DPF back performance exhaust system

DIFFS
Eaton E-locker locking differentials

BRAKES
Stock 200 Series

SUSPENSION
4200kg GVM upgrade with Kings Suspension, JMACX fully fabricated diff housing, Airbag Man airbags with in-cab inflation

WHEELS/TYRES
ROH Sniper wheels in 17x9 size with +35 offset, Yokohama Geolander X-AT tyres in 285x70R17 size

ELECTRICAL
Under-bonnet Invicta SNLMAX lithium battery, Clearview Accessories Powerboard electric steps, Clearview Powerfold mirrors, Clearview fridge slide with Engel fridge, Cel-Fi Go mobile repeater kit and GME XRS UHF

CANOPY + PANEL WORK
The 200 Series Dual Cab Conversion with 350mm extension and custom 70 Series bonnet graft with full custom respray in Nori Green Pearl; Boss Aluminium premium flatbed tray with Boss Aluminium M-Spec ¾-canopy; Boss Aluminium RT1 rooftop tent and 270-degree awning

SPECIAL THANKS
All of the BAW Automotive Team, Boss Aluminium, Jungle 4X4, Sherpa 4X4, Safari Engineering, A1 Custom Detailing, Xray Vision, Invicta Batteries, Clearview Accessories.

WEBSITE: www.bawauto.com.au