This 1970 Chevy Suburban Costs More Than Most Supercars

Chris Teague
by Chris Teague

Icon’s vehicles have never been cheap, but its latest vehicle goes above and beyond. The company has long offered custom resto-modded SUVs with deep-six-figure price tags, and it’s now set its sights on the Chevy Suburban. Called the Reformer, the updated, hand-built SUV sports 1,000 horsepower and a $1.1 million starting price.


That’s a shocking number, but this is a one-of-one vehicle commissioned by a well-heeled Icon customer. Company CEO Jonathon Ward said. “This client wanted us to stretch creatively, which resulted in more aggressive performance and styling than we typically opt for.”

Icon will reveal the wild 1970 Suburban in the flesh on November 19th at a charity event in Southern California. The SUV started as a bone-stock factory three-door and got an NRE twin-turbo Alien LS 427 motor making 1,000 horsepower and 900 pound-feet of torque. Icon said it aimed for reliability with the setup, noting that the driver can idle with the AC on in traffic at 900 rpm.


Icon employed a custom four-wheel independent chassis for the build, and power reaches the wheels through a 4L85 automatic transmission. Brembo brakes, HRE custom wheels, and performance tires keep the SUV on the road and stopping safely. Interior touches include several hand-made bespoke touches, and Icon said it went over every button, knob, and dial as part of the project.

[Image: Icon]


Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by  subscribing to our newsletter.

Chris Teague
Chris Teague

Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.

More by Chris Teague

Comments
Join the conversation
5 of 30 comments
  • Carson D Carson D on Nov 10, 2023

    I don't have a million dollars extra to put into a custom truck, so I suppose my opinion doesn't really matter. That thing looks like twenty-five thousand dollars poorly spent to me anyway.

  • Abraham Abraham on Nov 11, 2023
    1. Sits kinda low.
    2. Bumpers are just wrong, they should have jazzed those up and integrated them into the body a little.
    3. 1.1 million dollars? Okay…
  • SCE to AUX Yes, I'll miss it, and it doesn't make sense to kill off your 3rd-best seller. 2023 was its best year since 2018.
  • SCE to AUX This was the same car I had (05 xB, stick, "camouflage" color) for 7 years - great car.We called ours "The Lunchbox". I added aftermarket wheels, and the 3rd-party cruise control the dealers could install.It suffered only two failures: bad window switch in week 2 (dealer fixed in 1 hour), bad trailing O2 sensor (fixed myself for $70). Fuel economy was always 28-34 mpg.It was a potential death trap, and ride quality became unbearable after 2 hours. I once did a 10-hour round trip in it and could barely walk after.Traded it for a 2012 Leaf, which was a better car in some ways.
  • Bd2 The "e" nomenclature signifies the e-ATPs which BMW is pursuing.
  • Dave M. I'm sorry to see any storied name go away. The lifespan of the Malibu has fit perfectly in my lifetime years-wise. Some of the highlights include the first and second generations, the '78 revamp (very clean design), and the 2005 generation. Ford, GM and Mopar gave this segment away by allowing Toyota and Honda a foot in the door and then always having to play catch-up. How hard is it to make a truly competitive sedan at a profit? Obviously, Japan Inc. figured it out.I've driven a few rentals these past years; the Malibu got the job done but honestly the Passat and Altima were my rental preferences.
  • Kcflyer actually yes. It's a shame that a product this uncompetitive can still outsell GM's entire EV offerings. Those products have had billions thrown at them. Imagine how nice the new Malibu, Impala, SS, and Lacrosse would be with that kind of commitment.
Next