After a full day of wheeling at Adventure Off Road Park, Adam Woodlee sat down with Richard McIntosh to talk about the Urban Rebel Rock Bouncer, the build process behind it, and what it was like seeing the buggy fully completed for the first time.
From Supercars to Rock Bouncers
Richard came into the off-road world from a background filled with Ferraris and Porsches. So when he decided to build an off-road buggy, he wasn’t looking for something average. He wanted:
- premium engineering
- top-level craftsmanship
- proven drivetrain components
- reliability
- and a buggy capable of handling serious abuse
During the interview, Richard describes Wide Open Design as “the Rolls Royce and Bentley of buggies.” That vision became the foundation for the Urban Rebel build.
Collaboration Through the Entire Build
One of the biggest themes throughout the interview was collaboration. Richard talks about how the Wide Open Design team worked closely with him during the entire build process from selecting components to balancing appearance and performance. Instead of simply pushing predetermined parts packages, the build evolved through constant back-and-forth conversations between Richard and the WOD team. That collaboration led to many of the standout visual details on the buggy including:
- custom metalwork
- bead rolling
- mesh panels
- color combinations
- interior finishing touches
Built Around Proven Components
From the beginning, Richard knew he wanted a drivetrain package built for durability and performance. The buggy was equipped with:
- 700+ horsepower Mast Motorsports V8
- Turbo 400 transmission
- Crane 14-Bolt axles
- Crane Axle Magnum Knuckles
- heavy-duty drivetrain components throughout
The goal wasn’t simply to build something flashy. The goal was to build a machine capable of hard trail riding, rock crawling, and future horsepower upgrades without constantly worrying about failures.
First Day on the Trails
The interview took place after Richard spent his first real day driving the Urban Rebel at AOP. After tackling steep climbs and difficult terrain, his first impressions were clear: the buggy exceeded expectations.
The combination of:
- massive horsepower
- suspension performance
- drivetrain strength
- visibility
- and overall stability
gave Richard a completely different driving experience compared to previous off-road vehicles. As Adam explains during the interview, the buggy was intentionally built stronger than its current power level requires, leaving room for future growth and abuse without compromising reliability.
Final Thoughts
The Urban Rebel perfectly represents what happens when high-end engineering, experienced fabrication, proven off-road components and strong customer collaboration all come together in one build. It’s not just another buggy. It’s a purpose-built machine designed to perform at the highest level while still delivering the fit, finish, and attention to detail expected from a truly premium custom build.
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