Soon, Aroldis Chapman will be strutting through the streets of New York, and he will be difficult to ignore.
The Yankees closer now owns a six-wheel Jeep outfitted with black Kevlar on the exterior and red fabric on the interior, complete with Chapman’s “The Cuban Missile” logo.
The proprietor of South Florida Jeeps, Joe Ghattas, told The Post that the vehicle is a “monster.” It is enormous, noisy, and offensive to all of the senses.
Chapman entered the shop, which specializes in custom-made items, two months ago seeking “something really wild,” according to Ghattas. As initially reported by TMZ, they did so for a price tag of $150,000.
Chapman was enthusiastic about all of Ghattas’s suggestions, and he added his own personal touch by requesting Kevlar lining. Ghattas and his team cut a Jeep’s frame in half, extended it by four feet, added an additional axle, and handcrafted the remainder of the SUV. It has a 600-horsepower twin-turbo diesel engine and is loaded with other features inside.
Recently, he arrived to test drive it, Ghattas said. “He speaks very little English, but he was beaming from ear to ear. He stated, “This is f—ing awesome!”
Among others, the company has customized Jeeps for Hassan Whiteside and Scott Disick.
Chapman, who has been bulking up in preparation for the 2020 season, is anticipated to arrive in New York this week, when the Yankees report for their second spring training session on Wednesday. Ghattas stated that Chapman intended to bring the new vehicle with him, and while there may not be much opportunity for off-roading — with six-wheel drive, it is “unstuckable,” Ghattas said — he should be well protected on the way to Yankee Stadium.