Germany in the later 1940s was a reasonably tough blank space to call home . The Second World War had just drawn to a close , and the nation suffered a defeat that devastated its entire substructure . Roads , factories and whole cities lay in ruination . As such , Germany needed a fomite that could ill-treat up to the plate and perform the staggeringly hard undertaking of rebuild the country .
The company that come up with a resolution was Mercedes - Benz , and the fomite they make was promise the Unimog . TheUnimog , unforesightful for Universal - Motor - Geraet or Universal Motor Implement in German , was an extraordinarily capable motortruck that could go just about anywhere and do just about anything . Originally build for agrarian purposes , the Unimog grew into an industrial and military fomite that derive a sizable follow all over the world and continues to be built today .
It ’s more than just a big truck . The modern Unimog is a high - technical school , all - cycle - drivebeast that eats muddy roadstead , big J. J. Hill and river rapids for breakfast . It ’s used by everyone from Farmer to theSpecial Forces , and it even has a cult abide by in North America despite having to be specially imported here .
To quote Mercedes - Benz : " Over the decades the Unimog has long proven its worth as a hard - working jack - of - all - trades all over the humanity . Its basic concept has stay unchanged : great versatility for assignments of every kind , extreme off - road capability by virtue of all - wheel cause , portal axles and differential locks – at front and rearward – a succinct taxicab , great hardiness and provisions for mounting a wide miscellanea of working implements " [ source : Mercedes - Benz ] .
In this article , we ’ll probe the decades - long history of the Unimog and look at how it has evolved from a ruffianly farm truck into one of the most various off - roaders on the satellite . We ’ll also learn about the incredible technology Mercedes - Benz builds into these trucks so they can live up to their report of being capable to handle anything .
Unimog History
After World War II ended , the program the Allied Powers invent for restructuring Germany was to make it a principally farming country – heavy industries were to be eliminated in lodge to keep the body politic from build up weapons of war again .
To that remainder , a Daimler - Benz railroad engineer name Albert Friedrich lead off to explicate a fresh type of tractor that differed greatly from established farm vehicles . The first Unimog image were created in 1947 , and boast a slop bonnet with a canvas ceiling , a cartridge - hand truck layer and monolithic tires . Large - scale production began in 1948 [ source : Unimog International ] .
By the fifties , the industrial restrictions on Germany were lifted , and many begin to see the Unimog ’s potential beyond the farm . The vehicle was used as a autobus , as military transport and as a construction vehicle . Over the years Mercedes total more powerfuldiesel enginesand more sophisticated technology , like synchronizedtransmissionsand betterfour - wheel - drivesystems .
As the fomite ’s popularity increase , so did its model range . By the 1960s Mercedes was sell a variety of Unimogs in different sizes for unlike purposes . The tall , flat - nosed vehicles issue forth as pickup trucks , tractors , industrial vehicle and other configurations .
Though comparatively compact compare to , say , an 18 - Sir Mortimer Wheeler semi truck , by the 1980s the Unimog frolic two or three axles , a 240 - horsepowerengine ( about 10 times the powerfulness outturn of its original powerplant ! ) and a gross - vehicle weight military rank of between 4 and 14 tons ( 3,629 and 12,701 kilograms ) calculate on the model .
Not long after the vehicle ’s 50th birthday , new Unimogs were unveil for even more use , such as forest firefighting and catastrophe aid . Today , Unimogs can be purchase novel in several different organic structure size of it and can be customized with different attachments . They also sport a miscellanea of transmission and extremely powerful , low - emissions Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel engines .
Up next , what make the Unimog so successful that it ’s been in production since the 1940s ? The solution : impressive technology that makes it worthy of wearing a Mercedes - Benz genius on its grille .
Unimog Features
Versatility has long been one of the Unimog ’s strongest suits . Whether it ’s drag , scotch impassible terrain or sonorous farm work that ’s needed , there ’s a Unimog that has the correct size and equipment for the job . There is no such matter as a standard Unimog – each one is built to the customer ’s stipulation [ origin : Rocky Mountain Moggers ] .
The current Unimog lineup come in three flavors : the compact U20 , billed as being one of the most maneuverablefour - wheel - drivecommercial vehicles usable ; the mid - size U300 , U400 and U500 , which straddle between 10 and 14 understructure ( 3 and 4.3 meters ) long and include the luxury " Black Edition " off - roader ; and the heavy - duty , 17 - foot ( 5.2 - metre ) long U4000 and U5000 with all - wheel - drive capabilities that can take it anywhere [ seed : Unimog International ] .
The front taxicab is small and stub - nosed , leaving the back part and sides of the fomite to be customized with attachments like a truck bed , loading crane , Sir Henry Joseph Wood chipper or even astreet carpet sweeper . Unimogs boast attachment areas on their bodies with hydraulics that can operate snowplough and grass mower . There are literally thousands of agency to customize a Unimog to suit any task . In improver , they ’re contrive to carry a mixture of tools in numerous compartments .
The Unimog is power by a lineal - injectant , turbo diesel four- or six - piston chamber engine with loads of torsion , featuring Mercedes ' emission - reduce BlueTec scheme . The engine can alternate between " driving mode " and " working mode " for maximum smoothness and fuel efficiency . transmittance are just as sophisticated , with an available planetary automatonlike gearbox and a transmission with eight forward geartrain and as many as eight reverse gear so it can move big slews in any guidance . They can also travel at upper of 55 to 60 mile per time of day ( 88.5 to 96.6 kilometers per hour ) [ informant : Unimog International ] .
More features include hydraulic devices that can be control by only stop up them into stations on the Unimog ’s body , and equipment that lets the driver hold tire press at the touch of a button – this keeps the vehicle from slump into soft surfaces .
We ’ve learn how engineering and customization have made the Unimog a pop vehicle . But who use a Unimog ? In the next section , we ’ll examine the people who put Unimogs to function – and play – all over the macrocosm .
Who Uses Unimogs?
Unimogs have gained fans from all over the world . So far , they have n’t been very uncouth in North America , however , due to a deficiency of dealers on this side of the pond . However , many Unimog fans can import the vehicle through various channels . People buy them used and go on outings with other Unimog owners , such as the members of the Rocky Mountain Moggers in the United States . Many people use them as recreational off - road fomite , too [ germ : Rocky Mountain Moggers ] .
In Europe , Africa and Asia , Unimogs are purchased by governments and business as construction and hauling fomite . They ’re also quite common in the military . The British Special Boat Service uses them to get across rugged terrain , and the German U. S. Army employs the trucks as haulers of people and equipment .
So where can someone in the United States buy a Unimog ? As with all things , the Internet has made it easier than ever . WWW sites like Unimogsales.com sell a variety of mannikin , including military truck , snow plows , Stephen Crane - equip ' Mogs andfirefightingunits . old ones can be bought from web site likeClassicUnimogs.com .
Some of the Unimogs number on these sites and others may need to be imported from other countries , while others found online are already located in America . Lots of domestic one can be found on theUnimog Exchange , a kind ofCraigslistfor the vehicles .
Like the versatile Unimog itself , if you require one , you have a muckle of options to get one depending on how much you ’re willing to give for it . Just be ready to answer lots of questions from curious automobilist the next time you fill up up its gas storage tank !
For more information about Unimogs , motortruck and other related topics , follow the links on the next page .
