The 2000s ultimately saw a range of beefy Unimogs enter the scene, including the U 400 and U 500 featured here. It wasn’t so much an off-roader as a small city vehicle, designed to maneuver around tight streets and even sidewalks. However, and even ligher model called the UX100 (pictured above) also debuted that year. Diagonal lines replaced curves on the hood, and the lights moved lower into the bumper.Īnother light model refresh came in 1996 for the 409. A rounded hood with a 425-series cab gave the enduring off-roader a fresher, more modern appearance.Ī slightly edgier design debuted in 1992 for the light 408 series. With production of the old 404 models ending in 1980, a new Unimog era dawned in 1985 with the light 407 and medium 427 series. Though certainly capable as an off-road machine, the 425 model in 1974 was the first heavy-duty Unimog to enter production. This owes to the Unimog’s original idea of being an Ag vehicle for use on farms as well as roads. The Unimog was also a tractor! Starting in 1972, the MB Trac was offered as a body-on-frame 4WD tractor with conventional steering. The 416 features a longer wheelbase, and this era saw the 100,000th Unimog built. Sometimes called the middle series, the 406 entered production in 1963 with a six-cylinder diesel. The Mercedes three-star emblem and an enclosed cabin appeared in 1953, creating the iconic Unimog style that still endures in basic form to this day.ġ955 marked the first year of the 404 series, and the platform would ultimately stay in production for 25 years. In 1951, Daimler-Benz took over Unimog assembly and tooled it for mass production. It was built by Boehringer though it featured a Mercedes-sourced diesel engine. Here’s a look at the Unimog through the years, including a couple of variations you may not have known about. The end result is this breakdown of 12 models, spanning from the very beginning to today. As such, the team at Fleet Logging organized the monster Mercedes by models with a general focus on the decades in which they were offered. There have been so many adaptations for various roles that it’s tough to group them all together. It’s actually difficult to step through the various Unimog generations. Originally designed to be an agricultural-use vehicle in post World War II Germany, it’s become an unstoppable off-roader used in commercial and personal applications far too numerous to mention. Only a few have attained legendary status, and the Mercedes-Benz Unimog is arguably one of them. There have been many good and even great vehicles since the first motorcars appeared at the end of the 19th century. This not only proves the Unimog is a solid off-road vehicle, but it’s literally capable of reaching unfounded heights. Early in 2020, the Unimog achieved ‘king of the hill’ status by reaching an amazing altitude of 6,694 meters or 21,962 feet above sea level.
#UNIMOG U1300 AG DRIVER#
Still, this probably won't be a daily driver for its eventual owner, who might instead appreciate the 22-inch wheels and Michelin XZL 445/65 tires, the air suspension, the trailer brake system, roll bar, Hella lights or the flatbed-complete with a built-in bench seat for three.We know the Mercedes-Benz Unimog as a record-breaking off-road vehicle. Designed more for commercial use, it only complies with Euro 3 emissions regulations which came into force in January 2000 and permit over ten times the harmful particulate matter that current European regulations do. Schwarzenegger might have been supportive of several green policies during his time as Governator of California, but the Unimog's 6.4-liter, 320-horsepower turbodiesel isn't exactly the cleanest of lumps.
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As a 1977 model, it also benefits from full vintage car approval in its home country-though it does have a more modern engine. Whatever happens, you'll have a pretty striking vehicle which is road-legal in the U.S, as well as its native Germany. And if you've got the required 200,000 euros or so to buy it, you too can absorb some of Arnie's powers. Now, his Unimog-a Unimog U1300 SE 6.4 made to his own specifications-is up for sale on German classifieds Mobile (via World Car Fans). The man who made a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy look small in Terminator 2: Judgement Day has counted a HumVee, a Unimog and even a tank among his personal vehicles, all of which seem strangely appropriate for a man who made his name beating, shooting and killing his foes on the silver screen. Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of those people. Some people just don't look right in regular cars.