The Mercedes-Benz Unimog
The Mercedes-Benz Unimog has become iconic over the years. It is known for its relentless ability to go just about anywhere, and is also used in various applications - from farming to setting records, this workhorse will get the job done.
The Unimog started life in 1948 at Boehringer in Göppingen, Germany. It was only in 1951 that Daimler-Benz took over the manufacturing process of this go-anywhere machine. However, the first Unimog to feature the three-pointed Mercedes-Benz star was only introduced in 1953. Since then, the Unimog has been used for various applications, one application being that of setting new world records.
Related: Mercedes-Benz Unimog in the Agri-sector.
Reaching new heights
A pair of Unimogs have now set a new world record by reaching the highest altitude of any wheeled vehicle, attaining the record-setting altitude of 6 694 meters above sea level. The vehicles were driven up Ojos del Salado, the world's tallest active volcano, which is located in the Atacama Desert in Chile. The Volcano itself is 6 893 meters high, which means that the pair were only 200m from the summit.
To put the height into perspective, the pair of Unimogs reached a height higher than that of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The purpose of this trip wasn’t just to set a record, however: these Unimogs were actually doing what they were designed to do, and that’s work. A crew of 10 people was using these Unimogs to install four radio transmitters at the high-altitude camp on the mountain, to be used for emergencies involving mountaineers and researchers.
The Unimogs that accomplished the task were obviously not standard, having been custom-built by Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks for this excursion. The trucks featured large off-road tires, winches and a custom built body that can adjust its centre of gravity for stability.
Related: The Terrain Tamer gets honoured.
Unimog history
The first Unimog was designed by Albert Friedrich and Heinrich Rößler, shortly after World War II, for use in agriculture. The Unimog was designed with rear-wheel drive and selectable four-wheel drive, and it offers equal-size wheels. This is so that it can be driven on roads at higher speeds than standard farm tractors. Due to their off-road capabilities, Unimogs can be found in jungles, on mountains, and navigating deserts as military vehicles. They are even used by fire fighters, expedition campers - and in some cases, just for leisure.
Related: The Unimog turns 70 - the truly remarkable universal vehicle.
The latest Unimog from Mercedes-Benz features a host of modern features, rugged designs, and a variety of optional extras which can transform any Unimog into the specialised machine that it really wants to be.