World’s Largest Off-Road Show Features Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks

The “Adventure and All-Wheel Drive” show is breathtaking automobile extravaganza held in a small town of Bad Kissingen in Germany. This year, the camp will be opened from 31st of May to 3rd June. Unlike other gatherings or exhibitions, this one features long-distance tourers and globetrotters from every part of the globe. The show is also considered as World’s largest off-road festival and this year, some special trucks from Mercedes Benz will be featured at the show. The all-terrain Unimog and all-wheel drive Zetros provides an ideal basis for long-distance touring.

All-terrain Unimog U 4023 and U 5023
The Unimog comes in two variants, U 4023 and U 5023. The legendary UNIversal-MOtor-Gerät (UNIversal MOtor vehicle) with its uncompromising all-terrain capability and more than seven decades of development experience remains undeterred on unmetalled roads and tracks where others have long thrown in the towel. One of the highlighting features of UNIMOG trucks are portal axles, selectable all-wheel drive, inter-axle lock and differential lock in both axles and base strength from extremely torsionally flexible frame. With the “Tirecontrol plus” tyre pressure control system, the correct tyre pressure can be conveniently and automatically set by selecting the preset modes “Road”, “Off-road” or “Sand” at the touch of a button while on the move. Also helpful for traction are the single tyres and off-road reduction range of the Unimog.

Unimogs are powered by 5132cc, Euro VI, four-cylinder engine which delivers a maximum power output of 231 bhp and peak torque of 900 Nm. Moreover, Unimog can be transformed into a touring mobile home with a permissible gross vehicle weight of 7.5 to 14.5 tonnes. Therefore, Unimog can be an ideal partner for expeditions, extended tours or outdoor excursions. On request, the Unimog is also available as a Euro III/Euro V model.

Mercedes-Benz Zetros
The Zetros is a robust all-terrain truck that combines the off-road capabilities of a Unimog with the high payload of a heavy truck. It is available in two-axle (1833) and three-axle (2733) variants. Designed as a cab-behind-engine truck, the Zetros like the Unimog seats the driver behind the front axle for safe and comfortable off-road handling characteristics. Permanent all-wheel drive, a two-speed transfer case, differential locks and the high torsional flexibility of the chassis ensure maximum traction. The major assemblies and components of the Zetros come from the large-scale series production truck models. The Zetros is powered by a six-cylinder in-line engine (only Euro III/V) with a displacement of 7.2 litres and 240 kW (326 hp), which can optionally be combined with a six-speed automatic transmission. The fording depth is up to 1190 mm, with a slope climbing ability of 80 percent.

Skilled and highly specialised bodybuilders turn the Unimog into an expedition vehicle – U 4023 crewcab by Hellgeth

There are several very interesting vehicle displayed on the stand shared by Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks and Hellgeth Engineering (M 15): for example a Unimog U 4023 with a crewcab and extensive enhancements by Unimog specialist Hellgeth, a U 4023 chassis optimised for mobile home bodies and a U 4023 and U 4000 with platform and tarpaulin. A Zetros 1833 chasis is also exhibited. Hellgeth Engineering specialises in converting the U 4023/U 5023 from 4 cylinders to 6 cylinders, and individualising Unimog and Zetros chassis for special purposes such as disaster relief, expedition vehicles, rally vehicles or simply recreational vehicles. Hellgeth also offers a wide range of interior appointments. These include e.g. special suspension options, CRP bumpers, multi-section light-alloy wheel, additional tanks or optimised noise and thermal insulation for improved comfort.

Unimog and Zetros by Bliss Mobil
Bliss Mobil based in the Netherlands uses the advantages of a container system for its mobile home bodies. Chassis with wheelbases between 3250 mm and 5400 mm can be equipped with corresponding living units. A Zetros 6×6 with a 20 ft living unit and a Unimog U 5023 with a 13 ft cabin can be seen on stand M 14 in Bad Kissingen. The roughly 4.2-tonne expedition body of the Zetros provides living space for up to four people, and has exactly the same dimensions as a freight container. This means that it can be transported and shipped just like a container. 565 litres of fresh water can be stored in two tanks. Six solar modules have a power output of around 1.9 kW. With additional diesel tanks, ranges of up to 2500 kilometres are possible.

The 13 ft body of the Unimog weighs around 2300 kg, and in combination with the Unimog it makes an ideal expedition vehicle for two people. The standard model has a water supply of 300 litres, and four solar modules with a capacity of 0.96 kW. The system is quickly demountable, i.e. the body can be rapidly replaced by a platform.

Unimog U 4023 as a long-distance tourer by Bocklet
For a good three decades, Bocklet based in Koblenz has produced individual long-distance touring vehicles to customer specification like the Unimog Dakar U690 based on the U 4023 (stand M 18). With an overall length of 6.87 m and a width of 2.34 m, the Dakar U690 is relatively compact for a long-distance tourer. The GRP box body has an interior width of 2.20 m, a length of 4.25 m and a standing height of 1.95 m. The tanks for fresh and waste water have capacities of 250 litres and 130 litres respectively, and are internally located with a heating system. The washroom is directly adjacent to the cab ands features a wash-basin, shower and cassette toilet. The kitchen unit in the centre on the driver’s side has a double burner, sink, household fittings and plenty of stowage space supplemented by roof stowage boxes. An 80-litre compressor refrigerator keeps food and drinks fresh and cool. The rear area is ocupied by the bed with a sleeping surface of 200 cm x 130 cm.

Moghome by Ziegler Adventure
The Unimog U 4023 with a comfortably equipped mobile home body by Ziegler Adventure is robust and off-road capable. The vehicle’s features include a well-equipped kitchen with a microwave/oven combination, an induction hob and a water filtering system. The toilet and shower areas are separate, and the occupants sleep on a lowerable bed above the seating group. A modern electrical system with lithium-ion batteries and solar panels supplies the vehicle with electrical energy in an environmentally friendly manner. Ziegler Adventure is bringing two Unimog U 4023 with different floor plans to Bad Kissingen, and they can be seen on stand Z 15.

Just like the modern passenger cars and exotic sports cars, all-wheel-drive vehicles from Mercedes-Benz continues to impress the people and customers. Unimog and Zetros are among the world’s most widespread all-terrain trucks. All their components have been tried and tested many thousands of times, and guarantee a high level of reliability with their high Mercedes-Benz quality. Moreover, the worldwide service network, availability of spare parts and presence of service partners and road assistance in over 130 countries with over 650 Unimog service outlets make it best choice among the all-wheel-drive trucks.