thumb|1948 [[Unimog 70200|Boehringer Unimog 70200 ]]
thumb|1960s [[Unimog 404 fire engine TLF 8/8. The 404S was mainly used for military duty ]]
thumb|1970s [[Unimog 406 with large ground clearance due to its portal axles ]]
thumb|2018 [[Unimog 437.4 Firefighter]]
The Unimog (; []) is a Daimler Truck line of multi-purpose, highly off-road-capable AWD vehicles produced since 1948. Utilizing engine-driven power take-offs (PTOs), Unimogs have operated in the roles of tractors, light trucks and lorries, for snow plowing, in agriculture, forestry, rural firefighting, in the military, and even in rallying and as recreational vehicles.
Overview
Conceived in 1944 in response to the Morgenthau Plan, former Daimler-Benz airplane engine engineers developed prototypes under occupation. The small universally-applicable motorised 25hp workhorse was designed to be able to fit over two rows of potatoes to work on fields like a slow agricultural tractor, but with four equal size wheels on portal axles, coil spring suspension, and many gears allowing it to run on roads like a truck. Unimog production started in 1948 at in Göppingen. When larger production numbers were needed, Daimler-Benz took over manufacture of the Unimog in 1951, and first produced it in their Gaggenau plant, and the Unimog was sold under the Mercedes-Benz brand. However, the first Unimog to feature the three-pointed Mercedes-Benz star instead of the Boehringer bullhead was only introduced in 1953. From 1973, the more tractor-like sister product MB-trac was offered by Daimler-Benz before its production was discontinued in 1991.
Since 2002, the Unimog has been built in the Mercedes-Benz truck plant in Wörth am Rhein in Germany. The Mercedes-Benz Türk A.Ş. plant assembles Unimogs in Aksaray, Turkey. Unimogs were also built in Argentina (the first country to do so outside Germany) by Mercedes-Benz Argentina S.A., under licence, from 1968 to 1983 (with some extra units built from parts in stock up until 1991) in the González Catán factory near the city of Buenos Aires.
Due to their off-road capabilities, Unimogs can be found in jungles, mountains and deserts as military vehicles, fire fighters, expedition campers, and even in competitions like truck trials and Dakar Rally rally raids. In Western Europe, they are commonly used as snowploughs, municipal equipment carriers, agricultural implements, forest ranger vehicles, construction equipment or road–rail vehicles and as army personnel or equipment carriers (in its armoured military version). New Unimogs can be purchased in one of two series: the medium-series 405, also known as the UGN (Geräteträger, or "equipment carrier"), or the heavy-series 437, also known as the UHN (Hochgeländegängig, or "highly mobile cross-country").
Etymology
The name Unimog is an abbreviation of the German "Universal-Motor-Gerät", Gerät being the German word for a piece of equipment (also in the sense of device, machine, instrument, gear, apparatus). It was created by German engineer Hans Zabel, who made the note Universal-Motor-Gerät on a technical drawing. Later, this was abbreviated to Unimog. The shortened name was officially unveiled on 20 November 1946.
Features
thumb|[[Unimog 411 with beet lifter, 1957]]
thumb|Unimog [[Unimog 401|401, 406 and 411]]
Design
The Unimog's characteristic design element is its chassis: a flexible ladder frame with short overhangs, and coil sprung beam portal axles with a central torque tube and transverse links. Having portal axles, the wheels' centres are below the axle centre, which gives the Unimog a high ground clearance without the need for big tyres. The coil sprung axles with torque tubes allow an axle angle offset of up to , giving the wheels a wide range of vertical movement to allow the truck to drive over extremely uneven terrain, even boulders of one metre in height. Daimler-Benz designed a new frame for it, but it still shares its drivetrain with the 411-series.
With the introduction of the 406-series in 1962, Daimler-Benz laid the foundation for a completely new Unimog model family, the 406-based medium series (in the 1960s known as heavy series). It was produced until 1994. Unimogs belonging to the medium series are the series 403, 413, 406, 416, 426, and 419. These models were offered with three different wheelbases (, , ) and two engines, the straight-four and straight-six direct injected Diesel engines OM 314 and OM 352, ranging from . The light series 421 and 431 share their frame design with the 411-series, but borrow their drivetrain and cab design from the 406-series, which is why they also count as 406-related Unimogs. Soon after, the 435-series and 424-series followed, which caused a decline in Unimog 406 sales. The introduction of new engines starting in 1986 caused a shift in the series numbers, but leaving the vehicles mostly unchanged otherwise. The 424 became 427 and both 425 and 435 were joined together and became 437. A derivative of the 437-series, the 437.4-series is still in production today.
In 1988, after declining Unimog sales, Daimler-Benz launched a new strategy that was supposed to increase sales and make the Unimog more profitable, called "Unimog-Programm 1988". New models introduced with this programme were the new light series 407 and medium series 417, which ought to replace all Unimog 406-related series. and a wheelbase of 1720 mm. Later, the wheelbase was extended several times to accommodate customer needs. Starting in the mid-1950s, with the introduction of the Unimog 404, the frame received a drop. Originally, this was done to make space for a spare tyre, but soon engineers found out that the new frame would improve the torsion performance, which is why all following Unimog series also received a frame with a drop. Until 1955, the Unimog base gearbox UG-1 was a constant-mesh countershaft gearbox, it was then upgraded with synchroniser rings to a synchromesh gearbox. However, the synchromesh-version was only used for the 404-series, and the constant-mesh version remained the standard gearbox for the 411-series. In 1957, the synchromesh-version became an option for the 411-series, before it became the standard gearbox for all Unimogs in 1959. With the introduction of the UG-3-gearbox, the standard gearbox-shifter-layout was changed to an eight-speed-H-H-layout, with eight gears on one lever, without any additional switches. When shifting from "4th" into "5th" gear, the gearbox automatically shifts into range 2 and back into gear 1. Crawler gearboxes were offered as a factory option for the UG-3 gearbox as well, resulting in 24 gears. The design with the additional direction gear was kept, which means that all 24 gears can also be used in reverse mode. Since the highest final gear ratio allows top speeds of up to 110 km/h, and the reverse gear only comes with a small reduction of 1:1.03, the top speed in reverse mode is more than 100 km/h. To prevent such high reverse speeds, a lock for the second range was available as a factory option, allowing only the first range (gears "1" to "4") in reverse mode.
Engine
The initial Unimogs were equipped with passenger car engines, the first Unimog series to receive a truck engine was the 406-series in 1963. All engines use the Diesel principle, except for engines used for the Unimog 404-series and the first four Unimog prototypes, which use the Otto principle. The following engines were used as of 1947, with M being Otto and OM being Diesel engines (the list is incomplete):
- M 136 The equipment carrier versions' cab on the other hand has received several modifications since its introduction in the late 1980s, with the current version being introduced in 2000.
<gallery class=center>
File:UnimogU6.jpg|1948 Unimog U6, second oldest Unimog that still exists to this day, it is a Cabrio version without doors.
File:Unimog 401 mit geschlossener Kabine bei Wischnewski.jpg|1954 Unimog 401 with Westfalia B cab
File:Gaggenau 2016 -Unimog-Museum- by-RaBoe 102.jpg|1954 Unimog 402 with Westfalia B crew cab
File:2009 08 22 Weelde 142240 - Beautiful blue vintage Unimog 406 pickup truck.jpg|Unimog 406 with Daimler-Benz cab
File:HMH Unimog (cropped).jpg|1959 Unimog 411 with Westfalia DvF cab
File:Unimog 401 (01) (cropped).jpg|1966 Unimog 411c with a self-made cab
File:10 Jahre SRZ - Schutz & Rettung Zürich - 'Parade' 2011-05-13 20-34-22.jpg|1970s Unimog 416 with Wackenhut crew cab
File:Unimog U 1300 L (1) (cropped).jpg|1975 Unimog 435 with single cab
File:Unimog U417 (cropped).jpg|1988 Unimog 417 with single cab
File:Unimog U90 turbo (1997, 122 PS) (cropped).JPG|1997 Unimog 408 with single cab
File:Unimog 405 (UGN) in Germany used for forestry and arboriculture (cropped).jpg|2000 Unimog 405 with single cab
File:Heidelberg Airfield - Mercedes-Benz Unimog U5023 - RKF BLESES - 2018-07-20 17-52-27.jpg|2018 Unimog 437.4 with the same cab as the 1975 model
</gallery>
Pneumatics and hydraulics
The original Unimog was offered with a pneumatic system. This system was used for powering all auxiliary devices as well as the three-point linkages. Modern Unimogs also serve as military vehicles, and the current Unimog 437.4 chassis is used for the ATF Dingo. More than 5,500 Unimogs are in active service in the Turkish Armed Forces. They were produced by Mercedes-Benz Türk.
<gallery class=center>
File:Gaggenau 2016 -Unimog-Museum- by-RaBoe 049 (cropped).jpg|Swiss army ″Dieseli″ Unimog 2010
File:Unimog S 404 (Sp 2014-06-15) (cropped).JPG|The first Unimog solely designed for military purposes, the Unimog 404 from 1955
File:UNIMOGEA.JPG|Argentine Army Unimog 426
File:Unimog 4x4 engineering vehicle.JPEG|Unimog 419
File:Dingo 2.jpg|ATF Dingo
File:Mercedes Benz Unimog 2 (cropped).JPG|Mercedes Benz Unimog locally produced in Turkey and still widely used by Turkish Land Forces
File:Belgian Army, BAS 24, Brussels (P1170145).jpg|A 2022 model of Jankel Light Transport Tactical Vehicle used by Special Forces Group (Belgium)
File:Mercedes-Benz_Unimog_U_5000.jpg|A Unimog U5000 of the German Army with an armoured cabin.
</gallery>
Civilian
Unimogs are used by the German emergency management agency Technisches Hilfswerk (THW),(literally Technical Relief Organization), by fire departments and municipalities as utility vehicles. They can be used as material handlers, auxiliary power providers (generators), and equipment carriers. Their ability to operate off-road, in high water, or mud, makes it easier to access remote areas in emergency situations. They are commonly used in snow removal where other vehicles might not be able to operate. Many Alpine towns and districts are equipped with one or more Unimog snow blowers to clear narrow mountain roads that have drifted closed.
In construction, Unimogs are used as carriers of equipment and, with the optional extended cabin, also of workers. They can be equipped with a backhoe, front loader, or other contracting equipment. On railroads, Unimogs are used as rail car movers and road-rail vehicles. They have also been used in mining areas, like seen in Gold Bridge, BC, Canada.
In agriculture, Unimogs are used to operate farm equipment. While most farm field implement operations are now performed by a tractor, Unimogs are used to haul produce, machinery and animals. They are also used around the farmyard to run chippers, grain augers, and conveyors.
Unimogs are also used as a prime mover, to pull heavy trailers, large wheeled conveyances and jet airliners. Often, only the front half, (an OEM part), is combined with a tailor-made rear. for jungle ecotourism or safaris.
<gallery class=center>
File:2010-04-07 Unimog at Arthur Ibbetts machinery dealership.jpg|The modular design offers attachment capabilities for various different implements. Here shown with a flail hedge and verge trimmer implement used in agroforestry.
File:2Mercedes-Benz Unimog mit Mäharm.jpg|Unimog mowing in Germany
Two-way-vehicle unimog.jpg|Unimog 405/UGN road-rail vehicle used as a rail car mover
File:Unimog U400 at Hohenzollerndamm - Gieselerstraße in 2016.jpg|Unimog 405/UGN with HIAB crane used at a construction site
2009 08 22 Weelde 155520 (3868876302).jpg|Unimog 406 "front half" OEM part made vehicle for moving 20' containers
RW1 Marxloh.jpg|Technical rescue fire engine RW1, a common Unimog-based fire engine in Germany, based on the Unimog 435.115 (U 1300 L)
Mercedes benz unimog u4000 thw schwerin.jpg|Crew lorry MLW 2 of the THW, based on the Unimog 437 (U 4000)
File:S404-300TDI-erg-chebbi.jpg|Unimog 404 used as mobile home in the Dunes of Erg Chebbi in Morocco. Note the high ground clearance due to portal gear axles
</gallery>
North America
thumb|left|Unimog [[Pickup truck|pickup in Baltimore, Maryland]]
Unimogs have been uncommon in North America because of differing vehicle regulations and requirements from those in Germany, and due to the lack of a North American sales and support network. Most Unimog models found in North America have been imported by individual dealers or independent enthusiasts.
Between 1975 and 1980 the Case Corporation (now merged into CNH Global) imported the U-900 model into the United States and sold it through Case tractor dealerships as the MB4/94.
In 2002 DaimlerChrysler tried to re-enter the North American market with the Unimog and engaged in four years of aggressive marketing, which included activities such as; truck and trade shows, exposure on the television show Modern Marvels, numerous magazine articles and extensive demonstrations (both touring and on an individual basis). They were generally sold through Freightliner truck dealerships. Freightliner is a Daimler AG subsidiary. The UGN series was specifically manufactured for the North American market and was significantly different mechanically from its European counterpart. The UGN faced stiff competition in North America by manufacturers whose truck or equipment lines performed some of the same duties as the Unimog. Some of them are Caterpillar, John Deere, AM General, Sterling Trucks (also a Daimler AG subsidiary), and General Motors. After five years and selling only 184 Unimogs, Freightliner LLC exited the market. Daimler AG cited non-compliance with EPA07 emission requirements as the main reason for ceasing North American sales.
Motorsport
thumb|Unimog in the [[2006 Dakar Rally]]
thumb|left|Mud bogging Unimog 427
Unimogs have been used in three kinds of competition: Dakar Rally and other desert rally competitions, mud bogging, and slow-moving Truck Trials over obstacles.
Unimogs have won the truck class of the Dakar in 1982 and 1986, the latter an unexpected victory as the vehicle participated for Honda, primarily to provide support for the motorcycles of the team. High-powered factory-sponsored entries of truck companies aiming for the overall win have since taken the laurels, with Unimogs used mainly for service purposes.
Derivatives
MB-trac
thumb|[[MB-trac 1300]]
In 1968 the Unimog department in Gaggenau began development of the MB-trac, a tractor based on the Unimog 403 drivetrain. It was produced by Daimler-Benz from 1973 to 1991.
Military derivatives
thumb|[[UR-416, a police vehicle based on a Unimog 416 chassis.]]
The Unimog also serves as a technical platform for armoured vehicles like the ATF Dingo, a mine-protected utility and reconnaissance vehicle used by the German and other European Armed Forces (e.g. Belgium) for territorial defence purposes as well as in international missions.
In late Autumn 1956, Daimler-Benz started developing a new military version of the Unimog, the Unimog SH. It was based on the Unimog S and had a rear engine (German: Heckmotor), hence the name Unimog SH. were built by Boehringer. This was done mainly for two reasons: Erhard und Söhne did not have the capacity to build the Unimogs and Boehringer (a former tool manufacturer) could evade dismantling.
1951 – Daimler-Benz – Gaggenau manufacturing plant
Daimler-Benz modified the Unimog for mass production to create the series 2010 and in 1951, started its manufacture in their Gaggenau plant in Baden-Württemberg, where production continued until 2002.
1953 – The 401, 402 and the closed cab
thumb|[[Unimog 401 with a Westfalia Typ B cab, 1954]]
In 1953, the Unimog was updated and the three-pointed Mercedes star began to appear on the bonnet, replacing the Unimog ox horn emblem. The new model became known as the series 401. A new series 402 with a long wheelbase chassis ( instead of ) also became available.
An enclosed driver's cab was available as an option from 1953, making the Unimog a true all-weather vehicle.
1955 – The 404 S
In 1955, the first Unimog 404 S series were produced. The primary customer of the 404 S was the Bundeswehr (literally Federal Defence, i.e. the West German Armed Forces), which was created in the mid-1950s in the era of the Cold War.
Between the original Unimog and the middle series, Daimler-Benz developed a light series. The light series consisted of two separate Unimog series, the 421 and the 403. The 403, which basically is a 406-series with a 3.8-litre four-cylinder engine, has a wheelbase and was later supplemented by the 413-series, which is a four-cylinder-version of the 416-series (long wheelbase () model). The 421 is the successor of the 411-series and has a wheelbase. It is powered by a 2.2-litre passenger car Diesel engine.
The two models made in Argentina, are the 426 and 431. They are versions of the 416 respectively 431 produced under licence. it was only built by special order. Luxury options such as leather seats, deluxe carpeting and other interior modifications were available; though the design featured chrome bull bars and air horns, it lacked hydraulics and was limited to a total mass of 5,000 kg. Starting price was DM 140,000. most exported to Japan.
1996 – UX 100
Mercedes-Benz presented the Unimog 409 (officially called UX 100) in 1996. It is the smallest Unimog model ever made and designed to slip speedily over sidewalks and around plants. Within a few years, production of the UX 100 was transferred to the Multicar subsidiary of Hako GmbH, who specialize in vehicles of this kind and size.
2000s
thumb|[[Unimog 437.4 U 5000 (UHN) fire engine with rollover protection structures]]
left|thumb|Unimog U 20 ([[Unimog 405|series 405 LUG)]]
thumb|Unimog U 500 Black Edition ([[Unimog 405|series 405 UGN) at the Mercedes-Benz World]]
The all-new range of UGN models (405 series U 300, U 400, U 500) was introduced in 2000.
In August 2002 production ended in the Gaggenau plant after 51 years and more than 320,000 Unimogs being made, and started up in Mercedes-Benz's truck manufacturing plant in Wörth am Rhein. The U 3000, U 4000 and U 5000 models (UHN 437.4 series) were introduced at the same time.
Series numbers and models
Unimog series numbers like 401, 406, or 425 in this article are the factory numerical designation (in German "Baumuster", literally Construction Pattern). Unimogs also have a sales model number like U 80, U 120, or U 1350. Each series can have several model numbers, as they are equipped with different engines or chassis options.
Originally, the "U" model numbers were roughly equivalent to the horsepower of the engine (in German: PS):
- A 424.121 with a wheelbase equipped with the OM 352 engine is a U 1000
- A 427.100 with a wheelbase and the 100-PS 366 engines is also a U 1000.
Starting in 1976, model numbers added an extra 0 at the end. More recent model numbers may have three or four digits and sometimes do not relate to horsepower (the engine of the U 5000 is rated at 218 PS). The most recent models introduced since 2013 are:
- The 437.4 series is intended for extreme offroad use, with the smaller U 4023 and larger U 5023 models, which are only available with 230 PS engines
- The 405 series is intended for use with implements, with three digit model numbers. The first digit is related to the vehicle size (U 200, U 300, U400 and U 500 model ranges) and the second and third digits related to the engine power, starting from the 190 PS U 219 and going up to the 350 PS U 535.
See also
- Bremach – similar vehicles built in Italy
- Railcar mover
- SCAM – similar vehicles built in Italy
- Silant – similar vehicles built in Russia
- Pinzgauer – similar vehicles built in Austria
- Mercedes-Benz Zetros