1986 Mercedes-Benz 1700L Unimog 4x4 Tray Back

Description

Mercedes Benz’s Unimog is widely recognised and highly regarded for its go-anywhere prowess, but few realise it’s not just one vehicle but in fact a series of different models produced under that badge. Unimog production began as long ago as 1948 at Boehringer, before Mercedes itself took over production in 1951. Since 2002, the Unimog has been built at the Mercedes-Benz truck plant in Wörth am Rhein in Germany, though variants have also been produced along the way under license in Turkey, Argentina and Brazil. The fundamental premise of the Unimog is that it has the physical size and predominant load carrying capability of a truck but with the access-all-areas prowess of a serious four-wheel-drive vehicle. Thus, it is built on a ladder frame chassis like a truck but with live axles at the centre of a suspension system with enormous cantilever movement, to enable it to drive across even the most arduous of terrain. Engines fitted are diesels of varying capacities (depending on model) paired with a tough commercial transmission with multiple gears and a locking differential system at the centre of its selectable four-wheel-drive capability. Brakes are disc all round. The Unimoq cab gives it its recognisable face, with that large MB star at its grille centre, while inside it’s all business with vinyl trim and washable surfaces. Bodies fitted to Unimogs vary as much as the multiple applications it’s been used for, with military versions (such as our example here) often equipped as troop carriers with a canvas tilt and parallel seating. Due to its off-road capabilities, Unimogs can be found in jungles, mountains and deserts as military vehicles, fire trucks, expedition campers and even in competitions like the Dakar Rally rally raids.