| First Drive | Wörth, Germany | Mercedes-Benz Unimog |
Key Facts
Pricing: £75,000 (basic, pre-tax)
Engine: 4.8-litre turbodiesel
Transmission: eight forward, six reverse gears, four-wheel drive
Body style: Extreme off-road truck
Rivals: a tank, NASA moon-buggy, JCB digger
Fuel consumption: 13 litres per hour
Top speed: 56mph
0-62mph: not possible
Power: 218bhp at 2,200rpm
Torque: 597lb.ft
In the Metal: 
If there's beauty in function then the Unimog U4000 is a stunner, its simple, rugged lines conceding nothing to the aesthetic and everything to purpose. We love that, so the squared-off, sharp-edged simplicity is part of its enormous appeal. It is old-school in its looks and all the better for it; the more glamorous U300/400 don't look quite as down and dirty as the U4000/5000 series.
As you might expect inside it's rugged, with more switches and levers than a railway signalman's workplace. However, being a Mercedes-Benz, it's all rather familiar with shared switches and common controls to many of the road cars.
Driving it:
The Unimog is a tool, and like the best tools it makes your work as easy as possible. Visibility out of it is great - encouraging given its size - and the controls are all relatively easy. There's a semi-automatic transmission, exhaust brakes, along with eight forward and six reverse gears. It's not too daunting to drive though with a bit of time (and a knowledgeable co-pilot alongside) getting the Unimog off and running is pretty simple.
It's what it can do when moving that's truly remarkable. It'll climb up 70% gradients - that's so steep you'd seriously struggle to walk up it. The axle articulation and ground clearance is immense, allowing the 'mog to drop wheels into gigantic 'elephant's footprints' and keep moving forward. It'll wade though almost any depth of water and its ability on short, upright climbs and descents is made possible by its non-existent overhangs front and rear.
Behind the wheel there's a feeling of utter impunity, the Unimog taking whatever you can throw at it and more. The engine's a four-cylinder 4.8-litre turbodiesel with an intercooler, the massive torque it produces working perfectly with the wide choice of gears. It's not quick though; the Unimog's talents are exhibited at a dignified pace, though likewise it'll not hold up traffic too much when you're driving it between jobs. That could be through the forest, over a mountain, on a motorway or across a river; regardless of where you're off to the Unimog will get you there.
What's surprising is how easy it is to drive. The steering is light, the gearshifts slip though seamlessly and the brakes are strong, which is useful when you're trying to stop it on a 70% downhill stretch.
What you get for your Money:
You're buying the most versatile vehicle money can buy. It's not cheap, but when you compare it to the fleet of machines it could potentially replace then it's a veritable bargain. Little wonder then German towns and cities - each responsible for maintaining local infrastructure - buy a Unimog and share lots of attachments around. Think of a tool and it can probably be attached, the Unimog able to plough fields, undertake forestry, clean tunnels, water plants, put out fires, dig, drill, sweep, sprinkle and grit and plough snow. The UK Highways Agency's bean counters should perhaps take note...
Worth Noting
The Unimog is 60 years old this year, though the very first weren't badged Mercedes-Benz. They've been a national institution in Germany since they were introduced, keeping the country running. The kit you can add to it is beyond comprehension, with built in spinning snow-chains part of the incredible arsenal of optional extras to allow the Unimog to work with utter disregard to what Mother Nature puts in its path.
Summary
We'd all love to say we're even more useful at 60 years old than ever, but that only really rings true with Mercedes-Benz's off-road icon. Its abilities are incomprehensible in their breadth; the Unimog is quite unlike anything else.
