The Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG currently has the reputation as the most advanced and versatile Class 7 truck on the planet. This off-road wonder and long-hauler has also been tricked out in a luxury version that’s a big status symbol in the Middle East, where the going often gets tough. The philosophy there, I guess is that no matter how rough the terrain, it’s important to get there in style. And with a UNIMOG, you don’t just use it for offroading and reaching remote, inaccessible locations, you can also use it haul around your yacht, or with few modifications, attach a crane to the back to rearrange the ornamental boulders in your garden. Because of its four-wheel independent suspension, axles and power plant, the UNIMOG can literally go almost anywhere on Earth, through any terrain, any climate, including deep water, and get you there in comfort. And then when you get there, the UNIMOG’s sophisticated optional hydraulic circuits can run dozens of different pieces of equipment.

Of course, all the creature comforts and custom styling being applied to the UNIMOG U 500 Black Edition were unheard of back in the old days, when the UNIMOG was simply a humble farm truck, albeit one designed to be the best of its class. Even back then, the designers at Daimler-Benz were thinking to the future, of how the UNIMOG could make obsolete the idea of having a variety of different machines for different tasks, tractors, threshers, harvesters, tillers, and the like. Instead of many machines, you could just use the UNIMOG and change out different machines attached to it. One of the reasons that the expensive UNIMOG has survived and is more popular than ever has always been because of its versatility. You can modify a UNIMOG into almost any configuration that you wish and it will still be able to take you to the remotest places on Earth.

Although it was built initially as a farm implement hauler, the UNIMOG’s versatility quickly caught the attention of the construction industry and by early 1950s it was being used in dam construction in the rugged Swiss Alps. Around that time the French military realized the UNIMOG’s usefulness as a transporter and ordered 400 of the “2010”, the only existing version at the time. By 1955, however, the French had the longer UNIMOG-S 404 for use as an ambulance, firefighting vehicle, troop carrier, communications van and many other uses. Many other armies followed the French in buying UNIMOGS in various configurations, and it is now being used in at least 160 countries, with more than 60,000 units being exported.

The UNIMOG’s amazing versatility has made it essential in many different fields from farming and construction to forestry, geophysics, wildlife biology and a host of other applications that take advantage of the UNIMOG’s ability to get you to places that you couldn’t get to without a helicopter. Plus, it has an amazing hauling capacity and can haul everything that a standard Class 7 truck can, and more. There currently 25 different variants of the UNIMOG on the market, and there seems to be no end to what this amazing vehicle can accomplish. New uses are found for it every year. Some communities buy several UNIMOGS to replace the bulk of their truck fleet. With the additional implements available, a UNIMOG can be a dump truck, a trencher, a backhoe, a crane, or a snowplow. Taking off and replacing the various accessories is designed to be quick and easy, enabling you to multi-task a UNIMOG over the course of a day. Even at a base price of well over $100,000, the UNIMOG’s versatility makes it an attractive purchase for any community.