Strange success. The first ever Unimog

It was 1948 when a strange machine appeared at an agricultural fair in Frankfurt. The car got the name Unimog and despite the not very low selling price, he earned over 150 orders.

The specific vehicle was designed and built in stabilizers of the Boehringer di Goppingen brothers which, however, could not meet the demand so much that Unimog production immediately moved to Daimler Benz's Gaggenau factories.

Exponential Success

In 1951, 1.005 Unimogs were produced, the following year 3.799. The success characteristics of this car were basically the same as they are today: 4 wheels of the same size and permanent all-wheel drive with differential locks.

And then: "portal" bridges to overcome the most dangerous terrains, controlled traction between the front and rear, and small area for transporting material or for refurbishment.

First military version "S"

Almost immediately, even the military became interested in the new creature. After various experiments, the first versionUnimog S, intended for military purposes, was released in 1953; it had a 1.600 mm track and a 2.670 mm wheelbase. It was equipped with a 2.200 cc gasoline engine.

From the first demonstration, which took place in June of the same year,French occupation army, was so impressed that he first ordered two prototypes, and then 1.100 units, which occupied the Gaggenau plant until May 1955.

German army fleet

A real turning point in the production of the Unimog S (aka Unimog 404) happened when the Federal Republic of Germany was able to rebuild its army. In fact, 36 of the approximately 64 produced were Unimog Ss purchased by the German army prior to 1980.

The Unimog S differed from its agricultural cousin in several ways. In addition to the size of the wheelbase and track, it had a very wide rear body: 2 miles at 2.700 mm... Prechamber 25 hp diesel engine was replaced by a more powerful 6 hp 82-cylinder petrol engine, thanks to which the Unimog S reached speed 95 km / h.

Endless civilian use

However, among the aspects that set it apart from the civilian version were a fully synchronized drivetrain, reinforced brakes and one lifting capacity 1,5 t.

It is useless to list all the many uses the Unimog S has had over its long military career. There was even parachuted into battlefields by various air forces... All in favor of the civilian versions, which gradually inherited improvements and implementations.

Unimog S is also very good firefighting and civil protection vehicle, demanded and appreciated all over the world.

Eternal myth

Like its civilian brother, little has changed from the first prototype of the Unimog S in 1955 to the last one produced in 1980.

The cab was enlarged and equipped with a more powerful engine (for example, a 2,8 liter M130 gasoline engine with 110 hp), but il the constructive genius who did it and does it to this day, the most popular special car in the world, remained the same.