You can keep your Humvee.
Same goes for the "Jeep thing".
When it comes to pure, unadulterated off-road prowess, nothing comes close to the Mog.
Driving by a local Mercedes-Benz dealership with a couple of friends recently, I spied two of the weirdest, yet oddly cute vehicles I'd ever seen. Of course I had to make a quick u-turn for a closer look.
Towering over the sleek luxury sedans like a couple of Budweiser Clydesdales in a herd of show ponies were two Unimogs.
Known affectionately as Mogs to their fans, these big Mercedes trucks are unrivalled when the going gets rough. Designed and built tough for difficult terrain, they come equipped with locking, portal axles (the axle goes into the top of the wheel with a gear reduction system) giving them an average of 17 inches of clearance.
The frame is capable of flexing several degrees in each direction, and coil springs give it the best stock suspension of any 4WD on the market. Such superior off-road features make it a natural choice for extreme terrain – Mogs are renowned for their robust hardiness and reliability.
Mogs have the kind of looks that are hard to be ambivalent about. My car-guy buddy and I thought they were fascinating – the ultimate gigantic Meccano toys – but our female friend reacted with a "you've got to be kidding” look.
First up, a mint green and orange 1975 Unimog 406 belonging to the dealership's owner. Designed in the 60s, it had an older body style with rounded front and a charismatic, almost "cute" face. Powered by a 90-horsepower, 6-cylinder diesel engine, the 406's tranny features six forward gears with two backup gears, shift-on-the-fly 4WD, a shift on-the-fly differential, locking front and rear as well as a 3-speed transfer case for a total of 20 gears.
There is a power take-off on both front and rear, a 3-way tilt bed and air brakes. Rocks, logs, ruts and ditches are clambered over with ease, thanks to the aforementioned ground clearance.
With its bright orange snow plow attachment, the Mog performs any snow removal duties on the lot with ease – then switches gears for some serious off-road fun.
The second, and larger of the two Mogs, belongs to a friend of the owner and was at the lot for routine service.
It’s a 1977 425 Unimog, powered by a 170-horsepower diesel engine with 24-speed transmission and creeper/crawler gears. The wheels are huge and chest level on me – riding on 445/70/20 Michelins. Weighing in at 12,000 lbs empty and sporting a bright yellow and black enamel paint job, this is one big eye-catching truck.
Same goes for the "Jeep thing".
When it comes to pure, unadulterated off-road prowess, nothing comes close to the Mog.
Driving by a local Mercedes-Benz dealership with a couple of friends recently, I spied two of the weirdest, yet oddly cute vehicles I'd ever seen. Of course I had to make a quick u-turn for a closer look.
Towering over the sleek luxury sedans like a couple of Budweiser Clydesdales in a herd of show ponies were two Unimogs.
Known affectionately as Mogs to their fans, these big Mercedes trucks are unrivalled when the going gets rough. Designed and built tough for difficult terrain, they come equipped with locking, portal axles (the axle goes into the top of the wheel with a gear reduction system) giving them an average of 17 inches of clearance.
The frame is capable of flexing several degrees in each direction, and coil springs give it the best stock suspension of any 4WD on the market. Such superior off-road features make it a natural choice for extreme terrain – Mogs are renowned for their robust hardiness and reliability.
Mogs have the kind of looks that are hard to be ambivalent about. My car-guy buddy and I thought they were fascinating – the ultimate gigantic Meccano toys – but our female friend reacted with a "you've got to be kidding” look.
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| Photo: Lesley Wimbush/Auto123.com |
First up, a mint green and orange 1975 Unimog 406 belonging to the dealership's owner. Designed in the 60s, it had an older body style with rounded front and a charismatic, almost "cute" face. Powered by a 90-horsepower, 6-cylinder diesel engine, the 406's tranny features six forward gears with two backup gears, shift-on-the-fly 4WD, a shift on-the-fly differential, locking front and rear as well as a 3-speed transfer case for a total of 20 gears.
There is a power take-off on both front and rear, a 3-way tilt bed and air brakes. Rocks, logs, ruts and ditches are clambered over with ease, thanks to the aforementioned ground clearance.
With its bright orange snow plow attachment, the Mog performs any snow removal duties on the lot with ease – then switches gears for some serious off-road fun.
The second, and larger of the two Mogs, belongs to a friend of the owner and was at the lot for routine service.
It’s a 1977 425 Unimog, powered by a 170-horsepower diesel engine with 24-speed transmission and creeper/crawler gears. The wheels are huge and chest level on me – riding on 445/70/20 Michelins. Weighing in at 12,000 lbs empty and sporting a bright yellow and black enamel paint job, this is one big eye-catching truck.