when wanderlust and a thirst for adventure takes you off the beaten track to explore remote places and landscapes, you need a loyal companion: Like hardly any other vehicle, the Unimog stands for uncompromising off-road capability and unlimited freedom. The UNIversal-MOtor-Gerät (universal motorised machine) is the ideal base for off-road camper vans and expedition vehicles and enables travel to the most remote and impassable regions in the world. All adventurers can check out the advantages of the Unimog from 8 to 11 June 2023 in Bad Kissingen, Germany. The town is hosting the all-wheel drive and long-distance travel exhibition “Abenteuer & Allrad” (Adventure & All-Wheel Drives). At the Hellgeth Engineering trade fair stand (open-air site, M16), the experts from Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks together with the team of the conversion partner will be happy to answer any questions relating to the Unimog.
“The Unimog is predestined for particularly demanding operations, even on rough terrain. As an extreme off-road base for off-road camping and expedition vehicles, it makes the heart of all adventure seekers beat faster,” says Franziska Cusumano, Head of Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks & Custom Tailored Trucks.
Extreme off-road-capable, robust platform: make it through thick and thin with the Unimog
“The Unimog enjoys an outstanding reputation among world travellers. It provides the perfect base for expedition vehicles, as its robustness, off-road chassis and body can be adapted to the respective requirements and, thanks to the worldwide Mercedes-Benz Truck workshop network, service and spare parts are available in many countries around the world,” says Andreas Hellgeth, Managing Director of Hellgeth Engineering.
Numerous technical refinements allow the Unimog to make progress off the fastened track, even where other vehicles have long since fallen behind. The shift-on-the-fly four wheel drive as well as the interaxle and differential locks in both axles provide traction even on extremely difficult surfaces. Single tyres and off-road reduction gear also have an advantageous effect. In addition, the tyre pressure control system “Tirecontrol plus” can be used to conveniently set the appropriate tyre pressure while driving via the preset modes “Road”, “Rough road” or “Sand” at the push of a button. With a fording capability of up to 1.2 metres, driving through water is also no problem. Permissible gross vehicle weights of 7.5 to 14.5 tonnes enable the carrier vehicle to be selected according to individual payload requirements.
The next generation is here: TenereX 2 with particularly high-quality equipment
A highlight at the trade fair stand is the U4023 TenereX 2 expedition vehicle. Hellgeth Engineering borrowed the model name from the Touareg language. There it means “the country out there” and sets the direction of march. With the TenereX series, the conversion partner is one of the few providers in the expedition vehicle segment to offer a turnkey body on an off-road special vehicle base. The second generation of this model is networked with all modern communication channels via satellite reception. The new, advanced infotainment system covers the communication needs of world travellers. Also new, high-quality surfaces, a slate look in the bathroom and seat covers made of Alcantara leather ensure a cosy living atmosphere.
Weight-optimised: also carries a high payload with 7.5 tonnes permissible gross vehicle weight
A bestseller is the weight-optimised U4023 TenereX. It is the right model for all customers whose driving licence includes vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes permissible gross vehicle weight and who want to use a vehicle platform with extreme off-road capability. The lightweight design of the TenereX is designed to offer a payload of at least 500 kilogrammes despite the extensive expedition equipment. This means that travellers can stow all the necessary luggage and other equipment important for an expedition in the vehicle.
For individualists: Empty box body enables the very personal expedition vehicle
The third trade fair vehicle based on the U4023 is a chassis with an empty box body. “Customers increasingly want to build their own personal expedition vehicle according to their own ideas. We are satisfying this trend with the empty box body,” explains Andreas Hellgeth. On the robust base, all Unimog fans can realise their dream camper van according to their own ideas and access a pre-assembled furniture set from the converter or design the body independently from scratch.
Unimog special model: U5030 with six-cylinder power
Together with Hellgeth Engineering, the experts from Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks have put a very special vehicle on the axles for particularly performance-hungry adventure travellers: an extreme off-road-capable U5030 with a four-seater crewcab and space for the whole family, including four-legged passengers. For this one-off production, the vehicle manufacturer selected a U5023 as the base and adapted it to the requirements of the powerful six-cylinder OM936, which is integrated into the chassis here instead of the standard four-cylinder OM 934. The bolide thus boasts 220 kW (299 hp) and a powerful peak torque of 1200 Nm. Among other things, the brake system, axles and transmission have been adapted to tame the force. In contrast to the models based on the U5023, a permanent all-wheel drive system on the U5030 tames the torque and distributes it evenly to all wheels. This special recreational vehicle also has a high-tech carbon-fibre body. This one-off also has approval from Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks and is thus a factory-validated conversion.
