Mercedes-Benz Unimog receives "Off-road Vehicle of the Year 2012" award

For the eighth time in succession, the Mercedes-Benz Unimog has been chosen as the best cross-country vehicle of the year by the readers of the trade magazine "Off-Road" in the category "special vehicles". The award "Off-road Vehicle of the Year 2012 – special vehicles category" was based on the votes given to the cross-country vehicles in the eight categories of the competition run by the old-established Munich magazine for off-road vehicles. The off-road obelisk was presented in a ceremonial atmosphere at a gala evening in Munich's theatre tent "Das Schloss". More than 57,000 votes were handed in by 16 January and there were 143 vehicles from 40 manufacturers to choose from. In the category for special vehicles, the Unimog took first place with an outstanding 34,3 % of the readers' votes.


The following categories were available: "off-road vehicles", "luxury off-road vehicles", "sports utility vehicles (SUV)", "luxury SUV", "classics", "pick-ups", "special vehicles" and "crossover vehicles". Among the special vehicles entered – i.e. off-road vehicles designed to transport goods and loads to remote areas, or also to be used as the basis for special bodies for fire-fighting, expedition and military vehicles – the Unimog was clearly more than one step ahead. Particular praise was given to its characteristic product features such as its outstanding off-road mobility due to portal axles and extreme torsional flexibility combined with its extreme toughness and stability.

Where the Unimog gets through, others don't even arrive

The outstandingly mobile off-road Unimog product range U 4000/U 5000 has been produced in Wörth since 2002 as a special vehicle for complicated jobs in remote areas only accessible over difficult terrain with no roads or tracks. It is mainly used by fire services – in particular for fighting forest fires – as well as for disaster control, expeditions and servicing and maintenance work in hard to reach areas – with the slogan "Where the Unimog gets through, others don't even arrive".

As a result, Unimog models U 4000 and U 5000 are the ideal supplement to vehicles in product ranges U 300 to U 500 which are off-road implement carriers mainly found working for public services, municipal contractors, the construction and energy industries as well as for in-plant transport and road-rail operations. The youngest member of the Unimog family is the compact Unimog U 20 which was launched in 2008.
"Off-Road" magazine has been giving its readers the opportunity to vote for their off-road vehicle of the year since 1982.

60 Years of Mercedes-Benz Unimog – the success of an idea

Sixty-one years ago, on 3 June 1951 to be exact, the first Mercedes-Benz Unimog rolled off the line in Gaggenau. A unique vehicle concept had been created with great off-road mobility due to its four-wheel drive and fast driving features for road use.

Credits: Daimler AG

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