Unimog

The Unimog at 60

Did You Say Tree Frog? Unimog?

Okay, the Unimog is 60. So I’ve learned from the mighty Wired magazine and  the New York Times with a shout-out to Ric Lum for pointing it out. You saw the earlier post this week about the other end of the spectrum at Daimler-Benz: the tiny psychedelic Smart car, Swatch-inspired design swirls and all, spotted in the La Choza parking lot of Santa Fe. Now here’s how the Unimog wacko-backo suspension is described in Wired:

Like the first-ever example that rolled out of the plant in Gaggenau, Germany, on June 3, 1951, the 60 Years Unimog is an open-air vehicle, with seats the driver and passenger can easily hop into. Considering that the incredibly awesome Unimog is frequently seen in war zones and construction sites, it’s a safe bet a roof will be standard equipment for years to come.

The designers also made sure to highlight one of the Unimog’s most important features: an incredibly beefy suspension with massive coil springs. All that suspension travel allows the truck to seemingly defy the laws of physics by keeping all four wheels on the ground even at the most extreme angles. On the 60 Years Unimog, the springs are painted a shade of red that’s sure to make the marketing department and dealers smile.

Yeah, well, maybe you’ll be smiling a little less when you realize that gas mileage – 7 to 9 mpg, and worst off-road, should be enough to uptick sales of the Smart cars a little bit. I haven’t been able to learn the price but if you know, please write it in in comments.

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