G500 not enough? Try the Unimog Black Edition
by Dan Roth on Dec 11th 2007 at 4:33PM 
If a G-Class Mercedes stirs dispassionate responses, there may still be a Mercedes for you. While the Gelandewagen is no joke in its own right, Daimler's own ultimate terra bully would roll right over it. Unimogs have been around for about fifty years, and were originally designed as go-anywhere, do-anything work trucks. The U500 Black Edition Unimog is still akin to a vehicular Chuck Norris, but luxed-up to the point that you'd hate to mar the blingy pedals with muddy boots.
England's BigLorryBlog had a chance to bruise the earth with one of these, and found it an object of workmen's desire. The U500 they sampled was not outfitted with any hard labor devices, so the ride was a bit bouncy, but nobody was complaining from the leather clad driver's perch with its own suspension. At €250,000, it's not cheap, but the good stuff never is. Here's what you say when someone questions your buying decision: "Buy the best, cry once. Now get outta my way before I make your Paseo scrap."
Thanks for the tip, Dan!
[Source: BigLorryBlog]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
David 4:51PM (12/11/2007)
This goes against everything the unimog is intended for..
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broosewee 4:57PM (12/11/2007)
"a vehicular Chuck Norris,"
haha
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Ken 5:03PM (12/11/2007)
If I cannot hose out the interior, it fails.
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Zane 5:05PM (12/11/2007)
Take that, all you Hummerphiles!
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Paul P. 5:22PM (12/11/2007)
Looks a lot like a bigger version of those 2-seater side-by-side ATVs; like the ones you find on farms and ranches.
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NewJerseyBMW 5:56PM (12/11/2007)
Take that Mr Environment !
2mpg ftw !
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CJ 6:11PM (12/11/2007)
Brabus makes a version of this which is even better- check out their website
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Moltenauto 6:27PM (12/11/2007)
This IS the Brabus edition.
john 7:11PM (12/11/2007)
*ahem* (tries to keep a straight face)
Do they make a hybrid version?
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oil oil man 7:15PM (12/11/2007)
some dentist at burning man had one of these.
it was really quite cool to see in person.
he drove it all the way up from SLO, pulling a 5th travel trailer.
forgot what he said the mpg was, but it wasn't good.
The 404-style unimogs are super cool. There is an entire burning man camp devoted to them. They had like 5 or 6. Hard to find the diesel version in the us though.
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monobox 2:58PM (12/12/2007)
I saw that late model Unimog at the 2005 Burning Man. I didn't know it belonged to a dentist. I took a photo of it parked next to a full size school bus. It was towering over the school bus. I believe Freightliner sells these in the US.
Bryan 8:05PM (12/11/2007)
Bah, I could make one of those out of a Suzuki Samuri for a lot cheaper :)
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Guenther 8:16PM (12/11/2007)
I can think of dumber things- not right this minute, but I'm sure I can.
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Kotse 10:06PM (12/11/2007)
Looks like this ginormous truck is the inspiration for the Suzuki X-Head!
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/11/07tokyo_xhead_4501.jpg
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LBuzzer 8:39AM (12/12/2007)
I just noticed now how the Suzuki X-Head concept truck looks like a Lego-ized version of a Unimog...
No matter. Suzuki, build it!!!
Tony 10:24PM (12/11/2007)
Unimogs are considered by anyone who knows them as implement carriers, not trucks. Properly equiped they can tow 1000 metric tonnes and can carry implements on the front or back with PTO's and hydraulics standard. Comparing a Hummer (especially a H3) to an Unimog is like comparing a Chevy Chevette to a Mercedes S Class ubersedan.
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korvetkeith 11:11AM (12/12/2007)
They were originally intended for pulling tanks out of traps I believe.
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MUSASHI66 12:29PM (12/12/2007)
I've seen plenty of these in Europe with gazillion attachments on them - they are the ultimate work horse
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