One off-roader with incredible off-roading capabilities, 32 speeds and 19 inches of ground clearance.
Recently, off-road gossip has focused on machines such as the Ford F-150 Raptor or Bronco. Not to mention the Hellcat-powered RAM TRX. Perhaps now is a good moment to remind everyone that the Mercedes-Benz Unimog conquered mountains well before these vehicles even appeared on the drawing boards in Detroit. This off-road vehicle is a robust design that dates back to the 1940s and has certainly improved over time.
We join the TFLoffroad crew at Moab for this adventure. There are plenty of Jeep Wranglers along with side-by-side runabouts out on the trails. This mid-90s Unimog, built by Couch Off-Road Engineering of Denver, Colorado, stands out above them all. Mercedes does not offer the Unimog in America so the 25-year rule applies for importing. This Unimog is one of the newest Mercs that can be modified. Jay Couch, the company’s owner, says it is preferable in many aspects as the era Unimog remains an analog machine. It’s simpler to build and maintain, and, as the video shows it, is still very capable.
This particular rig has an engine that is rated at 320 horsepower (239 Kilowatts) with 800 pound-feet (1.085 Newton-meters). The transmission is an eight-speed manual transmission. It has the low-range working group which gives the first gear a 680:1. All gears can be reversible, so you can go up to 80 mph if you have the nerve. Couch claims that he has driven the Unimog to speeds of 80 mph, but it felt strange and uncomfortable. A cruising speed of 65 mph would be better. The off-roader is 19 inches in ground clearance and weighs 13800 pounds. Would you expect anything more?
This is what we’ll tell you: Few people expected to see a Unimog taking on Hell’s Revenge. The trail is a steep, slick, rock-covered climb and descend with sharp turns and drops that leaves little room for error. The Unimog deserves credit for its capabilities, but it takes a lot of driving skill to navigate this course in an off-road vehicle, let alone one as large as the Unimog. Although it looks amazing from the outside, the inside footage is quite frightening.
This is an exceptional off-road vehicle driven by an experienced driver who knows how to navigate some of the most challenging trails in the world. Enjoy the ride with popcorn and click on play.