Mercedes-Benz Unimog Named Off-Roader Of The Year 2009 By Off Road Magazine

The special-interest magazine OFF ROAD named the popular and ultra-hardcore Mercedes-Benz Unimog, their off-roader of the year, in the category of “Special-purpose vehicles.”

• This is the fifth consecutive year the Mercedes Benz Unimog has taken the award
• The truck came clean with 42.3 percent of the 44,000 votes tallied.
• Competitors which the Mercedes Benz Unimog took out to take top honors included the Toyota Hiace, the Iveco Daily and the Ford Transit

Off-road award: The Mercedes-Benz Unimog is the Off-roader of the Year 2009 * Readers of the special-interest magazine “OFF ROAD” have voted the Unimog the Off-roader of the Year in the “Special-purpose vehicles” category
* Unimog takes first place with an outstanding 42.3 % of readers’ votes

Stuttgart/Munich – For the fifth time in succession, the Mercedes-Benz Unimog has been voted the best off-road vehicle of the year in the “special-purpose vehicles” category by readers of the special-interest magazine OFF ROAD. The “Off-roader of the Year 2009 – Special-purpose vehicles category” award was made on the basis of a vote covering vehicles in eight categories in the December edition of this venerable Munich-based off-roader magazine. The OFF ROAD obelisk was recently presented during a ceremonial gala evening at the Munich theatre pavilion “Das Schloss”. More than 44,000 readers took part in the vote between the 92 vehicles concerned. The Unimog won first place in the special-purpose category with an outstanding 42.3 % of the votes.
The categories for the readers’ vote were “Off-road vehicles”, “Luxury off-road vehicles”, “Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs)”, “Luxury SUVs”, “Classics”, “Pick-ups”, “Special-purpose vehicles” and “Crossovers”. The Unimog was clearly ahead of the field among the special-purpose vehicles – off-road capable vehicles used to carry loads and goods to remote areas, or as a platform for special-purpose bodies such as firefighting, expedition and military vehicles. Characteristic product attributes such as outstanding off-road capabilities with portal axles, and enormous torsional flexibility combined with great robustness and solidity, were particularly praised.

The all-terrain Unimog series U 3000 to U 5000, which has been produced in Wörth since autumn 2002, is ideal for difficult off-road assignments well away from the beaten track and road. Its main areas of application are with the firefighting services – especially for forest fires – disaster relief services, expedi tions and servicing/maintenance work in areas where access is difficult. Accordingly the Unimog models U 3000, U 4000 and U 5000 ideally complement the vehicles in the U 300 to U 500 series – off-road-capable implement carriers which are mainly encountered working in the municipal services, with municipal contractors, in the construction and energy sectors, in in-company transport and in dual (road/rail) operations. The youngest addition to the Unimog family is the compact Unimog U 20, launched in 2008.

Formula Off Road Icelandic Championship Mosfellsbaer June 24. 2006

Formula Off Road Vesturland was held in Mosfellsbaer just north out Reykjavik. Like the last event in Akureyri the sky is clear and the sun is shining. The event is held in a rock mine.

The competition is organized by Formula Off Road Club, LÍA and Ferdaklubburinn 4x4.

Start Your Engines

 
Daniel gives us a thundering start on his Green Thunder. The first track is very difficult with much sideways slope.

 

Second up is Gunni on The Clown. He is not able to get any further.

 

Olafur on The Fox is having problems - similar to what happened in Akureyri. He is not able to get out of the starting gate - perhaps due to transmission problems.

 

Snorri is driving his brothers truck for the day.

 
Siggi on The Troll paddles on a good part of the track. 

 

Leo on the Iron Maiden didn't even start a single track in Akureyri - is able to do much better today. Here he is on the last stretch of the first track. One of the judges is in the foreground staying clear of the earth and gravel attack

.

 

The Animal is used by two competitors today - Bjarki and Siggi Reynis. All this blue smoke indicates some engine problems.

 

Ragnar on Pizza 67 Willys is preparing for the first track. His assistant is putting the on board camcorder in recording mode (see below for some clips).

 
Street legal class has two competitors. Steingrimur and Pall are both driving a blue Jeep on 38 inch Mudders. The tracks are laid in a different way to minimize the risk of rolling over and damaging the 4x4s. 

Dressed up as a clown and serving as a sidekick and a shovel guy for gate posts is the punishment this soon to be wed has to endure. He received great applause from the onlookers.

 

With the help of the staff The Fox is quickly rolled back on its wheels.

Obviously the roll cages come in good use! With all the safety measures no one has been seriously injured.