Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks have come up with this very special truck to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Unimog - which, just like the Land Rover, was originally intended as an agricultural implement and has since become a cult figure wherever off-roaders gather.
The “60 Years” concept is a joint effort between MBS, the Daimler commercial vehicle designers in Sindelfingen and a toy designer, which is probably why it looks like an overgrown Tonka Toy.
MBS director Yaris Pürsün described it thus: “Future meets history - the design concept is a further milestone in the Unimog legend.”
But it's not just a fantasy; the front treatment is derived from a design language evolved for future Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles, and according to designer Bertrand Janssen, “combines the past and future of the Unimog in an extremely avantgardist way”.
It also wears its engineering on the outside, giving the viewer pause for thought about the Universal-Motor-Gerät (Unimog) of the future, showing that even after 60 years and 26 model changes the Unimog can still re-invent itself.
The concept is based on the Unimog U 5000 chassis with its signature long-travel coil springs painted red and the (typically Mercedes) bonnet and mudguards bright green - colours inspired by an unusual amphibian, the poison dart frog: Just like the Unimog it's extremely mobile both in water and on land.
Green was also the standard colour of the first Unimog 2010, back in 1951, as well as several follow-up generations.
The projector headlights are focused like stage lights, the sweeping lines of the chassis are finished with high-grade trims cut from billet aluminium and the whole thing stands tall on four huge wheels with five-spoked alloy rims.
Pürsün said: “We weren't divorced from reality; it's still true to the original Unimog DNA - the portal axles, coil springs and frame concept - and some of the details will turn up in coming product ranges.”
And in one important way it mirrors the very first 'Mog - it doesn't have a roof. They're both true cabrios.