The Mercedes-Benz multi-purpose Unimog clocks up a milestone in Germany’s west
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Celebrations as the Unimog convoy arrives in its home town of Gaggenau, Germany
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The German town of Gaggenau played host to a Mercedes-Benz celebration on the weekend of September 4 – 5 with the 75 year anniversary of the Unimog.
With Europe freeing up COVID restrictions, 75 Unimog vehicles weaved their way from the production plant in Wörth am Rhein via Karlsruhe and along the country roads to the Unimog’s home town of Gaggenau in the Murg Valley.
The Gaggenau plant produced the Unimog under the Mercedes-Benz brand name from 1951 onwards. Hence, 2021 actually marks a double anniversary – 75 years of the Unimog and 70 of those with the Mercedes star on the bonnet.
The initial birthplace of the “universally applicable motorised device” as the Unimog was originally known was in Schwäbisch Gmünd, where the first prototype underwent testing on fields and up hills as early as 1946.
Gaggenau is now home to the Unimog Museum, where everything revolves around the Unimog – and over the course of this weekend, this was even more the case than usual.
On the museum’s grounds, visitors were able to take a look at the 75 vehicles which formed the Unimog convoy, while technology aficionados enjoyed the various presentations that were also made.
Further to this, convoy participants were invited to participate in demonstration drives around the Ötigheim testing grounds by way of a small thank you for the long journey which some of them had covered to share their automotive gems with the other guests.
The anniversary weekend was organised by the Unimog Club Gaggenau, the Unimog Museum and Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks.