08:31 03-06-2026
Mercedes Unimog U 4023 Hellgeth Engineering: how the workhorse turned into a luxury off-roader
Daimler Truck and Hellgeth Engineering mark 80 years of the Unimog with a one-off U 4023: leather cabin, 7.7-litre six-cylinder, 300 hp and a small series under consideration.
Mercedes-Benz Unimog is marking its 80th anniversary, and to celebrate it Daimler Truck has unveiled an unusual version, the U 4023 Hellgeth Engineering. It’s a one-off for now, but the company is already looking at a small series for collectors and well-off clients.
The Unimog was originally built as a universal working machine for farmers, construction crews and road services. Tuners have already had a go at this utilitarian base — Brabus is a notable example — but Mercedes itself is taking the Unimog into luxury territory for the first time. The anniversary version keeps the working DNA but with a very different presentation. The double cab seats four and is trimmed in leather, with diamond-quilted stitching and air-suspended seats, a leather headliner and ambient lighting. Outside there’s matte grey paint, LED lights and aluminium beadlock wheels. Instead of fragile carbon, the headlamps and fuel tank are shielded by chunky elements made of black anodised, solid-milled steel.
A separate technical first sits inside the cab: the MirrorCam system. Traditional mirrors are replaced by cameras feeding screens in the cabin — the first time it’s ever been fitted to a Unimog.
The biggest mechanical change is the engine. Under the cab is a 7.7-litre six-cylinder OM 936 diesel, an option not normally offered on the Unimog. It produces 300 hp and 1,200 Nm. The vehicle weighs in at 7.49 tonnes, with claimed fuel consumption of around 17–22 l/100 km. Top speed is theoretically around 100–110 km/h, but the factory electronics cap it at 89 km/h — standard U 4023 spec. The gearbox has 16 ratios, including six reverse gears, with three differential locks splitting the torque. Tyre pressures can be lowered from the cab for soft ground and re-inflated afterwards — handy in the desert. The portal axles give such clearance that the truck can wade through water more than a metre deep.
“This Unimog is a statement of innovation and passion,” said Franziska Cusumano, who was running Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks at the time. She has since been succeeded in the role by Dennis Kinzelmann.
For the market, a Unimog like this is more of a curiosity than a real consumer product. A base U 4023 already starts at around 250,000 euros, and the luxury cabin and six-cylinder engine will push the price up considerably. The interest is less in the price than in the approach: Mercedes has shown how a utilitarian commercial vehicle can be turned into an expensive status off-roader without losing any of its off-road ability. According to Daimler Truck, the plant in Wörth is already fielding calls from interested buyers, and the show car will go to a real customer for testing in the coming months — with a possible small series to follow.