Daimler Benz Unimog

The Unimog 401 carries the OM 636 diesel engine with 1,767 cm³ of displacement, producing 18.5 kW, paired with a six-speed manual gearbox with two reverse gears. At 2,050 mm high, 3,520 mm long and 1,630 mm wide, the machine is compact enough for field tracks and narrow yard access.

The OM 636 engine came from Daimler-Benz's car and light commercial vehicle production, making it a unit from another vehicle segment that gave the Unimog its unusually refined running behaviour for a tractor. Four-wheel drive, portal axles and the high ground clearance of the Unimog concept allowed work off-road just as well as on paved roads, where the six-speed gearbox gave a travel speed unusually high for a farm tractor of the period.

When buying an early Unimog 401 used, authenticity and provenance matter most, as few examples survive from this early phase of Unimog production. The condition of the cooling system and the injection pump of the OM 636 should be checked, along with the tightness of the portal axles and any rebuilds or repairs, often carried out over the decades on such rare early vehicles.