The Unimog 435 wasn't built for farms or fire departments first — it was developed in 1975 specifically for West Germany's Bundeswehr, as the military successor to the Unimog S 404.
Median 55 hp across 51 similar cars
Lead trim: Unimog U 1300 L (435.115) OM 353.959 diesel (129 hp) · up to 166 hp
Mercedes-Benz Unimog 435435 · 1975–1993
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Mercedes-Benz Unimog 435 yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThe Unimog 435 wasn't built for farms or fire departments first — it was developed in 1975 specifically for West Germany's Bundeswehr, as the military successor to the Unimog S 404.
The Unimog 435 is the long-wheelbase heavy-duty Unimog, a 7.5-tonne truck (4.5–5.5 t kerb weight) built in Gaggenau from 1975 to 1993 in eight types (30,726 units), sold as the U 1300 L and U 1700 L; the U 1300 L was the best seller, built as a special vehicle for the Bundeswehr and often for German fire departments, and the 435.115 alone accounts for 21,775 units (473 of them as RW1 fire engines). It has the same "edgy" cab as the 425 (whose U 1300 is a different model from the 435's U 1300 L), a ladder frame, portal axles and coil springs, wheelbases of 3,250, 3,700 and 3,850 mm, rear-wheel drive with selectable four-wheel drive, a fully synchronised 8-speed manual with lockable differentials, hydraulic power steering, dual-circuit compressed-air-actuated disc brakes and an available engine brake, with a top speed of 80–100 km/h. Its engines are the 5,675 cc inline-six OM 353 diesels — naturally aspirated 96 kW (131 PS) in the U 1300 L and turbocharged 124 kW (169 PS, 520 N·m) in the U 1700 L — with the OM 366 replacing them from 1987. The Turkish-built Unimog 436 was initially based on it, and its successor, the 437, is still in production.
Collectors Spotted in the Mercedes-Benz Unimog Lineage
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Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unimog U 1300 L (435.115) OM 353.959 diesel (129 hp) | 1975–1987 | 5.7 L Inline-6 | 129 hp | 268 lb-ft | — | — | — | — |
| Unimog U 1700 L (435.113) OM 353.961 A turbo diesel (166 hp) | 1975–1993 | 5.7 L Inline-6 | 166 hp | 380 lb-ft | — | — | — | — |
Owning one
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Owners’ builds
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Photographs
The Unimog 435 wasn't built for farms or fire departments first — it was developed in 1975 specifically for West Germany's Bundeswehr, as the military successor to the Unimog S 404.
The Unimog's now-iconic 'edgy' bonnet wasn't always there — it debuted in 1974 on the first heavy-duty Unimog, the U 120 of the 425 series, and Mercedes-Benz has kept that same hard-edged look on Unimogs ever since.
The 406 was the first Unimog designed with a proper cab from the start — Daimler-Benz built an entirely new industrial press just to stamp its panels.
The 411 shipped with a crash gearbox (no synchro) even after Mercedes gave the smaller 404 a synchromesh box — drivers had to double-clutch until synchromesh became optional in 1957 and standard in 1959.
Of every Unimog variant ever built, the 404 S sold the most: 64,242 units between 1955 and 1980 — the best-selling Unimog in the whole lineage.
The 401/402 update gave the Unimog its first Mercedes three-pointed star on the hood, replacing the ox-horn emblem the earliest models wore.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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