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Original 1974 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406 DoKa Could Be Your Next Overlander

The world may have started revolving again, but who knows for how long. As the health crisis is showing worrying signs of dragging on for the rest of the year and well into the next, now’s a good time to try and get away from it all.
Rare 1974 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406 Doppel Kabine 4x4 is in original, unrestored condition, on the market for a new owner 11 photos
Photo: Bonhams
Rare 1974 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406 Doppel Kabine 4x4 is in original, unrestored condition, on the market for a new ownerRare 1974 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406 Doppel Kabine 4x4 is in original, unrestored condition, on the market for a new ownerRare 1974 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406 Doppel Kabine 4x4 is in original, unrestored condition, on the market for a new ownerRare 1974 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406 Doppel Kabine 4x4 is in original, unrestored condition, on the market for a new ownerRare 1974 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406 Doppel Kabine 4x4 is in original, unrestored condition, on the market for a new ownerRare 1974 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406 Doppel Kabine 4x4 is in original, unrestored condition, on the market for a new ownerRare 1974 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406 Doppel Kabine 4x4 is in original, unrestored condition, on the market for a new ownerRare 1974 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406 Doppel Kabine 4x4 is in original, unrestored condition, on the market for a new ownerRare 1974 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406 Doppel Kabine 4x4 is in original, unrestored condition, on the market for a new ownerRare 1974 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406 Doppel Kabine 4x4 is in original, unrestored condition, on the market for a new owner
Overlanding could be just the solution and, as it so happens, your maybe-next off-roader could be around the corner. Sure, it’s in Brussels, Belgium and it will go under the hammer at the upcoming Bonhams auction (on September 6), which adds a lot of “buts” and “ifs” to the situation, but it’s a rare chance that maybe you shouldn’t miss out on.

Unimogs are popular because of their might and versatility. There is literally no terrain they can’t handle and no task that is impossible, whether it’s agricultural work, serious overlanding or military use. This one was used for the last one, but it could still work as an off-roader, should its next owner want it to.

It’s a 1974 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406 Doppel Kabine 4x4 utility truck, a Unimog DoKa for short. It’s in impeccable shape, having been in limited use for the military and then retired into storage until someone came across it by chance in 2017. The vendor bought it then and continued to keep it in storage, which explains the good condition it’s in and the low mileage: 7,890 km (4,902 miles). Until 1980, it was used as an aircraft tug.

This one is just one of the 353 examples built between 1974 and 1986 and, according to the auction house, one of the very few still in original, unrestored condition. Only some 140 examples have survived to this day, but many of them have been modified by their owners.

Powered by a OM32 5.7-liter six-cylinder diesel engine mated to a six-speed transmission, this example is perfectly road-legal as of 2017, which should widen its appeal to interested parties. Outstanding features include the spacious cab that can seat up to five people, NATO towing hitches in the front and rear, a dual circuit braking system, and a civil towing hitch of 22,000 kg (48,501 pounds) capacity.

This is a “rare opportunity to acquire one of these most practical of classic vehicles, which is highly unusual in being original and unmodified,” the auction house underlines. The Unimog DoKa is expected to fetch between €50,000 and €70,000, roughly between $59,000 and $83,000.
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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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