The Biggest Baddest Benz

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Mercedes-Benz has created its ultimate off-roader for wealthy weekend warriors.

Range Rovers have been the default choice for affluent hunters who seek off-road supremacy and luxury while on expedition for decades.

But for two Mongolian businessmen friends, a $200,000-plus Rangie just doesn’t meet their demands of multi-day excursions into their homeland’s rugged terrain.

The hunting buddies who hunt for wolves with an eagle have instead taken delivery of two special-order Mercedes-Benz Zetros 6x6 off-road monsters. How special you ask?

Bigger than the venerable Unimog, the all-wheel-drive Zetros is the largest, meanest Mercedes to combine extreme off-road capability and a high payload, hence its popularity for military and rugged commercial applications.

Despite the Zetros’s ‘regular’ utilitarian demeanour, Mercedes has fitted the trucks with a large living area, plush bedroom, a luxurious bathroom with a marble floor, underfloor heating and shower cubicle and a galley complete with a gas stove, microwave, refrigerator, bar, coffee machine and, presumably, a comprehensive knife collection.

In line with the intended use as a hunting vehicle, a safe for valuables and a (very large) gunsafe for hunting rifles and ammunition are permanently integrated into the interior. We’re also guessing a very large and sturdy bird cage is in there, too.
















The all-terrain penthouses are also equipped a rear bay to accommodate a quadbike and comprehensive electronics specification list. A diesel generator provides power to a SAT receiver with an electrically self-aligning SAT dish, MacBook laptops hooked to a wireless router, and 46-inch flat-screen monitor.

Mechanically based on the Actros truck series, the Zetros is powered by a 7.2-litre turbo diesel six-cylinder engine that develops 240kW and a towering torque figure of 1300Nm from just 1200rpm and 1600rpm. Two fuel tanks provide 500-litres of diesel for long operating ranges in remote areas.

The choice of two truck-derived transmissions is available: the standard unit is a nine-speed unit including a crawler gear or an optional six-speed automatic transmission.

The Zetros comes standard with low-ratio gearing for steep descents and three mechanical differential locks for maximum traction, which can be selected on the fly using a rotary control.

The luxury long-distance off-roaders have an imposing length of 10.70 metres, a width of 2.7m and a height of 4.2m.

Mercedes has not disclosed the price paid by the wealthy Mongols who made their fortunes in beer and coal.