What has four wheels, weighs 13 tons, and can go literally anywhere? You might be thinking of a Unimog, but the Unimog is actually the little brother of the Pure 5000 Zetros, an overland expedition vehicle so fierce it makes ordinary off-roaders quiver in their boots. Between its 326bhp engine, three switchable mechanical differential locks and some serious ground clearance, this truck was designed to tackle even the most inhospitable of landscapes. Drop a camper box onto the back of that and you’ve got one hell of
The Mercedes Zetros 1833 is one of the latest in a long line of hard-working, extreme weather-wearing vehicles designed to take on the most difficult jobs in the hardest to reach corners of the world, everything from providing disaster relief for earthquakes to putting out fires, mining, farming land or even driving through the arctic wastelands of Siberia. This truck can really do it all where other trucks fail, so throw a habitation unit onto the back of one and you’ve got the ultimate overland expedition vehicle.
The Zetros is permanently engaged in 4×4 mode, can carry up to 600L (158.5 gallons) of fuel in its dual tanks, and its 7.2L six cylinder turbo diesel engine kicks out a whopping 326bhp. Aside from the aforementioned multiple differential locks, it’s also got a 1.69 off-road gear ratio, and nine gears to go with it. Predominantly, it looks mean and angry, like it eats Land Rovers for breakfast, with enormous meaty all-terrain tires, outdoor storage and a world map decal emblazoned onto the side.
The Zetros is Mercedes doing what they do best, but there’s an equal amount of skill and craftsmanship gone into the motorhome box on the back, designed and created by Pure. The marriage of the two components is a creation by Austrian company Action Mobile, but they can’t take all the credit. The Pure camper interior departs from the Mercedes truck’s rugged appearance, with a clean, fresh look inside complemented by white and black tones, with a warm wood effect flooring.
The rear of the living space is dominated by a large U-shaped bench seat, wrapped around a solid wooden table which makes up the dining area. Directly behind this lives the raised double bed, and in every available inch of space there are storage cupboards, as well as a large array of switches and controls mounted on the wall.
Underneath the Pure 5000 Zetros is mounted a 460L (121.5 gallon) fresh water tank- yes, there’s a zero on the end of that, and a 140L (37 gallon) waste water tank, as well as three 18L toilet tanks. What could you possibly need this much water for?
Well, the dishwasher and washer dryer that live in the kitchen might account for some of that. In the kitchen you’ll also find an electric oven with steamer function, a four flame induction hob stored underneath a fold-up countertop, a custom fridge with 150L freezer, and real granite worktops. With a payload of 5.1T, weight really isn’t an issue in this beast, unlike most camper vans, so why not splash out?
Powering the vehicle’s electronics is a 540Ah Lithium battery, a 5000W inverter, and a 1100W solar panel, which is also used for the truck’s various heating systems: one 5kW, and two 2kW heaters. It’s also got a 3.13kW AC unit, in case you’re planning on driving through the desert or maybe sub-Saharan Africa; the possibilities are endless with a machine like this.
At the front of the living area, in a sort of small hallway, you’ll find the bathroom, split into two areas across the hall from each other: one for the shower room, and the other for the toilet.
If you had to pick a truck to drive around the world in this would be it. Desert, rocks, rivers, forests, snow and ice- the only thing this beast can’t do is set sail across the ocean. So how much does the ultimate adventure truck cost?
Unfortunately we can’t give you a price, as each of these beauties is made to order, but a few years ago the starting price for Action Mobil’s MAN-based trucks with Pure boxes was around €265,000 ($302,000), so you could be looking at a small mortgage to pay for one of these.
Source and image credits: Action Mobil
