Supplied by dealer Arthur Ibbett, of St Neots, the Unimog U423 has a factory-fitted tipping body with aluminium dropsides. Its four-cylinder, 5.1-litre diesel engine produces 228bhp and drives through a transmission with eight forward and six reverse gears, with AutomaticShift function.
Owner Tom Shepperson runs a mixed fleet, including agricultural tractors, tanker and tipper trailers, diggers and teleporters.
“No two days are the same for us, so we don’t measure average mpg performance,” explains Shepperson.
“However, the Unimog often works side by side with another of our tractors, covering the same ground and hauling the same loads. When that’s happened, and we’ve filled up at the end of the day, it has typically used around 30 litres less fuel.
“We work seven days a week, so this equates to around £1,200 per month. For a small operation like ours, that’s a massive saving.”
The diverse nature of his contracts means vehicles are on and off road continually. “That’s why the Unimog excels,” he says.
“Unimogs are not a common sight on the roads but really, for our kind of work, it must be the most versatile and efficient vehicle available.”