Supplied by dealer South Cave Tractors, the Unimog was funded by HIE, which also provided a grant to ski resort operator CML to buy snow and gritting attachments.
During the winter, the Unimog was used to clear snowdrifts on roads to the Cairngorm ski centre, near Aviemore; now, it is in operation for the council, trimming roadside hedges and verges with its front-mounted mower and ditch-cutter attachment.
The long wheelbase Unimog U530 has a platform body which accommodates its large gritter-spreader during winter. Its 295bhp six-cylinder engine drives through a semi-automatic gearbox.
Other features includes air-suspended and heated seats, a heated windscreen, forward and rear-facing cameras, working lights and a central tyre inflation system for extra grip in snow and ice conditions.
Mowing and snow-clearing equipment is attached and powered by the integral DIN plate, PTO and hydrostatic transmission drive, which allows working speed to be adapted easily without any change to the engine and PTO speed.
Highland Council transport and logistics manager James MacDonald said: “We had been relying on a dedicated snow-blowing vehicle, until it reached the end of its life. The Unimog is a far more cost-effective solution, though, because it can be used in a variety of roles all year round.”
He adds: “With its ability to carry and power a variety of front, side and rear-mounted implements, and to pull a trailer at a gross combination weight of up to 40 tonnes, the Unimog is incredibly versatile. No other vehicle is able to carry out such a wide range of tasks, so well.”