Mercedes-Benz off-road vehicles in the desert

Panorama

Masters of the Desert.

Shimmering heat, red desert sand as far as the eye can see and on the horizon the jagged ridges of a mountain range appear somewhat softened. Almost no other terrain offers better conditions for thoroughly testing the off-road capabilities of off-road vehicles.

Over the top. Looks a bit adventurous, but ends well: the third-generation Actros tipper climbing a sand dune.
Over the top. Looks a bit adventurous, but ends well: the third-generation Actros tipper climbing a sand dune.
Over the top. Looks a bit adventurous, but ends well: the third-generation Actros tipper climbing a sand dune.
Over the top. Looks a bit adventurous, but ends well: the third-generation Actros tipper climbing a sand dune.
Over the top. Looks a bit adventurous, but ends well: the third-generation Actros tipper climbing a sand dune.
Over the top. Looks a bit adventurous, but ends well: the third-generation Actros tipper climbing a sand dune.

Mercedes-Benz accepted the challenge and sent its entire range of powerful off-road vehicles to the demanding terrain in the United Arab Emirates: from the G-Class 4×4 to the heavy-duty and extremely robust Actros 8×8. The scene was set for a four-minute film full of breath-taking images.



Side by side, the desert performers drive into the “arena” before they part and each one demonstrates its strengths in detail. The Actros tipper climbs a sand dune to its summit without flinching. At the top, the cab hangs in the air for a heartbeat before immediately dropping into the sand and finally returning to the flat unscathed. The boundaries of technology? They literally disappear in the sand.


Photos: Daimler
Video: Leithaus

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