The company Unicat has been building expedition vehicles for decades that go beyond the usual ideas of a motorhome. Highly off-road apartments with every conceivable living comfort to reach even the last corner of the world.
The latest creation of the house is called UNICAT MD56c MAN TGS 6×6″. The heavy series of the Munich truck group MAN, popular with Unicat conversions, comes here in a three-axle version with a 2 + 2-seater L-cab and a 12.4-liter engine with 540 hp.
The three driven axles are fitted with giant 14.00 R 20 off-road tires, which are fitted with alloy wheels and a tire pressure control system.
The equipment of the base vehicle is all the best out there: permanent all-wheel drive with differential locks in the transfer case and all axles, branch deflectors and roof racks on the driver’s cab LED high-beam and area lights, air-sprung leather / Alcantara comfort seats with air conditioning, Birdview camera system, Cruise control, 12-speed Tip-Matic transmission.
Unicat installed the in-house MD box body with a length of 5.6 meters on the chassis. The case is attached to the frame with 3-point storage so that there is no need to fear tension in the event of entanglement.
A warm-water central heating system with 9 kW output with diesel operation, a 2.3 kW air conditioning system, and additional parking heaters in the driver’s cab, which also has an additional separate roof air conditioning system, ensure a comfortable climate in the Unicat truck.
The electrical system makes the Unicat MAN TGS permanently self-sufficient: a total of 24 LiFeYPO4 cells with 1,200 Ah each are installed. In addition, the battery system is supplied by a large-scale solar system on the roof of the residential structure.
The residential structure is designed in sandwich panel construction with GRP composite panels, glued without cold bridge, and insulated all around. A wall of 60 millimeters applies not only to the body but also to the entrance door, which with double sealing keeps dust and dirt out of the living area while driving.
As a security measure, all exterior doors and flaps have the same-key security profile cylinders, stainless steel hinges, and, in the case of the entrance door, several additional locks. A central locking system with remote control controls all external locks.
The structure has a separate living/dining area with seating for up to six people, the center table can be lowered and the area can be converted into a double bed. The bathroom area has a porcelain toilet and a separate shower with a heated towel rail.
An induction cooker with two hotplates, a combined oven with grill and microwave, and the 130- / 65-liter fridge-freezer combination offer enough potential for amateur cooks.
Crockery and cooking utensils are stored on the slopes in specially adapted compartments, the teak design (the floor is also made of teak ship floor) brings the corresponding luxury look.
The separate bedroom houses a fixed bed with suspension and ventilation, the lying area measures 1.6 x 2.0 meters. A wide window brings light and air into the bedroom, storage compartments with teak flaps are also installed in this area.
The Unicat-MAN is equipped with two freshwater tanks with a total volume of 600 liters, a 60-liter water heater with heat exchanger and an electric auxiliary heater takes care of the temperature of the shower water. The gray water tank holds 175 liters, the holding tank 110 liters.
The 8,160 millimeters long and 3,660-millimeters high Unicat MD56c has another very special highlight to offer on the outside: “dinghies” that can be carried on a 1.9 meter long, hydraulically lowerable loading platform.
The car was supposed to be the highlight at the Unicat booth in the GIMS, but it was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The vehicle is now for sale directly from Unicat with a purchase price of around 1.4 million euros.
