Oz debut for Mercedes-Benz Zetros

Mercedes-Benz's all-terrain off-road truck, the Zetros, made its first Australian public debut at a recent factory drive-day event in Queensland

Attendees at the 2014 Mercedes-Benz Trucks Drive Day Experience were treated to a static display of the brand's Zetros off-road truck, marking the model's first public viewing in this country.

Although an 'invitation only' affair, the event – which was held at Queensland's Mount Cotton driver training centre and proving ground over August 14-15 – saw Mercedes-Benz staff showcase various aspects of the brand's truck, light commercial and car ranges to 95 participants comprising customers and dealers. The Zetros display vehicle was on hand at the facility's off-road area, where a Mercedes-Benz U5000 Unimog and a G-class 4WD were being demonstrated over the two days.

Mercedes-Benz says the model will become available in this country in the next six months and will have plenty of appeal in certain niche applications.

"It's our mining targeted vehicle," said Andrew Assimo, National Sales & Product Manager for Mercedes-Benz Truck & Bus Australia/Pacific.

"It's a 6x6 and 4x4 vehicle with a bonnet and high ground clearance. It's really a new opportunity for us in specialist applications."

Sold alongside the Unimog range in the Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks division, the Zetros features a ladder-type chassis the manufacturer says is ideal for a wide variety of custom-built bodies, while its permanent all-wheel-drive, two-stage transfer case, differential locks, tire pressure control system, 800mm fording depth and rugged suspension make it well suited to tough terrain.

The Zetros is manufactured at the Mercedes-Benz special vehicles production facility in Wörth, Germany.

The truck is powered by a 7.2-litre in-line six-cylinder turbo-diesel that produces a claimed 240kW and a maximum 1300Nm between 1200rpm and 1600rpm. Complying with ADR 80/03 (Euro 5) emissions regulations thanks to its selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, the engine is mated to a nine-speed fully automatic transmission (eight standard gears and one crawler gear) and fed from a 300-litre fuel tank.

The Zetros is available with single rear wheels as standard but can be configured with dual rear wheels to accommodate higher payloads. According to Philip Leslie, National Manager, Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks, the Zetros on display at Mount Cotton – the first production model to reach our shores – was likely destined for the mining sector.

"With the single-tyre axle you can only get six tonnes – you get 12 tonnes over the bogie – whereas if you go to dual tyres you get 17 tonnes with mass management," he says.

"The reason why we put the duals on that first one is that most people who did the market survey – the drilling people and the mining people – were saying they wanted the extra weight on the back, and that their other 6WD trucks have duals. If you were doing real off-road work you'd go to single tyres."

Mr Leslie says the Zetros will serve as a replacement for off-road versions of the Axor. The Zetros also sits about 100mm higher under its differentials than the off-road-spec'd Actros, which is available all the way up to 8x8. An optional fording kit sees a variety of breathers for the axles, transfer case and transmission routed up behind the cabin, boosting the standard 800mm fording depth to 1190mm.

"We've been in all-wheel-drives for a long time but this truck [Zetros] just does a few more things than the Actros, so it's able to get into a different niche," says Mr Leslie.

The Zetros is destined mainly for mining applications, but Mr Leslie says there are several theatres to which the Zetros is well suited.

"The market we see for the Zetros at the moment is mainly mining, where it will see use as a water truck, a fuel truck and a service truck, but also drilling," he says.

"As we do with Unimog, we're also getting some interest in it for motorhomes, while up in the Pilbara we're getting some interest from pipe-laying contractors."

There's also interest in the model as a pumper/tanker-style vehicle for use with fire brigades, while the model's appearance could well spark the interest of the Australian military, which initially examined a Zetros prototype some 18 months ago.

"They'll certainly be watching it, anyway," says Leslie.

Mr Leslie says there's been a healthy level of interest in the Zetros, which can be found in operation in several countries.

"If you look at the places where it works, particularly in the Middle East and in Africa, it's a tough truck," he says.

"It's a new truck for Australia but it's been produced in Europe for a while now and it's won accolades in other countries. It's already proven itself."

Oz debut for Mercedes-Benz Zetros

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