Pinzgauer is a high mobility all-terrain 4x4 and 6x6 military utility vehicle manufactured in Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom, by Automotive Technik (ATL). ATL has been manufacturing the Pinzgauer since the year 2000. Before then the Pinzgauer was produced by Steyr-Daimler-Puch in Graz, Austria.
First generation
The original prototype was produced in 1965 and production began in 1971. This first generation model was produced until 1985 by Steyr-Daimler-Puch.
The Pinzgauer is one of the most capable all-terrain vehicles ever made. It isn't as fast as a HMMWV but it can climb over rougher terrain and carry more payload. Even the smaller 710M can carry 10 people, or two Nato pallets. It can also tow 11,000 kg and with the optional larger fuel tank it can drive almost 450 miles on one tank of fuel. The first generation Pinzgauer is available in both four-wheel-drive (model 710) and six-wheel-drive (model 712) versions.
The pinzgauer was also designed to be reliable and easy to fix. That is why it comes with an air-cooled carbureted engine. Air-cooled carbureted engines are still in use in many small aircraft due to their reliability. This is partially due to the fact that air-cooled engines have been around longer, and partially due to the fact that they are simpler and have fewer parts. The engine in the pinzgauer is a special engine designed specially for it. It has more than one oil pump so that the engine will not get starved of oil no matter the orientation.
It also has a very advanced chassis that gives it its high mobility. It has a central tube chassis with a transaxle which distributes the weight more evenly and keeps the center of gravity as low as possible. The differentials are all sealed units and never require additional lubrication. The pinzgauer also has portal axles just like the HMMWV, Hummer H1, and Unimog to provide extra clearance over obstacles. The 710 4x4 was the more popular variant, but the pinzgauer was designed to have a very capable 6x6 configuration from the start. The rear suspension on the back of the 6x6 712 is designed to provide maximum traction in the most demanding circumstances.
During production from 1971 until 1985 18,349 first-generation 710s and 712s were produced.
Body type variants:
710 4x4
| M | soft top troop carrier
|
| T | flat top carrier
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| K | 5 door station wagon
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| AMB-Y | ambulance with 3 doors
|
| AMB-S | ambulance with air-portable removable shelter
|
712 6x6
| M | soft top
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| T | flat top carrier
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| FW | fire truck
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| K | 5 door station wagon
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| W | workshop with air-portable shelter
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| DK | 4 door crew cab pickup
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| AMB-S | ambulance, with air-portable removable shelter
|
The most common body types are either "K" (hard-topped) or "M" (soft-topped) types.
Specifications
All the first generation Pinzgauers are equiped with:
Importing
A very popular idea in North America is to import military surplus Pinzgauers for civilian use. Any Pinzgauer can be imported, but due to the high cost and the difficulty in certifying them the second generation Pinzgauers are very rarely imported. Military surplus first generation Pinzgauers are often imported because they are much cheaper and can be certified for street use if they are more than 25 years old. These trucks are popular with off-roaders due to their low cost and their ability in off-roading. There are several shops in the USA that deal with importing pinzgauers.
Second generation
In 1980 Steyr-Daimler-Puch started development on a second generation Pinzgauer. After 6 years of R&D the first second generation Pinzgauer rolled off the assembly line in 1986. In the year 2000 Magna sold its rights to the Pinzgauer to Automotive Technik in the UK. They took over production of the Pinzgauer and still make it to this day.
The four-wheel-drive Model is now called a 716 and the six-wheel-drive model is now called a 718. The same letter body type designations apply. The new 716 has the same payload rating as the old 712, and the new 718 also has a similary higher payload capacity.
Their were a few minor changes to the design of the Pinzgauer:
The second generation vehicle went through several minor revisions through its life, unlike the first generation which used the same design throughout production. The first second-generation Pinzgauers were desiginated P80 (1980). It went through a revision in 1990 (P90), 1993 (P93), and an engine change in 2002. This was a new Volkswagen TDI engine that met the new Euro III emmisions requirements.
The Pinzgauer is used quite widely in the United Kingdom as a fire engine in smaller towns and villages and is increasingly replacing the Land Rover Defender in the military utility vehicle role despite its high cost of upwards of US$100,000 per unit.
Though most Pinzgauers were sold to military forces (initially Austrian and Swiss) they are some few civilian versions. Typical military roles are as a troop carrier, ambulance, and gun tractor.
Similar-purposed vehicles include the Germany's Daimler-Benz Unimog trucks, British Land Rovers, and the United States HMMWV "Hummer".
Pinzgauer capabilities
The Pinzgauer is a remarkable offroad vehicle. Its capabilities can even exceed that of the HMMWV (Hummer) and vastly exceeds the Jeep.
- 45 degree approach and departure angle
- 100% slope or till tires lose traction
- 700 mm fording depth
- Can climb down a 335mm wall
- 43.5 degree side-slope
- 1000 kg of payload
- 16 inches of clearance (lowest point when fully loaded)
- 90 km/h top speed
- Full engine power available at 4 km/h
- M body type carries 10 people (4X4), 12 people (6x6)
See also
External links
