UNICAR

The UNICAR is a prototype amphibious all-terrain vehicle built in 1968 by the Niedersächsische Waggonbau Fabrik C. Graaf of Elze, to a design by engineer R. W. Lindemann of Bremen. It was originally conceived for the military as an infantry carrier and, according to its later owner, was extensively tested by the Bundeswehr as well as by Krauss-Maffei and Rheinmetall with favourable reports, but was never put into series production.

Design

The UNICAR is built around a watertight tub of 3-5 mm steel or 5-10 mm aluminium, using mass-produced civilian components wherever possible so that any car mechanic could maintain it; an engine change was claimed to take 40 minutes. It is 4.45 m long and 1.94-2.10 m wide, with a 1.64 m wheelbase and nearly 40 cm of ground clearance. A four-cylinder petrol or diesel engine of 2.0 or 2.3 litres (130 or 115 hp) drives through a five-speed gearbox with a 1:2 reduction, giving ten forward and two reverse gears off-road. Unladen weight is 2,200 kg and permitted total weight 4,800 kg, with room for 14-16 people.

The driver can adjust tyre pressures from the cockpit, from 0.4-0.5 atm in mud to 1.8 atm on the road, giving a ground pressure below 0.33 kg/cm². Top road speed is quoted at 100-120 km/h, and a 400 mm propeller gives about 10 km/h in water, with an 8 m turning circle afloat. The designers claimed it could be used offshore up to wind force 6 in closed form, and could tilt to 72 degrees fore and aft and 47 degrees sideways. It was designed to fit within air-transport cargo dimensions.

Variants and later history

The promotional material describes options ranging from a luxury roadster to a closed, armoured version with air filtration for eight people, and a planned three-axle 6x6. The prototype was owned from 1985 by a private owner who restored it, repainting it blue instead of camouflage, and saw its future in disaster relief, rescue and police or border work. It was later offered for sale on eBay together with the original design, costing and test documents.