Need to Get Off the Grid? This Dakar-Inspired MAN RV Will Do the Trick
Loads of ground clearance, 4×4, off-road tires, and a bulletproof diesel engine will take you into the wilderness.
We don't need to go into detail about why 2020 seems to be the perfect year to head into the wilderness in a mighty-equipped RV, and not emerge until all of this has blown by. This is easier said and done, of course, but having the right vehicle can definitely make a huge difference. The made-in-Germany, Unicat-built Terracross TC55 Comfort Plus is one of those.
It's based on a MAN 4x4 TGM 18.340 truck, a vehicle that's mainly used for heavy-duty mining and agricultural work. Unicat uses the MAN's all-wheel drive, steel rear suspension, and 340-horsepower 6.9-liter diesel engine as the foundation for a six-passenger, off-road-capable motorhome.
The bonus? The finished product looks like a Dakar truck wearing cargo shorts.
This heavy-duty motorhome construction features 2-inch-thick walls with a fiberglass-reinforced polyester outer surface, as well as a heavy duty inner surface with insulation. The living quarters include a seating area, kitchen, a complete bathroom with a toilet and shower separated by a door, and a sleeping area with a set of double beds.
Standard equipment includes a 158-gallon, anti-freeze drinking water tank, outside shower, diesel-powered central heating, and a 15-gallon hot water heat exchanger. It's unclear what kind of stove it runs, but it does have a microwave, so you can still eat Hot Pockets. Options on the TC55 Comfort Plus include a washing machine, motorbike carrier, a generator, solar-paneling, and leather interior.
Now, one of its best characteristics is that because it was originally designed to be a 4x4 diesel truck, the TC55 is an RV camper that thrives off-road. While the RV buses you often see parked at Wal-Mart can get bogged down with mud, the TC55 can literally drive across a desert. Unicat's YouTube channel UNICAT Expedition Vehicles posted a customer submission video of a TC55 Comfort Plus roaming the Moroccan desert.
Of course, I'm not the only one with the clever idea of going off-the-grid in one of these, as the popularity for rental RVs and vans has skyrocketed in the second half of this year by as much as 650 percent, as we've covered before.
The RV Industry Association stated in May of this year that "while numbers compared to last May show a 30 percent decrease, the reality is that the RV industry is very strong right now." In June, however, it reported the highest monthly total of RV wholesale shipments since October 2018.
Now, the Unicat Terracross TC55 Comfort Plus best quality is that because the vehicle was originally designed to be a 4x4 diesel truck, the TC55 is an RV camper that can be used off-road. While the RV buses you often see parked at the far end of a Wal-Mart parking lot can get bogged down with mud, the TC55 can literally drive across a desert. Unicat's YouTube channel UNICAT Expedition Vehicles posted a customer submission video a TC55 Comfort Plus roaming the Moroccan desert.
After watching this beast in action, where would you take the Unicat TC55?
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