The MB-trac is a tractor developed by Mercedes-Benz which was based on their Unimog platform. It was built by Mercedes-Benz between the years 1973 and 1991. At its time its design and concept was revolutionary, featuring four identical wheels, high road speeds and powerful engines. Some offshoots have been manufactured since Mercedes-Benz left the agricultural business - several companies incorporated the technology in their own products, like the WF Trac by Werner Forst- und Industrietechnik (Werner foresting and industrial technology) in Trier, Germany.
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The Unimog was quite successful, except as originally intended as an agricultural platform. Daimler-Benz produced a new vehicle in 1972, the MB-trac, to be more oriented to larger scale mechanical farming. The new tractor crossed the Unimog technology of all-wheel drive and a power transmission to four large equal-sized wheels, with the appearance of a tractor: slim hood, behind it an angular, highly rising driver cab. In contrast to conventional tractors, the cab is situated between the axles, similar to large "four wheel drive" wheel loader - however, the steering is realized not by an articulated front and rear, but with a normal steerable front axle.
From the initial MB-trac 65 and MB-trac 70 (later MB-trac 700), a broad platform developed to the heavy duty MB-trac 1500 within a few years, culminating in the MB-trac 1800 intercooler shortly before production ceased. The MB-trac was reasonably successful on the market, though it did not meet the high expectations Mercedes-Benz had set on it. Daimler-Benz later merged the MB-trac with the agricultural machinery activities of Deutz AG. The manufacturing of the MB-trac series ended in 1991, when the production line was taken over by the Werner company. 41,000 vehicles were produced of the original MB-trac, 30,000 of which are still in service today.
In Belgium, the company UCA started converting MB-trac and WF-trac machines for rail shunting purposes in 1981. Nowadays, UCA produces the UCA-TRAC, rail/road vehicles based on the chassis of a JCB Load-All (UCA-TRAC B) and JCB Fastrac (UCA-TRAC F). The UCA-TRAC provides traction through its rubber wheels.
| Type 440: | |
| MB Trac 65/70 | (65 hp) |
| MB Trac 700 | (68 hp) |
| MB Trac 700 S/K | (65 hp) |
| MB Trac 700 / K | (68/80 hp) |
| MB Trac 800 | (72/75/78 hp) |
| MB Trac 900 | (85 hp) |
| MB Trac 900 turbo | (85/90 hp) |
| Type 441: | |
| MB Trac 1000 | (95/100 hp) |
| MB Trac 1100 | (110 hp) |
| Type 442: | |
| MB Trac 1100 | (110 hp) |
| Type 443: | |
| MB Trac 1100 | (110 hp) |
| MB Trac 1300 | (125 hp) |
| MB Trac 1300 turbo | (125 hp) |
| MB Trac 1400 turbo | (136 hp) |
| MB Trac 1500 | (150 hp) |
| MB Trac 1600 turbo | (156 hp) |
| MB Trac 1800 intercooler | (180 hp) |
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