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Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer 710M 4x4 High Mobility All-Terrain Vehicle

The Pinzgauer is a family of high mobility all-terrain 4WD (4x4) and 6WD (6x6) military utility vehicles. They are manufactured in Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom, by BAE Systems Land & Armaments. The vehicle was originally developed in the late 1960s by Steyr-Daimler-Puch of Graz, Austria, and was named after the Pinzgauer, an Austrian breed of horse. It was popular amongst military buyers, and continued in production throughout the rest of the century.

 

The original prototype was developed around 1969 and production began in 1971, as successor of the Steyr-Daimler-Puch Haflinger 700 AP 4x4 light military multi purpose offroad vehicle. The Pinzgauer first generation model (710, 712) was produced until 2000 by Steyr-Daimler-Puch in the city of Graz, Austria. It was, and is in use in many armies around the world like Austria, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Albania, and Bolivia.

 

The Pinzgauer is one of the most capable all-terrain vehicles ever made. While not as fast (110 kilometres per hour (68 mph)) as the American Humvee, it can carry more troops. Even the smaller 710M can carry 10 people or two NATO pallets. Both the 4x4 and 6x6 models can tow 5,000 kilograms (11,023 lb) on road; and 1,500 kilograms (3,307 lb) or 1,800 kilograms (3,968 lb), respectively, off-road. It has a range of over 400 kilometres (249 mi) on one tank of fuel, or nearly 700 kilometres (435 mi) with the optional 125 litre tank. The first generation Pinzgauer is available in both four-wheel drive (4x4) (model 710) and six-wheel drive (6x6) (model 712) versions.

 

The Pinzgauer was designed to be reliable and easy to fix; it is shipped with an air-cooled dual- Zenith 36mm NDIX carburetor(- as in Porsche 956) petrol engine. The engine in the Pinzgauer was specifically designed for the vehicle; it has more than one oil pump so that the engine will not get starved of oil no matter how the vehicle is orientated.

 

The Pinzgauer has a chassis design which contributes to its high mobility. It has a central tube chassis with a transaxle which distributes the weight more evenly, and keeps the centre of gravity as low as possible. The differentials are all sealed units and require minimal additional lubrication. The Pinzgauer also has portal axles like the 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 along with increasing its towing, load carrying, and off-road abilities.

 

During production from 1971 until 1985, 18,349 first-generation 710s and 712s were produced and sold to both civilian and military customers.

 

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Uploaded on September 5, 2011
Taken on June 26, 2011