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"Affordable" Pinzgauer Power

Formerly the preserve of landed gentry and their estates or of highly paid members of the Oil Exploration or Geological Survey industries the Austrian built Pinzgauer is now finding it's way to British shores in a more financially economical way via the annual dispersal sales of Swiss Army vehicles held at Thunn in Switzerland every April.

Now these sales have gone on for many years, however, it's only since the mid-nineties that Pinzgauers have been released available in 4x4 and 6x6 form. Buying direct from the Sale can enable you to procure a very capable off-roader for a figure around the price of an early Land Rover V8 110. The majority of the Pinzgauers released are also in exceptionally good condition for their age, and indeed some have been known to have had new replacement engines or gearboxes. If you buy the 4x4 version (designated 710M) they are issued with "transit papers" allowing you to drive them home and then you can UK register them and Mot and Tax the vehicle. The 6x6 (712M) is a heavier vehicle and transport through Switzerland on road is not allowed, so you'd have to have it moved by a lorry. The agents handling the Sale can advise on the technicalities of this. Any way, that's enough about how to get your hands on one, let's take a look at the vehicle and see just how useful a tool they are to the off-roader.

The Pinzgauer is produced by the Austrian firm of Steyr-Daimler-Puch and production began in 1968. The machine underwent major modifications in the early 90's, including fitment of the VW diesel engine and automatic gearbox options and the installation of disc brakes with many service components shared with the VAG group of companies. Various attempts at civilian market sales in the UK have been tried by a number of companies including those carried out by the now defunct SDP headquarters in Nottingham in the mid-seventies. Since then another two companies have endeavoured to sell the Pinzgauer in Great Britain. Today, the manufacturers focus their UK sales efforts at the military and the MOD now purchase the Pinzgauer. Indeed it is no longer possible to buy a 4x4 Pinzgauer new in the UK, and perhaps at around £60,000 plus VAT there wouldn't be too many people forming a queqe anyway ! Some readers may recall the diminuitive Haflinger produced by the same company. Our September issue will have a feature on the Haflinger since September 1999 marks 30 years since the Haflinger went into production.

Visually the Pinzgauer isn't everyone's "beauty", but then again beauty is only skin deep, and taking a look under this beast you'll see plenty to help you when the going really gets tough. For a start forget the conventional 4x4 ladder-frame chassis, there isn't one, simply a huge backbone tube structure on which the swinging arms are attached. There's independent coil spring suspension all round with twin springs on the rear, steel axle articulation limit restrictors, internal water resistant disc brake transmission hand brake, portal axles (this gives inches more ground clearance) , 335mm of under differential ground clearance, and perhaps most importantly in the armoury of off-road goodies front and rear cross axle differential locks. Fording delth is a useful 700mm without any need for "wading plugs". The only universal joint is on the short exposed transfer box prop-shaft, all other drive joints and shafts are internal in the backbone tube structure and all self lubricating.

Well don't even bother comparing the Pinzgauer with a Land Rover, these machines where three times the cost of a 110 when new... so design, build quality and engineering far surpass the Land Rover product. Remember the brief was different. the Pinzgauer was conceived with world sales being 99% military market, so cost didn't really come into the equation, it was designed by a company renowned for its prowess in the design and manufacture of specialised 4x4 applications. From the buyer's point of view you get a tremendous amount of machinery for your money, and a vehicle which in civilian hands has a multitude of uses.

What about size and weight ? Well the wheelbase is 2200mm, turning circle 10.37m and the complete machine has a dead weight of 1950kg. Basically not a lot larger than a 90, however, inside there is loads of room. The forward control configuration provides driver and passenger seats with the engine mounted in between with useful storage locker and map tray, with a low bulkhead behind and in the rear a set of five a-side inward facing bench seats, which fold down when not in use and provide a totally flat load space capable of carrying two European standard pallets, so you're looking at internal space comparable with a LWB Transit van. Therefore you can carry twelve persons or a load of camping equipment or off-road gear. The perceived draw-back is that all these ex-Swiss Army machines come in left hand drive, however, the high driving position makes for good forward visibility for overtaking.

The heart of the machine is a rather special 2.5 litre four cylinder 90bhp air cooled petrol engine. This engine was designed by Steyr-Puch especially for the Pinzgauer. It is an all alloy unit with cast iron cylinder liners and designed to run on the lowest octane fuel available. The engine is mounted high up above the front axle with the inlet manifold at the top and exhaust manifold at the bottom, the sump to the side. There are two oil pumps to ensure adequate oil circulation at any angle of inclination and twin down draft 32ndix Zenith carbs to get the fuel in quickly when needed. Expect to gain about 16-18 mpg for general use and when towing accordingly less in direct proportion to the load. Experience has proved that even with trailers up to the UK limit of 3500kg fuel consumption levels never dropped below 13mpg. Manufacturers rate the Pinzgauer at 5 ton braked trailer payload.

The tow hitch is of the NATO type and attaches direct to the central "backbone" tube of the drivetrain assembly. Towing with the Pinzgauer is very positive and trailers tend to "follow" well without "rock and roll" of the tow vehicle. Air cooling means no radiator to freeze or damage when wading in deep water and the electrical system is a totally water proofed 24 volt system. The gearbox is a five speed ZF unit, fully synschronised, with transfer box and the whole system is set up so you can change from high to low range and vice-versa without stopping to make the selection, so ten forward and two reverse gears all available on the move.

The machine drives on-road with rear axle drive, four-wheel-drive is engaged by selecting a dashboard mounted lever which hydraulically engages the front axle, and the differential locks are also available for front and rear axle independently engaged via the same hydraulic method, and all available on the move without the need to stop or de-clutch.

The cabin is comfortable and well laid out with all controls easily to hand and it is clear from the absence of vinyl, plastic or other civilian orientated additions that this is a utilitarian vehicle. A nice touch is the drivers left foot rest and the well fitting windows and satsifying clunk of the doors on closure, this is a well through out and designed product. Ex-Swiss army models are the canvas topped variants, and come with full length hood and shorter cabin hood as illustrated in the accompanying photographs. There's also normally a set of four snow chains, an instruction manual and tool kit with jack. If you want to buy one and want to join the Pinzgauer Club there's a lisiting for them in our UK Clubs Directory and we believe that membership is FREE.

Technical Specification :

Dimensions 4x4 model :

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