Agricultural specialist Udo Leib loves his new U 529.

"The three-pointed star is a part of my DNA," says Udo Leib. The 57-year-old farmer and vintner from Hahnheim near Mainz is difficult to calm once he starts enthusing about his latest purchase – a Unimog U 529: "When you're using front-mounted implements, the Unimog is unbeatable – with the immense panoramic windscreen, it's ideal for giving you a good all-round view. Plus I'm now using a third less fuel than with a normal farming tractor. What's not to like about the Unimog!" What might sound like Udo Leib is reciting a Mercedes-Benz advert, is actually his firm conviction. "The new Unimog is now my fourth one. It all started with a 406 series, which was followed by a U 1400 and finally a U 300."

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Fertilising, sowing, ploughing, cultivating.

In his black Unimog, he works a 150-hectare area of fields. Spreading, sowing, furrowing, cultivating – the U 529 with its top-of-the-range equipment is used to the full on a daily basis. "The power (286 hp) which the Unimog has is just amazing," explains Leib contentedly. The native of Rhenish Hesse is a jack of all trades and a very cheerful chap indeed – in fact, you can really sense that he used to work on the carnival. He now sells his wines in an enormously entertaining way on the markets in Mainz and Wiesbaden, and has recently taken up the equestrian discipline of four-in-hand. This involves the well-versed coach driver taking four of his self-reared Friesians for a trot around the region. During the horse-drawn coach rides he offers, locals and tourists alike have the chance to try out his wines – and with Udo Leib the entertainer at the reins, that risks being a barrel of laughs.

All black.

"On the farm, everything I have is black: the Unimog, my new Mercedes-Benz G-Class and, of course, my horses." His Unimog is equipped with two double rapid-swap platforms and can be used for almost any type of work in the fields or on the roads. The powerful front and rear power lifts, as well as the front and rear power take-off shafts can drive all of the implements required. Plus, the rear power take-off shaft with its output of 210 kW leaves nothing to be desired. He also had the tyre pressure control system TireControl (tractive force increase of up to 100 percent) installed in his favourite workplace ex works, not to mention a reversible fan, auxiliary cooling, a hydrostatic traction drive for stepless driving and an automated manual transmission.

Fertiliser bunker with a capacity of three tonnes.

And because he places such great importance on efficiency in his business, Udo Leib even did a spot of welding to improve his fertiliser spreading: the fertiliser tank, which his Unimog carries on its back, can hold a whopping three tonnes of pellets. "I just have to refill it twice and then that's me done!" There's no messing around at the Sonnenhof farm – the team here is made up of doers. And the next generation is already in the starting blocks in the form of son Johannes. His father Udo leaves him free reign. The only time the fun stops is when it's about driving the Unimog: "I drive the Unimog – no-one else!"

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KBM Motorfahrzeuge GmbH & Co. KG

Agricultural specialist Udo Leib loves his new U 529.

Fertilising, sowing, ploughing, cultivating.

All black.

Fertiliser bunker with a capacity of three tonnes.

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