Meet the 'Schnibbelmobil': The Unusual Truck That Captivated German and Dutch Roads
The 'Schnibbelmobil', a unique commercial vehicle, was a familiar sight on German and Dutch roads until the late 1990s. This peculiar transporter, with its distinctive appearance, was a sympathy magnet and also caused some tricky situations due to curiosity.
The Schnibbelmobil's origins date back to the 1980s when two Dutch companies requested a transporter for aluminum trapezoidal sheets, measuring a total length of 55 meters. The base of this unusual vehicle was a Ford Granada Turnier with front damage. The front was shortened and made presentable using the mask of a Mercedes 207 D. The undercarriage was a MAN 22.320 UNL, supplemented by a three-axle Welte trailer and a custom-made bridge.
Initially powered by a 12-liter six-cylinder turbo diesel MAN engine with 320 PS, it was later upgraded to a new turbo diesel with 420 PS in 1994. Despite its robust technology, the soft seats in the Granada interior drew criticism from drivers. The immense front overhang caused the vehicle to sway during driving, sometimes triggering motion sickness.
The Schnibbelmobil reliably transported goods between the Hoogovens plant in Koblenz and the Netherlands, covering over 800,000 kilometers by the end of the 1990s. Today, it can be visited at the Museum Ludwig in Cologne, Germany, where it is listed as a heavy-duty truck machine in the fleet of Cologne's Colonia Special Vehicles GmbH.
