It's okay to stray off the path sometimes.

Thanks to its outstanding off-road properties, the distinctive truck with the star demonstrates its effectiveness on large construction sites worldwide. The Zetros was developed and built for markets outside Europe, where there is a high demand for transport and provisional roads prevail. There, the Zetros, through the combination of off-road capability, robustness and high payload, is the perfect solution and, thanks to its engine technology in the emissions categories Euro III and Euro V, can also cope with fuel qualities that do not meet European requirements.

Mercedes-Benz has combined the traditional bonnet concept with the proven chassis and drive technology of its heavy truck ranges, along with a clever cab design. Because the cab is positioned behind the front axle, the Zetros achieves maximum driving comfort even on poor roads and off-road, while at the same time delivering high transport performance. And all this without compromising on safety.

But the Zetros makes no compromises when it comes to power either: depending on the variant, the high‑mobility vehicle has between 360 hp and 510 hp under the hood. It is fitted with a 6‑cylinder inline engine with an exhaust‑gas turbocharger and just under 13 l displacement. This provides a low rated engine speed as well as high power across a wide engine speed range. Also noteworthy are its very good tolerance of poor‑quality fuel and the PLD injection system. Together with the increased engine power, the brake system of the new Zetros — improved compared with the previous generation — allows vehicle weights of up to 40 t and gross combination weights of up to 120 t.

Especially in the construction industry, the solid, robust chassis of the Zetros is indispensable. The excellently coordinated interaction of powerful suspension components ensures fast and safe driving on poor roads. A highly load-bearing, flexible and twist-capable frame based on the ladder-type frame of the Arocs for the construction industry enables the safe transport of heavy loads even off-road. Added to this are the comfortable, shock-reduced ride and the even axle load distribution both when the vehicle is empty and when it is loaded.

In addition, the axle suspension with wide-gap parabolic leaf springs and a 2‑speed transfer case provide sufficient traction on loose surfaces and on ramp climbs of up to 80%. The synchronized 16‑speed manual transmission and the cable-controlled gearshift with shift assistance make the Zetros a genuine off-road truck.

For even easier operation and reduced driver fatigue, the soon-to-be-available Allison 6‑speed fully automatic transmission provides relief.

In addition to a pure chassis variant, the Zetros can also be used as a semitrailer tractor and tipper as standard. Since it naturally performs mainly as a tipping vehicle on construction sites, the basic version of the vehicle can be equipped with specially pre-mounted brackets on the longitudinal frame members for bolting on tipper bodies. These mounting parts for tippers (Code C5J) are pre-installed on the vehicle frame and available from the factory. This simplified installation option saves time and money. In addition, the off-road truck has a fording depth of up to 800 mm as standard. That means neither deep mud nor high water will stop it.

What particularly predisposes it for construction‑site use is its entry height up to 50 cm lower than conventional trucks such as the Arocs. The resulting easier getting in and out makes the hard work in the construction industry more comfortable and safer.

Where conventional trucks reach their limits, the Zetros simply keeps going: its relatively low profile makes it possible to pass under low-lying obstacles such as bridges, gates and avenues as well as through tunnels. In addition, the vehicle benefits from the option of an overbuildable cab, which is a huge advantage for special bodies such as the tipper.

The overall concept of the Zetros in the construction industry is rounded off by its simple and intuitive operation, its long maintenance intervals and its low service effort.