Germany's Unicat has been building some of Earth's largest, most capable, most meticulously equipped expedition vehicles for decades. For its latest rig, it's cozying up to the American market, turning the Ram 5500 into the sharply angled B63X all-terrain motorhome. The wealthy, wanderlustful American's options for go-anywhere adventure just got a whole lot bigger and bolder.
Krug Expedition certainly wasn't the only major European expedition vehicle builder to kick off a more focused US presence at this year's Overland Expo West. Unicat has been in the game as long as anyone, with over 40 years of experience converting big trucks into globetrotting off-grid habitats.
It all started in 1978 when a 20-year-old Thomas Ritter scripted out his own future by selecting a decommissioned Unimog U404 military vehicle over a Porsche 964 as a restoration project. Ritter was ultimately drawn in by the promise of boundless adventure that peered out at him from deep within the Unimog's round, determined eyes.
After some work and testing, Ritter concluded his Unimog was an amazing off-road vehicle mechanically but left a lot to be desired as far as its heavy, uninsulated body. He pondered the idea of swapping in a new body made from the same fiberglass composite used for commercial refrigeration trucks, an idea that seeded a global icon.
Ritter's personal composite body project inspired him to found an eponymous company in 1982 building composite bodies for customers. By 1990, the business had to move to a larger facility to keep up with demand and the increasing size of the builds.
It was then Ritter restructured into Unicat and began working on monstrous trucks like the otherworldly MAN KAT 8x8 partial pop-top pictured below. This was now the "Unicat" we personally came to know and love after an impressive first impression back in 2013.
As a custom builder, Unicat has long worked with American clients, and back in the mid-2000s, it explored the idea of a more American-centric model based on the ill-fated International MXT monster pickup. The truck didn't last long, and neither did Unicat's all-American expedition RV.
Take two.
Ritter himself greeted us from below a loud, gust-flapping awning attached to what we soon identified as Overland Expo's most expensive vehicle – an older hard-walled lifter on loan from its owners, ballparked at US$2.5 to $3 million.
An affable, mild-mannered man of average stature, Ritter stood in complete contrast to the type of gruff, bier keg-chested Black Forest lumberjack we'd have expected to find at the helm of an outfit responsible for some of the world's most rugged, imposing recreational machines. In fact, he didn't even mention he was the founder and CTO of the company, introducing himself simply as "Thomas."
Putting aside for a moment the massive six-wheeled, two-story desert-yacht towering behind its tiny information table, Unicat's exhibit was also quite a modest host for a full-on product launch in the world's largest RV market. We initially mistook the two scale models on the table as floor plan samples for custom builds, assuming the company was there to seek out globe-traveling clients for its regular schedule of MAN and Unimog-based explorers.
After catching a glimpse of the Ram's face in the "Brilliant" poster, though, we realized those toy-sized trucks were the start of a new Americanized product lineup. The typical heavy-duty European truck models Unicat works with are not readily available or registerable across North America, so Unicat targeted the Ram 5500 chassis cab for its new offering, a truck that can be registered in the US, Canada and South America, as well as Europe, Asia and Australia.
The Brilliant B63X will be quite large by American standards, similar in size to an Earthroamer, but a smaller, more agile 7.5-tonne option at Unicat. Unicat has singled out the Ram because of what it identifies as superior worldwide serviceability for its 360-hp 6.7-liter Cummins I-6 engine, but it will also build on Class 5 Ford and GMC chassis for customers who prefer or, in Europe, on its more traditional Unimogs and Mercedes G-Class 6x6s.
Unicat plans to prepare the Ram chassis in the US, adding its usual laundry list of upgrades, including larger tires, beefier axles, suspension mods and a central tire inflation system. The motorhome construction will still take place in Germany, where a vacuum infusion process will create the carbon-aramid monocoque. The sharp-angled 21-ft-long (6.3-m) module will be affixed to the chassis via a three-point kinematic mounting system.
A unique wedge-style lifting roof system with all hard-wall construction will keep the B63X's drive height below 11 ft (3.3 m), opening up to offer 3.3 ft (1 m) of headroom between the 71 x 80-in (180 x 202-cm) cabover mattress and ceiling above. In addition to a pass-through from the truck cab, a drop-down rear hatch door that doubles as the staircase will provide access inside.
The initial floor plan shows a straightforward setup with a central wraparound dinette just below the alcove bedroom. That unit transforms into a 57 x 79-in (145 x 200-cm) bed at night, making the B63X a viable option for families of four.
The dry bathroom and kitchen are located across from each other toward the rear of the cabin, with storage space behind each. The kitchen will come fully equipped with a dual-zone induction cooktop, 250-L fridge/freezer with icemaker, Miele convection oven/microwave, flush-mounted stainless-steel sink, and coffeemaker ready to retract away into the overhead cabinetry once the morning mugs are ready to be washed.
Other planned specs include a 16.9-kWh lithium battery bank, dual inverters, 2,400 watts of solar covering the entirety of the roof, heat, hot water and air conditioning, over 400 liters of fresh water storage, onboard connectivity and available Starlink satellite internet, and an entertainment system with 4K TV and Apple TV streamer. A UV water purification system, washer/dryer, extra lithium power and more will be available optionally.
The B63X will serve as the flagship of the Brilliant line, and Unicat currently lists starting price at €895,000 (approx. US$971,500) ... before taxes. It plans to identify a North American location for Ram chassis preparation in the coming months and begin the first American vehicle deliveries in 2025.
Source: Unicat