Editorial

The holiday season is nearly upon us, and Santa is no doubt busy, lashing down the piles of presents on the back of his sleigh. Being very much a ‘Classic Driving’ sort of Father Christmas, the old chap may well be looking to trade-in his current model (that must have many million miles on the clock) and choose something new for 2006.

What to buy? It’s the same the world over; so much choice, and such a difficult decision to make for such a high-profile celebrity. It’s got to be practical, haul a big trailer and have excellent all-weather traction. Conditions are pretty tricky in Lapland, and remember Santa has to traverse Amazonian rain-forest, the frozen peaks of Nepal, swollen tropical rivers and Saharan deserts. Not to mention quick trips to the shopping mall for last-minute gifts after the little helpers have knocked off for the year.

It’s a pretty difficult brief.

But luckily for us all, those ingenious elves at Bottrop have come up with the answer; The Brabus Unimog U 500. Perhaps the ‘Black Edition’ is a bit bold for Santa, he’s a little old-fashioned after all, but I’m sure a bespoke application of red and gold would do the trick. Its 280 HP may be a little under the 9 RP (DIN Reindeer Power) he’s used to, but with animal welfare uppermost in his mind perhaps it’s time to retire the current rig to the garage for a while.

But please Father Christmas, let’s keep the overall look traditional. Upgrade the sleigh by all means, but hold on the Hilfiger.

Some things should never change.

Steve Wakefield Managing Editor sw@classicdriver.com