"Helik" is a car out of time and competition

Recently, we often hear the word "helik", let's try to figure out what it means and what is it hiding under this symbol or abbreviation?

"Helik" - what is it?

Under the unpretentious name actually hides a real beast - a heavy SUV Mercedes Gelendevagen. "Off-road car" - so verbatim translated from German its full name. "Helik" - this is one of the colloquial names of cars. In addition to this nickname, in the people it is also called a "cube", a "brick" and a "square", but recently we often hear "helik".

Despite the high cost, reliable SUVs of this class have proved themselves well and enjoy stable demand. And this is a certain indicator of status. After all, "helik" - this is what is needed for fans of fast driving off-road, as well as for military and security forces.

History of creation

The line of off-road vehicles that combine great power, high throughput and speed, begins its history with the order of military vehicles by Iran.
Because of the revolution, Iran refused the goods, but orders for delivery were taken from Argentina, and then from Norway and Indonesia. The production of SUVs was started in Austria in 1979, and the first civilian "Gelendvagen" was sold in 1983. In the future, the car begins to gain popularity in other countries, as a result of which the first generation of "Gelendvagen" - universals and cabriolets with a standard and extended wheelbase appeared.

The second generation of "helics" began to be produced since 1990. For 30 years, the generation of SUVs has experienced many upgrades, upgrades, has received a new line of engines. "Gelendvagen" served in the police, worked as an ambulance, a forester and a fireman, and still "helik" is a demanded car and a long-liver of the auto industry.

Specifications

The wheelbase is 2850 mm, the length of the car slightly exceeds 4.6 meters, its width is 1.76 and height is 1.9 meters. The weight of the car is over 2.6 tons.

"Helik" is an all-wheel drive SUV and a 7-speed automatic transmission. In the basic configuration "Gelendvagen" has a gasoline engine, the volume of which reaches 5.5 liters. The power of the engine is 388 liters. from. In addition, "Helik" can be equipped with a diesel three-liter engine with a capacity of 210 horses. This SUV can accelerate to hundreds in just 6 seconds. In addition to the base, there are also pumped elite versions under the brand AMG. Their engines have high powers (544 and 612 hp respectively), and to accelerate from a place to a hundred kilometers this version of "helik" is capable in only 5.4 seconds.

Excellent quality finishes, exclusive decor, modern gadgets and a comfortable interior inside, and outside the helik is a tank for its patency and durability. Tests the car passed on the sand, in the water and mud. And everywhere the legendary "helik" showed excellent results. What is it, how prestigious and reliable auto, today the whole world knows.

Famous owners

Well, today "helik" is what? Comfortable SUV with modern electronic systems, engine, interior, by coincidence, turned from an army jeep into a certain indicator of status and a symbol of prosperity, wealth, success and power.

Today "Gelendwagens" are obligatory participants of any government motorcade, their owners are rich people all over the world, Arab sheikhs, famous politicians, financiers, civil servants, businessmen, sportsmen, actors and other well-known public figures.

In Russia, for example, famous owners of "helik" are figure skater Evgeni Plushenko and sculptor Zurab Tsereteli. But the most famous owner is called the Pope, who in 1980 became the owner of an off-road car, created by special order of the Vatican.

Gelendvagen was illuminated on the domestic screen. For example, in the humorous series "Fizruk" the main character Foma rides on "helika", and in "Real boys" the father of the main character also prefers this car.