Sinpar Castor vs. Unimog: What Was France Hoping For?

A French Unimog? Yes, it existed! In this video, we dive into the history of a little-known yet unique company, Sinpar — the true grey cardinal of the French automotive industry. For decades, they transformed standard production trucks and passenger cars from Renault, Citroën, Berliet, and Saviem into uncompromising all-wheel-drive off-roaders. But their biggest challenge was Project Castor. French engineers decided to take on the undisputed leader: the German Unimog tractor-truck from Mercedes. How did the cabin of a Renault Estafette city van end up on a high, all-wheel-drive chassis? What bold decisions did the French make when creating the heavy Super Castor? And most importantly — why did this ambitious plan fail? All the answers are in our new video.