In the late 1950s, the Soviet Union launched a large-scale development of forest resources. Timber harvesting reached industrial volumes, and the geography of work went deeper and deeper into areas where there were not only roads, but also any hints of infrastructure. Such conditions required special equipment — machines capable of pulling dozens of tons of timber from the deep taiga, overcoming swamps, clearings and blockages. The Minsk Automobile Plant, which already had experience in creating super-heavy equipment in the form of the MAZ-525 dump truck, received a new task: to develop a tractor-timber carrier with increased cross-country ability.
The answer to this request was the MAZ-532, presented in 1957. This machine occupied a special place among Soviet all-terrain vehicles, combining an engineering integrity rare for its class and a surprisingly expressive appearance. Even by the standards of the era, which was not inclined to design frills, the MAZ-532 looked harmonious and complete.
It was based on an 8×8 all-wheel drive scheme, however, unlike most heavy vehicles of that time, the 532nd did not give the impression of a rough set of units. The cab with three sections of the windshield and a noticeable front overhang, dictated by the placement of the power plant, formed a solid and almost futuristic silhouette for the late 1950s. The appearance of the tractor looked balanced, despite its impressive size and purely utilitarian purpose.
Cross-country ability in the taiga was ensured by wheels borrowed from the MAZ-525 quarry. Large diameter and significant width tires reduced the pressure on the ground, allowing the machine to move confidently through peat bogs, swamps and soggy soils, where ordinary timber trucks were helpless. It was this feature that made the MAZ-532 suitable for work where road construction was economically or technically impossible.
The MAZ-532 was not just a tractor, but a powerful transport system. Its curb weight reached 20 tons, and the total weight with a drawbar trailer exceeded 40 tons. The 300-horsepower engine provided high power density for its class. This improved cross-country ability and allowed confident operation at low speeds. Increased ground clearance and optimal entry and exit angles helped the machine maintain stability on forest blockages and steep slopes.
A key feature of the project was the concept of application itself. The MAZ-532 was originally designed as an element of a bundle: a powerful semi-trailer tractor was to work in conjunction with a two-axle drawbar trailer designed to transport 20–23 tons of wood, which corresponded to approximately 20 cubic meters of forest. A 12-cylinder diesel D12A-525 with a capacity of 300 hp, borrowed from the MAZ-525 quarry dump truck, was used as a power unit. This engine provided a significant margin of safety and reliability during long-term operation in heavy modes and at reduced speeds.
The transmission and chassis were designed with extreme loads in mind. Dependent suspension with massive balancer trolleys, multi-axle layout with inter-axle locks and a heavy transfer case allowed efficient distribution of torque between all wheels. This solution minimized wheelspin and reduced the risk of overloads, bringing the MAZ-532 closer in terms of technical equipment to military and quarry equipment.
Tests confirmed the calculations of the designers. The machine demonstrated high cross-country ability, maintained handling, despite its dimensions, and consistently withstood the specified loads. In parallel with the timber carrier version, a military modification was also developed — an onboard truck with a tent, designed to transport equipment and personnel over difficult terrain. In the future, the MAZ-532 was considered as a universal chassis for engineering troops, heavy radio engineering complexes and transportation of pontoon parks, which took the project far beyond the scope of purely forestry purposes.
At first glance, the fate of the car looked cloudless. However, instead of being put into mass production, the project was curtailed. Its place was taken by another all-terrain vehicle — the MAZ-538, which inherited some of the technical solutions of its predecessor, but turned out to be more specialized.
The reasons for this turn, apparently, lay in the economic and planned sphere. The high cost, the complexity of maintenance and dependence on quarry-class units made the MAZ-532 excessively heavy and expensive for the forestry industry. Mass operation of such machines required a developed repair base, qualified personnel and a stable supply of spare parts — conditions that were poorly combined with the decentralized infrastructure of timber industry enterprises.
Departmental priorities also played a significant role. In the absence of a firm military order, the project was deprived of strategic support, and the army at that time was increasingly focused on specialized chassis for specific tasks, and not on universal platforms. As a result, the MAZ-532 turned out to be too complex for the civilian sector, not military enough for the army, and excessively universal for a system built on rigid specialization.
Thus, the car, which was not formally experimental, turned into one of the most mysterious "unfulfilled legends" of the Soviet automotive industry. According to available information, only a few copies were made, which passed factory and range tests. None of them have survived to this day.