Rare 1952 Mercedes-Benz 170 V Service Van Goes on Display in Stuttgart

A rare 1952 Mercedes-Benz 170 V service van has gone on display at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart as part of the museum’s special exhibition celebrating 130 years of Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles.

Finished in distinctive “Mercedes Blue,” the 170 V is one of seven vehicles featured in the exhibition, which traces the company’s commercial vehicle history back to 1896. The temporary display runs through April 4, 2027, providing another reason for automotive travelers to include the museum on a Stuttgart itinerary over the coming months.

The 170 V is particularly unusual. Although Mercedes-Benz produced both gasoline and diesel versions of the W 136 as vans in 1952, only 35 examples of the more powerful gasoline-powered 170 V were built with the Sindelfingen factory body. By comparison, production of the diesel 170 D van exceeded 500 examples that year.

(Fotosignatur der Archive von Mercedes-Benz Classic: D888986)

This particular vehicle was put into service in Switzerland in 1952 as a mobile customer service vehicle. Its blue paint wasn’t simply an aesthetic choice. During the period, Mercedes-Benz used the color for its customer service fleet, making the vehicles immediately identifiable to customers. The association also extended to other specialized Mercedes vehicles, including the famous blue high-speed racing car transporter of 1955 known as the “Blaues Wunder.”

The van’s construction reveals how commercial vehicles were built during the period. Beneath its shaped sheet-metal exterior is a wooden structure, with five longitudinal wooden slats on each side connecting the body framework with the cab. The cargo area was designed to carry the tools and spare parts required by traveling Mercedes-Benz service mechanics, while additional equipment and the spare wheel could be stored beneath its carpeted floor.

A small badge ahead of the driver’s door identifies the van as having “Sindelfinger Karosserie. Daimler-Benz A.G.”bodywork, connecting the utilitarian service vehicle with Mercedes-Benz’s long tradition of factory coachbuilding at Sindelfingen.

Even as a working vehicle, the 170 V offered surprising attention to its occupants. The cab has a light gray artificial-leather bench seat, matching covering over the transmission tunnel and carefully fitted fabric mats around the pedals. The light gray dashboard carries a centrally positioned speedometer and odometer, accompanied by gauges for fuel level and oil pressure and a separate clock. Ivory-colored controls provide another distinctly period detail.

(Fotosignatur der Archive von Mercedes-Benz Classic: D888946)

The vehicle also illustrates an important chapter in Mercedes-Benz history following World War II. The W 136-series 170 V had originally appeared in 1936 and became one of the company’s most important pre-war models. Its relatively straightforward and proven engineering made it particularly valuable when Mercedes-Benz restarted vehicle production under difficult conditions after the war.

Production resumed in May 1946 with practical vehicles including flatbeds, vans and ambulances based on the 170 V. Passenger sedans followed in 1947. As the German economy recovered, Mercedes-Benz expanded the range, adding the diesel-powered 170 D in 1949 to meet demand from businesses and tradespeople seeking lower operating costs.

The gasoline-powered 1952 van now exhibited in Stuttgart represents the considerably rarer alternative. Its 1.7-liter engine produced 45 hp and gave the van a claimed top speed of 116 km/h, or approximately 72 mph.

The “130 Years of Commercial Vehicles” exhibition places the 170 V within a much longer story. Seven historic exhibits illustrate the development of Mercedes-Benz vans and trucks, while the museum atrium also features temporary authentic reconstructions of the 1896 Daimler truck and 1899 Benz combination delivery vehicle, two early milestones in the development of the commercial automobile.

For visitors already planning a trip to the Mercedes-Benz Museum, the temporary exhibition adds a layer to its extensive permanent collection — and an opportunity to see a particularly rare survivor that spent its working life helping keep other Mercedes-Benz vehicles on the road.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Exhibition: 130 Years of Commercial Vehicles
Featured Vehicle: 1952 Mercedes-Benz 170 V “Customer Service” van (W 136)
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Museum
Location: Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Exhibition Dates: Through April 4, 2027
Museum Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
Ticket Desk: Closes at 5 p.m.
Closed: Mondays
Vehicle Production: One of only 35 gasoline-powered 170 V vans with Sindelfingen bodywork produced in 1952
Other Exhibition Highlights: Seven vehicles representing Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle history plus reconstructions of the 1896 Daimler truck and 1899 Benz combination delivery vehicle
Travel Context: The Mercedes-Benz Museum is located beside the Mercedes-Benz Untertürkheim complex in Stuttgart and can readily be combined with other automotive destinations in the Stuttgart region, including the Porsche Museum.