1951 Mercedes-Benz 170D

The Mercedes-Benz 170 took its styling cues from the pre-World War II era. The cars were four door sedans with separate headlamps, one-piece windshield, and rear-hinged front doors. The 170 came in a variety of styles, including the 'S', 'V', 'Va', and 'D'. The 170S was added in 1949 and brought with it a larger engine. The base engine on the '170V' had been a 38 horsepower engine that could carry the car to a top speed of around 85 mph. The 170S had a 52 horsepower engine.

The prototype 170V had been shown in February of 1946; the production version was ready a few months later, in June. A diesel-engined version came available in 1949 and was followed shortly by a luxury version, the 170S.

Most of the 170 Series were discontinued by the close of 1953. The diesel version persisted until late in 1955.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2007