A rarity in “Mercedes blue”: Mercedes-Benz 170 V “Customer Service” of 1952

• One of the exhibits in the special exhibition “130 Years of Commercial Vehicles”
• Rare panel van with petrol engine and “Sindelfingen body”
• Comfort for customer service engineers, as well as space for tools and spare parts

 “Close-up” – the name of this series from the Mercedes-Benz Museum says it all. Each instalment tells surprising, exciting and interesting stories about vehicles from the exhibition. In the spotlight this time: the Mercedes-Benz 170 V panel van (W 136) as a customer service vehicle in the new special exhibition “130 Years of Commercial Vehicles”. It features seven exhibits from the history of Mercedes-Benz vans and trucks dating back to 1896 and will be on display on 4 April 2027. In addition, the Museum’s Atrium is hosting a temporary exhibition featuring authentic reconstructions of the 1896 Daimler truck and the 1899 Benz Combination delivery van – the pioneers of commercial vehicle history. 

No. 7/2026: 1952 Mercedes-Benz 170 V customer service vehicle (W 136)

Service is blue: The paintwork on this Mercedes-Benz 170 V panel van still catches the eye today. In the 1950s, people knew straight away: this colour stood for Mercedes-Benz service. That’s because, back then, the brand’s customer service vehicles were painted in “Mercedes blue”. This stylish compact van was put into service in Switzerland in 1952. Icons such as the 1955 “Blue Wonder” racing car transporter also featured this colour. 

Sheet metal, wood, carpet: Back then, the customer service vehicle was usually loaded up with tools and spare parts when on the road. The van body with a left-hand-opening rear-end door offered plenty of space for this: a visible wooden framework supported the elegantly shaped sheet metal cladding. Inside, the wooden arches were connected on each side with five slats, which ran right up to the cab wall. Additional equipment could be stowed under the carpeted load compartment floor. That’s also where the spare wheel for the 170 V was stowed. 

Sindelfingen elegance: There was a silver-coloured badge on the driver’s door, directly above the wing, which was painted light grey. It had “Sindelfinger Karosserie. Daimler-Benz A.G.” (Sindelfingen body. Daimler-Benz A.G.) written on it and the Mercedes star gleaming in the centre. The badge paid tribute to the brand’s tradition of high-quality factory-built bodies dating back to the 1930s. 

Comfort in action: The customer service engineers sat in the cab on a bench seat upholstered in light grey imitation leather. The transmission tunnel was also trimmed in imitation leather. The pedals were surrounded by carefully fitted mats made of hard-wearing fabric, which were cut to fit the footwell exactly. The light grey painted dashboard featured the speedometer with odometer in the centre in front of the driver, with an instrument cluster for the fuel gauge and oil pressure to the left of it, and the clock to the right. The buttons on the various controls were finished in ivory-coloured plastic. The black horn ring inside the black steering wheel was also used to operate the turn signal indicators: classic direction indicators with a flashing function were fitted at the front, in front of the doors, while the rear featured more modern turn signal lights. 

Eyewitnesses to post-war reconstruction: This elegant 170 V panel van was the direct descendant of automobiles that marked the resumption of series production at Mercedes-Benz after the Second World War, amidst the difficult conditions of post-war reconstruction. It all began in May 1946 with some very simple vehicles, which were, however, urgently needed at the time: pickups, panel vans and ambulances, all based on the 170 V. The first saloon cars began to appear again from 1947 onwards. The 170 V (W 136), launched in 1936, was one of the most significant vehicles for Mercedes-Benz – economically, technically and strategically – in the entire pre-war period, and was therefore ideally suited for the resumption of production. 

Efficient with diesel: The general situation began to improve gradually from 1948 onwards, particularly as a result of the currency reform in the Federal Republic of Germany and the launch of the Marshall Plan by the United States of America. This was also reflected in Mercedes-Benz’s range of light commercial vehicles. The efficient 170 D was added to the W 136 range in 1949. It was also available ex factory as a panel van and as a chassis for bodies made by independent body manufacturers. With its 29 kW (40 hp) 1.7-litre OM 636 diesel engine, it was the ideal solution for the needs of many tradesmen and craftsmen during the era of the West German “economic miracle”, which began in the early 1950s. 

Small-batch production with petrol engine: Both the 170 V and the 170 D were produced in 1952 as panel vans with Sindelfingen bodies. More than 500 units of the diesel version were produced. By contrast, only 35 units of the more powerful and dynamic petrol-engined version (33 kW/45 hp at 3,600 rpm, top speed 116 km/h) were built. This means that the 170 V, featured in the new special exhibition “130 Years of Commercial Vehicles”, is not only a testament to the 1950s, but also an extremely rare find. In the 1950s, Mercedes-Benz used various models from the W 136 model series as customer service vehicles. These also included estate cars with bodywork fitted by external body manufacturers such as Lueg – some of which featured a specially designed trailer for a complete tool kit. 

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Mercedes-Benz anniversary year “140 years of innovation”
Since Carl Benz filed the patent for the first automobile 140 years ago and Gottlieb Daimler built his motorised carriage shortly afterwards, Mercedes-Benz has dedicated itself to constant innovation and to creating the world’s most desirable cars for its customers. This ambition has driven every innovation – from the world’s first automobile in 1886 to the biggest product launch programme in the company’s history, which is currently underway. With a passion for performance and pioneering power, excellence and an unwavering commitment to customer service, the brand has consistently shaped the future of mobility. The result goes well beyond engineering achievement – it creates the unmistakable feeling which defines Mercedes-Benz in all it does: Welcome home. 

Mercedes-Benz is celebrating 140 years of innovation by sending three new S-Class saloons on a trans-continental journey to 140 locations worldwide. Each place highlights the brand’s technology, heritage, pioneering spirit and global presence. Along the way customers, fans and colleagues will get to join in the celebrations – on an epic adventure that will run until October. Follow the “140 Years. 140 Places” drive across six continents on our “140 years of innovation | Mercedes-Benz Media” special and via the Mercedes-Benz Community.

Press photos and further press releases: media.mercedes-benz.com