More than 100 years of tradition 

Gottlieb Daimler built the world's very first truck in 1896. In these early years of the automobile, the vehicle was still very reminiscent of a motorised coach. Daimler delivered it to London. As the 19th Century came to a close, there were no limits to the potential of transport any more.

As in the passenger car market, Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz were rivals in the truck sector: when Daimler was building his first truck, Benz was working on so-called "delivery vehicles" - the precursors to today's vans. In 1923, three years before the two companies were merged, they both developed a truck with a diesel engine.

The history of trucks bearing the Mercedes star is also a story of takeovers. Numerous famous names in commercial vehicle history have been incorporated into the present-day DaimlerChrysler group. This already began in 1911, with the takeover of Süddeutsche Automobilfabrik (SAF) in Gaggenau by Benz. Later this was followed by parts of Auto Union, Hanomag-Henschel, Krupp and Freightliner. All of them form the many roots of the worldwide success enjoyed by Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles today.

The illustrious history of trucks made by Mercedes-Benz is studded with model designations that make the hearts of truck aficionados beat faster. As early as 1898, a truck was built with a gear-only gearbox and a tubular radiator (invented by Daimler's close collaborator Wilhelm Maybach). The first diesel trucks followed in 1923. Low-frame trucks made loading easier during that same period. In 1932 the Mercedes-Benz LO 2000 became the first diesel powered light truck in large-scale production. The heavy-duty models L 6500, L 8500 and L 10000 were impressive examples of their kind during the 1930s.

Daimler-Benz AG successfully entered the postwar era with the L 3500 and its numerous derivatives, as well as the Unimog. The heavy-duty L 6600 became the standard truck where power was called for. During the 1950s the company followed the dictates of no less bizarre legislation with bizarre designs such as the LP 333, which had two steered front axles. The short-hood trucks were created under the same constraints. They were followed by the COE LP models, which sounded the death-knell of the conventional truck in Europe. Cab-over-engine designs had long been a matter of course for the NG ("New Generation“), LK ("Light Class“) and SK ("Heavy Class“) series, as was the changeover to short-hood vans with the T1 series in 1977.

Vito, Sprinter, Vario, Atego, Actros: since 1995 all new van and truck series have been given names. At the same time Mercedes-Benz began an unprecedented renewal programme with these vehicles. Within a very short time the brand renewed all its model series, accompanied by the introduction of trailblazing electronic control systems for the powertrain and braking system. These gave an immense technological impetus to the entire commercial vehicle sector.

Information courtesy MBAU