Mercedes-Benz Kurzhauber series - rugged trucks with a short hood

In the automotive world, the expression “German quality” is not just words. And an axiom, time-tested. And, of course, at the forefront of all this is the famous Mercedes-Benz. This company, headquartered in Stuttgart, has an excellent reputation in both the passenger and commercial vehicle sectors. Moreover, she very often acted as a legislator of innovations in both the first and second directions. If we talk specifically about trucks, the transport world received amazing know-how from the company with the emblem in the form of a three-pointed star back in the late 50s of the last century.


The so-called L-series was introduced by the Germans in 1959. It turned out to have a very long export history, stretching over three and a half decades. After the cessation of supplies to the domestic market, the Stuttgart manufacturer continued to satisfy the demand of African, Middle Eastern and South American consumers until the mid-90s. Among the extensive model range there were both medium-tonnage (L323 and L327 with 110-horsepower engines) and heavy-duty (L337 and L332B, equipped with 172/180 hp engines) trucks.

If the former were used for local construction work, then the latter (which had a carrying capacity of 19 tons) were quite suitable for long-distance routes. But the common element for all of them was the short front end, which is why the name Mercedes-Benz Kurzhauber (meaning “short hood”) appeared. This technique is described in more detail in the video from the “AUTOTRENDS” channel. I wish everyone a pleasant viewing!