Mercedes-Benz Large Sedan · 170 VL

W139

Four-wheel-drive 170 for military and expedition use.

Production
1936
Built
42
Body
Sedan
Chassis
W139
Mercedes-Benz Large Sedan (W139)

When the road ended, the 170 VL was meant to keep going — a four-wheel-drive Typ 170 built for military patrol, expedition support, and terrain that would stop an ordinary saloon cold.

The W139 applied permanent or selectable four-wheel drive to the 170 platform in 1936: higher ground clearance, open or partially enclosed bodies, and mechanicals proven on the volume W136 line but reconfigured for traction on loose surfaces. It was the production counterpart to the earlier 170 VG experiments, aimed at forces and explorers rather than private garages.

The archive tables record 42 examples on the W139 chassis, all from 1936. Short-lived and specialized, the 170 VL nonetheless proved that Mercedes-Benz could deliver all-wheel-drive mobility from standard Stuttgart parts.

W139 interior
Cabin details of the W139, as preserved in period photography.

Every model.

1 distinct series across 1936 — each identified by its chassis and engine numbers from period factory data.

ModèleMillésimesChâssisMoteurBoîteTotal
Type 170 VL193613913642

* Le chiffre de production publié couvre toutes les séries de ce modèle ; la source ne le détaille pas davantage.

W139 side profile
Studio profile of the W139 — the proportions that defined this chassis.
W139 rear three-quarter view
Rear three-quarter view of the W139.

Engines.

The M136 as fitted to the W139.

M136

Inline-4
  • 136 1.7 L · 1,697 cc

    38 PS

    28 kW · 38 hp à 3,400 tr/min

    100 N·m

    74 lb·ft à 1,800 tr/min