Mercedes-Benz Large Sedan · 170 Sb / DS

W191

Postwar 170 S derivatives on the wartime W191 chassis code.

Production
1952–1953
Built
21,079
Body
Sedan
Chassis
W191
Mercedes-Benz Large Sedan (W191)

Postwar Stuttgart did not begin with an all-new car — it began with the 170 Sb and 170 DS on the W191 chassis, refined derivatives of the pre-war 170 that carried Mercedes-Benz into the pontoon era's doorstep.

Mercedes-Benz updated the familiar 170 platform for 1952: the 170 Sb with an improved petrol four-cylinder, and the 170 DS with a diesel engine for buyers who remembered the Typ 260 D's thrift. Conventional pre-pontoon styling, proven mechanicals, and Sindelfingen build quality made the W191 the sensible choice for a nation rebuilding its roads and its garages.

Some 21,079 examples left the line on the W191 chassis between 1952 and 1953 — a substantial postwar run that bridged the old Typ 170 world and the modern Mercedes-Benz line that would follow. The 170 DS in particular kept the company's diesel passenger-car tradition alive across the war's interruption.

W191 interior
Cabin details of the W191, as preserved in period photography.

Every model.

4 distinct series across 1952–1953 — each identified by its chassis and engine numbers from period factory data.

ModeloAnos-modeloChassisMotorTransmissãoTotal
170 DS1952–1953191.113636.918incluído acima
170 DS1952–1953191.110636.91812,985
170 Sb1952–1953191.018136.922incluído acima
170 Sb1952–1953191.010136.9228,094

* O número de produção publicado cobre todas as séries desse modelo; a fonte não o detalha além disso.

W191 side profile
Studio profile of the W191 — the proportions that defined this chassis.
W191 rear three-quarter view
Rear three-quarter view of the W191.