Monday, August 9, 2010

Wartburg-Mercedes 170 V

This is a car made from 1956-1960, which used a Mercedes chassis, engine, gearbox and suspension, coupled with the body panels of the Wartburg 311.

Made by the German Schwarze company, of Gorlitz,  the car was powered by a four-stroke engine of 1697 cc displacement, which produced 38 Hp, making it no more powerful and a lot slower,  than the 900cc, two stroke engine that powered the 311. Further testimony to how good the Wartburg engines are!
It was of course much heavier than the Wartburg 311 and service intervals would have been more frequent with those oil changes necessary for four stroke engines.

Wartburg-Mercedes 170
taller than the 311 beside it
don't they look dignified!
These Wartburg-Mercedes cars had a longer wheelbase than the 311, so the body panels used were elongated versions of those used in the 311. The car would also appear to sit taller.
The car also had a different styled, front grill and a restyled bonnet,  from the 311 and used 16" inch wheels with Mercedes insignia on them.

These cars were a big favourite with German Taxi drivers and many were still being used in the 1970's, so durable these cars proved to be and their mechanicals had a reputation for being unbreakable.

Sadly though, there appears to be few left to be seen, nowadays.

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