Under difficult conditions, reconstruction of the Mercedes Benz brand was difficult after the end of the Second World War. Not considering the war itself, these pioneering days were also marked by the lack of skilled workers, materials and energy. For such reasons, it was impossible even to consider the development of new models. So when automobile production resumed in 1946, the Stuttgart brand fell back on the W136, a vehicle it had built from 1936 to 1942. But instead of elegant saloons of the upper mid-range category, the first vehicles to come off the assembly line were delivery vehicles which various bodybuilders furnished with special bodies. Mercedes-Benz themselves also equipped their vehicles with special bodies. These coachbuilders then turned them into station wagons, six-seater taxis, ambulances and panel vans.

In May 1949, Daimler-Benz introduced the first Mercedes-Benz car models featuring new post-war designs: the diesel model 170D and the prestigious 170S saloon derived from the 170V model. The 170D had a 1.7-litre diesel engine, which the Stuttgart engineers developed from the petrol engine of the 170 V model. The 170D model consumed appreciably less fuel - yet had almost identical performance. It provided the platform on which was built the good reputation of the company's diesel cars, renowned for their longevity and economy. In addition, in the 170D model's early production years the ready supply of diesel oil made this model an attractive proposition.

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