Mercedes-Benz O 320

The Mercedes-Benz O 320, introduced in spring 1951, was the first Daimler-Benz bus to combine a cab-forward body with a rear engine. Its front had transverse air slots in place of a radiator grille and a centrally placed fog lamp. It was first sold as the O 6600 H, the H meaning rear engine, and was renamed O 320 in 1954; it had the same engine as the L 6600 truck. A trolleybus version was sold as the O 6600 T. Until 1961, 1,935 cab-forward buses were built, 363 of them trolleybuses. The Deutsche Bundesbahn bought only two trial buses in 1952, while the Deutsche Bundespost put 538 into service between 1953 and 1958. Body variants were a city bus with air-operated folding doors, and all-weather touring and intercity coaches advertised as Pullman buses, carrying up to 57 passengers. The six-cylinder pre-chamber engine of 8.3 litres produced 107 kilowatts, or 145 horsepower.