Mercedes-Benz L 312

The Mercedes-Benz L 312 was a two-axle diesel truck that Daimler-Benz built at its Mannheim plant from 1953 until 1961. It was first sold as the L 4500, a name that referred to its smallest permitted payload of 4,500 kilograms, and was renamed L 312 in 1954. It was very close to the L 311 and, because of the 90 horsepower of its early engine, the pair were known in their day as the 90er Mercedes. The truck came as a flatbed or tipper, as a tractor unit and as a bare chassis for special bodies, in rear-drive and all-wheel-drive forms, with a cab-over version listed as the LP 312. Power came from the OM 312 inline six-cylinder diesel, which was raised from 90 to 100 horsepower in 1956. Mercedes-Benz sold 73,033 of them, about 7,700 with all-wheel drive, and the truck was also produced in Argentina and Brazil.