Airbrush truck: historical images on the Actros

The story begins on the driver's door, where a woman at a window looks on in amazement at a Benz-Gaggenau BK 1 truck loaded with wooden crates. The scene could have played out around 1910 – the year in which this "heavyweight" truck with its five-tonne payload was born.

On the opposite side, on the passenger-side door, we encounter a further milestone on the way to the modern commercial vehicle: the Model 5 K. Built in Gaggenau from 1923, it, too, had a five-tonne payload and saw the implementation of a decisive innovation: the first diesel engine. It was a type OB2 engine which unfolded 45 hp at 1000 rpm, and excelled with 86 percent less fuel consumption than a petrol engine with similar specification.

On the side spoilers we move on to two Mercedes-Benz models which made their mark on Germany during the big rebuild after the Second World War. The right-hand side shows the glorious L 6600 which replaced the L 6500 model in 1950. It offered a spacious driver's cabin suitable for covering long distances and rapidly become known for its good looks and impressive level of comfort. Under the bonnet, a six-cylinder OM315 with 8.13 litres displacement served up 145 hp in combination with a synchronised six-speed transmission. The L6600 was built until 1954 when it was succeeded by the Mercedes-Benz L311. Fresh on the market, it featured a low kerb weight and was equipped with a 100-hp 4.6-litre diesel engine. Among other things, it is known for the fact that the fire brigade version was equipped with a turbo compressor which added 15 hp to the existing power output. Airbrush artist Vanni Trevisan has depicted it on the left-hand wing. The masterpiece is a project for Mercedes-Benz Italia.