The Mercedes-Benz L1955, built from 319 to the 319s, was a typical LKW of its time. The L319 had its heyday within an era when the market for larger vans was developing. Western Europe made the step from reconstruction to great economic prosperity, and medium-sized transport vehicles fit the bill perfectly. The LXNUMX is also characterized by its curves and its striking nose. Despite his diligent work ethic, there is something cuddly about him. Perhaps that is one of the reasons that the miniature builders like to build beautiful scale models of this Mercedes-Benz LKW type.
Take Schuco, which was founded as a toy manufacturer in 1912 and produced the first toy cars in the mid-thirties. In miniature, the North Bavarian manufacturer has created its own heritage within various disciplines, always with the necessary eye for detail. And with an eye for heritage. The German miniature builder makes beautiful odes to the motor vehicle past, with a considerable emphasis on the products of the German house that were iconic in (West) Europe, and that in various scales.
Promotion of the NSU Max
But this article started with a tiny introduction to the Mercedes-Benz L319, and Schuco managed to build a truly striking 1:43 scale miniature of an L319, which was used as a moving shop window. In this case, NSU used the Mercedes-Benz as a basis to put the historic NSU Max motorcycles in the spotlight. The manufacturer from Neckarsulm worked in the fifties in the 250 cc class with these single-cylinder four-stroke motorcycles and liked to promote their assets in a special way. Speaking of special: that was also the construction devised by Albert Roder in which the camshaft was driven by eccentric rods, put very simply. This technique was used in several NSU products, such as in the small two-cylinder Prinz models.
L310 tailor-made for NSU
NSU was proud of the Max and decided to draw attention to it in a special way. They contacted Mercedes-Benz, which was willing to supply an L319. The L319 was modified, painted in a beautiful blue color and provided with promotional NSU texts. The L319 was also prepared for the visible transport of the NSU Max. Remarkably, the front doors did not open outwards, but were sliding doors. Compared to the regular cabins, the front compartment of the "NSU-Max L319" therefore looked substantially different; the sliding doors disappeared into the side panels, as it were. And glassware was mounted in these panels so that the public could view the NSU Max from all sides. Of course they also made sure that the Max could be firmly secured in the L319.
driving window display
The mobile mini-showroom was an attraction, and so is the scaled-down Die Cast/zinc model from Schuco. The bus and the engine are beautifully finished, the slogans and fonts used are correct. The NSU logo is lifelike. Also subtle is the German license plate that starts with HN (Heilbronn) and you also saw these license plates on the press photos and in advertisements of NSU. The proportions of the Mercedes-Benz miniature are quite correct, just like various details such as hinges and locks. The NSU Max is also recognizable.
Only 500 collector's items
For every collector and fan of motor vehicles from the fifties and sixties, the beautiful combination of the L319 and the Max is a wanna have, to use a contemporary term. The combination takes you straight back to other, hopeful and prosperous times. You can contact Schuco for this. The Mercedes-with-NSU from Schuco is also available through the retail trade (ask if the combination is in stock) and the online channels. Count on a price of between €50 and €60. In return you will receive a miniaturized conspiracy that crawls under your skin. And a collector's item, because this beautiful Schuco product was only produced in an edition of 500 pieces.
Dear All,
The description above leaves nothing to be desired. I ordered it online at Eurotops in Germany for €49,99 with 5,99 shipping costs. My cupboard with promotional models from Schuco with the 319 has now risen to 16 pieces. And each model has its own charm and advertising from the 50s.