The Original "Beetle"? Meet the 1937 Mercedes-Benz 170H
Long before Volkswagen dominated the world with the Beetle, Mercedes-Benz built its own rear-engined "bug."
Introduced in the 1930s, the Mercedes-Benz 170H (where "H" stood for Heckmotor, or rear-engine) was a radical departure for the luxury brand. It featured a water-cooled 1.7-liter engine packed into the trunk, independent suspension, and a distinctively rounded, aerodynamic shape.
The engineering DNA is no coincidence. Legendary designer Ferdinand Porsche was the chief engineer at Daimler-Benz just before he went on to develop the iconic Volkswagen "People's Car." In a twist of automotive history, Mercedes even hand-built the very first 30 pre-production VW Beetle prototypes in 1936!
Despite being quiet, advanced, and comfortable, the 170H was a commercial flop. It was too expensive, and the heavy rear end made the handling highly unpredictable. Only 1,507 units were ever made, making this forgotten "Benz Beetle" one of the rarest sights in car history today.
This is the 1959 Volkswagen! A built in coffee maker was an option. What? This is genius! Bring back this feature please! We demand it! 🤣☕️