Mercedes Benz L508 S
Built: 1979 · Series: L508
More machines from model year 1979
Not the right version? The data comes from vehicle registers holding many near-identical versions side by side. Photograph the data plate — we read make and type from it. Open the scanner e-mail address required
Mercedes-Benz L508: the collection page for the Düsseldorf light truck in the 5-tonne class, DG panel van and motorhome base, four-cylinder diesels from 59 to 71.5 kW
The Mercedes-Benz L508 belongs to the so-called Düsseldorf or T1 van/truck range that Mercedes-Benz offered from the 1970s to the 1990s as a light truck between van and heavy lorry. The type number follows a fixed scheme: the first two digits give the gross-weight class in hundreds of kilograms, here around five tonnes, and the last digit the engine power step. D stands for diesel, G for the reinforced variant usually with higher payload or twin rear wheels, DG for the combination, S for short wheelbase; the DG Camper version served as a base for motorhome conversions.
Read on 3 more paragraphs
The register lists 18 versions here with 59 to 71.5 kW from four-cylinder diesel engines of 3,758 to 3,782 cm³ displacement, weights of 2,200 to 4,730 kg, gross vehicle weights of 3,500 to 5,600 kg, lengths of 4,090 to 7,050 mm and widths of 2,080 to 2,370 mm.
As a workhorse between van-class vehicles and heavy trucks, the L508 served tradespeople, municipalities and hauliers across Europe, particularly as a box body, flatbed or as a base for motorhomes, valued for its robust ladder-frame construction and high payload.
On a used example, check rust on the wheel arches, chassis outriggers and cab floor, the condition of the injection pump and timing chain on the four-cylinder diesels, the clutch and gearbox under sustained heavy loads, and the rear leaf springs and axle; on motorhome conversions, also check the living area for damp.
Sources: SpecCodex register, model data: Mercedes-Benz L508, Mercedes-Benz (manufacturer), Zulassungsdaten RDW (Niederlande)
Technical data
Engine
| Cylinders | 4correct |
|---|
Dimensions and weights
| Length | 6,190 mmcorrect |
|---|---|
| Width | 2,370 mmcorrect |
| Wheelbase | 3,500 mmcorrect |
| Unladen weight | 3,820 kgcorrect |
| Gross vehicle weight | 5,000 kgcorrect |
Drivetrain and chassis
| Wheels | 4correct |
|---|
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Mercedes Benz L508 S weigh?
The unladen weight is 3,820 kg.
What is the gross vehicle weight of the Mercedes Benz L508 S?
5,000 kg.
What engine does the Mercedes Benz L508 S have?
4 cylinders.
What are the dimensions of the Mercedes Benz L508 S?
6,190 mm × 2,370 mm.
When was the Mercedes Benz L508 S built?
Production years: 1979.
What to check before buying
- Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
- Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
- Check the weights in the papers against the figures here — attachments change them.
- Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.
A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.
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This page carries 9 individual figures for this model. They come from 2 recorded sources; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.
The technical data on this page comes from official vehicle registration records (RDW/Traficom), not from the manufacturer.
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Other models in this series
L508
L508 D
L508 D(G)/3500
L508 D6
L508 DC MA
L508 DG
L508 DG CAMPER
L508 DG KA-KASTEN/4100
L508 DG KA-PK/3500
L508 DG KASTEN
L508 DG MA
L508 DG/35
Sources: RDW — Dutch national vehicle register (retrieved August 2026) · How we check the data
Truck in 3D section
Turn the model, look inside and click an assembly — each one is explained.
