Veb Ifa W50
Built: 1965-1990 · Series: Other models
More machines from model year 1965
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
VEB IFA – other models: the collective page for commercial vehicles over 7.5 t from the Ludwigsfelde truck programme outside the named series, W50 and L60, 6,560 to 9,160 cc, four to six cylinders
IFA (Industrieverband Fahrzeugbau) was the association of East Germany's vehicle industry, in which state-owned enterprises (VEB) built trucks, buses and cars. This page gathers versions from the Ludwigsfelde truck plant, which from 1965 built the W50, a medium-duty five-tonne truck exported in large numbers both within East Germany and to numerous Eastern Bloc countries and beyond. In the late 1980s, Ludwigsfelde began production of its successor, the L60, intended to replace the W50 but troubled by significant technical teething problems. Suffixes such as 6/LF or W50LA/A denoted wheel formula, body variant and equipment level of the chassis at IFA.
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The register lists five versions with 6,560 to 9,160 cc of displacement across four to six cylinders, kerb weights from 4,600 to 7,470 kg and gross vehicle weights from 9,400 to 12,000 kg; lengths range from 6,120 to 7,100 mm at a width of 2,350 to 2,500 mm.
For more than 25 years the W50 shaped medium-duty road haulage in East Germany and served as the basis for tippers, flatbeds, tankers and special bodies; it was also used militarily and exported to Africa, Asia and Latin America. The L60 was meant to continue that role in the GDR's final years but fell well short of the W50's production numbers.
For a used purchase, rust on the frame, cab floor and load bed, plus the condition of the clutch and brake system, are decisive, since many vehicles spent decades in hard construction or agricultural use. Parts for the W50 are relatively well supplied through Eastern European specialist dealers and classic-vehicle clubs, while parts for the rarer L60 are considerably harder to find.
Sources: SpecCodex register, model data: VEB IFA (weitere Modelle)
Technical data
Engine
| Engine | R4: 6, 6 l o mocy 110 i 125 KMR6: 9, 2 l o mocy 180 KMcorrect |
|---|
Dimensions and weights
| Length | 6,530 mmcorrect |
|---|---|
| Width | 2,500 mmcorrect |
| Height | 2,600 mmcorrect |
| Wheelbase | 3,200 mmcorrect |
| Unladen weight | 4,600 kgcorrect |
Drivetrain and chassis
| Drive | all-wheel drivecorrect |
|---|---|
| Gearbox | 5- i 8-speed, manual gearboxcorrect |
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Veb Ifa IFA W50 weigh?
The unladen weight is 4,600 kg.
What are the dimensions of the Veb Ifa IFA W50?
6,530 mm × 2,500 mm × 2,600 mm.
When was the Veb Ifa IFA W50 built?
Production years: 1965-1990.
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.
- Shift the gearbox cold and warm — jumps only show up at temperature.
- 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 8 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.
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Other models in this series
Sources: Wikipedia (retrieved August 2026) · How we check the data
Truck in 3D section
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