Strictly identical to the petrol engined 180 from an aesthetic and structural point of view, the Mercedes 180 diesel makes its appearance at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1954. It simply inherits the 4-cylinder engine of the 170D and with its 40-43 horsepower can only claim rather modest performance (110 km / h as top speed). Despite this, the 180D achieves an excellent sales success, thanks to its limited consumption and exceptionally reliable mechanics. Starting in 1958, a 190D series with displacement increased to 1897cc was marketed, recognizable by the larger front grille.