For the 15th year, a combined group of 70 freight forwarders and transport operators will travel around Germany for ten days in a fleet of vintage commercial vehicles from Daimler and Mercedes-Benz Trucks amongst other local industry brands.
There are several Mercedes-Benz trucks, all of which are at least 30 years old, and some of them are even pre-war models.
Bastian Bernard will lead the historic convoy with his 1960 Mercedes-Benz LP 333.
In addition to the Mercedes-Benz LAK 329 pickup or the L 319 panel van, the Daimler Brand Setra is also represented with a type S 9 omnibus built in 1959.
The Tour of Germany starts on September 1 in Stuttgart where Gottlieb Daimler wrote truck history for the first time 120 years ago in 1896.
The trucks will set off from the Daimler Museum in Stuttgart to Speyer, taking the participants around 1200 km along old routes towards the north.
Individual stage destinations reflect the backbone of transport logistics and on main trade routes which were critical in the past and remain so today.
On September 9 the tours journey finishes in Hamburg. As well as Mercedes-Benz, other vehicles from manufacturers represented in the Association of the German Automotive Industry (VDA) will take part in the convoy.
Selected participating vehicles will also be on display at the IAA International Commercial Vehicle Show from September 22 to 29, 2016 in Hanover.
The ETM publishing company in association with German forwarding agent Fehrenkötter organises the historic truck tour every two years under the patronage of VDA president Matthias Wissmann.
The event aims to improve the image of the transport industry and to promote mutual consideration between cars and commercial vehicles.
Additionally, the organisers hope that the spectators along the route appreciate the history of these classic commercial vehicles.
