A 1965 film based on the spy novel by Len Deighton
Until 1965, the only Mercedes-Benz approved Kombis were built by Binz in Lorch, and by Miesen in Bonn, West Germany. Binz had the most experience with Mercedes-Benz, having built Kombis on the separate body-chassis 170 models in the early 1950s. Miesen began building Kombis when the 190 was introduced in 1956. The situation in Europe in the early 1960s was the following: Kombis were almost unknown except as utilitarian vehicles (mostly ambulances and hearses) accounting for low production numbers. Conversions were done by small workshops. Those were mainly Binz in Lorch. Miesen in Bonn made ambulances. Pollmann built ambulances and a 300d hearse in Bremen.
