IFA L 60 History

Development of the L 60 began in the 1960s as a longer-term replacement for the W 50, but progress was slow: resources were limited and the project had to navigate competing demands from Comecon planners in Moscow, the National People's Army, the Berlin Planning Commission, and Communist Party leadership. A 1978 agreement with Volvo Trucks to use a Volvo cab on the L 60 collapsed in 1980 when Volvo tripled the agreed price; the Ministerrat then ordered series production to proceed with an East German cab design instead.

After more than two decades of development, the L 60 was unveiled publicly at the Autumn Leipzig Trade Fair in September 1986 and entered production at Ludwigsfelde in June 1987. It was a significant step forward from the W 50: a forward-control (cab-over) layout powered by a six-cylinder in-line diesel engine displacing 9.16 litres and producing 132 kW (179 hp) with 634 Nm of torque, carrying up to 6.2 tonnes of payload across wheelbase options of 3,200 to 3,860 mm.

Sales of the L 60 were disappointing from the start — the East German economy was contracting and potential customers were wary of switching from the proven W 50 — so both trucks remained in simultaneous production. German reunification in 1990 collapsed demand for DDR-made trucks entirely; IFA ceased all vehicle production on 17 December 1990. Total L 60 output reached only 20,293 units, with a peak of 8,081 vehicles in 1989.