1941-44 L 4500 S (above) and L 4500 1945-48 (below)
Production of a new L 4500 model began in January of 1941. The vehicle had a payload capacity of 4.5 tonnes as indicated by the name, and the wheelbase was 4.6 metres. Initially the L 4500 was available in rear-wheel drive form as the L 4500 S, and was followed in March of the same year by the all-wheel drive L 4500 A. Both rear and all-wheel drive models were fitted with the OM 67/4 six-cylinder diesel engine which produced a horsepower output of 112, and a 5-speed manual transmission drove the rear axle. In 1944 a fire appliance model called the L 4500 F was added to the range. 

Production of the first variation lasted until 1944, however in August of the following year it was resumed again with a heavily simplified design. The 1945 version featured a very basic rectangular wooden cab, miniature headlights, and lacked a front bumper. This continued production using the same OM67/4 engine as the previous version until 1948, when it received some upgrades including a rounded steel cab and an uprated payload to 5 tonnes, making it the L 5000.