Mercedes-Benz
| Mercedes-Benz | |
|---|---|
 i
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| Brand Information | |
| Type | Automotive |
| Origin | Germany |
| Introduced | June 28, 1926 |
| Owner | Mercedes-Benz AG (passenger cars and vans) Daimler Truck (trucks and buses) |
| Sub-brands | Mercedes-AMG Mercedes-EQ Mercedes-Maybach |
| Slogan | "The best or nothing." |
| Website | mercedes-benz.com |
| Mercedes-Benz AG | |
| Type | Subsidiary |
| Founded | November 2019 |
| Predecessor | Mercedes-Benz division of Daimler AG |
| Headquarters | Stuttgart, Germany |
| Key people | Ola Källenius (Chairman and CEO) |
| Parent | Mercedes-Benz Group |
| Divisions | Mercedes-Benz Cars Mercedes-Benz Vans |
| Subsidiaries | Mercedes-AMG |
| Joint ventures | Smart Automobile Co. (50%, with Zhejiang Geely Holding) |
| Products | Automobiles Light commercial vehicles |
| Production | 1,983,400 passenger cars (2024) |
Mercedes-Benz is a German luxury automotive brand founded in 1926. It is commonly called just Mercedes or Benz. The brand's slogan is "Das Beste oder nichts" — German for "The best or nothing."
Today, vehicles carrying the Mercedes-Benz name are manufactured by Mercedes-Benz AG, a subsidiary of the Mercedes-Benz Group (formerly known as Daimler-Benz, DaimlerChrysler, and Daimler AG), headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Mercedes-Benz AG was established in 2019 and handles passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. Heavy commercial vehicles like trucks and buses have been managed by Daimler Truck, a separate company, since 2021. In 2018, Mercedes-Benz became the world's largest premium car brand by sales, selling 2.31 million passenger cars that year.
Mercedes-Benz is one of the oldest and most famous car brands in the world. Its roots go back to 1886, when Karl Benz built what is widely considered the first true automobile powered by a gasoline engine. That same year, Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach independently built their own motorized vehicle just 60 miles away. Benz never met Daimler or Maybach, but their companies merged in 1926 to create the brand we know today.
1 History✎
The story of Mercedes-Benz begins in the 1880s in southwestern Germany, where two inventors — working independently and unaware of each other — created the first automobiles powered by internal combustion engines.
1.1 Karl Benz and the first automobile✎
Karl Benz (1844–1929) was born in Karlsruhe, Germany. His father was a locomotive engineer who died when Karl was just two years old. Benz studied mechanical engineering at the Karlsruhe Polytechnic School, graduating in 1864 at the age of 19. After years of working at various engineering jobs, he settled in Mannheim and founded his own company, Benz & Cie., in 1883.
Benz was determined to build a vehicle that could move under its own power using a gasoline engine. In 1885, he completed his masterwork: the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, a three-wheeled vehicle powered by a single-cylinder, four-stroke engine of his own design. The project was financed in part by his wife Bertha Benz's dowry. On January 29, 1886, Benz received a patent for his invention — this date is often considered the birthday of the automobile.
Bertha Benz played a crucial role in proving that the automobile could work for long-distance travel. In August 1888, without telling her husband, she took the Patent-Motorwagen on a 66-mile trip from Mannheim to Pforzheim with their two sons. It was the first long-distance car journey in history, and it attracted enormous public attention to her husband's invention.
Karl Benz continued to improve his designs. He built his first four-wheeled car in 1891. By 1900, Benz & Cie. had become the largest automobile manufacturer in the world.
1.2 Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach✎
Gottlieb Daimler (1834–1900) was born in Schorndorf, near Stuttgart. After training as a gunsmith and studying at the Polytechnic School in Stuttgart, he worked in various engineering roles across France and England. In 1865, while working at a factory in Reutlingen, he met Wilhelm Maybach (1846–1929), who would become his lifelong collaborator and one of the greatest engine designers of the era.
Together, Daimler and Maybach focused on building small, high-speed gasoline engines. In 1885, they patented what is often called the "grandfather clock engine" because of its shape. On March 8, 1886, Daimler purchased a horse-drawn stagecoach and fitted it with one of their engines, creating a four-wheeled motorized carriage. While others had experimented with motorized carts and carriages, the key difference was the use of an internal combustion engine.
In 1889, Daimler and Maybach built the first purpose-designed automobile with four wheels (rather than adapting an existing carriage). They founded Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (DMG) in 1890 and sold their first car in 1892. Daimler died in March 1900, and Maybach left the company in 1907.
1.3 How the name "Mercedes" came about✎
The name "Mercedes" has an unusual origin — it comes from a girl's name, not from the founders of the company.
Emil Jellinek (1853–1918) was a wealthy Austrian businessman and automobile enthusiast living on the French Riviera. He became one of the most important customers and dealers for DMG cars. His clients included some of the richest families in Europe, such as the Rothschilds, and later he also sold cars to American billionaires like the Rockefellers, Astors, and Morgans.
Jellinek was passionate about racing. At a race in Nice, France, in 1899, he entered a DMG car under the pseudonym "Monsieur Mercédès" — Mercedes being the name of his young daughter, Mercédès Jellinek. Many consider this race the moment the Mercedes brand was born.
Jellinek pushed DMG to build faster, more advanced cars. He placed a large order for a new model and demanded that the engine be named after his daughter. In 1901, the Mercedes 35 hp was delivered. It was a revolutionary car — lower to the ground than previous designs, with a powerful engine and a modern layout that placed the engine in front and powered the rear wheels. It is often considered the first truly "modern" automobile.
In 1902, DMG registered "Mercedes" as a trademark. The name stuck because DMG had already sold the rights to the name "Daimler" to companies in other countries (which is why there was a separate British car brand also called Daimler).
1.4 The 1926 merger✎
After World War I, the German economy was in serious trouble. Both Benz & Cie. and DMG struggled financially. In 1924, the two rival companies signed an "Agreement of Mutual Interest" — a partnership to cooperate while still selling cars under their own separate brand names.
By June 28, 1926, the partnership turned into a full merger. The new company was called Daimler-Benz AG, and all its cars would carry the brand name Mercedes-Benz. The name honored both the famous Mercedes model from DMG and the Benz name from Karl Benz's company.
Karl Benz joined the board of the new company and remained a member for the rest of his life. He died on April 4, 1929, at the age of 84.
1.5 The three-pointed star✎
The Mercedes-Benz logo is one of the most recognizable symbols in the world. It combines elements from both founding companies.
The three-pointed star was originally designed by Gottlieb Daimler. It represented his ambition to build engines for use on land, water, and in the air. DMG first used the star on one of its cars in 1909, and it was registered as a trademark.
The laurel wreath was the traditional symbol of Karl Benz's company. When the two companies merged in 1926, the new logo placed the three-pointed star inside a laurel wreath, with both the "Mercedes" and "Benz" names included.
The simplified version of the logo — the star inside a plain circle, without the laurel wreath — has been in use since 1937 and is the version known worldwide today.
1.6 The Nazi era and World War II✎
The 1930s were a dark chapter in Mercedes-Benz's history. During this period, the company produced the Mercedes-Benz 770, a large luxury car that became a favorite of Nazi officials. Adolf Hitler frequently rode in a specially modified 770 with bulletproof windshields. Other buyers of the car included Benito Mussolini and Emperor Hirohito.
From 1937 onward, Daimler-Benz shifted increasingly toward military production. The company built truck engines, aircraft engines (such as the DB 600 and DB 601 used in Luftwaffe planes), and other war materials. By 1942, the company had almost completely stopped making civilian cars.
During the war, Daimler-Benz relied heavily on forced labor. According to the company's own records, nearly half of its roughly 63,000 workers in 1944 were forced laborers, prisoners of war, or concentration camp prisoners. After the war, the company acknowledged its links to the Nazi regime and eventually paid $12 million in reparations to the families of forced laborers.
1.7 Post-war recovery✎
After World War II, Daimler-Benz's factories were heavily damaged, but the company rebuilt quickly. Civilian car production restarted in 1946.
The 1950s brought some of Mercedes-Benz's most iconic cars:
- The Mercedes-Benz 300 (1951), nicknamed the "Adenauer Mercedes" because it was the official car of Germany's first post-war chancellor, Konrad Adenauer.
- The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL "Gullwing" (1954), famous for its distinctive upward-opening doors. It was the first production car to use fuel injection and was suggested for the American market by the importer Max Hoffman. It debuted at the New York Auto Show.
- The Mercedes-Benz 190 SL (1956), a more affordable sports car.
In 1951, Mercedes-Benz also developed the safety cell (or "safety cage") — a rigid passenger compartment surrounded by front and rear crumple zones designed to absorb crash energy. This concept revolutionized car safety and is now used in virtually every car on the road.
In 1958, Mercedes-Benz entered a distribution partnership with the American Studebaker-Packard Corporation. Studebaker dealers across the United States began selling Mercedes-Benz cars. When Studebaker closed its U.S. operations in 1963 and left the car business entirely in 1966, many of its dealers converted to Mercedes-Benz dealerships, helping establish the brand in America.
The 1960s and 1970s continued Mercedes-Benz's reputation for building durable, high-quality cars. The Mercedes-Benz 600 "Grand Mercedes" (1963) was an ultra-luxury limousine used by heads of state, royalty, and celebrities around the world. It featured advanced technology for its time, including hydraulic systems that operated the windows, seats, trunk, and even the door locks. The Mercedes-Benz W123 (1976) became legendary for its near-indestructible reliability — many W123 models are still running today with hundreds of thousands of miles on the odometer. The W123 was also the first Mercedes to be offered as a station wagon.
During this era, Mercedes-Benz earned a powerful reputation for building cars often described as "tanks" by their owners. The combination of solid engineering, heavy-duty construction, and conservative design meant that Mercedes vehicles of the 1970s and 1980s routinely lasted for decades with proper maintenance. The W126 S-Class (1979–1991) is widely regarded as one of the finest luxury cars ever made, setting new standards for comfort, safety, and build quality.
1.8 Corporate changes✎
Over the decades, the parent company went through several major name changes and restructurings:
- Daimler-Benz AG (1926–1998): The original merged company.
- DaimlerChrysler AG (1998–2007): In 1998, Daimler-Benz merged with the American automaker Chrysler in what was called a "merger of equals." The partnership was troubled, and Chrysler was eventually sold off in 2007.
- Daimler AG (2007–2022): After divesting Chrysler, the company simplified its name.
- Mercedes-Benz Group AG (2022–present): In February 2022, the company was renamed to emphasize the Mercedes-Benz brand. At the same time, the heavy truck and bus division was spun off as a separate company called Daimler Truck.
Today, Mercedes-Benz AG (a subsidiary of the Mercedes-Benz Group) manufactures passenger cars and vans. The company's CEO is Ola Källenius, who has led the shift toward electric vehicles and a focus on the luxury market.
2 Motorsport✎
Mercedes-Benz has a long and storied history in motor racing, stretching back to the very beginnings of the sport. Both of the companies that merged to form Mercedes-Benz were involved in racing from the start.
2.1 Early racing (1894–1930s)✎
A single Benz car competed in the world's first motor race, the 1894 Paris–Rouen race. Émile Roger finished 14th.
The Mercedes Simplex of 1902, built by DMG, is often considered the first purpose-built race car. Unlike previous cars, which resembled horse carriages, the Simplex was designed lower to the ground specifically for racing. It dominated competition for years. In 1914, just before World War I began, a DMG Mercedes 35 hp won the French Grand Prix.
On Karl Benz's side, the company built the famous Blitzen Benz ("Lightning Benz"), a record-breaking car that reached a top speed of 228.1 km/h (141.7 mph) in 1909 — faster than any car, train, or airplane of the time. The company also built the innovative Tropfenwagen ("teardrop car"), an aerodynamically shaped racer that appeared at the 1923 European Grand Prix at Monza.
2.2 The Silver Arrows (1930s)✎
After the 1926 merger, Mercedes-Benz entered one of its most legendary periods in racing. In the 1930s, the company developed a series of Grand Prix cars that became known as the Silver Arrows (Silberpfeile in German).
According to popular legend, the name came about when the team needed to reduce the weight of their cars to meet race regulations, so they stripped off the white paint, revealing the bare silver-colored aluminum underneath. Whether or not this story is entirely true, the Silver Arrows dominated European Grand Prix racing throughout the 1930s, competing fiercely with their rival, Auto Union (a predecessor of modern-day Audi). Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows set speed records of up to 435 km/h (270 mph).
The team was managed by Alfred Neubauer, one of the most famous racing team directors in history.
2.3 Return to racing and the 1955 Le Mans disaster✎
After World War II, Mercedes-Benz returned to motorsport in 1952. Despite having a relatively small engine, the gull-winged Mercedes-Benz 300 SL racing car won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the grueling Carrera Panamericana road race in Mexico.
In 1954, Mercedes-Benz returned to Formula One with the advanced W196 race car and immediately dominated. The legendary Argentine driver Juan Manuel Fangio won the World Championship for Mercedes-Benz in both 1954 and 1955.
However, the 1955 season also brought tragedy. At the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans, a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR driven by Pierre Levegh collided with another car, launched into the spectator stands, and killed more than 80 people. It remains the deadliest accident in motorsport history. Mercedes-Benz withdrew from racing at the end of 1955 and would not return to top-level competition for over three decades.
A bright spot in that tragic year: Stirling Moss and co-driver Denis Jenkinson won the 1955 Mille Miglia road race in Italy in a 300 SLR, averaging nearly 98 mph over the course — a record that was never broken before the race was discontinued.
2.4 Formula One: the modern era✎
Mercedes-Benz made a gradual return to motorsport in the late 1980s, partnering with Sauber in sports car racing and later in Formula One.
2.4.1 Engine supplier to McLaren (1995–2009)✎
In 1995, Mercedes-Benz began supplying engines to the McLaren Formula One team. The partnership produced strong results:
- Mika Häkkinen won back-to-back Drivers' Championships in 1998 and 1999.
- McLaren won the Constructors' Championship in 1998.
- Lewis Hamilton won his first Drivers' Championship in 2008 driving a McLaren-Mercedes.
However, the partnership was not without controversy. In 2007, McLaren-Mercedes was fined a record US$100 million for possessing confidential technical data from rival team Ferrari.
2.4.2 Mercedes as a factory team (2010–present)✎
In 2010, Mercedes-Benz took a major step: it sold its stake in McLaren and bought the Brawn GP team (which had won the 2009 championship). The team was renamed Mercedes GP and became the company's official factory racing team.
After a few years of development, Mercedes achieved a historic level of dominance following major rule changes in 2014. From 2014 to 2021, the team won eight consecutive Constructors' Championships — an all-time record in Formula One. They also won seven consecutive Drivers' Championships from 2014 to 2020.
Lewis Hamilton was the star driver during this era, winning the Drivers' Championship in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 — six titles with the team. His teammate Nico Rosberg won in 2016. Hamilton's seven total World Championships (including his 2008 title with McLaren) tied the all-time record held by Michael Schumacher. Hamilton also holds the all-time records for most race victories (105) and most pole positions (104).
Mercedes' unbeaten streak in the Drivers' Championship ended in 2021, when Max Verstappen of Red Bull won the title in a dramatic final-race showdown with Hamilton. Hamilton drove for Mercedes from 2013 through 2024.
The team currently competes as Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team and is led by team principal Toto Wolff.
2.4.3 Formula E✎
Mercedes also competed in Formula E, the all-electric racing series, through its Mercedes-EQ team. Nyck de Vries won the Drivers' Championship in the 2020–21 season, and Stoffel Vandoorne won it in 2021–22. After winning both the driver and team world championships, Mercedes-EQ left Formula E and sold the team to McLaren.
2.4.4 Notable Mercedes-Benz racing drivers✎
Many of the greatest racing drivers in history have driven for Mercedes-Benz:
- Juan Manuel Fangio: Five-time Formula One World Champion; won two of his titles with Mercedes (1954–1955). He served as honorary president of Mercedes-Benz Argentina until his death in 1995.
- Stirling Moss: Won the 1955 Mille Miglia in a 300 SLR at a record average speed. Widely considered the greatest driver never to win the World Championship.
- Rudolf Caracciola: One of the greatest Grand Prix drivers of the 1930s, who drove the Silver Arrows to numerous victories.
- Michael Schumacher: Seven-time Formula One World Champion. He drove for Mercedes in the World Endurance Championship in the 1980s and returned to race for the Mercedes F1 team from 2010 to 2012.
- Lewis Hamilton: Seven-time Formula One World Champion and holder of the all-time records for race wins (105) and pole positions (104). He drove for Mercedes from 2013 through 2024 and had been affiliated with Mercedes since he was 13 years old.
- Nico Rosberg: 2016 Formula One World Champion with Mercedes. He retired immediately after winning the title.
2.5 Other motorsport achievements✎
Mercedes-Benz has been active in many other forms of racing:
- DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft): Mercedes returned to touring car racing in the late 1980s and was a major competitor for decades.
- GT racing: The Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR won two FIA GT1 championships in the late 1990s.
- IndyCar: Mercedes-Benz engines, built by Ilmor, won the 1994 Indianapolis 500 with driver Al Unser Jr., exploiting a technical loophole in the rules for production-based engines.
- Sports car racing: The Sauber-Mercedes team won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1989, marking Mercedes' return to the race it had left after the 1955 disaster.
3 Current models and naming system✎
Mercedes-Benz produces a wide range of vehicles, from compact cars to ultra-luxury limousines, powerful sports cars, and fully electric models.
3.1 Model classes✎
Mercedes-Benz organizes its passenger cars into "classes," each targeting a different size and market segment:
3.1.1 Sedans and hatchbacks✎
- A-Class: A compact hatchback and sedan — Mercedes' entry-level car.
- C-Class: A mid-size sedan and wagon — one of Mercedes' best-selling models.
- E-Class: A larger sedan and wagon — a longtime favorite among executives and professionals.
- S-Class: The flagship full-size luxury sedan. The S-Class has historically been Mercedes' most technologically advanced car, often debuting new innovations before they appear in other models.
3.1.2 Coupés and roadsters✎
- CLE: A two-door coupé and convertible based on the E-Class platform.
- AMG GT: A high-performance sports car, available as a coupé and roadster.
- AMG SL: A luxury roadster (convertible) with a long heritage dating back to the famous 300 SL of the 1950s.
- AMG ONE: A limited-production hypercar that uses Formula One-derived hybrid technology. Its engine is based on the power unit used by the Mercedes F1 team.
3.1.3 SUVs and crossovers✎
Mercedes-Benz has a large lineup of SUVs, using the "GL" prefix (originally standing for Geländewagen, the German word for off-road vehicle):
- GLA: Compact crossover SUV.
- GLB: A slightly larger compact SUV with an optional third row.
- GLC: A mid-size SUV — one of the brand's most popular models.
- GLE: A larger mid-size SUV.
- GLS: The largest SUV — sometimes called "the S-Class of SUVs."
- G-Class (or Geländewagen): An iconic boxy off-road vehicle that has been in production since 1979. Originally designed for military use, it has become a luxury status symbol.
3.1.4 Vans✎
- Citan: A small van.
- Vito: A mid-size van.
- Sprinter: A large van used worldwide for commercial purposes, deliveries, and as a base for camper conversions.
- V-Class: A luxury passenger van.
3.1.5 Electric vehicles (EQ lineup)✎
Mercedes-Benz has developed a range of fully electric vehicles under the Mercedes-EQ brand:
- EQA, EQB: Compact electric SUVs.
- EQE: An electric sedan and SUV.
- EQS: The electric flagship — an electric equivalent of the S-Class, with a range of up to 350 miles on a single charge.
- EQS SUV: A large electric SUV.
- EQT, EQV: Electric vans and MPVs.
3.2 How the naming system works✎
Mercedes-Benz has changed its naming system over the years. Understanding it can help you quickly identify what kind of car you are looking at.
3.2.1 The old system (before 1994)✎
Before 1994, Mercedes used a simple format: a number followed by a letter. The number roughly matched the engine size (in liters × 100), and the letter indicated the engine type or body style.
For example:
- 300E = 3.0-liter engine, fuel injection ("E" for Einspritzung, German for "injection")
- 240D = 2.4-liter engine, diesel ("D" for Diesel)
- 500SEL = 5.0-liter engine, S-Class, fuel injection, long wheelbase ("L" for Lang, meaning "long")
| Key letter codes in the old naming system | |
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3.2.2 The new system (1994–present)✎
Starting in 1994, Mercedes reversed the format: the letter(s) come first (indicating the class), followed by a number (loosely related to engine size or position in the lineup).
For example:
- E 350 = E-Class, 3.5-liter engine (approximately)
- C 200 = C-Class, 2.0-liter engine
- GLE 450 = GLE SUV, 4.5-liter equivalent performance level
Important: in recent years, the numbers do not always match the actual engine displacement. Instead, they indicate the car's performance level within its class. For example, a GLC 300 actually has a 2.0-liter engine, not a 3.0-liter one.
3.2.3 Nomenclature across vehicle types (2014 reform)✎
In 2014, Mercedes introduced a more systematic naming structure:
- Core models: Named with simple letters — A, B, C, E, S
- SUVs: "GL" + the core letter — GLA, GLB, GLC, GLE, GLS
- Coupés: "CL" + the core letter — CLA, CLE
- Roadsters: Core letter + "L" — SL
- Electric vehicles: "EQ" + the core letter — EQA, EQB, EQE, EQS
3.2.4 Suffix codes✎
Mercedes-Benz also uses suffixes to indicate the drive system:
- d = Diesel
- e = Plug-in hybrid or electric
- 4MATIC = All-wheel drive
- AMG = High-performance variant tuned by Mercedes-AMG
3.3 Trucks and buses✎
Mercedes-Benz has been building trucks since 1886, when Gottlieb Daimler sold the world's first truck. Today, truck and bus production is handled by Daimler Truck, which became a separate publicly traded company in December 2021.
Mercedes-Benz has also been producing buses since 1895. The first bus was built by Karl Benz in Mannheim. Since 1995, the bus and coach brands have been managed under EvoBus GmbH. The company's first factory built outside Germany after World War II was in Argentina, where it originally manufactured trucks. Many of these trucks were modified by third parties to serve as buses, popularly known as Colectivos in Buenos Aires.
Today, Mercedes-Benz trucks and buses are sold worldwide. Well-known truck models include the Actros (a heavy-duty long-haul truck), the Atego (a lighter truck), and the Unimog — a legendary all-terrain vehicle first built in 1948 that is used for military, agricultural, firefighting, and expedition purposes across the world.
3.4 Quality and reputation✎
Before the mid-1990s, Mercedes-Benz had an almost unmatched reputation for quality and durability. However, during the late 1990s and early 2000s — a period coinciding with the DaimlerChrysler merger — independent surveys like J.D. Power showed a decline in initial quality and reliability.
Mercedes-Benz worked hard to address these issues. By 2007, the company had climbed from 25th to 5th place in J.D. Power's Initial Quality Study, and by 2008 it reached 4th place. The company's Sindelfingen factory in Germany also received a Platinum Plant Quality Award. A 2014 study found that Mercedes-Benz had the lowest vehicle recall rate among its competitors. Today, the brand is once again widely regarded for its engineering excellence and build quality.
3.5 Sub-brands✎
Mercedes-Benz operates several sub-brands:
- Mercedes-AMG: The high-performance division. AMG was originally an independent tuning company founded in 1967 by Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher. Mercedes-Benz took full ownership in 1999. AMG models feature hand-built engines — each engine has a plaque with the signature of the engineer who assembled it. AMG models are identified by numbers like "43," "53," and "63." The "63" designation is a tribute to AMG's famous 6.3-liter M100 engine from the 1960s.
- Mercedes-Maybach: The ultra-luxury sub-brand. Maybach was originally a separate luxury car brand that was discontinued in 2012 due to low sales. It was revived in 2015 as "Mercedes-Maybach," producing enhanced luxury versions of existing Mercedes models like the S-Class and GLS.
- Mercedes-EQ: The electric vehicle sub-brand, launched in 2016. It encompasses all of Mercedes' fully electric cars and related technologies.
4 Innovations and safety firsts✎
Throughout its history, Mercedes-Benz has been responsible for many important technological innovations, especially in the area of vehicle safety. Many features that are now standard on all cars were first developed or introduced by Mercedes-Benz.
4.1 The automobile itself (1886)✎
The most fundamental innovation, of course, is the automobile itself. Karl Benz's Patent-Motorwagen and Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach's motorized carriage, both created in 1886, are recognized as the first practical automobiles powered by internal combustion engines.
4.2 Early engine and design innovations✎
- Honeycomb radiator: Gottlieb Daimler invented the honeycomb-style radiator, a design principle still used in water-cooled vehicles today.
- Float carburetor: Daimler also developed the float carburetor, which remained the standard way of mixing fuel and air in engines until fuel injection replaced it.
- The "modern" car layout: The 1901 Mercedes 35 hp was the first car to use what we now consider a modern configuration — the body was lowered and set between the front and rear wheels, with a front engine powering the rear wheels. All earlier cars were essentially raised "horseless carriages" with high centers of gravity.
4.3 Diesel engine in a passenger car (1936)✎
The Mercedes-Benz 260 D, introduced in 1936, was the world's first diesel-powered passenger car. Before this, diesel engines had only been used in trucks and industrial equipment.
4.4 The safety cell and crumple zones (1951)✎
In 1951, Mercedes-Benz engineer Béla Barényi developed the safety cell (also called the "safety cage") — a rigid passenger compartment with front and rear crumple zones. In a crash, the crumple zones at the front and back of the car are designed to deform and absorb energy, while the rigid central cell protects the occupants.
This concept was arguably the single most important innovation in automobile safety history. It is now used in virtually every car and truck in the world, and became part of safety regulations in Europe and the United States in the 1990s.
4.5 Fuel injection in a production car (1954)✎
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing was the first production car to feature direct fuel injection. This technology replaced the carburetor and allowed for more precise fuel delivery, better performance, and improved efficiency. Fuel injection eventually became universal in all cars.
4.6 Four-wheel brakes (1924)✎
Mercedes-Benz produced the first passenger car with brakes on all four wheels in 1924. Before this, many cars only had brakes on the rear wheels.
4.7 Anti-lock braking system (ABS)✎
Mercedes-Benz was a pioneer of anti-lock brakes (ABS). The system was first offered on the W116 450 SEL 6.9 in the late 1970s and became standard on all S-Class models from 1979 onward. ABS prevents the wheels from locking up during hard braking, allowing the driver to maintain steering control. ABS later became required by law on all new cars.
4.8 Airbags (1981)✎
Mercedes-Benz introduced airbags to the European market beginning with the 1981 S-Class. These were among the first airbags offered in any production car. They later became standard equipment on all Mercedes-Benz vehicles and are now required by law worldwide.
4.9 Seat belt pre-tensioners (1981)✎
Also on the 1981 S-Class, Mercedes-Benz introduced seat belt pre-tensioners. In the event of a crash, pre-tensioners instantly tighten the seat belt, removing any slack, so the occupant is held firmly in place before the crash forces take effect. This technology is now standard in all modern cars.
4.10 Traction control (1987)✎
In 1959, Mercedes-Benz patented a system that prevented wheels from spinning by intervening at the engine, transmission, or brakes. In 1987, the company put this into production as a traction control system — the first of its kind. It works by detecting when a drive wheel is losing grip (spinning) and automatically reducing engine power or applying the brake to that wheel.
4.11 Electronic Stability Programme (ESP)✎
Mercedes-Benz developed Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), also known as electronic stability control. This system detects when a car is beginning to skid or lose control and automatically applies brakes to individual wheels to help the driver maintain control. ESP has been shown to dramatically reduce single-vehicle accidents and is now required by law in many countries.
4.12 Brake Assist✎
Mercedes-Benz also developed Brake Assist, a system that detects when a driver is attempting an emergency stop but is not pressing the brake pedal hard enough. The system automatically applies maximum braking force to stop the car in the shortest possible distance.
4.13 Pre-Safe system✎
Mercedes-Benz pioneered the Pre-Safe system, which uses sensors to detect that a crash is about to happen. When it senses an imminent collision, the system can automatically:
- Tighten the seat belts
- Adjust the seats to a safer position
- Close the windows and sunroof
- Pre-charge the brakes for maximum stopping power
This prepares both the car and its occupants for the impact, potentially reducing injuries.
4.14 Seven-speed automatic transmission (2003)✎
In September 2003, Mercedes-Benz introduced the 7G-Tronic, the world's first seven-speed automatic transmission for a passenger car. More gear ratios allow the engine to operate more efficiently, improving both performance and fuel economy.
4.15 Autonomous driving research✎
Mercedes-Benz has been at the forefront of self-driving car technology for decades. In the 1980s, working with Professor Ernst Dickmanns at the Bundeswehr University Munich, Mercedes built one of the world's first autonomous vehicles. In 1995, an autonomous Mercedes S-Class completed a long-distance trip from Munich to Copenhagen and back, reaching speeds of over 175 km/h (109 mph) on the German Autobahn.
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5 Legacy and significance✎
Mercedes-Benz is one of the most recognized and valuable brands in the world. It has been synonymous with luxury, engineering excellence, and automotive innovation for nearly a century.
The brand's cultural influence extends far beyond the automotive world. The three-pointed star logo is instantly recognizable across the globe. Mercedes-Benz has been the vehicle of choice for heads of state and diplomats worldwide — the Pope's Popemobile has frequently been a Mercedes-Benz. The company sponsors major sports venues, including Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
In May 2022, the company sold a rare 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR for $142 million, making it the most expensive car ever sold. The proceeds were used to establish the Mercedes-Benz Fund.
Mercedes-Benz has also licensed many of its safety innovations — including crumple zones and ABS — to competitors, even before they were required by law. This decision reflected the company's philosophy that safety innovations should benefit all drivers, not just Mercedes-Benz owners.
Today, with over 140 years of history behind it, Mercedes-Benz continues to push the boundaries of automotive technology, from electric vehicles and autonomous driving to advanced digital systems. Its combination of heritage, luxury, and innovation ensures that the three-pointed star remains one of the most respected symbols in the automotive world.
6 See also✎
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