History
Mercedes-Benz traces its origins to Karl Benz's creation of the first internal combustion engine in a car, seen in the Benz Patent Motorwagen – financed by Bertha Benz's dowry and patented in January 1886 – and Gottlieb Daimler and their engineer Wilhelm Maybach's conversion of a stagecoach, with the addition of a petrol engine, introduced later that year. TheSubsidiaries and alliances
As of the Daimler AG company split, the Mercedes-Benz Cars division now handled the Mercedes-Benz- and the Smart-branded cars' production.Mercedes-AMG
Mercedes-AMG became a majority-owned division of Mercedes-Benz in 1999. The company was integrated into DaimlerChrysler in 1999, and became Mercedes-Benz AMG on 1 January 1999.Mercedes-Maybach
Daimler's ultraluxury Maybach brand was under the Mercedes-Benz Cars division until December 2012, when production was stopped due to decreased sales. It now exists under the Mercedes-Maybach name, with the models being luxury-focused, enhanced models of Mercedes-Benz cars, such as the 2016 Mercedes-Maybach S600. The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 SUV debuted in November 2019.China
Daimler partnered with BYD Auto to make and sell a battery-electric car calledProduction
Factories
Other than in its native birthplace, Germany, Mercedes-Benz vehicles are or have been partly manufactured or assembled in:Quality rankings
Mercedes-Benz normally has a strong reputation for quality and durability. Some objective measures looking at passenger vehicles, such asModels
Current model range
Mercedes-Benz offers a versatile range of consumer-passenger, light commercial and heavy commercial equipment. These vehicles are manufactured in multiple countries worldwide. The Smart marque of city cars are also produced by Daimler AG.Models
* A-Class – Subcompact luxuryVans
Mercedes-Benz currently offers three types of vans; Citan,Trucks
Since December 2021, the Mercedes-Benz Trucks division is part of the Daimler Truck company and includes other sub-companies that were part of the DaimlerChrysler merger. Gottlieb Daimler sold the world's first truck in 1886. Their first factory to be built outside Germany after World War II was in Argentina. They originally built trucks, many of which were modified by third parties to be used as buses, popularly named Colectivo.Buses
Mercedes-Benz has been producingSignificant models produced
* 1928: SSK racing car * 1930: 770 "Großer Mercedes" state and ceremonial car * 1934: 500 K * 1936: 260 D World's first diesel production car * 1936:Car nomenclature
Pre-1994
Until 1994, Mercedes-Benz utilized an alphanumeric system for categorizing their vehicles, consisting of a number sequence approximately equal to the engine's displacement in liters multiplied by 100, followed by an arrangement of alphabetical suffixes, indicating body style and engine type. * "C" indicates a coupe or cabriolet body style (for example, the CL and CLK models, though the C-Class is an exception, since it is also available as a sedan or station wagon). * "D" indicates the vehicle is equipped with a diesel engine. * "E" (for "Einspritzung") indicates the vehicle's engine is equipped with petrol1994 to 2014
For the 1994 model year, Mercedes-Benz revised the naming system. Models were divided into "classes" denoted by an arrangement of up to three letters (see "Current model range" above), followed by a three-digit (or two-digit for AMG models, with the number approximately equal to the displacement in litres multiplied by 10) number related to the engine displacement as before. Variants of the same model such as an estate version or a vehicle with a diesel engine are no longer given a separate letter. The SLR and SLS supercars do not carry a numerical designation. Today, many numerical designations no longer reflect the engine's actual displacement, but more of the relative performance and marketing position. Despite its engine displacement in two litres, the powerplant in the A45 AMG produces 355 brake horsepower so the designation is higher as to indicate the greater performance. Another example is the E250 CGI having greater performance than the E200 CGI due to the different engine tuning even though both have 1.8-litre engines. From the marketing perspective, E200 seems more "upscale" than E180. Recent AMG models use the "63" designation (in honor of the 1960s 6.3-litre2015 and beyond
Rationalisation of the model nomenclature was announced in November 2014 for future models. The changes consolidate many confusing nomenclature and their placements in the model range such as CL-Class is now called the S-Class Coupé. The naming structure is divided into four categories: core, off-road vehicle/SUV, 4-door coupé, and roadster. AMG GT and V-Class are unaffected by the change. In October 2016, Mercedes unveiled the X-Class; aEnvironmental record
Mercedes-Benz has developed multi- concept cars with alternative propulsion, such as hybrid-electric, fully electric, and fuel-cell powertrains. At the 2007 Frankfurt motor show, Mercedes-Benz showed seven hybrid models, including the F700 concept car, powered by a hybrid-electric drivetrain featuring theElectric cars
Mercedes opened its sixth battery factory in 2018. Critics deemed the marque's EQS sedan a tough competitor to Tesla, Inc. The six factories are established across three continents. The brand has also launched its electric EQ brand with the EQC SUV which was set for production in the year 2019. In September 2018, Mercedes unveiled the EQC, its first fully electric car, at an event in Stockholm. Mercedes unveiled the VISION AVTR at the 2020Motorsport
The two companies which were merged to form the ''Mercedes-Benz'' brand in 1926 had both already enjoyed success in the new sport of motor racing throughout their separate histories. A single Benz competed in the world's first motor race, the 1894 Paris–Rouen, where Émile Roger finished 14th in 10 hours 1 minute. Throughout its long history, the company has been involved in a range of motorsport activities, including sports car racing andFormula One
Mercedes-Benz took part in the world championship in 1954 and 1955, but despite being successful with two championship titles forFormula E
Prior to pre-season testing of the 2019–20 Formula E Championship, it was announced that Mercedes, through its EQ branch, would join the championship with drivers Stoffel Vandoorne and 2019 FIA Formula 2 champion Nyck De Vries. The team named theirLogo history
In June 1909, Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (DMG) registered both a three-pointed and a four-pointed star as trademarks, but only the three-pointed star was used. To DMG, the star symbolized Gottlieb Daimler's aims for universal motorization: on land, water and in the air. ;NotesNoted employees
*Innovations
Numerous technological innovations have been introduced on Mercedes-Benz automobiles throughout the many years of their production, including: * The internal combustion engine automobile was developed independently by Benz and Daimler & Maybach in 1886. * Daimler invented the honeycomb radiator of the type still used on all water-cooled vehicles today. * Daimler invented the floatRobot cars
In the 1980s Mercedes built the world's first robot car, together with the team of ProfessorTuners
Several companies have becomeSponsorships
In football (soccer), Mercedes-Benz sponsored the Germany national team until 2018. Mercedes-Benz sponsors Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart and provides the naming rights for their stadium, the Mercedes-Benz Arena. The company formerly held a ten-year naming rights contract to theSee also
* Bertha Benz * Mercedes-AMG *References
Notes
Bibliography
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* {{Authority control __FORCETOC__ Car brands German brands Mercedes-Benz Group brands and marques Daimler Truck Automotive transmission makers Sports car manufacturers Luxury motor vehicle manufacturers Bus manufacturers of Germany Truck manufacturers of Germany Defence companies of Germany Diesel engine manufacturers Multinational companies headquartered in Germany 1926 establishments in Germany Companies based in Stuttgart Companies based in Baden-Württemberg Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1926 Emergency services equipment makers Belgian Royal Warrant holders German companies established in 1926