Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to simply as Mercedes and occasionally as Benz, is a German
automotive brand
This is an incomplete list of every brand (also known as make or marque) of car ever produced, by country of origin, which has an article on Wikipedia. Names should not be added unless they already have an article. Some are from manufacturing c ...
that was founded in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a subsidiary of the
Mercedes-Benz Group
Mercedes-Benz Group AG (formerly Daimler-Benz, DaimlerChrysler, and Daimler) is a German multinational automotive company headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of the world's leading car manufacturers. Daimler-B ...
, established in 2019) is based in
Stuttgart
Stuttgart (; ; Swabian German, Swabian: ; Alemannic German, Alemannic: ; Italian language, Italian: ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, largest city of the States of Germany, German state of ...
,
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg ( ; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a states of Germany, German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million i ...
, Germany.
Mercedes-Benz AG manufactures
luxury vehicle
A luxury car is a passenger automobile providing superior comfort levels, features, and equipment. More expensive materials and surface finishes are used, and buyers expect a correspondingly high quality (business), build quality.
The term is ...
s and
light commercial vehicle
A light commercial vehicle (LCV) in the European Union, Australia and New Zealand is a commercial carrier vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of no more than 3.5 metric tons (tonnes). The LCV designation is also occasionally used in both Cana ...
s, all branded under the Mercedes-Benz name. From November 2019 onwards, the production of Mercedes-Benz-branded heavy commercial vehicles (trucks and buses) has been managed by
Daimler Truck
Daimler Truck AG (holding company legal name Daimler Truck Holding AG) is the world's largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, with over 35 main locations worldwide and approximately 100,000 employees. Daimler Truck AG is headquartered in Leinfel ...
, which separated from the Mercedes-Benz Group to form an independent entity at the end of 2021.
In 2018, Mercedes-Benz became the world’s largest premium vehicle brand, with a sales volume of 2.31 million passenger cars.
The roots of the brand trace back to the 1901
Mercedes by
Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft
Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (abbreviated as DMG, also known as Daimler Motors Corporation) was a German engineering company and later automobile manufacturer, in operation from 1890 until 1926. Founded by Gottlieb Daimler (1834–1900) and Wil ...
and the 1886
Benz Patent-Motorwagen
The Benz Patent-Motorwagen ("patent motorcar"), built in 1885 by the German engineer Karl Benz, is widely regarded as the first practical automobile and was the first car put into production. It was patented in January 1886 and unveiled in public ...
and 1894
Benz Velo
The Benz Velo was one of the first cars, introduced by Carl Benz in 1894 as the followup to the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, Patent-Motorwagen. 67 Benz Velos were built in 1894 and 134 in 1895. The early Velo had a 1L engine, and later a engine gi ...
by
Carl Benz
Carl (or Karl) Friedrich Benz (; born Karl Friedrich Michael Vaillant; 25 November 1844 – 4 April 1929) was a German engine designer and automotive engineer. His Benz Patent-Motorwagen from 1885 is considered the first practical modern automob ...
, which is widely recognized as the first automobile powered by an internal combustion engine. The brand’s slogan is "The Best or Nothing".
History

Mercedes-Benz traces its origins to
Karl Benz
Carl (or Karl) Friedrich Benz (; born Karl Friedrich Michael Vaillant; 25 November 1844 – 4 April 1929) was a German engine designer and automotive engineer. His Benz Patent-Motorwagen from 1885 is considered the first practical modern automo ...
's first internal combustion engine in a car, seen in the Benz Patent-Motorwagen – financed by
Bertha Benz
Bertha Benz (; ; 3 May 1849 – 5 May 1944) was a German automotive pioneer. She was the business partner, investor and wife of automobile inventor Carl Benz. On 5 August 1888, she was the first person to drive an Internal combustion engine, int ...
's dowry
and patented in January 1886
– and
Gottlieb Daimler
Gottlieb Wilhelm Daimler (; 17 March 1834 – 6 March 1900) was a German engineer, industrial designer and industrialist. He was a pioneer of internal-combustion engines and automobile development. He invented the high-speed liquid petroleum-fue ...
and their engineer
Wilhelm Maybach
Wilhelm Maybach (; 9 February 1846 – 29 December 1929) was an early German engine designer and industrialist. During the 1890s he was hailed in France, then the world centre for car production, as the "King of Designers".
From the late 19th ce ...
's conversion of a stagecoach, with the addition of a petrol engine, introduced later that year. The
Mercedes automobile was first marketed in 1901 by
Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft
Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (abbreviated as DMG, also known as Daimler Motors Corporation) was a German engineering company and later automobile manufacturer, in operation from 1890 until 1926. Founded by Gottlieb Daimler (1834–1900) and Wil ...
(DMG).
Emil Jellinek-Mercedes
Emil Jellinek, known after 1903 as Emil Jellinek-Mercedes (6 April 1853 – 21 January 1918), was an automobile entrepreneur of the Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (DMG), responsible in 1900 for commissioning the first modern automobile, the Merce ...
, an Austrian automobile entrepreneur who worked with DMG, registered the trademark in 1902, naming the 1901 Mercedes 35 hp after his daughter
Mercedes Jellinek. Jellinek was a businessman and marketing strategist who promoted "horseless" Daimler automobiles among the highest circles of society. At the time, it was a meeting place for the ''haute volée'' of France and Europe, especially in winter. His customers included the
Rothschild family
The Rothschild family ( , ) is a wealthy Ashkenazi Jews, Ashkenazi Jewish noble banking family originally from Frankfurt. The family's documented history starts in 16th-century Frankfurt; its name is derived from the family house, Rothschild, ...
and other wealthy clients, but as early as 1901, he was selling Mercedes cars in the "
New World
The term "New World" is used to describe the majority of lands of Earth's Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas, and sometimes Oceania."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: ...
" as well, including to billionaires
Rockefeller,
Astor,
Morgan
Morgan may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Morgan – A Suitable Case for Treatment'', also called ''Morgan!'', a 1966 comedy film
* ''Morgan'' (2012 film), an American drama
* ''Morgan'' (2016 film), an American science fiction thriller
* ...
, and Taylor. At the Nice race he attended in 1899, Jellinek drove under the pseudonym "Monsieur Mercédès". Many consider that race the birth of Mercedes-Benz as a brand. In 1901, the name "Mercedes" was re-registered by DMG worldwide as a protected trademark. The first Mercedes-Benz branded vehicles were produced in 1926, following the merger of Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler's companies into the Daimler-Benz company on 28 June of the same year.
[
]
Gottlieb Daimler was born on 17 March 1834 in Schorndorf. After training as a gunsmith and working in France, he attended the Polytechnic School in Stuttgart from 1857 to 1859. After completing various technical activities in France and England, he started working as a draftsman in Geislingen in 1862. At the end of 1863, he was appointed workshop inspector at a machine-tool factory in Reutlingen, where he met Wilhelm Maybach in 1865.
Throughout the 1930s, Mercedes-Benz produced the 770
__NOTOC__
Year 770 ( DCCLXX) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 770 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe ...
model, a car that was notably popular throughout Germany's Nazi
Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...
period. Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
was known to have driven in a model of this car during his time in power, with modified custom bulletproof
Bulletproofing is the process of making an object capable of stopping a bullet or similar high velocity projectiles (e.g. shrapnel). The term bullet resistance is often preferred because few, if any, practical materials provide complete protecti ...
windshields. Most of the currently surviving 770 models were sold at auctions to private buyers. One of the cars is currently on display at the War Museum
A military museum or war museum is an institution dedicated to the preservation and education of the significance of wars, conflicts, and military actions. These museums serve as repositories of artifacts (not least weapons), documents, photographs ...
in Ottawa, Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
.
From 1937 onward, Daimler Benz focused increasingly on military products such as the LG3000 lorry and the DB600 and the DB601 aero engines. To build the latter, in 1936, it built a factory hidden in the forest at Genshagen around 10 km south of Berlin
Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
. By 1942, the company had mostly stopped producing cars, and was now devoted to war production. According to its own statement, in 1944, almost half of its 63,610 employees were forced labourers, prisoners of war, or concentration-camp detainees. Another source quotes this figure at 46,000. The company later paid $12 million in reparations to the labourers' families.
In 1958, the two companies began a partnership to sell their cars in the United States with Studebaker
Studebaker was an American wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana, with a building at 1600 Broadway, Times Square, Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 as the Studebaker Brothers Man ...
. A few American-based Daimler Benz dealerships were converted into Mercedes-Benz dealerships when Daimler's non-Mercedes-partnered company closed in 1966.
Over the decades, Mercedes-Benz has introduced many electronic and mechanical innovations
Innovation is the practical implementation of ideas that result in the introduction of new goods or services or improvement in offering goods or services. ISO TC 279 in the standard ISO 56000:2020 defines innovation as "a new or changed entit ...
and safety features that later became common. Currently, Mercedes-Benz is one of the best-known and longest-standing automotive brands in the world. The pontiff's Popemobile
The popemobile (Latin: ''papacinetum'' or ''papocinetum''; Italian language, Italian: ''papamobile)'' is a specially designed motor vehicle used by the pope for public appearances. It is the successor to the ''sedia gestatoria'' (portable throne) ...
has often been sourced from Mercedes-Benz.
In November 2019, Daimler AG announced that Mercedes-Benz, until that point a company marque, would be spun off into a separate, wholly-owned subsidiary called Mercedes-Benz AG. The new subsidiary would manage the Mercedes-Benz car and van business. Mercedes-Benz-badged trucks and buses would be part of the Daimler Truck AG subsidiary.
For information relating to the three-pointed star symbol of the brand, see under the title Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft
Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (abbreviated as DMG, also known as Daimler Motors Corporation) was a German engineering company and later automobile manufacturer, in operation from 1890 until 1926. Founded by Gottlieb Daimler (1834–1900) and Wil ...
, including the merger into Daimler-Benz.
In May 2022, Mercedes-Benz announced that it has recently sold the most expensive car at the price of $142 million (€135 million). The car is a very rare 1955 Mercedes-Benz SLR that has been kept in the German automaker's collection and bought by a private owner. Mercedes in an announcement said that the sale will be used to establish the Mercedes-Benz Fund.
In June 2022, Mercedes-Benz recalled almost one million vehicles built between 2004 and 2015, due to potential problems with their braking system, caused by possible "advanced corrosion".
Subsidiaries and alliances
As of the Daimler AG company split, the Mercedes-Benz Cars division now handled the Mercedes-Benz- and the Smart
''SMart'' was a British CBBC television programme based on art, which began in 1994 and ended in 2009. The programme was recorded at BBC Television Centre in London. Previously it had been recorded in Studio A at Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingha ...
-branded cars' production.
Mercedes-AMG
Mercedes-AMG
Mercedes-AMG GmbH, commonly known as AMG (Aufrecht, Melcher, Großaspach), is the high-performance subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz AG. AMG independently hires engineers and contracts with manufacturers to customize Mercedes-Benz AMG v ...
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
Maybach (, ) is a German luxury car brand owned by and a part of Mercedes-Benz AG. The original company was founded in 1909 by Wilhelm Maybach and his son Karl Maybach, originally as a subsidiary of ''Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH'', and it was ...
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
Maybach (, ) is a German luxury car brand owned by and a part of Mercedes-Benz AG. The original company was founded in 1909 by Wilhelm Maybach and his son Karl Maybach, originally as a subsidiary of ''Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH'', and it was ...
name, with the models being luxury-focused, enhanced models of Mercedes-Benz cars, such as the 2016 Mercedes-Maybach S600
The Mercedes-Benz W222 is the sixth generation of the Mercedes Benz S-Class produced from 2013 to 2020, serving as the successor to the W221 S-Class and predecessor to the W223 S-Class. The W222 was designed in 2009 by Korean designer Il-hu ...
. The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 SUV debuted in November 2019.
China
Daimler partnered with BYD Auto
BYD Auto Co., Ltd. ( zh, s=比亚迪汽车, p=Bǐyàdí Qìchē) is the Automotive industry, automotive subsidiary of BYD Company, a publicly listed Chinese multinational manufacturing company. It manufactures passenger battery electric vehicle ...
to make and sell a battery-electric car called Denza
Shenzhen Denza New Energy Co., Ltd., trading as Denza (), is an automobile manufacturing company and luxury plug-in electric vehicle brand owned by BYD Auto. Two other BYD subsidiary brands, Yangwang and Fangchengbao, are also rebadged and sol ...
in China. However, after reducing its stake in 2021, the Stuttgart-based company has now exited Denza completely: the Mercedes-Benz Group is no longer involved in the Chinese car brand Denza, as it sold its last ten per cent stake in Denza in July 2024. In 2016, Daimler announced plans to sell Mercedes-Benz-badged fully electric battery cars in China. Beijing Benz
Beijing Benz Automotive Co., Ltd. is an automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Beijing, China, and a joint venture between BAIC Motor and Mercedes-Benz Group.
It was initially established in January 1984 as a joint venture with BAIC ...
is a joint venture with the BAIC Group
Beijing Automotive Group Co., Ltd. (BAIC, formerly as Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation) is a Chinese state-owned automobile manufacturer headquartered in Shunyi, Beijing. Founded in 1958, it is the sixth largest automobile manufacture ...
to produce the Mercedes-Benz branded cars in China.
Vietnam
Established in 1995, Mercedes-Benz Vietnam is a joint venture between Saigon Mechanical Engineering Corporation (SAMCO) and Daimler AG
Mercedes-Benz Group AG (formerly Daimler-Benz, DaimlerChrysler, and Daimler) is a German multinational automotive company headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of the world's leading car manufacturers. Daimler-B ...
. Daimler AG assembles various Mercedes-Benz models from CKD kits at its factory in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) ('','' TP.HCM; ), commonly known as Saigon (; ), is the most populous city in Vietnam with a population of around 14 million in 2025.
The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigo ...
. The factory is a joint venture with Saigon Mechanical Engineering Corporation. In 2021-2022, Mercedes-Benz Vietnam invested approximately 33 million USD to upgrade 6 technologies at this factory in preparation for the assembly of AMG models. The 1996 Mercedes E230 was the first model produced by the Mercedes-Benz Vietnam assembly plant and was part of the initial batch assembled locally.
Production
Factories
Other than in its native birthplace, Germany, Mercedes-Benz vehicles are or have been partly manufactured or assembled in:
Quality rankings
Before the mid 1990s, Mercedes-Benz had a very strong reputation for quality and durability. Mercedes-Benz's passenger cars were considered as "tanks" or "indestructible" by owners who had their own Mercedes for a very long period. Some objective measures looking at passenger vehicles, such as J. D. Power surveys, demonstrated a downturn in reputation in these criteria in the late 1990s and early 2000s. By mid-2005, Mercedes temporarily returned to the industry average for initial quality, a measure of problems after the first 90 days of ownership, according to J. D. Power. In J. D. Power's Initial Quality Study for the first quarter of 2007, Mercedes showed dramatic improvement by climbing from 25th to 5th place and earning several awards for its newer models. For 2008, Mercedes-Benz's initial quality rating improved by yet another mark, to 4th place. On top of this accolade, it also received the Platinum Plant Quality Award for their Mercedes branded Sindelfingen, Germany body assembly plant.[ J. D. Power's 2011 US Initial Quality and Vehicle Dependability Studies both ranked Mercedes-Benz vehicles above average in build quality and reliability. In J. D. Power's United Kingdom Survey in 2011, Mercedes cars were rated above average. Additionally, iSeeCars.com study for ]Reuters
Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world.
The agency ...
in 2014 found Mercedes to have the lowest vehicle recall rate out of competitors.
Models
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
''SMart'' was a British CBBC television programme based on art, which began in 1994 and ended in 2009. The programme was recorded at BBC Television Centre in London. Previously it had been recorded in Studio A at Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingha ...
marque
A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's goods or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create and ...
of city car
The A-segment is the first category in the passenger car classification system defined by the European Commission. It is used for city cars, the smallest category of passenger cars defined.
A-segment sales represented approximately 4.2% of the ...
s are also produced by Daimler AG.
Automobiles
* A-Class – C-segment
The C-segment is the 3rd category of the Euro Car Segment, European segments for passenger cars and is described as "medium cars". It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "small family car" size class, and the compact car category in the United States.
...
hatchback
A hatchback is a car body style, car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to the main interior of the car as a cargo area rather than just to a separated trunk. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second-row sea ...
and saloon
* B-Class – C-segment
The C-segment is the 3rd category of the Euro Car Segment, European segments for passenger cars and is described as "medium cars". It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "small family car" size class, and the compact car category in the United States.
...
hatchback
A hatchback is a car body style, car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to the main interior of the car as a cargo area rather than just to a separated trunk. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second-row sea ...
* C-Class – D-segment
The D-segment is the 4th category of the Euro Car Segment, European segments for passenger cars, and is described as "large cars".
It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "large family car" size class, and the present-day definition of the mid-size ...
saloon, estate
Estate or The Estate may refer to:
Law
* Estate (law), a term in common law for a person's property, entitlements and obligations
* Estates of the realm, a broad social category in the histories of certain countries.
** The Estates, representativ ...
, coupé
A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and typically with two doors.
The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the Fr ...
and cabriolet
A convertible or cabriolet () is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary across eras and manufacturers.
A convertible car's design allows an open-air driving ex ...
* CLA – C-segment
The C-segment is the 3rd category of the Euro Car Segment, European segments for passenger cars and is described as "medium cars". It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "small family car" size class, and the compact car category in the United States.
...
saloon and estate
Estate or The Estate may refer to:
Law
* Estate (law), a term in common law for a person's property, entitlements and obligations
* Estates of the realm, a broad social category in the histories of certain countries.
** The Estates, representativ ...
* CLE – E-segment
The E-segment is the 5th category of the European segments for passenger cars, synonymous with the term executive car.
E-Segment is a niche in Europe (2-3% penetration in 2010s). In 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, E-segment sales accounted for 2.7% ...
coupé
A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and typically with two doors.
The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the Fr ...
and cabriolet
A convertible or cabriolet () is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary across eras and manufacturers.
A convertible car's design allows an open-air driving ex ...
* E-Class – E-segment
The E-segment is the 5th category of the European segments for passenger cars, synonymous with the term executive car.
E-Segment is a niche in Europe (2-3% penetration in 2010s). In 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, E-segment sales accounted for 2.7% ...
saloon and estate
Estate or The Estate may refer to:
Law
* Estate (law), a term in common law for a person's property, entitlements and obligations
* Estates of the realm, a broad social category in the histories of certain countries.
** The Estates, representativ ...
* G-Class – Off-road vehicle
An off-road vehicle (ORV), also known as an off-highway vehicle (OHV), overland vehicle or adventure vehicle, is a type of transportation specifically engineered to navigate unpaved roads and surfaces. These include trails, forest roads, and ...
* GLA GLA or Gla may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''GLA'' (album), by Scottish alternative rock band Twin Atlantic
* Great Lakes Avengers, a fictional comic hero group
Organisations
* Gangmasters Licensing Authority, a British regulatory body
* Genera ...
– C-segment
The C-segment is the 3rd category of the Euro Car Segment, European segments for passenger cars and is described as "medium cars". It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "small family car" size class, and the compact car category in the United States.
...
crossover SUV
A crossover, crossover SUV, or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of automobile with an increased ride height that is built on unibody chassis construction shared with passenger cars, as opposed to traditional sport utility vehicles ( ...
* GLB – D-segment
The D-segment is the 4th category of the Euro Car Segment, European segments for passenger cars, and is described as "large cars".
It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "large family car" size class, and the present-day definition of the mid-size ...
crossover SUV
A crossover, crossover SUV, or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of automobile with an increased ride height that is built on unibody chassis construction shared with passenger cars, as opposed to traditional sport utility vehicles ( ...
* GLC – D-segment
The D-segment is the 4th category of the Euro Car Segment, European segments for passenger cars, and is described as "large cars".
It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "large family car" size class, and the present-day definition of the mid-size ...
crossover SUV
A crossover, crossover SUV, or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of automobile with an increased ride height that is built on unibody chassis construction shared with passenger cars, as opposed to traditional sport utility vehicles ( ...
* GLE – E-segment
The E-segment is the 5th category of the European segments for passenger cars, synonymous with the term executive car.
E-Segment is a niche in Europe (2-3% penetration in 2010s). In 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, E-segment sales accounted for 2.7% ...
crossover SUV
A crossover, crossover SUV, or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of automobile with an increased ride height that is built on unibody chassis construction shared with passenger cars, as opposed to traditional sport utility vehicles ( ...
* GLS – F-segment
The F-segment is the 6th category and largest of the European segments for passenger cars, and always belongs to " luxury cars".
The equivalent categories are full-size luxury sedan (or "large luxury sedan") in the United States, luxury saloon ...
crossover SUV
A crossover, crossover SUV, or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of automobile with an increased ride height that is built on unibody chassis construction shared with passenger cars, as opposed to traditional sport utility vehicles ( ...
* S-Class – F-segment
The F-segment is the 6th category and largest of the European segments for passenger cars, and always belongs to " luxury cars".
The equivalent categories are full-size luxury sedan (or "large luxury sedan") in the United States, luxury saloon ...
saloon, coupé
A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and typically with two doors.
The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the Fr ...
and cabriolet
A convertible or cabriolet () is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary across eras and manufacturers.
A convertible car's design allows an open-air driving ex ...
* T-Class – M-segment
Minivan (sometimes called simply a van) is a car classification for vehicles designed to transport passengers in the rear seating row(s), with reconfigurable seats in two or three rows . The equivalent classification in Europe is MPV (multi-p ...
compact MPV
Compact MPV (an abbreviation for Compact Multi-Purpose Vehicle) is a vehicle size class for the middle size of MPVs. The Compact MPV size class sits between the mini MPV and large MPV (minivan) size classes.
Compact MPVs remain predominantly a ...
* V-Class – M-segment
Minivan (sometimes called simply a van) is a car classification for vehicles designed to transport passengers in the rear seating row(s), with reconfigurable seats in two or three rows . The equivalent classification in Europe is MPV (multi-p ...
large MPV
* AMG GT – S-segment
S-segment cars are a European car segment class for ''sports coupés''. The equivalent Euro NCAP class is called "roadster sport".
Characteristics
S-segment cars have a sporting appearance and are usually designed to have superior handling ...
coupé
A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and typically with two doors.
The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the Fr ...
and roadster
* AMG GT 4-Door – E-segment
The E-segment is the 5th category of the European segments for passenger cars, synonymous with the term executive car.
E-Segment is a niche in Europe (2-3% penetration in 2010s). In 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, E-segment sales accounted for 2.7% ...
liftback
A liftback is a variation of a hatchback car body style, with a more gently sloping roofline, roughly between 45 and 10 degrees, whereas traditional or archetypal hatchback designs tend to use a 45 degree to near vertical slope on the top-hinged ...
* AMG SL – S-segment
S-segment cars are a European car segment class for ''sports coupés''. The equivalent Euro NCAP class is called "roadster sport".
Characteristics
S-segment cars have a sporting appearance and are usually designed to have superior handling ...
roadster
* AMG ONE – S-segment
S-segment cars are a European car segment class for ''sports coupés''. The equivalent Euro NCAP class is called "roadster sport".
Characteristics
S-segment cars have a sporting appearance and are usually designed to have superior handling ...
supercar
A supercar, also known as an exotic car, is a street-legal sports car with race track-like power, speed, and handling, plus a certain subjective ''cachet'' linked to pedigree and/or exclusivity. The term 'supercar' is frequently used for th ...
* EQA – C-segment
The C-segment is the 3rd category of the Euro Car Segment, European segments for passenger cars and is described as "medium cars". It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "small family car" size class, and the compact car category in the United States.
...
electric crossover SUV
A crossover, crossover SUV, or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of automobile with an increased ride height that is built on unibody chassis construction shared with passenger cars, as opposed to traditional sport utility vehicles ( ...
* EQB – D-segment
The D-segment is the 4th category of the Euro Car Segment, European segments for passenger cars, and is described as "large cars".
It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "large family car" size class, and the present-day definition of the mid-size ...
electric crossover SUV
A crossover, crossover SUV, or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of automobile with an increased ride height that is built on unibody chassis construction shared with passenger cars, as opposed to traditional sport utility vehicles ( ...
* EQE – E-segment
The E-segment is the 5th category of the European segments for passenger cars, synonymous with the term executive car.
E-Segment is a niche in Europe (2-3% penetration in 2010s). In 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, E-segment sales accounted for 2.7% ...
saloon
* EQE SUV – E-segment
The E-segment is the 5th category of the European segments for passenger cars, synonymous with the term executive car.
E-Segment is a niche in Europe (2-3% penetration in 2010s). In 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, E-segment sales accounted for 2.7% ...
electric crossover SUV
A crossover, crossover SUV, or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of automobile with an increased ride height that is built on unibody chassis construction shared with passenger cars, as opposed to traditional sport utility vehicles ( ...
* EQS – F-segment
The F-segment is the 6th category and largest of the European segments for passenger cars, and always belongs to " luxury cars".
The equivalent categories are full-size luxury sedan (or "large luxury sedan") in the United States, luxury saloon ...
electric liftback
A liftback is a variation of a hatchback car body style, with a more gently sloping roofline, roughly between 45 and 10 degrees, whereas traditional or archetypal hatchback designs tend to use a 45 degree to near vertical slope on the top-hinged ...
* EQS SUV – F-segment
The F-segment is the 6th category and largest of the European segments for passenger cars, and always belongs to " luxury cars".
The equivalent categories are full-size luxury sedan (or "large luxury sedan") in the United States, luxury saloon ...
electric crossover SUV
A crossover, crossover SUV, or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of automobile with an increased ride height that is built on unibody chassis construction shared with passenger cars, as opposed to traditional sport utility vehicles ( ...
* EQT EQT may refer to:
* EQT AB, a Swedish global private equity group, including infrastructure and real estate
** EQT Ventures, the venture capital arm of EQT
* EQT Corporation, an American petroleum and natural gas company
* EQT Plaza, a skyscr ...
– M-segment
Minivan (sometimes called simply a van) is a car classification for vehicles designed to transport passengers in the rear seating row(s), with reconfigurable seats in two or three rows . The equivalent classification in Europe is MPV (multi-p ...
electric compact MPV
Compact MPV (an abbreviation for Compact Multi-Purpose Vehicle) is a vehicle size class for the middle size of MPVs. The Compact MPV size class sits between the mini MPV and large MPV (minivan) size classes.
Compact MPVs remain predominantly a ...
* EQV – M-segment
Minivan (sometimes called simply a van) is a car classification for vehicles designed to transport passengers in the rear seating row(s), with reconfigurable seats in two or three rows . The equivalent classification in Europe is MPV (multi-p ...
electric large MPV
Vans
Mercedes-Benz currently offers three types of vans; Citan, Vito, and Sprinter. They are all produced by Daimler AG.
Trucks
Since December 2021, the Mercedes-Benz Trucks division is part of the Daimler Truck
Daimler Truck AG (holding company legal name Daimler Truck Holding AG) is the world's largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, with over 35 main locations worldwide and approximately 100,000 employees. Daimler Truck AG is headquartered in Leinfel ...
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
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
was in Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
. They originally built trucks, many of which were modified by third parties to be used as buses, popularly named Colectivo
''Colectivo'' ( English: collective bus) is the name given in Argentina to a type of public transportation vehicle, especially those of Argentina's capital city, Buenos Aires. The name comes from ''vehículos de transporte colectivo'' ("vehicl ...
.
Buses
Mercedes-Benz has been producing buses since 1895 in Mannheim
Mannheim (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (), is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, second-largest city in Baden-Württemberg after Stuttgart, the States of Ger ...
, Germany. Since 1995, the brands of Mercedes-Benz's buses and coaches are under the umbrella of EvoBus
Daimler Buses GmbH, formerly EvoBus GmbH, is a German bus and coach manufacturer headquartered in Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Germany and a wholly owned subsidiary of Daimler Truck. Its products go to market under the brands Mercedes-Benz and Se ...
GmbH, since December 2021 belonging to Daimler Truck
Daimler Truck AG (holding company legal name Daimler Truck Holding AG) is the world's largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, with over 35 main locations worldwide and approximately 100,000 employees. Daimler Truck AG is headquartered in Leinfel ...
AG. EvoBus, through its regional subsidiaries, markets them in European countries, while in other regions of the world marketing and sales duties are passed to regional subsidiaries of Daimler Truck. Mercedes-Benz produces a wide range of buses and coaches, mainly for Europe and Asia. The first model was produced by Karl Benz in 1895.
Significant 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: 170
Year 170 ( CLXX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Clarus and Cornelius (or, less frequently, year 923 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 170 for this yea ...
* 1938: W125 Record-breaking experimental
* 1939: 320A
* 1951: 300
__NOTOC__
Year 300 ( CCC) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantius and Valerius (or, less frequently, year 1053 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 300 ...
, known as the "Adenauer Mercedes"
* 1953: "Ponton" models
* 1954: 300SL "Gullwing"
* 1956: 190SL
* 1959: "Fintail" models
* 1960: 220SE Cabriolet
* 1963: 600 "Grand Mercedes"
* 1963: 230SL "Pagoda"
* 1965: S-Class
* 1966: 300SEL 6.3
* 1968: W114 "new generation" compact cars
* 1969: C111 experimental vehicle
* 1972: 350SL, 350SLC
* 1974: 450SEL 6.9
* 1977: W123 – Mercedes' first station wagon
* 1978: 300SD – Mercedes' first turbo diesel
* 1979: 500SEL and G-Class
* 1983: 190E 2.3–16
* 1989: 300SL, 500SL
* 1990: 500E
* 1991: 600SEL
* 1993: C-Class
* 1995: C43 AMG
* 1995: SL73 AMG, 7.3 V12
* 1996: SLK
* 1997: A-Class and M-Class
* 2004: SLR McLaren and CLS-Class
* 2007: BlueTec E320, GL320 Bluetec, ML320 Bluetec, R320 Bluetec
* 2010: SLS AMG
* 2013: CLA-Class
* 2016: AMG GT
* 2019: EQ
* 2021: EQA
* 2022: EQS and AMG ONE
The Mercedes-Benz 600
The Mercedes-Benz 600 (factory code "W100") is a single-generation line of full-size ultra-luxury limousines and Pullman limousines, made by Daimler-Benz from 1963 through 1981. Nicknamed ''Der Grosser (Grand/Large Mercedes)'', succeeded t ...
or 600S Pullman Guard limousines offer the option of armour-plating and have been used by diplomats
A diplomat (from ; romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state, intergovernmental, or nongovernmental institution to conduct diplomacy with one or more other states or international organizations.
The main functions of diplomats a ...
worldwide.
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 petrol fuel injection
Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of a fuel injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines.
All c ...
. Also used for electric models and plug-in hybrids.
* "G" was originally used for the Geländewagen
The Mercedes-Benz G-Class, colloquially known as the G-Wagon or G-Wagen (as an abbreviation of Geländewagen), is a four-wheel drive luxury SUV manufactured by Magna Steyr (formerly Steyr-Daimler-Puch) in Graz, Styria, Austria, and sold by Mercede ...
off-road vehicle, but is now applied to Mercedes SUVs in general (G, GLA, GLC, GLE, GLK, and GLS).
* "K" was used in the 1930s, indicating a supercharger ("Kompressor") equipped engine. Three exceptions : the SLK, SSK and CLK, where K indicates "Kurz" (short-wheelbase) (though the SLK and SSK had a supercharger).
* "L" indicates "Leicht" (lightweight) for sporting models and "Lang" (long-wheelbase) for sedan models.
* "R" indicates "Rennen" (racing), used for racing cars (for example, the 300SLR).
* "S" Sonderklasse "Special class" for flagship models, including the S-Class, SLR McLaren, and SLS sports cars.
* "T" indicates "Touring" and an estate (or station wagon) body style.
Some models in the 1950s also had lower-case letters (b, c, and d) to indicate specific trim levels. For other models, the numeric part of the designation does not match the engine displacement. This was done to show the model's position in the model range independent of displacement or in the price matrix. For these vehicles, the actual displacement in litres is suffixed to the model designation. An exception was the 190-class with the numeric designation of "190" as to denote its entry-level in the model along with the displacement label on the right side of the boot (190E 2.3 for 2.3-litre 4-cylinder petrol motor, 190D 2.5 for 2.5-litre 5-cylinder diesel motor, and so forth). Some older models (such as the SS and SSK) did not have a number as part of the designation at all.
1994 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-litre M100 engine) despite being equipped with either a 6.2-litre ( M156), a 5.5-litre ( M157) or even a 4.0-litre engine.
Some models carry further designations indicating special features:
* " 4MATIC" indicates the vehicle is equipped with all-wheel-drive
An all-wheel drive vehicle (AWD vehicle) is one with a powertrain capable of providing power to all its wheels, whether full-time or on-demand.
Types
The most common forms of all-wheel drive are:
;1x1 : All unicycles Reflects one axle with ...
.
* " BlueTEC" indicates a diesel engine with selective catalytic reduction
Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) means converting nitrogen oxides, also referred to as with the aid of a catalyst into diatomic nitrogen (), and water (). A reductant, typically anhydrous ammonia (), aqueous ammonia (), or a urea () soluti ...
exhaust aftertreatment.
* "BlueEFFICIENCY" indicates special fuel economy features (direct injection, start-stop system
A start-stop system (also referred to as idling stop or micro hybrid) is a technology that automatically shuts down and restarts a vehicle's internal combustion engine to reduce idle time, with the aim of lowering fuel consumption and emissio ...
, aerodynamic modifications, etc.)
* "CGI" (Charged Gasoline Injection) indicates direct gasoline injection.
* "CDI" (Common-rail Direct Injection) indicates a common-rail diesel engine.
* "Hybrid" indicates a petrol- or diesel-electric hybrid
Hybrid may refer to:
Science
* Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding
** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species
** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...
.
* "NGT" indicates a natural gas-fueled engine.
* "Kompressor" indicates a supercharged
In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement. It is a form of forced induction that is mechanically powered (usually by ...
engine.
* "Turbo" indicates a turbocharged
In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (also known as a turbo or a turbosupercharger) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake air, forcing more air into the ...
engine, only used on A-, B-, E- and GLK-Class models.
* "AMG Line" indicates the interior or engine, depending which car, has been fitted with the luxuries of their AMG sports cars.
Model designation badges can be removed at the request of the customer.
2015 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, for example—the 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; a pickup truck
A pickup truck or pickup is a Truck_classification#Table_of_US_GVWR_classifications, light or medium duty truck that has an enclosed cabin (truck), cabin, and a back end made up of a cargo bed that is enclosed by three low walls with no roof (th ...
built on the Nissan Navara
The is a nameplate used for Nissan pickup trucks with D21, D22, D40 and D23 model codes. The nameplate has been used in Australia, New Zealand, Central America, South America, Asia, Europe, and South Africa. In North, Central and South Amer ...
. At the 2016 Paris Motor Show, the company announced the EQ, a family of upcoming battery electric vehicle
A battery electric vehicle (BEV), pure electric vehicle, only-electric vehicle, fully electric vehicle or all-electric vehicle is a type of electric vehicle (EV) that uses electrical energy exclusively from an electric vehicle battery, on-boa ...
s based on a modular platform
Platform may refer to:
Arts
* Platform, an arts centre at The Bridge, Easterhouse, Glasgow
* ''Platform'' (1993 film), a 1993 Bollywood action film
* ''Platform'' (2000 film), a 2000 film by Jia Zhangke
* '' The Platform'' (2019 film)
* Pla ...
, expected to represent up to 25% of its global sales by 2025.
Note: The CLA is positioned between the A- and B-Class models, while the CLE sits between the C- and E-Classes.
In addition to the revised nomenclature, Mercedes-Benz has new suffix nomenclature for the drive systems.
The revised A45 AMG for the 2016 model year on has shifted the model designation to the right side while AMG is on the left side. This trend commenced with Mercedes-Maybach with MAYBACH on the left and S500/S600 on the right.
Environmental record
Mercedes-Benz has developed multi-concept cars
A concept car (also known as a concept vehicle or show vehicle) is a car made to showcase new styling or new technology. Concept cars are often exhibited at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not ...
with alternative propulsion, such as hybrid-electric, fully electric, and fuel-cell powertrain
In a motor vehicle, the powertrain comprises the main components that generate engine power, power and deliver that power to the road surface, water, or air. This includes the internal combustion engine, engine, transmission (mechanics), trans ...
s. At the 2007 Frankfurt motor show
The International Motor Show Germany or International Mobility Show Germany, in German known as the ''Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung'' (''IAA'' – International Automobile Exhibition), is one of the world's largest mobility trade fairs. I ...
, Mercedes-Benz showed seven hybrid models, including the F700 concept car
A concept car (also known as a concept vehicle or show vehicle) is a car made to showcase new styling or new technology. Concept cars are often exhibited at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not ...
, powered by a hybrid-electric drivetrain featuring the DiesOtto engine. In 2009, Mercedes-Benz displayed three BlueZERO concepts at the North American International Auto Show
The Detroit Auto Show, formerly known as the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan. Hosted at Huntington Place (formerly Cobo Center) since 1965, it is among the largest auto shows in ...
. Each car features a different powertrain – battery-electric, fuel-cell electric, and gasoline-electric hybrid. In the same year, Mercedes also showed the Vision S500 PHEV concept with a all-electric range
All-electric range (AER) is the maximum driving range of an electric vehicle using only power from its on-board battery pack to traverse a given driving cycle. In the case of a Battery electric vehicle (BEV), it means the maximum range per rech ...
and emissions of 74 grams/km in the New European Driving Cycle
The New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) was a driving cycle, last updated in 1997, designed to assess the emission levels of car engines and fuel economy in passenger cars (which excludes light trucks and commercial vehicles). It is also refe ...
.
Since 2002, Mercedes-Benz has developed the F-Cell fuel cell vehicle. The current version, based on the B-Class, has a 250-mile range and is available for lease, with volume production scheduled to begin in 2014. Mercedes has also announced the SLS AMG E-Cell, a fully electric version of the SLS sports car, with deliveries expected in 2013. The Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHYBRID
The Mercedes-Benz W221 is a chassis code of the fifth generation S-Class, produced from August 2005 until June 2013. The W221 S-Class was unveiled at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show as the successor of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W220) and the pr ...
was launched in 2009, and is the first production automotive hybrid in the world to use a lithium-ion battery
A lithium-ion or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery that uses the reversible intercalation of Li+ ions into electronically conducting solids to store energy. Li-ion batteries are characterized by higher specific energy, energ ...
. In mid-2010, production commenced on the Vito E-Cell all-electric van.
In 2008, Mercedes-Benz announced that it would have a demonstration fleet of small electric cars in two to three years. Mercedes-Benz and Smart are preparing for the widespread uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) in the UK by beginning the installation of recharging points across their dealer
Dealer may refer to:
Film and TV
* ''Dealers'' (film), a 1989 British film
* ''Dealers'' (TV series), a reality television series where five art and antique dealers bid on items
* ''The Dealer'' (film), filmed in 2008 and released in 2010
* ...
networks. So far 20 Elektrobay recharging units, produced in the UK by Brighton-based Elektromotive, have been installed at seven locations as part of a pilot project, and further expansion of the initiative is planned later in 2010.
In the United States, Mercedes-Benz was assessed a record US$30.66 million fine for their decision to not meet the federal corporate average fuel economy standard in 2009. Certain Mercedes-Benz cars, including the S550 and all AMG models sold in the United States, also face an additional gas guzzler tax
The Energy Tax Act (, , enacted November 9, 1978) is a law passed by the U.S. Congress as part of the National Energy Act. The objective of this law, passed during the 1970s energy crisis, was to reduce demand for oil and gas supply by promotin ...
. However, newer AMG models fitted with the M157 engine will not be subject to the gas-guzzler tax, due to improved fuel economy, and newer models powered by the M276 and M278 engines will have better fuel economy. In 2008, Mercedes also had the worst average of all major European manufacturers, ranking 14th out of 14 manufacturers. Mercedes was also the worst manufacturer in 2007 and 2006 in terms of average levels, with 181 g and 188 g of emitted per km, respectively.
Mercedes-Benz paid an additional US$38 million for failing to meet its CAFE standards for model years 2008–2011.
In May 2017, Mercedes partnered with Vivint Solar
Vivint Solar was an American provider of Photovoltaic system, photovoltaic solar energy generation systems, primarily for residential customers. The company was established in 2011 as an offshoot of home automation and security company Vivint and ...
to develop a solar-energy home storage battery.
In February 2018, it was announced that Mercedes cabin air filters earned the Asthma and Allergy Friendly
Asthma & Allergy Friendly is a registered certification mark operated by Allergy Standards Limited in association with not-for-profit asthma and/or allergy organizations. They specialise in labelling products which have been put through and have ...
Certification.
Electric cars
Mercedes opened its sixth battery factory in 2018. Critics deemed the marque's EQS sedan a tough competitor to Tesla, Inc
Tesla, Inc. ( or ) is an American multinational automotive and clean energy company. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, it designs, manufactures and sells battery electric vehicles (BEVs), stationary battery energy storage devices from home ...
. 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 2020 Consumer Electronics Show
CES (; formerly an initialism for Consumer Electronics Show) is an annual trade show organized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). Held in January at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Winchester, Nevada, United States, the event typi ...
in Las Vegas. The car was inspired by the 2009 science fiction film Avatar
Avatar (, ; ) is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means . It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appearance" is sometimes u ...
. Whilst the AVTR is a concept car, it is said to "hold clues on features bound for next-generation Mercedes-Benz cars".
2022 will be the year in which Daimler has said that the company will have invested $11 billion to ensure that every Mercedes-Benz has a fully electric or hybrid version available on the market.
While releasing details of the project, Markus Schäfer said,
''"Our electric vehicles will be built in six plants on three continents. We address every market segment: from the smart fortwo seater to the large SUV. The battery is the key component of e-mobility. As batteries are the heart of our electric vehicles we put a great emphasis on building them in our own factories. With our global battery network, we are in an excellent position: As we are close to our vehicle plants we can ensure the optimal supply of production. In case of a short-term high demand in another part of the world our battery factories are also well prepared for export. The electric initiative of Mercedes-Benz Cars is right on track. Our global production network is ready for e-mobility. We are electrifying the future."'' After Audi
Audi AG () is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. A subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide.
The origins of the compa ...
declared that it would cut more than 9,000 jobs by 2025, the owner of Mercedes-Benz announced that the company will shed around 10,000 jobs worldwide to focus on electric cars.
In January 2021, Mercedes-Benz revealed its new electric SUV, the EQA, which will have a range of 426 kilometres and will be on sale in Europe starting 4 February.
Motorsport
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
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy.
Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power gene ...
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
Sports car racing is a form of motorsport road racing that uses sports cars with two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be either purpose-built Sports prototype, sports prototypes, which are the highest level in sports car racing; or grand to ...
and rallying
Rallying is a wide-ranging form of motorsport with various competitive motoring elements such as speed tests (sometimes called "rally racing" in United States), navigation tests, or the ability to reach waypoints or a destination at a prescribed ...
. On several occasions, Mercedes-Benz has withdrawn completely from motorsport for a significant period, notably in the late 1930s, and after the 1955 Le Mans disaster
The 1955 Le Mans disaster was a major crash that occurred on 11 June 1955 during the 24 Hours of Le Mans motor race at Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, Sarthe, France. Large pieces of debris flew into the crowd, killing spectators and French dr ...
, where a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR (W 196 S) is a two-seat sports racing car that took part in the 1955 World Sportscar Championship before a catastrophic crash and fire at Le Mans later that year ended its domination prematurely. The car ...
rammed another car (an Austin-Healey), took off into the stands, and killed more than 80 spectators. Stirling Moss
Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss (17 September 1929 – 12 April 2020) was a British racing driver and sports broadcasting, broadcaster, who competed in Formula One from to . Widely regarded as one of the greatest drivers to never win the Formula On ...
and co-driver Denis Jenkinson
Denis Sargent Jenkinson (11 December 1920 – 29 November 1996), "Jenks" or "DSJ" as he was known in the pages of ''Motor Sport'', was a British journalist deeply involved in motorsports. As Continental Correspondent of the UK-based ''Motor Spo ...
won the 1955 Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia (, ''Thousand Miles'') was an open-road, motorsport Endurance racing (motorsport), endurance race established in 1927 by the young Counts :it:Franco Mazzotti, Francesco Mazzotti and Aymo Maggi. It took place in Italy 24 times f ...
road race in Italy during a record-breaking drive with an average speed of almost 98 mph in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR (W 196 S) is a two-seat sports racing car that took part in the 1955 World Sportscar Championship before a catastrophic crash and fire at Le Mans later that year ended its domination prematurely. The car ...
.
Although there was some activity in the intervening years, it was not until 1987 that Mercedes-Benz returned to front line competition, returning to Le Mans, Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft
The Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) was a touring car racing series held from 1984 to 1996. Originally based in Germany, it held additional rounds elsewhere in Europe and later worldwide.
The original DTM had resumed racing with produc ...
(DTM), and Formula One
Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...
with Sauber
Sauber Motorsport AG, currently competing in Formula One as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, and also known simply as Kick Sauber or Sauber, is a Swiss motorsport engineering company. It was founded in 1970 (as PP Sauber AG) by Peter Sauber, who pro ...
. The 1990s saw Mercedes-Benz partner with British engine builder Ilmor
Ilmor is a British independent high-performance auto racing, motor racing engineering company. It was founded by Mario Illien and Paul Morgan (engineer), Paul Morgan in November 1983. With manufacturing based in Brixworth, Northamptonshire, and ...
(now Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines), and campaign IndyCars under the USAC/CART
A cart or dray (Australia and New Zealand) is a vehicle designed for transport, using two wheels and normally pulled by draught animals such as horses, donkeys, mules and oxen, or even smaller animals such as goats or large dogs.
A handcart ...
rules, eventually winning the 1994 Indianapolis 500
The 78th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday, May 29, 1994. The race was sanctioned by United States Auto Club (USAC), and was included as race number 4 of 16 of the 1994 PPG IndyCar World ...
and 1994 CART IndyCar World Series Championship with Al Unser Jr. at the wheel. The 1990s also saw the return of Mercedes-Benz to GT racing with the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR
The Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR (chassis code C297) is a GT1 sports car built and produced by Mercedes-Benz in conjunction with their then motorsport partner AMG. Intended for racing in the new FIA GT Championship series in 1997, the CLK GTR was d ...
, which took the company to two titles in FIA's GT1 class.
Mercedes-Benz is currently active in two motorsport categories, Formula One
Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...
and GT racing.
Formula One
Mercedes-Benz took part in the world championship in 1954 and 1955, but despite being successful with two championship titles for Juan-Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio (, ; 24 June 1911 – 17 July 1995) was an Argentine racing driver, who competed in Formula One from to . Nicknamed "el Chueco" and "el Maestro", Fangio won five Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles and—at the ti ...
, the company left the sport after just two seasons.
Mercedes-Benz returned as an engine manufacturer in 1994, with the engines being designed and manufactured by Ilmor
Ilmor is a British independent high-performance auto racing, motor racing engineering company. It was founded by Mario Illien and Paul Morgan (engineer), Paul Morgan in November 1983. With manufacturing based in Brixworth, Northamptonshire, and ...
in Brixworth
Brixworth is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, England. The 2001 census recorded a parish population of 5,162, increasing to 5,228 at the 2011 census. The village's All Saints' Church is of Anglo-Saxon origin.
Location
T ...
. It initially partnered with Sauber
Sauber Motorsport AG, currently competing in Formula One as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, and also known simply as Kick Sauber or Sauber, is a Swiss motorsport engineering company. It was founded in 1970 (as PP Sauber AG) by Peter Sauber, who pro ...
, before switching to McLaren
McLaren Racing Limited ( ) is a British auto racing, motor racing team based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, England. The team is a subsidiary of the McLaren Group, which owns a majority of the team. McLaren is best known a ...
in 1995. Although the Mercedes engines were not successful at first, they later won drivers' championships for Mika Häkkinen
Mika Pauli Häkkinen (; born 28 September 1968) is a Finnish former racing driver, who competed in Formula One from to . Nicknamed "the Flying Finn", Häkkinen won two Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles, which he won in and with M ...
in 1998 and 1999, and for Lewis Hamilton
Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton (born 7 January 1985) is a British racing driver who competes in Formula One for Scuderia Ferrari, Ferrari. Hamilton has won a joint-record seven Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles—tied with M ...
in 2008, as well as a constructors' championship in 1998. Mercedes part-owned McLaren, and the collaboration had been extended into the production of road-going cars such as the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren (C199 / R199 / Z199) is a grand tourer jointly developed by German automotive manufacturer Mercedes-Benz and British automobile manufacturer McLaren Automotive and sold from 2003 to 2010. When the car was develope ...
.
In 2007, McLaren-Mercedes was fined a record US$100 million for stealing confidential Ferrari technical data.
In 2009, Ross Brawn
Ross James Brawn (born 23 November 1954) is a British Formula One managing director, motor sports and technical director. He is a former motorsport engineer and Formula One team principal, and has worked for a number of Formula One teams. Teams ...
's newly conceived Formula One team, Brawn GP
Brawn GP was a Formula One constructor which competed in the 2009 Formula One World Championship, with drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello. The team was formed in 2009 by a management buyout led by Ross Brawn of the Honda Racing F1 T ...
used Mercedes engines to win the titles. At the end of the season, Mercedes-Benz sold its 40% stake in McLaren to the McLaren Group and bought 70% of the Brawn GP team jointly with an Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. The city is the seat of the Abu Dhabi Central Capital District, the capital city of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the UAE's List of cities in the United Arab Emirates, second-most popu ...
-based investment consortium. Brawn GP was renamed Mercedes GP for the 2010 season and became the main team for Mercedes-Benz. The company continued providing engines to other teams under customer relationships.
After major rule changes in , Mercedes clinched the drivers' and constructors' titles with drivers Lewis Hamilton
Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton (born 7 January 1985) is a British racing driver who competes in Formula One for Scuderia Ferrari, Ferrari. Hamilton has won a joint-record seven Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles—tied with M ...
and Nico Rosberg
Nico Erik Rosberg (born 27 June 1985) is a German and Finnish former racing driver and entrepreneur, who competed under the German flag in Formula One from to . Rosberg won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in with Mercedes, and w ...
, after dominating much of the season. Mercedes repeated the feat in , winning 16 out of 19 races, and again in , winning 19 of the 21 races. In the following years, Mercedes continued their success by winning the drivers' championships from 2017
2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly.
Events January
* January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...
to 2020
The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
and the constructors' championships from 2017
2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly.
Events January
* January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...
to 2021
Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...
, becoming the first team to win seven consecutive "double-championships". In these years, Hamilton was the champion in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, while Rosberg won in 2016. Their unbeaten streak was broken in 2021, when Max Verstappen
Max Emilian Verstappen (; born 30 September 1997) is a Dutch and Belgian racing driver who competes under the Dutch flag in Formula One for Red Bull Racing. Verstappen has won four Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles, which he w ...
of Red Bull
Red Bull is a brand of energy drinks created and owned by the Austrian company Red Bull GmbH. With a market share of 43%, it is the most popular energy drink brand as of 2020, and the third most valuable soft drink brand, behind Coca-Cola and ...
-Honda
commonly known as just Honda, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate automotive manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Founded in October 1946 by Soichiro Honda, Honda has bee ...
won the drivers' championship.
Formula 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
Stoffel Jacques L. Vandoorne (; born 26 March 1992) is a Belgian racing driver, who competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Peugeot and in Formula E for Maserati. In formula racing, Vandoorne competed in Formula One from to , and ...
and 2019 FIA Formula 2 champion Nyck de Vries
Hendrik Johannes Nicasius "Nyck" de Vries (; born 6 February 1995) is a Dutch racing driver, who competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Toyota Gazoo Racing, Toyota and in Formula E for Mahindra Racing, Mahindra. In formula racing, ...
. The team named their Spark Gen2
The Spark SRT05E, also known as the Spark Gen2 (or the Spark Gen2EVO for the unreleased upgraded chassis that was set to be introduced in the 2020–21 season but eventually cancelled) was an electric formula race car designed for use in the FIA ...
challenger the Mercedes EQ Silver Arrow 01. De Vries clenched the title in 2020-21 season while Vandoorne won the championship in 2021-22 season. After winning both driver and team world championships, Mercedes EQ left Formula E and sold the team to McLaren
McLaren Racing Limited ( ) is a British auto racing, motor racing team based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, England. The team is a subsidiary of the McLaren Group, which owns a majority of the team. McLaren is best known a ...
.
Logo history
In June 1909, Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft
Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (abbreviated as DMG, also known as Daimler Motors Corporation) was a German engineering company and later automobile manufacturer, in operation from 1890 until 1926. Founded by Gottlieb Daimler (1834–1900) and Wil ...
(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.
;Notes
Noted employees
* Paul Bracq
Paul Bracq (born December 13, 1933, Bordeaux, France) is an automotive designer noted for his work at Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Citroën, and Peugeot.
Career
Bracq's design career began in the studio of Philippe Charbonneaux, serving as his assist ...
– major designer of automobiles in the 20th century
* Adolf Daimler – chief engineer, COO and member of the board of directors 1899–1913. Son of Gottlieb Daimler and developer of the brand logo.
* Béla Barényi
Béla Barényi (1 March 1907, Hirtenberg, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy – 30 May 1997, Böblingen, Germany) was an ethnic Hungarian engineer from Austria-Hungary, who was a prolific inventor, sometimes even compared to Thomas Edison. Barényi ma ...
– car safety pioneer (rigid passenger safety shell), joined Daimler-Benz in 1937
* Wilhelm Maybach
Wilhelm Maybach (; 9 February 1846 – 29 December 1929) was an early German engine designer and industrialist. During the 1890s he was hailed in France, then the world centre for car production, as the "King of Designers".
From the late 19th ce ...
– automotive pioneer, first met Gottlieb Daimler in 1865
* Ferdinand Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche (3 September 1875 – 30 January 1951) was a German automotive engineering, automotive engineer and founder of the Porsche, Porsche AG. He is best known for creating the first Petrol engine, gasoline–Electric motor, el ...
– founder of Porsche, joined Mercedes in 1923 and developed the Kompressor
* Bruno Sacco
Bruno Sacco (12 November 1933 – 19 September 2024) was an Italian automobile designer and chief engineer, who served as the head of styling at the Daimler-Benz AG, the German manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz automobiles and trucks, from 1975 t ...
– joined Daimler-Benz as a designer in 1958. Head of Design in 1975, retired in 1999
* Rudolf Uhlenhaut – joined Daimler-Benz in 1931, his designs included the Silver Arrows
Silver Arrows () is a nickname typically given to silver racing cars with a significant connection to a German car manufacturer. Although the term was coined in 1932, it came into popular usage regarding Germany's dominant Mercedes-Benz and ...
, the 300 SL and 300SLR
* Adolf Eichmann
Otto Adolf Eichmann ( ;"Eichmann"
''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''. ; 19 March 1906 – 1 Ju ...
– Nazi leader and war criminal. Worked in Argentina's factory after WWII
* Rudolf Caracciola
Otto Wilhelm Rudolf Caracciola (30 January 1901 – 28 September 1959) was a German racing driver.Bolsinger and Becker (2002), p. 63 He won the European Championship (auto racing), European Drivers' Championship, the pre-1950 equivalent of the m ...
– one of the greatest GP drivers in history drove MB Silver Arrows
Silver Arrows () is a nickname typically given to silver racing cars with a significant connection to a German car manufacturer. Although the term was coined in 1932, it came into popular usage regarding Germany's dominant Mercedes-Benz and ...
in competition.
* Josef Ganz
Josef Ganz (1 July 1898 – 26 July 1967) was a Jewish-German car designer born in Budapest, Austro-Hungarian Empire (now Hungary).
Early years
Josef Ganz was born on 1 July 1898 into a Jewish family living in Budapest, then the second-larges ...
– Technical consultant and "Godfather" of the *Mercedes-Benz W136
The Mercedes-Benz W136 was Mercedes-Benz's main line of inline-four cylinder motorcars from the mid-1930s into the 1950s. The model 170 V made its public debut as successor to the W15 Typ 170 in February 1936. Between 1936 and 1939 it was Merce ...
, with the revolutionary Independent suspension, Swing axle
A swing axle is a simple type of independent suspension designed and patented by Edmund Rumpler in 1903 for the rear axle of rear wheel drive vehicles. This was a revolutionary invention in automotive suspension, allowing driven (powered) whee ...
layout.
* Juan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio (, ; 24 June 1911 – 17 July 1995) was an Argentine racing driver, who competed in Formula One from to . Nicknamed "el Chueco" and "el Maestro", Fangio won five Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles and—at the ti ...
– Five-time Formula 1 World Champion, honorary president of Mercedes-Benz Argentina from 1987 until his death in 1995.
* Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher (; born 3 January 1969) is a German former racing driver, who competed in Formula One from to and from to . Schumacher won a record-setting seven Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles, tied by Lewis Hamilton in ...
– Seven-time Formula 1
Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...
World Champion, drove for Mercedes in the World Endurance Championship in the 80s and then in their Formula One Team from 2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
till 2012
2012 was designated as:
*International Year of Cooperatives
*International Year of Sustainable Energy for All
Events January
*January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins.
* January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
.
* Lewis Hamilton
Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton (born 7 January 1985) is a British racing driver who competes in Formula One for Scuderia Ferrari, Ferrari. Hamilton has won a joint-record seven Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles—tied with M ...
– Seven-time Formula 1
Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...
World Champion
A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game ...
, drove for Mercedes in their Formula One Team from to who holds the all-time record for most pole positions () and race victories (). Despite being a Mercedes driver since 2013, Hamilton has competed using Mercedes engines since 2007 and has been affiliated with Mercedes since he was 13 years old.
* Nico Rosberg
Nico Erik Rosberg (born 27 June 1985) is a German and Finnish former racing driver and entrepreneur, who competed under the German flag in Formula One from to . Rosberg won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in with Mercedes, and w ...
– 2016 Formula 1
Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...
World Champion, drove for Mercedes in their Formula One Team from 2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
till 2016
2016 was designated as:
* International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly.
* International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...
. Rosberg won all his races and achieved all his pole positions with Mercedes and is currently a brand ambassador for Mercedes.
* Toto Wolff
Torger Christian "Toto" Wolff (, born 12 January 1972) is an Austrian billionaire investor, motorsport executive and former racing driver. Since 2013, Wolff has served as team principal, CEO and co-owner of Mercedes in Formula One, winning ei ...
– CEO and Team Principal of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team
Mercedes-Benz, a German luxury automotive brand of the Mercedes-Benz Group, has been involved in Formula One as both team owner and engine manufacturer for various periods since 1954. The current Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team is based in Brac ...
Innovations
Numerous technological innovations have been introduced on Mercedes-Benz automobiles throughout the many years of their production, including:
* The internal combustion engine
An internal combustion engine (ICE or IC engine) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal comb ...
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 float carburetor
A carburetor (also spelled carburettor or carburetter)
is a device used by a gasoline internal combustion engine to control and mix air and fuel entering the engine. The primary method of adding fuel to the intake air is through the Ventu ...
which was used until replaced by fuel injection
Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of a fuel injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines.
All c ...
.
* The "drop chassis" – the car originally designated the "Mercedes" by Daimler was also the first car with a modern configuration, having the carriage lowered and set between the front and rear wheels, with a front engine
Front-engine design is an automotive design where the engine is in the front side of the car, connected to the wheels via a drive shaft. The main types of Front engine design are:
* Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, the traditional automo ...
and powered rear wheels. All earlier cars were "horseless carriages", which had high centres of gravity and various engine/drive-train configurations.
* The first passenger road car to have brake
A brake is a machine, mechanical device that inhibits motion by absorbing energy from a moving system. It is used for Acceleration, slowing or stopping a moving vehicle, wheel, axle, or to prevent its motion, most often accomplished by means of ...
s on all four wheels (1924).
* In 1936, the Mercedes-Benz 260 D was the first diesel-powered passenger car.
* Mercedes-Benz were the first to offer direct fuel injection on the Mercedes-Benz 300SL
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (chassis code W 198) is a two-seat sports car that was produced by Mercedes-Benz from 1954 to 1957 as a gullwinged coupé and from 1957 to 1963 as a roadster. The 300 SL traces its origins to the company's 1952 racin ...
Gullwing.
* The "safety cage" or " safety cell" construction with front and rear crumple zones
Crumple zones, crush zones or crash zones are a structural safety feature used in vehicles, mainly in automobiles, to increase the time over which a change in velocity (and consequently momentum) occurs from the impact during a collision by a ...
was first developed by Mercedes-Benz in 1951. This revolutionized the automotive industry with passive safety.
* In 1959, Mercedes-Benz patented a device that prevents drive wheels from spinning by intervening at the engine, transmission, or brakes. In 1987, Mercedes-Benz applied for its patent by introducing a traction control system
A traction control system (TCS), is typically (but not necessarily) a secondary function of the electronic stability control (ESC) on production motor vehicles, designed to prevent loss of traction (i.e., wheelspin) of the driven road wheels. TC ...
that worked under both braking and acceleration.
* An anti-lock braking system
An anti-lock braking system (ABS) is a Automotive safety, safety anti-Skid (automobile), skid Brake, braking system used on aircraft and on land motor vehicle, vehicles, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, and buses. ABS operates by preventing t ...
(ABS) was first offered on the W116 450SEL 6.9. They became standard on the W126 S-Class starting production in 1979 and first sold in most markets in 1980.
* Airbag
An airbag is a vehicle occupant-restraint system using a bag designed to inflate in milliseconds during a collision and then deflate afterwards. It consists of an airbag cushion, a flexible fabric bag, an inflation module, and an impact sensor. ...
s were first introduced in the European market, beginning with the model year 1981 S-Class.
* Mercedes-Benz was the first to introduce pre-tensioners to seat belt
A seat belt, also known as a safety belt or spelled seatbelt, is a vehicle safety device designed to secure the driver or a passenger of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result during a collision or a sudden stop. A seat belt reduce ...
s on the 1981 S-Class. In the event of a crash, a pre-tensioner will tighten the belt instantaneously, removing any 'slack' in the belt, which prevents the occupant from jerking forward in a crash.
* In September 2003, Mercedes-Benz introduced the world's first seven-speed automatic transmission
An automatic transmission (AT) or automatic gearbox is a multi-speed transmission (mechanics), transmission used in motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving conditions.
The 1904 ...
called '7G-Tronic
7G-Tronic is Mercedes-Benz's trademark name for its 7-speed automatic transmission, starting off with the W7A 700 and W7A 400 (Wandler-7-Gang-Automatik bis 700 oder 400 Nm Eingangsdrehmoment; converter-7-gear-automatic with 516 or ...
'.
* Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), brake assist
Brake assist (BA or BAS) or emergency brake assist (EBA) is a term for an automobile braking technology that increases braking pressure in an emergency. The first application was developed jointly by Daimler-Benz and TRW/ LucasVarity. Research c ...
, and many other types of safety equipment were all developed, tested, and implemented into passenger cars – first – by Mercedes-Benz. Mercedes-Benz has licensed some of its innovations for use by competitors. Crumple zones and ABS were included in 1990s safety legislation in Europe and the US.
* The (W211) E320 CDI which has a variable geometry turbocharger
Variable-geometry turbochargers (VGTs), occasionally known as variable-nozzle turbochargers (VNTs), are a type of turbochargers, usually designed to allow the effective aspect ratio (A/R ratio) of the turbocharger to be altered as conditions chan ...
(VGT) 3.0-litre V6 common rail diesel engine (producing ), set three world endurance
Endurance (also related to sufferance, forbearance, resilience, constitution, fortitude, persistence, tenacity, steadfastness, perseverance, stamina, and hardiness) is the ability of an organism to exert itself and remain active for a ...
records. It covered in a record time, with an average speed of . Three identical cars did the endurance run (one set above record) and the other two cars set world records for time taken to cover and respectively. After all three cars had completed the run, their combined distance was (all records were FIA approved).
* Mercedes-Benz pioneered a system called Pre-Safe
A collision avoidance system (CAS), also known as a pre-crash system, forward collision warning system (FCW), or collision mitigation system, is an advanced driver-assistance system designed to prevent or reduce the severity of a collision. I ...
to detect an imminent crash – and prepares the car's safety systems to respond optimally. It also calculates the optimal braking force required to avoid an accident in emergency situations and makes it immediately available for when the driver depresses the brake pedal. Occupants are also prepared by tightening the seat belt, closing the sunroof and windows, and moving the seats into the optimal position.
* At 181 horsepower per litre, the M133 engine installed in Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG was (as of June 2013) the most powerful series-production four-cylinder turbocharged motor, and has one of the highest power densities of a passenger vehicle.
Mercedes-Benz won the Safety Award at the 2007 ''What Car?'' Awards.
Robot cars
In the 1980s Mercedes built the world's first robot car, together with the team of Professor Ernst Dickmanns
Ernst Dieter Dickmanns is a German pioneer of dynamic computer vision and of driverless cars. Dickmanns has been a professor at Bundeswehr University Munich (1975–2001), and visiting professor to Caltech and to MIT, teaching courses on "dynam ...
at Bundeswehr University Munich
image:Eingangsbereich der Universität der Bundeswehr München.jpg, Entrance to the university
University of the Bundeswehr Munich (, UniBw München) is one of two research universities in Germany at federal level that both were founded in 1973 a ...
. Encouraged in part by Dickmanns' success, in 1987 the European Union's EUREKA
Eureka often refers to:
* Eureka (word), a famous exclamation attributed to Archimedes
* Eureka effect, the sudden, unexpected realization of the solution to a problem
Eureka or Ureka may also refer to:
History
* Eureka Rebellion, an 1854 g ...
programme initiated the Prometheus Project on autonomous vehicles, funded to the tune of nearly €800 million. In 1995 Dickmanns' re-engineered autonomous S-Class Mercedes took a long trip from Munich
Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
in Bavaria to Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
in Denmark, and back. On highways, the robot achieved speeds exceeding (permissible in some areas of the German Autobahn
The (; German , ) is the federal controlled-access highway system in Germany. The official term is (abbreviated ''BAB''), which translates as 'federal motorway'. The literal meaning of the word is 'Federal Auto(mobile) Track'.
Much of t ...
).
In October 2015, the company introduced the Vision Tokyo, a five-seat self-driving electric van powered by a hybrid hydrogen fuel-cell system. The super-sleek van is touted as "a chill-out zone in the midst of megacity traffic mayhem."
Tuners
Several companies, including Brabus
Brabus GmbH ( stylized in uppercase) is a German automotive aftermarket high-performance tuning company founded in 1977 in Bottrop (Ruhr area). Brabus specialises mainly in Mercedes-Benz, Maybach and Smart vehicles. They have also modified othe ...
, Renntech and Carlsson, have become car tuner
Car tuning is the modification of a car to optimise it for a different set of performance requirements from those it was originally designed to meet. Most commonly this is higher engine performance and dynamic handling characteristics but cars ...
s (or modifiers) of Mercedes Benz models, in order to increase performance and/or luxury of a given model.
AMG is Mercedes-Benz's in-house performance-tuning division, specialising in high-performance versions of most Mercedes-Benz cars. AMG engines are all hand-built, and each completed engine receives a tag with the signature of the engineer who built it. AMG has been wholly owned by Mercedes-Benz since 1999. The 2009 SLS AMG, a revival of the 300SL Gullwing, is the first car to be entirely developed by AMG.
Sponsorships
In football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
, Mercedes-Benz sponsored the Germany national team until 2018. Mercedes-Benz sponsors Bundesliga
The Bundesliga (; ), sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga () or 1. Bundesliga (), is a professional association football league in Germany and the highest level of the German football league system. The Bundesliga comprises 18 teams ...
club VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V. (), commonly known as VfB Stuttgart (), is a German professional sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club's Association football, football team is currently part of Germany's f ...
and provided until June 2023 the naming rights for their stadium, the former Mercedes-Benz Arena. The company formerly held a ten-year naming rights contract to the Caesars Superdome
Caesars Superdome (originally Louisiana Superdome and formerly Mercedes-Benz Superdome), commonly known as the Superdome, is a domed multi-purpose stadium in the Southern United States, southern United States, located in New Orleans, Louisiana. ...
, an American football
American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...
stadium in New Orleans
New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
, from 2011 to 2021. On 24 August 2015, Mercedes-Benz was announced as the naming rights sponsor for the Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
' new home, Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a retractable roof multi-purpose stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Opened in 2017 as a replacement for the Georgia Dome, it is the home of the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) and Atlanta ...
, (Mercedes-Benz's US headquarters are in Greater Atlanta) which opened in August 2017.
Mercedes-Benz worked with English magician Steven Frayne, also known as Dynamo
"Dynamo Electric Machine" (end view, partly section, )
A dynamo is an electrical generator that creates direct current using a commutator. Dynamos employed electromagnets for self-starting by using residual magnetic field left in the iron cores ...
, to create a video called Dynamo vs Coulthard. Formula One
Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...
driver David Coulthard
David Marshall Coulthard (born 27 March 1971) is a British former racing driver and sports broadcasting, broadcaster from Scotland who competed in Formula One from to . Nicknamed "DC", Coulthard was runner-up in the Formula One World Drivers' ...
drove Dynamo around a track at race-speed in a Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG, before Dynamo successfully drove around the same track in the same car whilst blindfolded and surrounded by pyrotechnics. The stunt was part of the finale for Series 3 of Dynamo: Magician Impossible, screened on UK television channel Watch
A watch is a timepiece carried or worn by a person. It is designed to maintain a consistent movement despite the motions caused by the person's activities. A wristwatch is worn around the wrist, attached by a watch strap or another type of ...
.
To promote the release of ''Mario Kart 8
is a 2014 kart racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U. It retains the gameplay of previous ''Mario Kart'' games, with players controlling a ''Mario'' character in races around tracks. Tracks are themed around locales fr ...
'', Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto. It develops, publishes, and releases both video games and video game consoles.
The history of Nintendo began when craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi ...
and Mercedes-Benz partnered up to have three of their cars in their history, the 2014 Mercedes-Benz GLA, the 1957 SL 300 Roadster, and the 1934 W25 Silver Arrow as karts in the game. As part of the partnership, Mario
Mario (; ) is a Character (arts), character created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the star of the ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' franchise, a recurring character in the ''Donkey Kong'' franchise, and the mascot of the Ja ...
, Luigi
Luigi (; ) is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Part of Nintendo's ''Mario'' franchise, he is a kind-hearted, cowardly Italian plumber, and the younger fraternal twin brother and sidekick of Mario. Like ...
, and Peach
The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and Agriculture, cultivated in China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and the glossy-skinned, non-fuzzy varieties called necta ...
appeared in Japanese commercials to promote the 2014 Mercedes-Benz GLA.
The Mercedes-Benz was chosen by Mitsubishi Electric
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational electronics and electrical equipment manufacturing company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company was established in 1921 as a spin-off from the electrical machinery manufacturing d ...
as an official sponsor of AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2022
The 2022 AFF Championship (officially AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2022 due to sponsorship reasons) was the 14th edition of the AFF Championship, the football championship of nations affiliated to the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) and was the 1 ...
, along with Maspion Holdings, Wuling
Wuling may refer to:
People
* Xu Wuling (许武岭, born 14 September 1971), professional rower
* Yu Wuling (于武陵, born 810), poet
* Zhang Wuling (张武龄, 1889-1938), educator
* King Wuling of Zhao (趙武靈王, 340-295 BCE), ruler of ...
, Gree, Yanmar
is a Japanese diesel engine, heavy machinery and agricultural machinery manufacturer founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1912. Yanmar manufactures and sells engines used in a wide range of applications, including seagoing vessels, pleasure boats, cons ...
and Tiger Brokers.
See also
* Bertha Benz
Bertha Benz (; ; 3 May 1849 – 5 May 1944) was a German automotive pioneer. She was the business partner, investor and wife of automobile inventor Carl Benz. On 5 August 1888, she was the first person to drive an Internal combustion engine, int ...
* Diesel emissions scandal
From 2014 onwards, software which manipulated air pollution tests was discovered in vehicles from some car makers; the software recognized when the standardized emissions test was being done, and adjusted the engine to emit less pollutants during ...
* Mercedes-AMG
Mercedes-AMG GmbH, commonly known as AMG (Aufrecht, Melcher, Großaspach), is the high-performance subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz AG. AMG independently hires engineers and contracts with manufacturers to customize Mercedes-Benz AMG v ...
References
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External links
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