Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz, often called just Mercedes, is a famous German car brand started in 1926. The company is based in Stuttgart, Germany, and makes luxury cars and light trucks. All of these vehicles carry the Mercedes-Benz name.

The story of Mercedes-Benz begins with important early cars. In 1901, Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft made the Mercedes car. Even earlier, in 1886, Carl Benz created the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, which is regarded as the first car with an internal combustion engine. Another early car, the Benz Velo, was made in 1894. The brand’s slogan is "The Best or Nothing".

History

Mercedes-Benz started with the first car with an internal combustion engine, created by Carl Benz in 1886. Later, Gottlieb Daimler and his engineer Wilhelm Maybach added petrol engines to a stagecoach the same year. The Mercedes automobile was first sold in 1901 by Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft.

The name “Mercedes” comes from Mercédès Jellinek, the daughter of a businessman who helped promote these cars. The first Mercedes-Benz branded vehicles were made in 1926, after two companies merged.

Carl Benz (1844–1929) made the 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen, which is widely regarded as the first automobile.

During World War II, Mercedes-Benz made military vehicles and engines. After the war, the company added new safety features and technologies that are now common in cars. In 2019, Mercedes-Benz became its own company within the larger Daimler group.

Subsidiaries and alliances

After the split of Daimler AG, the Mercedes-Benz Cars division now makes Mercedes-Benz and Smart cars.

Mercedes-AMG joined Mercedes-Benz in 1999 and is now a big part of the company.

The ultra-luxury Maybach brand was with Mercedes-Benz until 2012. It now continues as Mercedes-Maybach, making special luxury versions of Mercedes-Benz cars like the 2016 Mercedes-Maybach S600. The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 SUV started in November 2019.

In China, Daimler worked with BYD Auto to make an electric car called Denza. But by July 2024, Mercedes-Benz sold its share and is no longer involved with Denza. Mercedes-Benz plans to sell electric cars in China, and Beijing Benz is a partnership with the BAIC Group to build Mercedes-Benz cars there.

Mercedes-Benz Vietnam started in 1995 as a partnership with Saigon Mechanical Engineering Corporation (SAMCO) and Daimler AG. The factory in Ho Chi Minh City builds many Mercedes-Benz models. In 2021–2022, the factory was upgraded to get ready for making AMG models. The first car made there was the 1996 Mercedes E230.

Production

Mercedes-Benz dealer in Munich, Germany

Mercedes-Benz builds its cars in many places around the world besides Germany.

Before the mid-1990s, Mercedes-Benz was known for making very high-quality and durable cars. Owners often said their Mercedes cars felt like they could last forever. However, some surveys in the late 1990s and early 2000s showed a drop in how people thought about Mercedes quality. By mid-2005, Mercedes returned to average quality levels. In 2007, Mercedes improved a lot, moving up in quality ratings and winning awards for newer models. By 2008, Mercedes moved up even more. In 2011, studies showed Mercedes cars were above average in quality and reliability. A 2014 study also found Mercedes had fewer recalls than other car brands.

Sovereign state	Continent	Note
Algeria	Africa	Manufactures buses and trucks in cooperation with SNVI (Actros, Zetros, Unimog, G-Class, and Sprinter).
Argentina	South America	Manufactures buses, trucks, the Vito and the Sprinter van. This is the first Mercedes-Benz factory outside of Germany. Built in 1951.
Australia	Australia	Various models were assembled at the Australian Motor Industries facility in Port Melbourne from 1959 to 1965.
Austria	Europe	G-Class
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Europe
Brazil	South America	Manufactures trucks and buses. Established in 1956. The A-Class (W168) was produced from 1999 to 2005 and the C-Class was produced until 2010 as well.
Canada	North America	Fuel cell plant in Burnaby, British Columbia, opened 2012.
Colombia	South America	Assembly of buses, Established in Soacha 2012 and Funza 2015
China	Asia	Beijing Benz, manufactures A-Class, C-Class, E-Class, GLA, GLB, GLC, EQA, EQB, EQE and EQE SUV for mainland China market.
Denmark	Europe	Bohnstedt-Petersen A/S assembled the models 130 and W136 between 1935 and 1955, although no production took place during the Second World War. Between 1955 and 1966 the models W120, W121 and W110, together with the van L319 and a number of trucks and buses, were assembled by the company in Hillerød. Assembly of special variants of Mercedes-Benz trucks continued until 1984.
Egypt	Africa	Via Egyptian German Automotive Company E-Class, C-Class and GLK
Finland	Europe	Valmet Automotive, New A-series (W176) is manufactured in Uusikaupunki since late 2013, being the first Mercedes-Benz passenger car ever built in that country.
Hungary	Europe	Manufacturing plant in Kecskemét, making B-Class and CLA.
Jordan	Middle East	Bus company factory, Elba House, Amman.
India	Asia	Pune (C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, GLA, GLE and some AMG models). Chennai (Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Pvt. Ltd.) Buses, Trucks & Engine Manufacturing unit, Bangalore (R&D), Jamshedpur with Tata Motors at Tata Motors.
Indonesia	Asia	Wanaherang (A-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, GLA, GLC, GLE, GLS, and select entry level AMG models). Operated by a joint venture between Inchcape plc and Indomobil. Cikarang (Axor, Buses). Operated by Daimler Commercial Vehicles Indonesia.
Iran	Asia
Malaysia	Asia	Assembly of C, E and S class vehicles by DRB-HICOM.
Mexico	North America	Mercedes-Benz Mexico fully manufactures some Mercedes and Daimler vehicles completely from locally built parts (C-Class, E-Class, M-Class, International trucks, Axor, Atego, and Mercedes Buses), manufactures other models in complete knock down kits (CL-Class, CLK-Class, SL-Class, SLK-Class) and manufactures a select number of models in semi knockdown kits which use both imported components and locally sourced Mexican components (S-Class, CLS-Class, R-Class, GL-Class, Sprinter).
Nigeria	Africa	Assembly of buses, trucks, utility motors and the Sprinter van
Russia	Eurasia	Joint venture Mercedes-Benz Car Trucks Vostok in Naberezhnye Chelny (jointly Kamaz). Available in trucks Actros, Axor, multi-purpose auto four wheel drive medium trucks Unimog. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Classic is also produced in Russia.
Serbia	Europe	FAP produces Mercedes-Benz trucks under license.
Spain	Europe	Factory at Vitoria-Gasteiz Mercedes-Benz Vito, Viano and V-Class have been built there.
South Africa	Africa	The assembly plant is located in East London, in the Eastern Cape province, where both right and left hand versions of the C-class are built.
South Korea	Asia	Mercedes-Benz Musso and MB100; Ssangyong Rexton Mercedes-Benz models manufactured by SsangYong Motor Company.
Taiwan	Asia	Assembly of Actros by the Shung Ye Group
Thailand	Asia	Completely Knocked Down (CKD) production of A, GLA, C, E, S Classes and Semi-Knocked Down (SKD) production of C-coupe, GLC, GLC-coupe, GLE and CLS. Additionally, local production of Mercedes-AMG such as C43, E53 and CLS53 have been integrated to the existing production lines. The factory is operated by contract manufacturer Thonburi Group under supervision of Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing (Thailand).
Turkey	Eurasia	Mercedes-Benz Türk A.Ş. Some of Mercedes-Benz busses like "Travego" and "Tourismo" were built at Hoşdere plant. Apart from manufacturing, R-D and aftersales were also available.
United Kingdom	Europe	The SLR sports car was built at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking. Brackley, Northamptonshire, is home to the Mercedes Grand Prix factory, and Brixworth, Northamptonshire is the location of Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains.
United States	North America	The Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class Sport Utility, the full-sized GL-Class Luxury Sport Utility and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class vehicles are all built at the Mercedes-Benz U.S. International production facility near Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Trucks (6,000 per year in the early eighties) were once assembled in Hampton, Virginia.
Vietnam	Asia	Assembly of E-Class, C-Class, S-Class, GLK-Class and Sprinter. Established in 1995.

Models

Mercedes-Benz A-Class (small executive hatchbacks and sedans)

Mercedes-Benz B-Class (small executive Tourers)

Mercedes-Benz C-Class (compact executive car)

Mercedes-Benz E-Class (executive car)

Mercedes-Benz S-Class (large luxury sedan)

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class (small luxury SUV)

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class (compact luxury SUV)

Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class (mid-size luxury SUV)

Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class (full-size luxury SUV)

Current model range

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

Mercedes-Benz offers many types of cars and trucks for customers. These vehicles are made in many countries around the world. The Smart marque of city cars are also made by Daimler AG.

Automobiles

A-Class – C-segment hatchback and saloon
B-Class – C-segment hatchback
C-Class – D-segment saloon and estate
CLA – C-segment saloon and estate
CLE – E-segment coupé and cabriolet
E-Class – E-segment saloon and estate
G-Class – Off-road vehicle
GLA – C-segment crossover SUV
GLB – D-segment crossover SUV
GLC – D-segment crossover SUV
GLE – E-segment crossover SUV
GLS – F-segment crossover SUV
S-Class – F-segment saloon
T-Class – M-segment compact MPV
V-Class – M-segment large MPV
AMG GT – S-segment coupé and roadster
AMG GT 4-Door – E-segment liftback
AMG SL – S-segment roadster
AMG ONE – S-segment supercar
EQA – C-segment electric crossover SUV
EQB – D-segment electric crossover SUV
EQE – E-segment saloon
EQE SUV – E-segment electric crossover SUV
EQS – F-segment electric liftback
EQS SUV – F-segment electric crossover SUV
EQT – M-segment electric compact MPV
EQV – M-segment electric large MPV

Vans

Mercedes-Benz currently offers three types of vans; Citan, Vito, and Sprinter. They are all made by Daimler AG.

Trucks

Buses

Mercedes-Benz Zetros used for snowplowing

Mercedes-Benz has made buses since 1895 in Mannheim, Germany. Since 1995, Mercedes-Benz's buses and coaches are under EvoBus GmbH, which belongs to Daimler Truck AG. EvoBus sells them in European countries, while other parts of the world buy them from Daimler Truck's local companies. Mercedes-Benz makes many types of buses and coaches for Europe and Asia. The first model was made 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
1938: W125 Record-breaking experimental
1939: 320A
1951: (/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W186), 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 or 600S Pullman Guard limousines can have armour-plating and have been used by diplomats around the world.

Car nomenclature

Pre-1994

Until 1994, Mercedes-Benz used letters and numbers to name its cars. The numbers were roughly the engine size in litres times 100. The letters showed the type of body or engine.

"C" means a coupe or cabriolet body style (for example, the CL and CLK models, though the C-Class is different, as it can also be a sedan or station wagon).
"D" means the car has a diesel engine.
"E" (for "Einspritzung") means the engine uses petrol fuel injection. It is also used for electric models and plug-in hybrids.
"G" was first used for the Geländewagen off-road vehicle, but now is used for Mercedes SUVs in general (G, GLA, GLC, GLE, GLK, and GLS).
"K" was used in the 1930s, meaning a supercharger ("Kompressor") engine. Three exceptions are the SLK, SSK and CLK, where K means "Kurz" (short-wheelbase) (though the SLK and SSK had a supercharger).
"L" means "Leicht" (lightweight) for sporty models and "Lang" (long-wheelbase) for sedan models.
"R" means "Rennen" (racing), used for racing cars (for example, the 300SLR).
"S" Sonderklasse "Special class" for top models, including the S-Class, SLR McLaren, and SLS sports cars.
"T" means "Touring" and an estate (or station wagon) body style.

Some models in the 1950s also had lower-case letters (b, c, and d) to show specific trim levels. For other models, the number did not match the engine size. This was done to show the car's place in the range or its price. For these cars, the real engine size in litres is added to the model name. An exception was the 190-class with the number "190" to show it was an entry-level car along with the engine size on the boot (190E 2.3 for 2.3-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine, 190D 2.5 for 2.5-litre 5-cylinder diesel engine, and so on). Some older models (such as the SS and SSK) did not have a number in their name at all.

1994 to 2014

Unimog, a famous allround vehicle by Mercedes-Benz

For the 1994 model year, Mercedes-Benz changed its naming system. Models were divided into "classes" shown by one to three letters (see "Current model range" above). This is followed by a three-digit (two-digit for AMG models) number related to the engine size. Versions of the same model such as an estate or a diesel engine are no longer given a separate letter. The SLR and SLS supercars do not have a number.

Some models have extra names showing special features:

"4MATIC" means the car has all-wheel-drive.
"BlueTEC" means a diesel engine with selective catalytic reduction exhaust cleaning.
"BlueEFFICIENCY" means special features to save fuel (direct injection, start-stop system, aerodynamic changes, etc.)
"CGI" (Charged Gasoline Injection) means direct gasoline injection.
"CDI" (Common-rail Direct Injection) means a common-rail diesel engine.
"Hybrid" means a petrol- or diesel-electric hybrid.
"NGT" means a natural gas engine.
"Kompressor" means a supercharged engine.
"Turbo" means a turbocharged engine, only used on A-, B-, E- and GLK-Class models.
"AMG Line" means the inside or engine has the luxuries of its AMG sports cars.

Model name badges can be taken off if the customer asks.

2015 and beyond

The naming system was simplified in November 2014 for future models. The changes made many names clearer.

The new system was split into four groups: core models; off-road vehicles and SUVs; 4-door coupés, and roadsters. Other groups were not changed, and the Mercedes-EQ line was added in 2016.

Under this new system, the GLK-Class became the GLC, the ML-Class became the GLE, and the GL-Class became the GLS. The CL-Class became the S-Class Coupé, but it is no longer made. Another model, the X-Class (based on the Nissan Navara pickup truck) was made from 2017 to 2020.

The number for the model stayed the same. However, many numbers no longer show the real engine size, but show the car's performance and place in the market. For example, the GLC 300 actually has a 2.0-litre engine. Recent AMG models use the "63" name (in honor of the 1960s 6.3-litre M100 engine) even though they have either a 6.2-litre (M156), a 5.5-litre (M157) or even a 4.0-litre engine.

In addition to the new names, Mercedes-Benz has new letters for the drive systems:

The new A45 AMG for the 2016 model year moved the model name to the right side while AMG is on the left side. This started with Mercedes-Maybach where MAYBACH is on the left and S500/S600 on the right.

Environmental record

Electric cars

Mercedes opened its sixth battery factory in 2018. Critics said the EQS sedan would be a strong rival to Tesla, Inc. The six factories are in three continents.

The brand has also started its electric EQ brand with the EQC SUV which was set to start production in 2019. In September 2018, Mercedes showed the EQC, its first fully electric car, at an event in Stockholm.

Mercedes showed the VISION AVTR at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The car was inspired by the 2009 science fiction film Avatar. Whilst the AVTR is a concept car, it is said to show features that may come to future Mercedes-Benz cars.

2022 will be the year Daimler says the company will have spent $11 billion to make sure every Mercedes-Benz has a fully electric or hybrid version for sale.

After Audi said it would cut more than 9,000 jobs by 2025, the owner of Mercedes-Benz said the company will lose around 10,000 jobs worldwide to focus on electric cars.

In January 2021, Mercedes-Benz showed its new electric SUV, the EQA, which will go 426 kilometres and be sold in Europe starting 4 February.

Segment	Nomenclature	Example
Core models	A, B, C, E, or S	E-Class
Off/road vehicles/SUVs	"GL" + the core equivalent	GLE
4-door coupés	"CL" + the core equivalent	CLE
Roadsters	the core equivalent + "L"	SL
Electric vehicles	"EQ" + the core equivalent	EQE

Previous	New	Example
Natural Gas Drive	c for "compressed natural gas"	B 200 c
BlueTec CDI	d for "diesel"	E 350 d GLA 200 d
PLUG-IN HYBRID Electric Drive	e for "electric"	S 500 e B 250 e
Fuel Cell	f for "fuel cell"	B 200 f
HYBRID BlueTEC HYBRID	h for "hybrid"	S 400 h E 300 h
4MATIC	4MATIC (all-wheel drive)	E 400 4MATIC

Motorsport

Mercedes-Benz has a long history in racing. The two companies that formed Mercedes-Benz in 1926 both had racing experience. One of them raced in the first motor race in 1894. Over the years, Mercedes-Benz has been in many types of racing, like sports car racing and rallying. There were times when Mercedes-Benz stopped racing, such as in the late 1930s and after a sad race in 1955.

Mercedes-Benz returned to big racing in 1987, joining races like Le Mans, Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM), and Formula One with Sauber. In the 1990s, they worked with Ilmor to build engines and also raced in IndyCars, winning big races like the Indianapolis 500. They also returned to GT racing with the CLK GTR car.

Today, Mercedes-Benz races in Formula One and GT racing.

Formula One

Mercedes-Benz first joined Formula One in 1954 and 1955 but left after two years, even though they won titles with driver Juan-Manuel Fangio. They came back in 1994 to make engines for teams like Sauber and later McLaren. Over time, Mercedes engines helped drivers like Mika Häkkinen, Lewis Hamilton, and others win championships.

In 2009, Mercedes bought part of a new team called Brawn GP, which became Mercedes GP in 2010. After rule changes in 2014, Mercedes won many races and championships with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Mercedes won seven straight double championships (both drivers' and constructors' titles) from 2014 to 2020. In 2021, Max Verstappen from Red Bull-Honda won the drivers' championship, ending Mercedes' winning streak.

Formula E

Main article: Mercedes EQ Formula E Team

Before the 2019–20 Formula E season, Mercedes said they would join the championship with drivers Stoffel Vandoorne and Nyck de Vries. Their car was called the Mercedes EQ Silver Arrow 01. De Vries won the drivers' title in the 2020-21 season, and Vandoorne won in 2021–22. After winning both the drivers' and teams' championships, Mercedes sold their Formula E team to McLaren.

Logo history

In June 1909, Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft registered a three-pointed star as a logo. The star showed the company's idea that vehicles could go on land, water, and in the air. The company used many different logos from 1902 to 2025.

Noted employees

Some famous people who helped Mercedes-Benz make great cars include:

Paul Bracq – a major car designer
Adolf Daimler – chief engineer and developer of the brand logo
Béla Barényi – a car safety pioneer
Wilhelm Maybach – an automotive pioneer
Ferdinand Porsche – founder of Porsche, joined Mercedes and developed the Kompressor
Bruno Sacco – joined as a designer and became Head of Design
Rudolf Uhlenhaut – designed famous cars like the Silver Arrows, the 300 SL and 300SLR
Rudolf Caracciola – a great race driver who drove MB Silver Arrows
Josef Ganz – Technical consultant and “Godfather” of the Mercedes-Benz W136
Juan Manuel Fangio – Five-time Formula 1 World Champion
Michael Schumacher – Seven-time Formula 1 World Champion who drove for Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton – Seven-time Formula 1 World Champion who drives for Mercedes
Nico Rosberg – 2016 Formula 1 World Champion who drove for Mercedes
Toto Wolff – CEO and Team Principal of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team

Innovations

Mercedes-Benz has introduced many important new technologies in cars over the years. They created the first cars with engines powered by burning fuel, invented the honeycomb shape for radiators, and made the first car with brakes on all four wheels. They also built the first car that used diesel fuel and the first car with safety features built into the frame to protect passengers.

Mercedes-Benz was also the first to add safety devices to seat belts, create a system to stop wheels from spinning, and put airbags in cars. They made the first automatic transmission with seven speeds and were the first to develop systems that help a car stay stable during sudden turns or slippery conditions. Many of these inventions are now required in cars around the world.

Robot cars

Main article: Driverless car

In the 1980s, Mercedes-Benz helped build one of the world's first self-driving cars. Later, they created a self-driving van that could move using a special type of fuel cell, showing how future cars might look and work.

Tuners

Some companies, like Brabus, Renntech, and Carlsson, change Mercedes-Benz cars to make them faster or more luxurious. Mercedes-Benz has its own tuning team called AMG. AMG makes high-performance versions of their cars. All AMG engines are built by hand, and each one gets a special tag signed by the engineer who made it. AMG has been part of Mercedes-Benz since 1999. The 2009 SLS AMG was the first car fully designed by AMG.

Sponsorships

Mercedes-Benz has supported many sports teams and events. In soccer, they sponsored the Germany national team until 2018 and still support VfB Stuttgart. They also had naming rights for the Mercedes-Benz Arena.

In American football, Mercedes-Benz had naming rights for the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans from 2011 to 2021. They also became the naming rights sponsor for the Atlanta Falcons' new stadium, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which opened in 2017.

Mercedes-Benz has also done fun projects with magicians and video games. They worked with a magician on a special stunt with a race car driver. They also teamed up with Nintendo for the game Mario Kart 8, adding some famous Mercedes-Benz cars as karts. Mario, Luigi, and Peach appeared in ads for one of the cars.