Last updated on June 9th, 2021
Mercedes Benz embodies luxurious comfort, safety and powerful performance. Here are 40 facts about Mercedes Benz that every car aficionado will love.
1. The Beginning
Karl Benz invented and patented the first modern automobile, the Motorwagen in 1886. It was a three wheeled vehicle. Applied on January 29, 1886, the patent – number 37435 – may be regarded as the birth certificate of the automobile.
2. The Man with the First Driver’s License
Karl Benz was the first person to receive a driver’s license.
3. The Shortest Test Drive
After dealing with several issues such as the engine stalling and a snapped chain link, Benz took the Motorwagen for a test drive with his wife, Bertha, by his side. He crashed into the wall of the workshop. This was both, the world’s first as well as the shortest test drive.
4. The Woman Beside the Man
Bertha Benz, Karl Benz’s wife supported him in all possible ways. She funded his research and inventions.
5. The First Road Trip
Bertha Benz took the Motorwagen for a 130 mile journey round trip with her two sons. It was the first ever automobile road trip.
6. Of Innovation and Bravado
While the historic road journey went off smoothly, Bertha Benz encountered several problems that she resolved with ingenuity. She used her hairpin to unclog the fuel pipe and created an insulator with one of her garters.
7. Fuel from Pharmacies
The Motorwagen used benzene as a fuel, which was available in pharmacies.
8. The World’s First Filling Station
On the historic road trip, Bertha Benz had to stop at Weisloch to refuel the automobile. This makes the Weisloch Pharmacy the world’s first filling station. Bertha Benz decided to go for the road trip to promote her husband’s invention. On the road, she deeply influenced hundreds of individuals and also frightened a few because a motorized coach was a pretty rare sight in those days.
9. The Foundation
The brand was founded by Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler. It was originally known as Daimler Benz, and first marketed by Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (DMG) in 1901.
10. Mercedes
The Mercedes Benz is named after Mercedes Jellinek, daughter of the automobile entrepreneur, Emil Jellinek who worked with DMG, and was an excellent marketing strategist. Her Spanish name translated to “mercy.” The company later went on to have the “Mercedes” name trademarked 1902.
11. Monsieur Mercedes
In 1899, Jellinek participated in the Nice Race Week under the pseudonym, Monsieur Mercédès. This was the start of the legend of Mercedes Benz on the racing track.
12. First Ever Motorsport
Gottlieb Daimler is credited for running and winning the first ever motorsport event in 1894.
13. The Unmistakable Logo
The logo of the Mercedes Benz is synonymous with luxury and quality. The three point star enclosed in a circle was designed by Gottlieb Daimler. It symbolises the use of Daimler engines on land, at sea and in the air.
14. The Fourth Point
At one point the company considered a change in the design of the star to include a fourth point that would signify space. However, they decided against it.
15. The Design that Was
One of the 40 facts about Mercedes Benz that would interest you is that, while the triangular star dominated the design, the logo has changed over the last century. For several decades it included the name Mercedes Benz.
16. Putting a Brake on it
In 1924, the company became the first to put brakes on all four wheels. This made the Mercedes Benz cars amongst the safest vehicles on the roads.
17. Anti Lock Brakes
In the 1970s Mercedes Benz worked with Bosch to develop the anti lock braking system. In 1978, it became the first automobile company to offer it in its S class vehicles. This technology allows the driver to steer the car even while the brakes are fully applied.
18. Suspension is Key
In 1931, unlike other vehicles of the time, the Mercedes Benz 170 featured suspension on all corners of the car. It used a coil spring design for the rear and leaf springs in the front.
19. The 1906 Hybrid
The concept of a hybrid is not a new one. The Mercedes Benz Mixte combined the advantages of the electric and gasoline powered engines.
20. Pre Safe to Keep You Safe
Mercedes Benz is a pioneer in the field of car safety. In 2002, it introduced its Pre Safe System. The system was designed to detect possible collision, and avoid it.
21. Taking Car Safety to a Whole New Level
When it comes to keeping drivers and passengers safe, Mercedes Benz is an industry leader. The safety system includes numerous measures. In the event of an imminent collision, the seats move to ensure the seat belts are well tightened.
22. Crumples for Safety
In 1951, Mercedes Benz introduced special cells in its car body. In the event of a collision, the cells in the ‘crumple zones’ would redistribute the impact.
23. The Distinctive Mercedes Benz Silver
Today, Mercedes Benz cars are available in a wide range of colors. However, it is still associated with its distinctive silver color.
24. The Silver Arrow Rises
The distinct Mercedes Benz silver color finds its roots on the racing track. In 1934, before the Eifel Race, the paint of the aluminum bodied Mercedes Benz race car was scraped off to reduce its weight. The resulting silver racer was victorious, and the brand discovered its signature silver color. And the legend of the silver arrow rose.
25. On Roads and Racetracks
Mercedes Benz manufactures vehicles for the roads as well as the racetracks. The brand personifies quality, powerful performance and luxury.
26. Formula One Debut
The brand made its Formula One debut in 1954, and has the reputation for building reliable and powerful racecars.
27. It is all in the Numbers
The numbers and alphabets in the name of each Mercedes Benz car reveal a lot about what is under the hood. The numbers describe the displacement of the internal combustion engine.
28. Deciphering the Alphabets
The alphabets in the name tell you a lot about the car. C refers to a coupe body and G represents off road vehicles or SUVs. D is for a diesel engine, E describes the type of engine and K is for an engine that has a supercharger.
29. A Class Apart
The Mercedes Benz class system came into use in the 1980s. Each class has a distinct size, style and price.
29. Understanding the Classes
The A class is a compact front driver vehicle, while the B class has a slightly more powerful engine. C and E are larger and more expensive. If you are looking for a sedan, it is the S class you should look at. The G and M class are SUVs, and the SL is a light sports model.
30. Popemobile
Pope Benedict’s XVI’s official automobile, the Popemobile, was a Mercedes Benz.
31. Worldwide Operations
Mercedes Benz has manufacturing operations in 30 countries across the globe.
32. The First Car in Nepal
The first car to grace Nepalese roads was the Mercedes Benz. It was gifted to the King in 1940.
33. Self Driving Car
In 1995, the brand tested a self driving car. The vehicle had the microprocessors of a supercomputer and drove on the Autobahn at up to 115 mph for a distance of more than 1000 miles.
34. The Best or Nothing
The slogan ‘The best or nothing’ epitomizes the values on which the brand was founded and continues to grow.
35. Bespoke Designs
The brand is known for its commissioned bespoke designs, and is known to have manufactured a car made from white gold.
36. Built by Hand
Mercedes Benz has a ‘one man one engine’ approach to manufacturing. In its main manufacturing plant in Affalterbach, Germany, each car is hand built and hand tuned by a single engineer.
37. The Car that Will Not Squeal
Most cars squeal and rattle at some time or another. This is not true of the Mercedes Benz. Precision welding in as many as 10,000 points allow these premium cars to function smoothly and quietly.
38. The Mercedes Benz Museum
With over 130 cars and 1500 exhibits, the Mercedes Benz Museum at Stuttgart, Germany, is every car enthusiast’s dream come true.
39. The Mercedes Benz from Jurassic Park
The Mercedes Benz SUV used in Steven Spielberg’s Hollywood blockbuster Jurassic Park is exhibited at the Mercedes Benz Museum.
40. The First Diesel Automobile
Also on display at the museum is the Mercedes Benz 260D, the world’s first diesel fueled car.