Alternately referred to as Benz, Mercedes or Merc, Mercedes-Benz is a familiar name in the automotive industry as much as possible. The mere mention of Mercedes conjures up a lot more than just cars. Such brand recognition and identity, which is arguably associated with reliability as well as luxury, is not easy to earn. However, as the world's oldest continuously manufactured brand, Mercedes has had plenty of time to make a name for itself. We take a look into the rich history of Mercedes-Benz
Since when does Mercedes-Benz build cars?
The beginnings of Mercedes go back to 1886 and the invention of the vehicle with a combustion engine. This happened at two separate, independent locations in south-west Germany, only 60 miles apart. Karl Benz produced a petrol powered car (a 3-wheeler) and Gottlieb Daimler, together with Wilhelm Maybach, produced a petrol powered converted mail coach. Both parties were oblivious to each other's work. In 1889, Daimler and Maybach produced the first four-wheeled petrol car and founded DMG. That stood for Daimler Motor Society. DMG started selling cars in 1890. Benz was hot on their heels and in 1891 produced his first quadricycle. Around 1900 his firm Benz & Cie. the world's largest car manufacturer. The first models to bear the Mercedes name were a range of DMG sports cars, named after the daughter of a wealthy entrepreneur and racing enthusiast Emil Jellinek, Mercedes.
When did Mercedes Benz become Mercedes Benz?
Okay, so maybe I didn't really answer that last question, because even though Benz and Daimler built cars, it wasn't really together. So when did you start making cars together?
Until 1924 they continued to work independently. Then, due to the economic consequences of the First World War, the competitors began to cooperate. After two years, they formally merged to form Daimler-Benz AG. From then on, the company's cars and trucks were produced under the name Mercedes-Benz. The merger of the two companies was incredibly successful, and production of Mercedes-Benz cars rose to 7,000 by 1927. They soon became industry leaders, and after the launch of the large and prestigious Mercedes-Benz W15, Mercedes-Benz was created as a separate division of Daimler-Benz AG.
A cabriolet of the W15 was launched a few years later, and their first small family car was the W23.
When was the 260 D model introduced?
The 260 D model is best known for being the world's first diesel powered passenger car and was launched in 1936.
Mercedes launched several successful vehicles in the 1930s, including the W136 Spohn Roadster and the W138 saloon. But that was in the 1930s, and we all know what's going to happen next.
What happened to Mercedes-Benz in WWII?
As for many German companies of the time, the Second World War was a dark time for Mercedes-Benz. It relied on forced labor, including POWs, for its role in the Nazi war effort. Strikers were even sent to concentration camps. According to the Daimler website, almost half of the 63,610 employees were civilian forced laborers, prisoners of war or concentration camp prisoners.
While they stopped making cars to contribute to the war effort, people didn't stop driving them. The Mercedes-Benz 770 was a large luxury automobile manufactured by the marque from 1930 to 1943. This car is probably best known for being used by high-ranking Nazi officials, including Hermann Goering, Heinrich Himmler, Reinhard Heydrich, and Hitler himself. Vehicle types included a limousine, touring car, and cabriolet. The 770K featured mine-resistant bottom armor, as well as bulletproof glass and bodywork. Other items produced by Daimler-Benz included a LG 3000 truck, and DB 600 and DB601 aircraft engines.
After the war, Daimler-Benz committed to the Nazi regime, participated in the "Remembrance, Responsibility and Future" initiative and paid $12 million in reparations to the workers' families.
A few of the remaining 770s are either in the hands of private buyers or in museums. One is in a German car museum and another in Ottowa. As of 2009, one of Hitler's own 770Ks belonged to an unnamed Russian billionaire, who bought it for several millions.
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