Guide To Mercedes-Benz Cars | History, Models, & Luxury

The Complete Guide To Mercedes-Benz Cars

Mercedes-Benz is one of the biggest car manufacturers in the world. From the sportier AMG to hatchbacks like the A class, their cars offer owners a blend of luxury, performance, and innovation. More recently, Mercedes has introduced a lineup of electric and hybrid cars under the EQ range.

In this complete guide to Mercedes Benz, we will explore the company’s history as well as its current range of cars. From their classic models to the latest technology, discover what makes Mercedes Benz one of the most popular car brands in the world. 

The History of Mercedes-Benz

In June 1926, the fusion of Benz and Daimler gave birth to the car giant, Mercedes-Benz. They unveiled their first car at the 1926 Berlin Motor Show where the W02 and W03 models were introduced. The Model K followed in 1927, which was the first Mercedes to bear their newly trademarked 3-point logo.

However, the fusion of two of the world’s oldest automotive manufacturers was not always a foregone conclusion. Benz was created by Karl Benz. In 1901, he designed the Benz Patent Motorwagen and was sued for violating a patent held by Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (DMG). DMG was founded by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach. In 1885, the two designed the first internal combustion motorcycle, the Petroleum Reitwagen. They then added to their range in 1886 with a coach, boat, and the first Mercedes-named car in 1901. After Daimler’s death, the two companies began to collaborate, which led to the merger in 1926 as Daimler-Benz AG, who released Mercedes-Benz cars later that year.

What does the Mercedes logo mean?

Every Mercedes Benz proudly displays the company logo – a three pointed star that is one of the most recognisable logos in the world. But the logo was first used by Daimler and was adopted when his company merged with Benz.

The logo was kept as each point on the star had a meaning. They represent land, sea, and air. This is because the company believed one day they would dominate the land, sea, and air with Mercedes-Benz engines!

Who Owns Mercedes Benz Now?

Since the merger of Daimler and Benz’s companies in 1926, Mercedes-Benz has been owned by Daimler AG. However, in 2022, Daimler AG became known as Mercedes-Benz AG.

The current CEO of Mercedes-Benz AG is Ola Källenius, who has been working in the company since the 1990s.

Where are Mercedes-Benz made now?

Mercedes-Benz headquarters are in Stuttgart, Germany. The main production facilities are located here too. However, there are many manufacturing plants worldwide, including the U.S., Austria, Canada, Brazil and Mexico. 

Mercedes owners can identify which plant their car was made in using their car’s VIN number. The first 3 digits of your VIN number is representative of the country of origin, manufacturer, and vehicle type.

What do the different models in Mercedes mean?

Mercedes cars follow a naming convention, which helps to identify the model, spec, and 

Body type. 

According to Mercedes:

There are four models: A, C, E, and S:

A = Subcompact Sedan

C = Sports Luxury Compact Sedan/Coupe

E = Midsize Sedan/Coupe

S = Fullsize Sedan/Coupe

There are then several prefixes for these models:

GL: SUV Models

GLC = Crossover SUV

GLE = Midsize SUV

GLS = Fullsize SUV

G = Fullsize, offroad oriented SUV

CL Prefix: 4-Door Coupes

CLA = Subcompact 4 Door ‘Coupe’

CLS = Midsize 4 Door ‘Coupe’

L Prefix: Roadsters