For The Mercedes Fans Out There
Up there with Ferrari, Porsche, and McLaren, Mercedes is one of the most iconic car brands in the world. The brand's legacy stems from its extensive history, countless industry-changing innovations, and extremely high bar for quality. Here are 20 things you might not know about Mercedes-Benz.
1. Karl Benz Created The First Automobile
The founder of Mercedes-Benz, Karl Benz invented and patented what's considered the first modern automobile in 1886. It was called the Motorwagen.
Alonso de Mendoza on Wikimedia
2. The Logo Represents The Company's Ambition
The iconic three-point star logo represents the company's ambition to dominate land, sea, and air transportation. It was designed by engineer Gottlieb Daimler, who owned Mercedes-Benz's parent company at the time.
3. Karl Benz Received The First Driver's License
It seems only appropriate that the inventor of the world's first modern car would be the recipient of the world's first driver's license. We wonder what the driving test would've looked like.
4. The G-Wagon Was Designed For Military
You may already be able to tell from the design that the Mercedes-Benz G-Class (G-Wagon) was developed for military purposes. Now, with a price tag of over $100,000, it's about as luxurious as an SUV can get.
5. The Company Has Its Roots In Aviation
Before the company started producing cars, it was focused on aircraft. Mercedes-Benz's parent company, Daimler and Benz were involved in building aircraft engines for WWI planes.
Unknown authorUnknown author on Wikimedia
6. The Brand Has A Long History
Being the inventor of the world's first modern car, it goes without saying that Mercedes-Benz is a company steeped in history. It's one of the oldest continuously operating car brands in the world.
7. The Company Dominated Formula 1
Mercedes-Benz has competed in F1 since 1954 as both a team and engine manufacturer. They've taken a total of 13 driver's championship victories making them the third most successful team.
8. It Plans To Go Fully Electric
Mercedes-Benz has plans to go fully electric by 2030. By 2039, the company promises to be carbon neutral.
9. Introduced Anti-Lock Brake System
Now a standard in all modern cars, the anti-lock brake system is a safety feature that prevents the wheels from locking up from hard braking. It was first introduced by Mercedes in the 1978 S-Class.
10. Introduced Autonomous Vehicle In 1995
A trailblazer in every sense of the word, Mercedes created an autonomous car all the way back in 1995. The re-engineered autonomous S-Class Mercedes-Benz used saccadic computer vision and transputers to drive 990 miles across Germany.
11. The Company Makes Armored Vehicles
If you're the type of person who needs to be driven around in an armored vehicle, at least do it in style. Mercedes-Benz is famous for supplying the world's elite with bulletproof cars, including Queen Elizabeth II, Madonna, and Jeff Bezos.
12. The Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Broke Speed Records
The Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing was the fastest car in the world when it came out in 1954. It reached a top speed of 160 miles per hour.
13. The World's Most Aerodynamic Production Car Is A Merc
The Mercedes-EQS is now the most aerodynamic production car in the world. Its record-breaking drag coefficient is just 0.2.
14. The Mercedes Part Of The Name Comes From Mercedes Jellinek
We know the Benz comes from Karl Benz, but who the heck is Mercedes? Emil Jellinek, the Daimler automobile entrepreneur who commissioned the world's first car named the company after his daughter, Mercedes.
15. They Put Suspension On All Corners Of The Car
Mercedes-Benz was the first company to put suspension on all four corners of the car in 1931. Added suspension makes for a smoother, more stable drive.
User Triddle on en.wikipedia on Wikimedia
16. They Made The First Diesel Car
The Mercedes-Benz 260 D was the world's first production diesel car. It was unveiled in 1936 and quickly became the norm for commercial vehicles. It wasn't until the 1950s that diesel became popular for personal vehicles too.
17. The First Car In Nepal Was A Merc
Nepal has a long history with Mercedes. The first car to roll up on Napalese land was a green Mercedes Expedition in 1922 belonging to Prince Edward of Britain (later King Edward VIII). Later in 1939, Adolf Hitler gifted a Mercedes to Nepal's King Tribhuvan.
DirghaMan and GaneshMan Chitrakar on Wikimedia
18. One Man One Engine
In Mercedes's main manufacturing plant, there's a one-man, one-engine policy meaning each car is built and tuned by a single engineer. This ensures the utmost quality and consistency.
19. There's A Mercedes-Benz Museum
The Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany is the world's first automobile museum. It opened in 1936 and showcases the brand's long history.
20. The Distinct Color Was Born Out Of Racing
Mercedes-Benz's iconic "silver arrow" color wasn't so much a design choice as a racing necessity. In 1934 Mercedes race cars were stripped of their paint to make them lighter, revealing the aluminum body which became the color most associated with the brand.
