Mercedes

Mercedes-Benz is a division of the German company Daimler AG and is known for its luxury vehicles, buses, coaches and trucks. Headquartered in Stuttgart, Mercedes is one of the most recognized brands within the automotive industry.

Part of the Mercedes-Benz Cars division includes Smart car production as well as subsidiaries, such as Mercedes-AMG, the high-performance division; Maybach, ultra-luxury versions of models; and Denza, electric cars in China.

Mercedes-Benz founders can be traced back to 1886 when Karl Benz created the first petrol-powered car. Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft created the Mercedes automobile in 1901, named after his daughter. By 1926, Mercedes-Benz was formed with the merging of both Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler’s two companies.

After World War II, Mercedes-Benz regained economic strength and due to high sales, the brand became a symbol of Germany’s rebounding economy. By 1955, Mercedes-Benz entered the North American market and continued to grow internationally during the 1960s and 1970s.

In the 1980s, Mercedes-Benz built the first robotic car with a team of professors from Bundeswehr University Munich and by 1987 launched the Prometheus Project, which was research and design of autonomous cars. When tested on highways, the robotic cars went speeds of 109 mph.

Additionally, Mercedes-Benz has had many technological innovations during the years that have affected the car industry overall. These include: brakes on all four wheels, anti-lock brake system (ABS), airbags, brake assist, electronic stability programme (ESP), first diesel-powered passenger car and patented a traction control system for both braking and acceleration.

Mercedes-Benz vehicles are categorized by class. For instance, the A-Class is hatchbacks, C-Class is Coupes, G-Class is sports utility vehicles and V-Class is multi purpose vehicles. Popular Mercedes-Benz models include: ML350, S400, GL550, E550 and CL63.

In October 2015, Mercedes-Benz introduced a five-seat, self-driving electric van called Vision Tokyo. Additionally, since the mid 2000s, Mercedes-Benz has focused on producing hybrid-electric cars that are more environmentally friendly.

The Mercedes-Benz logo, the three pointed star, was registered as a trademark in June 1909 by Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG). The star symbolizes Adolf Daimler’s “aims for universal motorization: on land, water and in the air.”

Outside of Germany, Mercedes-Benz vehicles are also manufactured in numerous countries, including: Argentina, Egypt, Finland, Mexico, Thailand and the United States.

Mercedes-Benz participates in Formula One, running the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team and is one of the most successful teams in Formula One history.

As for sponsorships, Mercedes-Benz sponsors the Germany National Football Team and the Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart. Additionally, Mercedes-Benz holds the naming rights to VfB Stuttgart stadium, the Mercedes-Benz Arena, Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana and the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.