Mercedes

Overview

Mercedes-Benz is a manufacturer of cars, buses, coaches and trucks. It is a division of Daimler AG and is headquartered in Germany. The division of Mercedes-Benz includes Mercedes-Benz, Smart and Maybach. In 1998, Mercedes-Benz became a majority owner of Mercedes-AMG and was integrated into DaimlerChrysler shortly after. In 1999, it became Mercedes-Benz AMG. For a short period, between 2003-2009, Mercedes-Benz and McLaren formed an alliance and produced a line of limited-production sports cars called Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.  Mercedes-Benz currently carries a broad range of vehicles, including passenger, light commercial, and heavy commercial equipment.  The Daimler Trucks division now consists of Mercedes-Benz Trucks as well.

The Mercedes-Benz name dates back to 1886 with the first automobile by Karl Benz, Benz Patent Motorwagen. This car is widely known as the first gasoline-powered car. 1901 saw the first Mercedes marketed car by Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft. This was followed by the first Mercedes-Benz branded vehicle in 1926, after Benz’s and Daimler’s merger into the Daimler-Benz company. Mercedes-Benz is still considered one of the world’s most well established car manufacturer, as well as the oldest vehicle brand in the world. Mercedes-Benz is manufactured and/or assembled in many countries in the world a few being:  Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Egypt, Malaysia, Nigeria, Philipines, South Africa, Thailand, and Turkey – of course in addition to Germany. Certain models are manufactured in the US. The M-Class Sport Utility, the R-Class Sport Tourer and the full sized GL Class SUV are all built in Alabama.

Unfortunately, Mercedes-Benz started ranking lower in quality and reliability ratings from the 1990s to the early 2000s. The company worked hard to improve these ratings and was rewarded in 2007 when they demonstrated an impressive improvement in rankings for these ratings. Reviews have shown that these ratings have even climbed up until 2011. These improved ratings are largely due to the introduction of innovations in many technological and safety areas.

Mercedes-Benz has also celebrated various innovations in their vehicles. Such innovations include: the automobile with an internal combustion engine, the float carburettor, the first car with brakes on all four wheels, the first robotic car in the world, and a seven-speed automatic transmission. The “Pre-Safe” is a system pioneered by Mercedes-Benz to detect an impending crash and engage the car’s safety system so drivers get the optimal response from their vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz has had a significant involvement in motorsports throughout its history. It’s major involvement is in sports car racing, rallying, and even more recently, GT racing. It is an active member in Formula Three, DTM, and Formula One today.

Flagship Vehicle

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG – the SLS AMG was developed to replace the model Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. Created by Mercedes-AMG, the SLS AMG is marketed as a luxury grand touring car and is the first Mercedes car created by AMG. This model was first marketed in Europe with sales beginning in 2010 then followed in 2011 in the US. It is expected that the SLS AMG will have 4 different adaptations: a coupe, a roadster, electric-powered, and a “Black Series”.  The first one to be produced was the coupe and in the next few years the other versions will be released.

Convertible

Conclusion

Mercedes-Benz is a very established and reputable car manufacturer that has a long history in the car industry. Its roots date back to the late 1880s with the first petrol-powered car. Since then Mercedes-Benz has developed innovative technologies and implemented them into their current lineup of vehicles. Recently throughout the 2000s, Mercedes-Benz has encountered various quality and safety issues. The  company has strived to surmount these production issues and consequently has solidified their reputation as a quality car manufacturer.