Chances are that when you think of Mercedes the first thing that comes to mind is luxury. After all, luxury seems to be one of the biggest selling points of Mercedes in the modern era. Mercedes also has a long history which affects its prestigious selling point. Mercedes has also been praised by some for its build quality and engineering, as well as its racing history. Regardless of all these achievements, what originally made Mercedes into the luxury brand which we know it as today.
The Origin Story
Mercedes as we know it began with three very intelligent and innovative men. Gottlieb Daimler, Carl Benz, and Wilhelm Maybach. Daimler was an engineer by trade, trained as a gunsmith he was interested and knowledgeable regarding components and machines. In 1872, he became the director of the gas engine maker Deutz Gasmotorenfabrik. This is where he became familiar with gas engines, allowing him to become experienced with the engines which would power the cars of his future company.
Carl Benz had a difficult childhood but was able to obtain an education as a mechanical engineer. Benz began his career as a locksmith, but decided to create his own company later on. During this time, Benz had dreamed of a “car without horses” leading him to become intensely involved in the development of gas powered engines. And on New Year’s Eve in 1879, Benz got the engine running. Production of the engine began at the Manheim Gas Engine Factory in 1882, Benz had a share of 5% in the company. The shareholders of Benz’s company are concerned with the safe investment of production of stationary gas engines. Benz decided to leave the company in 1883 to pursue his vision. Benz went through a series of partnerships and designs until he came up with the perfect one that we know today.
Wilhelm Maybach went through some trials at an early age following the death of his father, but he continued his education, where he met Daimler. Both would remain close friends throughout their lives. Daimler would buy a villa in Cannstatt where the greenhouse would be used for the development of their new engine. Together, Daimler and Maybach decided to make the engine run off petrol, or gas as we know it here in America. By the end of 1883, Daimler and Maybach had built an engine that could get up to 600 rpm. Developments continued throughout the following years. The development of the “grandfather clock” engine allowed for suitable attachment to a motor carriage. This design paved the way for the ability to mount and engine in a car.
In 1886, Carl Benz created the first motor car. Benz was able to do so with the creation of his 400-rpm engine, and instead of trying to fit his engine onto an already existent vehicle, Benz created his own vehicle which was built around the engine. Then later on in history, the three men began working together to create cars. Building the Mercedes-Benz company that we all know today.
Early Luxury
An important thing to consider when discussing the history of luxury regarding the car, is that when the car was first invented it was by definition a luxury item. Only the most privileged and wealthy individuals were able to afford a car. This made owning a car a status symbol, and although many people today own cars, not everyone did when they first came around. So the fact that an individual had a car was enough for it to be seen as a status symbol, similar to how we view expensive cars today.
All early cars were seen as luxury items, but not all early cars were Mercedes. Mercedes has built a name for itself from the beginning, and that name recognition has never left the brand. Mercedes still goes on about its early heritage and history to this day. Although because of this early expansion into the luxury item that we know today as the car, Mercedes was easily able to secure itself as a luxury maker of high-quality cars.
Innovation
Another staple of Mercedes has been its love affair with the idea of innovation in the car world. From the mere invention of the car to the addition of features years, or sometimes even decades before their standardization, Mercedes has proven itself to be an important influence in the market of luxury car buyers who would pay to have such features before they became standard.
Some notable contributions of Mercedes over the years when it comes to car innovation are,
- In 1901, Mercedes developed the honeycomb radiator, used to cool the engine and similar to the types of radiators used in many cars today.
- In 1906, Mercedes is credited with building the first electric powered car, developing the predecessor to the modern day hybrid system.
- In 1910, Mercedes created the first multi valve engine for its touring car, allowing for greater fuel efficiency, and power.
- In 1921, Mercedes invented the first supercharged engine, increasing the power output for the cars.
- In 1931, Mercedes created independent 4-wheel suspension. This feature is now standard throughout most of the market.
- In 1951, Mercedes developed what is now considered to be the first crumple zone; this safety feature is now standard throughout pretty much all cars on the market today.
- In 1958, in keeping with the theme of safety, Mercedes developed a crash test program to assess the safety of its vehicles.
- In 1978, the antilock braking system was invented by Mercedes, playing a critical role in the modern car market. This feature is also pretty much standard throughout the industry.
Modern Luxury
Mercedes has clearly had an impact on the innovations in the market in the past, but do all these innovations and features really have an impact on the car’s reputation? After all, if your luxury cars aren’t luxurious, who will buy them? Well, Mercedes seem to be loved for quite a few reasons. One of the reasons is that Mercedes is made with quality parts, unlike many other manufacturers who make their vehicles cheaply, Mercedes seems to pride itself on using the most quality parts to have the highest build quality possible. The innovations mentioned above seem to also have an effect on the modern appeal. Mercedes is often praised for its cutting-edge technology as well as for being ahead of the curve compared to other manufacturers. Mercedes also has maintained an overall good reputation for luxury and quality.
Overall, Mercedes seems to have gotten its reputation of luxury early in the car world. And it seems that Mercedes has never really lost that.
Please let me know what you think of my article, and I hope that you enjoyed reading it.
Sources:
Mercedes-Benz History. (mercedez-benz.com)
Mercedes-Benz History of Innovation | Mercedes-Benz USA (mbusa.com)
Published in Car Stories
