Innovation, Safety, and Luxury: The Evolution of Mercedes-Benz

INNOVATION, SAFETY, & LUXURY THE EVOLUTION OF MERCEDES-BENZ THE COMPANY'S START 1880’s HIGH-SPEED ENGINE AND THE FIRST AUTOMOBILE ARE INVENTED • 1883 - CARL BENZ FOUNDS BENZ & CIE IN MANNHEIM, GERMANY • 1897 - AUSTRIAN BUSINESS- MAN EMIL JELLINEK ORDERS HIS FIRST DAIMLER CAR Its top speed was 24 kilometers per hour • 1898 - DAIMLER DELIVERS THE WORLD'S FIRST AUTOMOBILES WITH A 4-CYLINDER ENGINE Emil Jellinek begins to promote and sell Daimler vehicles 1900’s • JELLINEK MAKES A DEAL WITH DMG TO USE HIS RACING PSEUDONYM "MERCEDES" AS A PRODUCT NAME Mercedes was the name of Jellinek's daughter • 1900 - JELLINEK RECEIVES A 35- HORSEPOWER CAR FROM DMG With its low center of gravity, pressed-steel frame, and high-performance engine, this model is regarded as the first modern automobile 1909 • A THREE-POINT AND FOUR-POINT STAR ARE REGISTERED AS TRADEMARKS, BUT ONLY THE 3-POINT STAR IS EVER USED The three points symbolize Daimler's hopes of motorization technology-"on land, on water and in the air" 1920's • 1924 - FORMER RIVALS DMG AND BENZ & CIE JOIN FORCES AFTER WORLD WAR I TO STANDARDIZE DESIGN AND PRODUCTION • 1926 - THE TWO COMPANIES MERGE TO BECOME DAIMLER-BENZ AG RERCEDES A new trademark is designed, with the three-point star now surrounded by the names "Mcedes" and "Benz," linked together with a laurel wreath BENZ INNOVATIONS IN SAFETY & DESIGN 1924 FOUR-WHEEL BRAKING BECOMESAVAILABLE FOR ALL MERCEDES PASSENGER MODELS 1931 THE 170 MODEL BECOMES THE FIRST PASSENGER CAR WITH INDEPENDENT SUSPENSION FOR AL FOUR WHEELS 1936 THE MERCEDES-BENZ 26ÓD BECOMES THE WORLD'S FIRST DIESEL CONVERTIBLE 1947 THE "TERRA CRUISER" PROTOTYPE DEVELOPED BY BELA BARENYI IS THE FIRST CAR WITH A SAFETY STEERING COLUMN 1949 A PATENTED SAFETY CONICAL-PIN LOCK KEEPS THE DOORS SHUT IN CASE OF A CRASH 1951 MERCEDES-BENZ FILES FOR A PATENT FOR THE FIRST CAR WITH A RIGID PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND CRUMPLE ZONES 1951 THE MERCEDES-BENZ TYPE 300 Is LAUNCHED • The Mercedes-Benz type 300 is launched 1959 MERCEDES-BENZ STARTS CONDUCTING CRASH TESTS, ALLOWING ENGINEERS TO RAPIDLY IMPROVE SAFETY COMPONENTS 1963 THE MERCEDES-BENZ 600 iS INTRODUCED • A luxurious model designed to be driven by a chauffeur and not the owner 1967 A STEERING WHEEL WITH AN IMPACT ABSORBER COMES STANDARD ON ALL MODELS 1968 ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTION REDUCES FUEL CONSUMPTION AND EMISSIONS 1970 THE FIRST ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM IS INTRODUCED ABS 1973 THREE-POINT SEATBELTS AND FRONT HEAD RESTRAINTS ARE NOW STANDARD ON ALL MODELS 1981 DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG BECOMES AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THE S-CLASS SALOON AND COUPE MODELS 1981 DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG BECOMES AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THE S-CLASS SALOON AND COUPE MODELS 1982 THE MULTI-LINK INDEPENDENT REAR SUSPENSION APPEARS IN THE COMPACT CLASS 1992 ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG ARE NOW STANDARD ON ALL PASSENGER MODELS, AND THE PASSENGER-SIDE AIRBAG IS STANDARD ON ALL S-CLASS MODELS 1998 THE 210 SERIES E-CLASS IS THE FIRST MODEL TO FEATURE THE NEW WINDOWBAG 2006 THE PRE-SAFE BRAKE SYSTEM IS INTRODUCED • Alerts driver to brake to avoid a collision and triggers automatic braking before an unavoidable collision 2009 NEW DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM IS INTRODUCED • Detects when driver is becoming drowsy, helping to prevent accidents INFOGRAPHIC PROVIDED BY: O Mercedes-Benz of Boerne www.mbboerneblog.com Sources: http://www.emercedesbenz.com/apr08/17_001109_the_history_behind_the_mercedes _benz_brand_and_the_three_pointed_star.html http://www.mercedesbenzinnovation.com/innovation http://www.bestdrives.org/mercedes-benz-cars/index.htm