Manufacturer of luxury automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks.
Initially, the inventors used their own names – “Benz” and “Daimler” and both had different companies.
Mercédès – a Spanish girl’s name meaning ‘grace’ – was the name of the daughter born in 1889 to the Austrian businessman, Emil Jellinek, who had homes in Baden near Vienna and Nice.
Jellinek deals in car business and demanded ever faster and more powerful vehicles from Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG)- the company of G. Daimler . From 1899, Jellinek entered these vehicles in race meetings – first and foremost of which was the Nice Week – where he would race under his pseudonym Mercédès - the name of his daughter, ten years old at the time, and a name that was well known in motoring circles. In the early days, the name referred to the team and driver – not to an automotive brand. At the beginning of April 1900, Jellinek made an agreement with DMG concerning sales of cars and engines and the decision was taken to use the Jellinek’s pseudonym as a product name. The first vehicle to be fitted with the new engine, a 35-hp racing car, was delivered to Jellinek by DMG on December 22, 1900. This first ‘Mercedes’, developed by Wilhelm Maybach, the chief engineer at DMG, caused quite a stir at the beginning of the new century. With its low center of gravity, pressed-steel frame, lightweight high-performance engine and honeycomb radiator, it featured numerous innovations and is regarded today as the first modern automobile. On June 23, 1902, ‘Mercédès’ was lodged as the trade name and this was legally registered on September 26.
Due to inflation after the First World War, the former rivals, DMG and Benz & Cie.(company of Karl Benz), formed a syndicate in 1924 in order to standardize design and production, as well as purchasing, sales and advertising, and thereby remain competitive. During this period, the two companies generally marketed their products jointly, although still under separate trademarks- 'Benz' & 'Mercedes'.
Two years later, in June 1926, the two oldest motor manufacturers merged to form Daimler-Benz AG. At this point, two brand names 'Mercedes' and equally famous name ‘Benz’ combined to form the famous Mercedes-Benz.
'Mercedes' Jellinek , Emil Jellinek's ten-year-old daughter
Founded in 1881 by Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler. It is currently a division of the parent company, Daimler AG (formerly DaimlerChrysler AG), after previously being owned by Daimler-Benz.
Headquartered at Stuttgart, Germany.
