Mercedes-Benz was born in 1926 from the merger of Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG), Mercédès, and Benz & Cie.
In October of the same year, the first three passenger cars of the brand were presented at the Berlin Motor Show: the prototype W01 developed with the help of Ferdinand Porsche, the W02 and the W03 (the prefix W for Wagen = car).
After the tumultuous times of the Third Reich and World War II, Mercedes-Benz underwent a change of style in its passenger cars. The famous gullwing-door SL made its appearance in 1952 with the racing model W194 that triumphed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Carrera Panamericana. Many beautiful performances and victories followed in different categories, such as Formula 1 in partnership with the McLaren Team in 1993.
The brand was very innovative in the following decades, including the series production of the first Diesel Sedan with a 5-cylinder engine (the 240 in 1974) and the Turbo Diesel model (the 300 SD in 1977). In 1978, Mercedes also offered the ABS system, and from 1981, airbags (optional) were available in the S-Class models, becoming standard in all models from 1992 onwards.
Mercedes was never behind in technical aspects. In 1985, the company introduced the Automatic Locking Differential (ASD), traction control (ASR), and the electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system 4Matic, followed by the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) in 1995. The 80s and 90s were marked by the success of the models 190 Type W201 and E-Class Type W124, whose reputation is well established!
