Mercedes Benz is the most recognised car brand out there, and the name alone conjures up images of luxury, beauty and class. But Mercedes Benz has come a long way since its beginnings towards the end of the 19th century. In this blog post we’ll look at how the Mercedes car has evolved over time, as well as some ‘firsts’ of Mercedes, and the motor vehicle industry as a whole.
The first motorcar – 1886
Did you know that it was Carl Benz who created the first ‘Motorwagen’. This invention consisted of three-wheels, and was self-propelled by a single-cylinder engine. Benz received a German patent for his creation in 1886, and this went on to shape the way the world moved from place to place.
Electric-powered car – 1906
An early ancestor of today’s hybrid cars was the Mercedes battery-electric propulsion vehicles. This type of engine was present in various types of buses, trucks and fire vehicles.
Multivalve engine – 1910
In 1910 Mercedes introduced the very first multi-valve engine, known as the Benz Prinz Heinrich Wagen. It featured four valves and two spark plugs per cylinder.
Supercharged engine – 1921
The Mercedes supercharged engine featured a compressor driven engine, which increased the power of several Mercedes models through the pressure of the fuel and air mixture.
Diesel passenger car – 1936
An issue that drivers were finding with passenger cars during this time was that they were not particularly fuel-efficient. To combat this, Mercedes introduced their first diesel powered passenger car in 1936. The 260D uses about 30% less fuel than its gasoline counterpart.
Electric power windows – 1948
In 1948, Mercedes Benz introduced electric power windows into its more expensive models, thus increasing the luxurious reputation of the brand.
Antilock braking system (ABS) – 1978
To help drivers maintain steering control when braking heavily, and preventing wheel lockup, ABS wa introduced in 1978. This development helped to make automobiles much safer, and paved the way for a range of future milestones.
SmartKey – 1997
In 1997, Mercedes introduced the first electric code based security system to increase the level of securities for new vehicles. Rather than relying on a mechanical lock, the electronic code is much more convenient, as well as setting a milestone in vehicle security within the industry.
Attention Assist – 2010
Yet another breakthrough from Mercedes is the Attention Assist, which was unveiled in 2010. This clever innovation is able to detect signs of tiredness from the driver, and automatically alerts the driver to stop and take a break from their journey. Factors that can Attention Assist looks at include steering behaviour and a lack of interaction with the dashboard controls, which can indicate that the driver is feeling drowsy.
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