Rare Car Archive

Makes › Mercedes-Benz · Car manufacturer · Germany Germany

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz is a German make whose company, Daimler-Benz AG, was formed in June 1926 from the businesses of automotive pioneers Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz. It is headquartered in Stuttgart and its parent company has been named Mercedes-Benz Group AG since 2022.1,2

Mercedes-Benz 130 (W23) (1934-1936)
Mercedes-Benz 130 (W23) (1934-1936)
Photo: Motacilla · CC BY-SA 4.0
212Cars documented
6Individual chassissee each car
1926Founded

Model lines

Rare versions grouped by model line. Open a line to see every version and rare factory colour by generation and model year.

300 19 rare versions · 1951–1971

All 300 versions →

220 9 rare versions · 1951–1958

All 220 versions →

600 9 rare versions · 1963–1972

All 600 versions →

AMG 8 rare versions · 2013–2022

All AMG versions →

190 7 rare versions · 1955–1992

All 190 versions →

G 7 rare versions · 1937–2013

All G versions →

Typ 7 rare versions · 1926–1933

All Typ versions →

450 6 rare versions · 1975–1978

All 450 versions →

500 6 rare versions · 1934–1993

All 500 versions →

770 6 rare versions · 1930–1938

All 770 versions →

AMG Black Series 6 rare versions · 2006–2013

All AMG Black Series versions →

CLK 6 rare versions · 1998–1999

All CLK versions →

170 5 rare versions · 1936–1949

All 170 versions →

230 5 rare versions · 1980–1982

All 230 versions →

300 SL and SLR 5 rare versions · 1954–1957

All 300 SL and SLR versions →

G-Class 5 rare versions · 2025

All G-Class versions →

SLR 5 rare versions · 2006–2009

All SLR versions →

540 4 rare versions · 1936–1938

All 540 versions →

A-Class 4 rare versions · 1998–2002

All A-Class versions →

SL 4 rare versions · 1993–1999

All SL versions →

250 3 rare versions · 1965–1966

All 250 versions →

280 3 rare versions · 1969–1971

All 280 versions →

B-Class 3 rare versions · 2010

All B-Class versions →

E 3 rare versions · 1994–1996

All E versions →

Maybach 3 rare versions · 2017

All Maybach versions →

Other cars

Open a car to see its production figures, specifications and individual chassis.

Mercedes-Benz divisions

Performance and special-vehicle divisions of Mercedes-Benz.

Germany AMG

Read the history and more details about AMG →

Specialists building on Mercedes-Benz

Independent manufacturers and tuners whose rare cars are based on Mercedes-Benzs. Each keeps its own page with its history.

Germany Brabus

Read the history and more details about Brabus →

Germany Carlsson

Read the history and more details about Carlsson →

Germany HWA

Read the history and more details about HWA →

Before Mercedes-Benz

Companies that Mercedes-Benz grew out of. Their cars and history stay part of the story.

Germany Benz

Read the history and more details about Benz →

Germany Benz & Cie.

Read the history and more details about Benz & Cie. →

Germany Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft

Read the history and more details about Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft →

Key facts

Founded
Daimler-Benz AG formed by merger in June 1926; roots in Carl Benz's patent motor car (patent filed 29 January 1886) and Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (founded 1890)2,1 Independently researched
Founder
Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler (predecessor companies)2,1 Independently researched
Headquarters
Stuttgart, Germany2 Independently researched
Parent company
Mercedes-Benz Group AG (named Daimler AG until 2022)2 Independently researched

History

On 29 January 1886 Carl Benz of Mannheim filed patent DRP 37435 for a gas-powered three-wheeled vehicle, a document added to UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme in 2011. In 1888 Bertha Benz drove the improved Model III from Mannheim to Pforzheim and back. Gottlieb Daimler founded Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft in 1890, and in 1901 a car named Mercedes, after the daughter of Emil Jellinek, was introduced. Daimler and Benz formed Daimler-Benz AG in June 1926. In the 1950s the company introduced the 300 SL with direct fuel injection; Daimler-Benz acquired Chrysler in 1998, divested its majority stake in 2007, and Daimler AG was renamed Mercedes-Benz Group AG in 2022.

1,2

Milestones

  1. 1886
    Carl Benz filed patent DRP 37435 for a gas-powered vehicle on 29 January 1886.1
  2. 1888
    Bertha Benz drove the improved Benz Model III from Mannheim to Pforzheim and back.1
  3. 1890
    Gottlieb Daimler founded Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft.2
  4. 1901
    The Mercedes car, named after Emil Jellinek's daughter, was introduced.2
  5. 1926
    Daimler and Benz formed Daimler-Benz AG in June 1926.2
  6. 1953
    A 300 SL prototype was built in late 1953 to test designs for series production of the 300 SL Coupe.3

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

  1. 1
    29 January 1886: Birth of the automobile 130 years ago Level C Autocar Professional
    • On 29 January 1886, Carl Benz filed a patent (locator)
    • In 1888, Bertha Benz drove the improved Model III (locator)
    • Carl Benz filed a patent for a "gas-powered vehicle"
    • patent is referenced as "DRP 37435"; UNESCO added it in 2011
    Accessed 2026-11-11
  2. 2
    Mercedes-Benz (Research Starters: Business and Management) Level C EBSCO
    • founded Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft in 1890
    • named for his daughter Mercedes; introduced in 1901 (locator)
    • formed the partnership of Daimler-Benz AG in June 1926
    • Gottlieb Daimler "founded Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft in 1890"
    • Corporate Headquarters: Stuttgart, Germany
    • Daimler AG changed its name to Mercedes-Benz Group AG in 2022.
    • demanded an advanced automobile to be named for his daughter Mercedes
    • debuting the 300 SL with its groundbreaking direct fuel-injection system
    • Daimler divested its majority stake in Chrysler in 2007.
    Accessed 2026-11-11
  3. 3
    1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Prototype Level B Petersen Automotive Museum
    • a prototype built in late 1953 to test designs for series production
    Accessed 2026-11-11

Beyond Mercedes-Benz · Keep exploring

Germany More from Germany

Rare cars by other makes from Germany – not by Mercedes-Benz.

71 other makes from Germany9ffAC SchnitzerAdlerAgria-WerkeAlbertAlpinaAMOAmphicarApolloArtegaAudiAuto UnionAutomobili PininfarinaBayerische AutowerkeBitterBMWBohseBoldmenBorgwardBovensiepenBrennaborBrütschChampionDauerDKWFMR (Messerschmitt)FuldamobilGemballaGepardGlasGoggomobilGoliathGumpertGutbrodHanomagHeinkelHorchHyundaiIFAIrmscherAll makes →