Over 100 Years of Innovation
Mercedes-Benz is well known for its innovative, high powered, and luxurious vehicles. Spanning back to the first Mercedes ever created in 1886 to the state of the art benchmark vehicles that command the road today, there’s a lot that you may not know about the history and greatness of Mercedes. Dive in with us as we explore 10 fun facts about Mercedes that you probably didn’t know.
The first Automobile was a Mercedes
The first petrol powered car was invented in 1886 by Carl Benz. Funded by his wife, Bertha Benz, the petrol powered vehicle only had three wheels and was called the “Motorwagen”.. The Benz patent Motorwagen was powered by a single cylinder four stroke engine that boasted a blistering 0.9 horsepower.
The First Motorwagen was Stolen
Okay, this fact is only half true, because the “thief” returned the Motorwagen unharmed. Since Bertha Benz, Carl Benz’s wife, funded the creation of the Motorwagen, she probably felt a sense of ownership to the vehicle as well; which is probably why she took it on a 130 mile road trip across Germany without her husband's knowledge.
Mercedes Made a Hybrid in 1906
While hybrids are highly coveted now, Mercedes made a hybrid back in 1906, well before they ever became popular. Named the Mercedes-Benz Mixte mode, the vehicle had a gasoline engine in the front, while a dynamo supplied spark for the two motors that powered the rear wheels. The Mixte even had an impressive top speed of 75mph.
Mercedes' were the First to Have Brakes on All Four Wheels
By the middle of 1924, all Mercedes-Benz vehicles were sold with brakes on all four wheels – solidifying their priority on safety. Following that accomplishment, by 1931, Mercedes introduced the 170, which had suspension on all four corners. Up front, leaf springs absorbed imperfections in the road, while the rear was fixed with an innovative spring suspension system.
Mercedes was First to Implement Crumple Zones
Dedicated to safety, Mercedes continued their research on road safety. Breaking away from the American motto that a bigger and bulkier car meant a safer ride, Mercedes engineer Béla Barényi founded research that led to the development of crumple zones. In 1959, special cells within the body of the vehicle were designed to deform upon impact, deydistributing force, and lessening the effects of passengers inside.
Antilock Brakes were Created by Mercedes
Mercedes once again created innovative technology by implementing the breakthrough technology known as anti-lock brakes Developed with Bosch specifically for the 1978 S Class, anti lock brakes soon became a standard on all Mercedes vehicles.
Mercedes Developed a Self Driving Car in 1995
While autonomous vehicles seem to be the next innovation in automotive technology, Mercedes introduced an autonomous self-driving system in the 1995 W140 S Class. Packed with microsensors, the vehicle was the equivalent of a supercomputer at the time.
It drove over 1,000 miles on the Autobahn and reached speeds of 115mph with little to no human input. While the system was implemented in production vehicles, the technology was developed into the many intelligent driver assist features found in modern Mercedes Benz cars of today
Manufactured Globally
While Mercedes is and always will be German, they are manufactured in 30 countries around the globe.
All CPO Vehicles are Restored by a Mercedes Tech
Ensuring that each Certified Pre Owned vehicle continues its life as the high quality vehicle that consumers expect, each CPO vehicle is thoroughly conducted by a certified Mercedes-Benz technician.
CPO Vehicles Enjoy an Unlimited Mile Warranty
Featuring industry leading coverage, CPO Mercedes vehicles feature an unlimited mileage warranty that spans for up to five years. Whether you drive for 10 miles or 100,000 during your journey, your Mercedes coverage is with you.
Get in a Mercedes-Benz Today
Here at Mercedes-Benz of Sacramento, we feature a wealth of Mercedes-Benz vehicles for you to choose from. Whether you’re taking advantage of our incredible finance and lease specials, or browsing our collection of new, used, and CPO vehicles, make your way down to Mercedes-Benz of Sacramento and come explore Mercedes for yourself.
