| Mercedes Benz: Historical, Indeed! |
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Mercedes Benz is one of the most well known automotive brands in the world, tracing its roots back to the 1880s when its first gasoline powered motorcycle was built by Karl Benz. By 1901, the very first car bearing the Daimler name was built, the company that owns Mercedes Benz.
First Mercedes
But it wasn't until 1926 when the initial model from Mercedes-Benz was developed, following the merger of Karl Benz's and Gottlieb Daimler's companies to become Daimler-Benz. Today, the company is known as Daimler AG with Mercedes-Benz representing its primary brand. Most cars are simply known today as Mercedes though Mercedes Benz is the brand's actual name.
Although a relatively new producer of cars as the Third Reich came to power, Daimler quickly joined the war effort by producing tanks, airplane engines and armaments leading up to and throughout the war. Neil Gregor's “Daimler-Benz in the Third Reich” outlines Daimler involvement in Hitler's regime while also showing how the automaker prepared to live on apart from the Nazis once the war ended.
After the second world war, Mercedes slowly began to pull itself out of the ruin of Germany and resume its manufacturing. In 1951, the 300 series made its debut, the largest Mercedes model built to date. These cars were offered in several body styles including sedan, cabriolet and an unusual configuration featuring a hard top for front passengers and a drop top for rear passengers.
US Market
Access to the US market began in 1958 when Mercedes-Benz crafted a deal with Studebaker-Packard to sell its cars through US and Canadian showrooms. After its own operations ceased in the mid-1960s many of Studebaker's dealerships became Mercedes dealers exclusively, giving the German automaker unparalleled access to the US market.
Mercedes' advance in the US market was slow and steady from the 1960s through much of the 1980s, finally catching on in the 1990s when buyers began to shift their purchases to premium models. Long time Cadillac and Lincoln owners began to trade in for Mercedes while the investment class took their new found riches and began to snap up pricier German cars. Today, Mercedes Benz rivals BMW for luxury car supremacy with Lexus, Audi, Infiniti and other makes also having a stake in the market.
The Future
Fresh off it disastrous 1998-2007 union with Chrysler, Mercedes has been freed up to modify and expand its model line now consisting of 14 distinct vehicles. Lexus continues to siphon sales while Audi is also making in-roads with BMW remaining a constant threat. And yet Mercedes manages to raise the luxury segment bar most recently with its updated E-Class, the safest Mercedes Benz model ever built.
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