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12 Amazing & Crazy facts about Mercedes-Benz You Never Knew… Until NOW!
Ever since its launch into the automotive world in 1926, the global automobile manufacturer Mercedes-Benz has been manufacturing cars which offer definite class and style.
Mercedes-Benz is one of the oldest existing motor vehicle manufacturers. During their years they have produced millions of luxury vehicles, coaches, buses and trucks all over the world. The company traces its origins to Karl Benz’s 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen and Daimler-Motorsen-Gesellschaft’s 1901 Mercedes.
With such a rich legacy, it is no surprise that the company has a huge history. From manufacturing the first petrol powered car to the creation of the first diesel car. As such, we are sure that there are numerous amazing, fun and crazy facts you don’t know about the motoring powerhouse.
In this article, we have compiled a list of 12 little-known and unbelievable facts from our reliable sources about Mercedes. These facts will help you understand what sets Mercedes-Benz apart in the industry!
Interesting And Crazy Facts About Mercedes-Benz
The Name “Mercedes”
It is common knowledge that the ‘Benz’ part of the company came from its founder Karl Benz. But have you ever wondered where the name ‘Mercedes’ comes from?
It is believed that that the ‘Mercedes’ part of the brand name ‘Mercedes-Benz’ was taken from the Mercedes Jellinek, the daughter of businessman Emil Jellinek. After purchasing Daimler vehicles, Emil would modify them and race them. After proving his credibility, he started designing cars which could deliver more performance and reliability. Emil was one of the first-buyers of the Mercedes-Benz car and it seems that the name has stuck since then.
First Petrol Powered Car
The brand’s origin goes back to the construction of the first petrol-powered vehicle which was built by the co-founder, Karl Benz. His fiancée, Bertha funded the entire project while the two were engaged. Girl power right there!
First Diesel Car Ever
Yes, Mercedes-Benz boasts a long list of many ‘firsts’ to their credit. This includes the production of the first diesel car too. Built with a four-cylinder engine, 3 wheels and 4 doors, the cost of the first ever diesel car, 260D was equivalent to the present price of the Mercedes E-class.
While it’s true that the production of these cars stopped in the late 1950’s, you can still catch a glimpse of them. One of the 260D cars is available to view at the Mercedes-Benz museum, if you wish to experience a small piece of their glorious history.
A Car Which Looks More Like A Fish
Did you ever think that a car can have its design inspired by a fish? Well if you didn’t it’s time to start! Mercedes-Benz modelled one of its cars after the yellow boxfish. Introduced in 2005, the Mercedes-Benz Bionic got its exterior design modelled as per the design of the yellow box fish, a fish which lives in the coral reefs and is even a native of the Indo-Pacific region.
The logic behind making a car look like a fish was explained by the shape of the boxfish’s face. Being small in proportion to the length of the body, the shape creates a predominantly favourable aerodynamic efficiency and lightweight concept which Mercedes Benz were able to recreate in its bionic car.
The 3-Star Logo
Do you know that the design of the Mercedes –Benz wasn’t all that it is now? Well, the design once consisted of four stars instead of 3. The three-pointed star depicts the company’s ability to move on water, land and air.
Cars Which Smell Better
Do you get fascinated by the typical new car? Since the designers of Mercedes-Benz love the smell too, here comes some good news for you. The designers have added an active perfume system on their S-Class vehicles which dispense four different fragrances, created by their senior perfumer Marc Von Ende.
While purchasing their car, buyers can choose between the four fragrances, which are specifically designed to complement the leathery smell of the new car. These include – Freeside Mood (citrus), Sports Mood (floral and outdoors) Nightlife Mood (leather and wood) and Downtown Mood (floral and musk).
The First Person To Be Issued A Driving Licence
Inventor of the automobile and founder of the Mercedes-Benz, Karl Benz was the first person ever to own a driving licence. The citizens of Manheim, Germany had complained about the terrible noise and smell produced by his Motorwagen in 1888. Karl Benz had thus requested the Gran Ducal Authority for written permission to drive his vehicle on public roads.
One Man, One Engine
Mercedes-AMG, high-performance vehicles are traditionally assembled by their hand at the company’s AMG plant in Affalterbach, Germany. The makers’ philosophy behind this production is called- “One Man – One Engine. This denotes that a single and highly qualified technician is the one who is responsible for the entire process.
The technician starts by fixing the crankshaft in the car’s engine block, goes to assemble the cables and the cam shaft and fills up the oil. Once everything is assembled and the piece passes vigorous tests, the builder signs the engine plate.
A Customised Mercedes-Benz
One of the most unbelievable and crazy facts about Mercedes is that an oil billionaire of Abu Dhabi had ordered a custom Mercedes-Benz with body work made of white gold. His $2.5 million dollar vehicle was made with custom white gold exterior of 18K.!
The First Car In Nepal
Nepal almost had no roads at the time when its first car arrived. The 1938 Mercedes model was a special gift to King Truibhuvan, the King of Nepal at that time from Adolf Hitler. In the year 1940, the car was hand-delivered to Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital.
A Car Chiselled From One Block Of Stone
A full-sized Mercedes Benz 240 Diesel stands at the Linden Park Cemetery in Union County, NJ. This has been chiselled entirely from one block of stone. This monument acts as the headstone for Raymond Tse. Raymond was a Mercedes enthusiast who was killed tragically just before his 16th birthday. His brother, David had the car made in Raymond’s honor, insisting that every part of the vehicle was made accurately. Spread over 40 cemetery plots, Raymond’s mausoleum and the stone Mercedes had cost $500,000 when it was built in the 1970s. https://www.yahoo.com/news/rust-piece-yup-mercedes-benz-gravestone-160040615.html
Cars Which Never Squeal Or Rattle
No matter how old a Mercedes car is, it will never rattle or squeal. This is due to the fact that every Mercedes vehicle is welded in nearly 10,000 places throughout the car. With such precision, it’s quite obvious that no room is left for loose nuts and bolts.
Armed with these amazing facts it’s time you WOW other fans of Mercedes-Benz with your impressive knowledge!
