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Innovation

A History of Making History

Innovation is our opportunity to change the world. At Mercedes-Benz, we’ve been doing it since 1886, pioneering some of the greatest advancements in performance, safety and all of mobility. Carl Benz said it best, “The love of inventing never dies.”

Scroll to Begin

This Is What Makes “The Best or Nothing.”

It’s in our commitment to innovation, to pushing the boundaries time and time again. Jump ahead or scroll to discover our greatest achievements throughout the years.

  • The First

    1886-1888
  • Performance

    1901-1931
  • Safety

    1949-1979
  • Precision

    1982-1997
  • Technology

    2000-Present
  • Beyond

    The Future
  • 1886

    The First Automobile

    It began with the Motorwagen. Carl Benz was awarded German patent #37435 for a three-wheeled, self-propelled vehicle with a rear-mounted single-cylinder engine. In that instant, the world became smaller, and it set the course for our legacy of innovation that continues to this day.

  • 1888

    The Driver Who Paved the Way

    While Carl Benz was unsure if his invention was ready for the road, his wife Bertha Benz had a different idea. Without his knowledge, she took her sons on the first long-distance drive from Manheim to Pforzheim, Germany. Along the way, she cleaned the carburetor and made various repairs and improvements. Her bold spirit and courage began a revolution that would change the world forever.

Innovation that Powers Performance

  • 1901

    The Honeycomb Radiator

    Developed for the Mercedes 35hp, the honeycomb radiator uses its unique texture to efficiently cool the engine, and is remarkably similar to what’s used today.

  • 1906

    The Electric-Powered Car

    Several Mercedes passenger cars, trucks, buses and fire service vehicles became available with battery-electric propulsion, an early ancestor of today’s hybrid drive.

  • 1910

    The Multivalve Engine

    The Benz Special Touring Car is the first to employ four valves per cylinder, improving both performance and fuel consumption.

  • 1921

    The Supercharged Engine

    A compressor driven by the engine noticeably increases the power of several Mercedes models by pressurizing the fuel-air mixture.

  • 1931

    The 4-Wheel Independent Suspension

    The first-ever fully independent suspension allowed each wheel to respond individually and paved the way for future handling innovations.

Build It, Crash It, Build It Again

  • 1949

    The Conical-Pin Door Lock

    Designed to help the doors prevent from opening in an accident, this patented, extremely strong door latch was the first of its kind.

  • 1951

    The Crumple Zone

    Invented by legendary Mercedes-Benz Group engineer Béla Barényi, the crumple zone utilizes a rigid passenger cell surrounded by defined deformation zones, and it’s used universally to this day.

  • 1958

    The Crash Test Program

    For the first time, development of every new vehicle would include a rigorous regimen of crash testing to make Mercedes vehicles the safest on the road.

  • 1973

    The Offset-Frontal Crash Test

    An evolution of the original crash test program, the “partial overlap” barrier crash is a more accurate simulation of real-world collisions.

  • 1978

    True Stopping Power: The Antilock Braking System

    The invention of ABS is one of the biggest developments in modern automotive engineering. First unveiled as a concept in 1970, it remains a safety milestone, allowing the driver to retain steering control under heavy braking and contributing to future breakthroughs because of the ability to brake wheels individually.

Precision, Feature by Feature

  • 1982

    The Multilink Suspension

    Debuting on the compact 190-Class, this breakthrough 5-arm rear suspension provided new levels of handling, precision and safety.

  • 1985

    4MATIC All-Wheel Drive

    The AWD E-Class debuts with two electronic traction systems for rear-wheel drive cars: the automatic differential lock (ASD) and automatic skid control (ASR).

  • 1991

    CFC-Free Climate Control

    Long before other automakers, Mercedes-Benz removed these harmful chemicals from their air conditioning systems and manufacturing process.

  • 1995

    The Electronic Stability Program

    Perhaps the most important breakthrough since the airbag, ESP helps maintain control during corners and evasive maneuvers, and it’s now required by law on every car.

  • 1997

    The SmartKey

    An achievement in convenience and anti-theft technology, the compact SmartKey uses an electronic code to start the car rather than a mechanical lock.

The Car as a Computer

  • 2000

    Telematics

    Beginning in 2000, Mercedes-Benz vehicles began to communicate with the outside world – through computers and later phones – bringing customers a new level of connection, and leading the way for internet connectivity within the vehicle’s cabin.

  • 2002

    PRE-SAFE®

    A groundbreaking system, PRE-SAFE detects an accident before it happens, snugging the seat belts, adjusting the head restraints and more to optimize protection during a crash.

  • 2010

    Attention Assist

    After measuring over 70 parameters in the first few minutes of a drive, Attention Assist can detect signs of drowsiness and audibly alert the driver to take a break.

  • 2016

    Car-to-X

    Pioneered in the 2017 E-Class, Car-to-X Communication shares critical information with other vehicles to warn of potential danger, such as slippery roads or broken-down vehicles.

  • Beyond

    The Future of Mobility is Being Invented Today

    From electrification to ridesharing to autonomous driving, the ways we travel are changing faster than ever before. At Mercedes-Benz, our past and present inform our vision for the future, where luxury travel comes in shapes and sizes you never imagined.

  • All New Energy

    The future is electric and so are we. The Mercedes-Benz EQ lineup consists of plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles that will take the road by storm, combining world-class luxury with optimal efficiency. The all-new drive system puts a premium on performance with electric drivetrains at each axle, as well as unique styling and technology that blazes a new path for electric driving.

    We’re also investing heavily in charging services and home energy storage units. It’s part of our effort to bring energy solutions to every corner of America, and ensure that the best cars in the world are also the best cars for the world.

  • Becoming Autonomous

    In the future of driving, driving is optional. That means less time stuck in traffic, less time commuting and more time for you. Many existing Mercedes-Benz features are already built to augment the human touch, mostly for safety reasons.

    Moving forward, the role of the automobile will shift, and Mercedes-Benz will be the ones to do it. It’s why we’re creating vehicles like the Luxury in Motion, and partnering with companies like Bosch to study urban development and intelligent software. Because since the day we invented the automobile, we’ve never stopped and never will.

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*

Base MSRP excludes transportation and handling charges, destination charges, taxes, title, registration, preparation and documentary fees, tags, labor and installation charges, insurance, and optional equipment, products, packages and accessories. Actual vehicle price may vary by Dealer.

MBFS NMLS #2546

**

Stated rates of acceleration are based upon manufacturer's track results and may vary depending on model, environmental and road surface conditions, driving style, elevation and vehicle load.

†

EPA estimated fuel economy. Compare the estimated mpg to the estimated mpg of other vehicles. You may get different mileage depending on how fast you drive, weather conditions and trip length. Your actual highway mileage will probably be less than the highway estimate.

‡

With optional trailer hitch. Read Operator’s Manual before towing. In some states, aftermarket trailer brakes are required. See dealer for details.

1

Vehicle may not be exactly as shown.

2

As a concept car, the designs, features, etc. are subject to change.

The actual purchase price of the vehicle is subject to change by the dealer and may vary based on location of the Dealer and customer, inventory levels, vehicle features and available discounts and rebates. The Online Price excludes taxes and/or fees resulting from the sale of the vehicle, including, but not limited to destination charges, labor, title, license and installation charges.