Mercedes-Benz: From Classic Limousines to the Electric Revolution — How the Brand Shapes the Future of Automotive

The history of the Mercedes brand began in the 19th century, although then Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler did not expect to create something that would last for many decades. Although they operated separately, it was their work that led to the creation of the famous Daimler-Benz concern. The manufacturer has gone from primitive cars with engines of just a few horsepower to electronics-studded Mercedes-AMG models that accelerate from zero to a hundred in the blink of an eye. Mercedes technology has evolved at a breakneck pace.

The longest collaboration in automotive history

In the first decades of their activity, Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler founded Benz & Co. and Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft, which collaborated in the creation and production of the world's first cars. The name of the Mercedes brand comes from the name of the daughter of the Austrian car enthusiast - Emil Jellink, who ordered the first cars from them. Both had support from Wilhelm Maybach, who helped them develop the world's first cars with a four-cylinder engine. The cars were delivered to Jellinka in 1898. The official merger into Daimler-Benz took place in 1926, and the company survived until 1988, when the concern sold its shares to Chrysler.

Mercedes - the limousine that changed the face of motoring

Each self-respecting manufacturer has its own flagship series of cars. It is no different with the Mercedes brand. The innovations of this manufacturer have been presented for decades first in the S-class, and only later flow to the rest. In 1978, the first generation of the S-Class began to offer an ABS system developed in collaboration with Bosch, which prevents the wheels from locking during sudden braking. In the next generation of the flagship Mercedes limousine, new technologies also included traction control and the world's first series-fitted airbags.

In the early 90s, the next generation of the Mercedes limousine appeared. Technological evolution included, among other things, the use of a track stabilization system. On the other hand, the S-Class of the W220 series for the first time uses adaptive cruise control (Distronic) and the Pre-Safe system, which automatically closes the windows and sunroof in case of detection of a collision risk and positions the seats in such a position as to minimize injuries to passengers in the front seats in the event of a collision. Subsequent models also introduced an active suspension with sensors that monitor the surface, smart headlights that project symbols onto the road, and a giant curved MBUX Hyperscreen, which is controlled by artificial intelligence.

Mercedes-AMG - the sports division of the luxury giant

Although the Mercedes-Benz brand is associated with dignity and luxury, its sporting heritage should not be forgotten. The company has a number of championship titles in Formula 1 and the DTM series. It owes much to the company Aufrecht Melcher Großaspach, founded in 1967, which was not fully incorporated into the Group until 2005. Previously, AMG was a separate entity, but from the very beginning it took Mercedes cars to the workshop and made them faster and better to drive.

After the establishment of official cooperation, AMG initially supplied only stylistic elements, and only over time began to completely modify Mercedes cars. A classic like the S-Class W126 AMG was already available in the 1980s, but the first mass-produced Mercedes AMG was the 1993 C36. Now every Mercedes model, even the off-road G-Class, has its AMG variation.

A new chapter in the history of the Mercedes brand - the electric boom

At the end of the second decade of the 21st century, it became clear that the future of the automobile would be electric, which is why Mercedes also got on this train. The company has created a separate model range under the Mercedes-EQ brand. Due to the fact that it is the S-class that sets new trends in the company's activities, the first model presented was the Mercedes EQS, which in the weakest version has a power equivalent to 288 hp, and in the most powerful - as much as 751 hp. Subsequent models include the EQA, EQB, EQE and EQS-SUV SUVs, as well as the EQE luxury sedan, the EQT electric van. Electrification also did not bypass the G-class.

The technologies used in electric cars of the Mercedes brand include many interesting solutions. In the EQS, the driver has a Level 3 autonomous driving function, the so-called autopilot, which allows you to give the controls to the electronics while driving on the highway or expressway. The car can also intelligently plan the route based on the charging points available on it. However, a range of up to 770 km (WLTP) makes the limousine very efficient.

What will be the future of Mercedes-Benz?

The German manufacturer does not stop working on innovative technologies. However, it turns out that the brand does not quite seem to believe in an electric future. In 2025, the MB.EA platform was supposed to debut, but the manufacturer stopped work. The development assumed the creation of a long and short base for future electric models. The company assumed that in 2030 the offer would consist only of electric cars.

At the same time, Mercedes is developing another electric platform - MMA. It stands for Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture. It is intended to be used for the production of electricians from the lower classes of the German manufacturer. The first model built on its basis is the Mercedes CLA, which is expected to offer a range of almost 800 km in the single-axle version. At the same time, the manufacturer is working on hybrid drives. Do Mercedes owners really expect the brand to be eco-friendly? It turns out not quite, as the manufacturer returns to V8 engines in AMG models.

In addition to the drive technology itself, Mercedes is also focusing on other issues. The most important of these are the production of some elements of cars from materials obtained in the recycling process, the development of autonomous driving systems, achieving climate neutrality in the production of their cars, as well as the development of the V2G (Vehicle-2-Grid) architecture, which allows excess energy from batteries to be transferred to other devices. Thanks to this, Mercedes electric and hybrid cars will be able to lend electricity to charge a laptop or electric bike.

Mercedes is also working to make the use of cars of this brand as comfortable as possible. The manufacturer uses artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies for this. The brand has also partnered with the creators of ChatGPT. This one appeared in the MBUX 2.6 system. The manufacturer boasts that with this update, the voice assistant is able to provide accurate and up-to-date answers to a wide range of questions. This means that you can not only ask the car to set a certain air conditioning supply temperature, but, for example, ask to recommend an interesting movie for the evening or a good restaurant in the city.

Used Mercedes - where to buy?

If you are fascinated by the Mercedes brand and its history, but the prices of cars from the European secondary market are too high, then the best choice will be Mercedes from USA. Why? Cars from USA are, as a rule, better equipped and have more powerful engines than their counterparts offered on our continent. In addition, they are already cheaper at the start and this also applies to premium brands.

What about the classics? It would also be a good idea Importing a car from the USA. Americans have loved cars with a star on the hood for decades, so many interesting classics can be found on the market there. It all depends on your fantasy, determination and financial capabilities.

The United States is also a good address for electric car seekers. If we compare, how much does an electric car cost In the US and Europe, the conclusions are self-evident. The competition is high, and the biggest player is of course Tesla. Therefore, other manufacturers must have attractive offers for American customers, which makes cars cheaper. In addition, when importing such a car to Poland, you do not have to pay excise duty.

summary

Mercedes-Benz is a brand that began operations at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and is now worth about $53 billion (as of June 2025), making it the most expensive luxury car manufacturer in the world. It doesn't matter if you love classic cars, whether you prefer modern lines, whether you like slow luxury or expect a sporty experience combined with the comfort of first class travel — Mercedes can provide you with it all. That is why he is respected among car enthusiasts and competitors, where the main rival is, of course, another German brand - BMW. However, the two manufacturers differ in character, and Mercedes has always had better PR. If you want to taste the legend and not overpay, then think about bringing a Mercedes from the USA.