Mercedes-Benz research

Mercedes-Benz history: from the 1886 Patent-Motorwagen to AMG and EQ

By CarWhere Research · Updated

Mercedes-Benz traces its history to 29 January 1886, when Carl Benz applied for patent DRP 37435 for his three-wheeled motor car. Gottlieb Daimler's company and Benz & Cie. merged in 1926 to form Daimler-Benz, and the cars took the Mercedes-Benz name. AMG, founded in 1967, became a wholly owned subsidiary in 2005.

Mercedes-Benz history timeline

The milestones below link to a full history page for each model, with production numbers, variants, what changed by generation and what to check before you buy one.

  1. 1886

    Benz Patent-Motorwagen

    On 29 January 1886 Carl Benz applied for patent DRP 37435 for his three-wheeled "gas-powered vehicle" — widely regarded as the birth certificate of the automobile. The same year Gottlieb Daimler fitted his high-speed engine, developed with Wilhelm Maybach, to a carriage.[1]

  2. 1926

    Daimler-Benz merger

    Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) and Benz & Cie. merged in 1926 to form Daimler-Benz AG. From then on the cars were sold as Mercedes-Benz — the Mercedes name coming from DMG's racing cars, the star from Daimler, the laurel wreath from Benz.[2],[3]

  3. 1954

    300 SL "Gullwing" (W 198)

    The 300 SL coupe debuted in New York in February 1954 alongside the 190 SL prototype. It was the first four-stroke production car with petrol injection; 1,400 coupes were built through May 1957, followed by 1,858 roadsters to 1963.[4],[5]

    300 SL (Gullwing and Roadster) history →

  4. 1963

    "Pagoda" SL (W 113)

    The 230 SL replaced both the 190 SL and the 300 SL Roadster; the concave hardtop earned the nickname "Pagoda". 48,912 were built in eight years, ending with the 280 SL.[4],[6]

    SL roadster history →

  5. 1967

    AMG founded

    Former Mercedes-Benz engineers Hans-Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher set up an engine-development workshop in an old mill. AMG stands for Aufrecht, Melcher and Großaspach, Aufrecht's birthplace. In 1971 the AMG 300 SEL 6.8 won its class and finished second overall at the Spa 24 Hours.[7]

  6. 1971

    R 107 SL

    The first SL with a V8 (350 SL, then 450 SL) ran 18 years — 237,287 roadsters built in Sindelfingen, including the US-focused 380 SL and 560 SL.[4]

    SL roadster history →

  7. 1972

    First car officially called S-Class (W 116)

    Mercedes' flagship line had run since 1951, but the 116 series was the first to carry the S-Class designation. It offered four-wheel multi-channel ABS as an option from 1978.[8]

  8. 1976

    W 123 mid-size range

    The 123 series launched in January 1976 with diesel and petrol engines from 55 to 185 hp; almost 2.7 million were built in ten years, including the 300 D and the first T-model estates.[9]

    W 123 history →

  9. 1979

    G-Class (W 460) and S-Class (W 126)

    The G model, developed with Steyr-Daimler-Puch and built in Graz, was presented in February 1979. The same year the 126-series S-Class arrived; it later introduced the driver airbag with front-passenger belt tensioner.[8],[10]

    G-Class (G wagon) history →

  10. 1983

    190 E 2.3-16 (W 201)

    The 16-valve 190 E reached production in 1983; 19,487 were built before the 2.5-16 and the 502-unit Evolution and Evolution II homologation specials followed.[11],[12]

    Mercedes 190 E (W 201) history →

  11. 1984

    W 124

    The 124 series went into production at the end of 1984; it was renamed E-Class in 1993 and built for eleven years, with 2,213,167 saloons.[9],[13]

    W 124 history →

  12. 1990

    AMG cooperation and the 500 E

    Daimler-Benz and AMG signed a cooperation agreement in 1990; the C 36 AMG of 1993 was its first product. Production of the V8 500 E — assembled with Porsche's help — began the same year.[7],[14]

    500 E / E 500 (W 124) history →

  13. 1991

    W 140 S-Class

    The 140 series debuted at Geneva in March 1991 and brought Mercedes' first production V12 (600 SE/600 SEL).[8],[15]

    W 140 S-Class history →

  14. 1997

    CLK GTR

    AMG built the CLK GTR for the new FIA GT Championship, which required 25 road cars; Bernd Schneider won the 1997 drivers' title.[16]

    CLK GTR history →

  15. 2003

    SLR McLaren

    Developed with McLaren and built in Woking, England; around 2,000 were produced across coupe, roadster, 722 and Stirling Moss versions.[17],[18]

    SLR McLaren history →

  16. 2005

    Mercedes-AMG becomes a wholly owned subsidiary

    Mercedes-AMG became a wholly owned subsidiary in 2005. Its first fully in-house car, the SLS AMG, followed in 2009–2010 and the AMG GT in 2014.[7]

    SLS AMG history →

  17. 2006

    First Black Series

    The SLK 55 AMG Black Series started AMG's most track-focused line; five more Black Series models followed through the 2020 AMG GT Black Series.[19],[20]

    AMG GT Black Series history →

  18. 2022

    Mercedes-AMG ONE

    Customer production of the 275-unit, Formula 1-derived hybrid hypercar began in Coventry, England; it has held the Nürburgring-Nordschleife production-car record since October 2022.[21],[22]

    Mercedes-AMG ONE history →

  19. Today

    EQ and electrified AMG

    Mercedes-Benz USA's current lineup includes battery-electric models such as the EQS and the G 580 with EQ Technology, alongside AMG E PERFORMANCE hybrids such as the C 63 S and S 63.[23],[24],[25]

Mercedes chassis codes by era

Mercedes-Benz identifies each model series with an internal code — W for saloon, C for coupe, R for roadster and S for estate are the common prefixes. For every code and body style, see the Mercedes-Benz chassis codes guide.

Selected Mercedes-Benz model-series (chassis) codes and production years
Chassis codeEraModel lineProduction yearsHistory
W 1981950s–1960s300 SL Coupe ("Gullwing") / 300 SL Roadster1954–1957 / 1957–1963[4]300 SL (Gullwing and Roadster)
W 1211950s–1960s190 SL1955–1963[4]—
W 1131960s230 SL / 250 SL / 280 SL "Pagoda"1963–1971[4]SL roadster
R 107 / C 1071970s–1980sSL roadster / SLC coupe1971–1989 / 1971–1981[4]SL roadster
W 1161970sS-Class (first to use the name)1972–1980[8]—
W 1231970s–1980sMid-size saloon, coupe (C 123), estate (S 123)1976–1986[9],[26]W 123
W 1261980sS-Class saloon and SEC coupe1979–1992[8],[15]W 126 S-Class
W 4601980sG-Class (G model)1979–1992[10]G-Class (G wagon)
W 2011980s–1990s190 / 190 E compact (incl. 2.3-16, 2.5-16, Evolution)to 1993[12]Mercedes 190 E (W 201)
W 1241980s–1990sMid-size, E-Class from 1993 (incl. 500 E / E 500)1984–1995[13]W 124
R 1291990sSL1989–2001[4]SL roadster
W 4631990s–todayG-Class1989 on[27],[28]G-Class (G wagon)
W 1401990sS-Class (first Mercedes V12)1991–1998[8]W 140 S-Class
W 220 / W 2212000sS-Class1998–2005 / 2005–2013[8]Mercedes-AMG S 63
R 2302000sSL (Vario roof)2001–2012[4]SL roadster
C 199 / R 1992000sSLR McLaren coupe / roadster2004–2009[17]SLR McLaren
C 197 / R 1972010sSLS AMG coupe / roadster2010–2014[29]SLS AMG
R 2312010sSL2012–2020[4]SL roadster
W 222 / W 2232010s–todayS-Class2013–2020 / 2020 on[8]Mercedes-AMG S 63

Every Mercedes-Benz model history

SUVs and off-roaders

Classic saloons

SL and sports cars

AMG performance

How to check a Mercedes-Benz's factory build

Mercedes-Benz records each car's factory configuration on a data card: the model code, paint and upholstery codes and a list of three-digit option codes. For cars with a standardized 17-character VIN (model year 1981 onward[30]), CarWhere can check for detailed build data and decode it — see the Mercedes-Benz data card by VIN. For earlier classics, original data cards are held by Mercedes-Benz Classic, and owners in the US and Canada can request a copy through the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Irvine, California.[31]

Frequently asked questions

When was Mercedes-Benz founded?

The brand dates its origin to 29 January 1886, when Carl Benz applied for patent DRP 37435 for his motor car. The company itself, Daimler-Benz AG, was formed in 1926 when Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft and Benz & Cie. merged, and its cars have been sold as Mercedes-Benz since then.

Who founded Mercedes-Benz?

Mercedes-Benz grew out of two companies: Benz & Cie., founded by Carl Benz, and Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft, founded by Gottlieb Daimler (who developed his engines with Wilhelm Maybach). The two merged in 1926. The Mercedes name came from DMG's racing cars.

What does AMG stand for and when did it join Mercedes?

AMG stands for Aufrecht, Melcher and Großaspach — founders Hans-Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher and Aufrecht's birthplace. It was founded in 1967, signed a cooperation agreement with Daimler-Benz in 1990 and became a wholly owned subsidiary in 2005.

What do Mercedes chassis codes like W123 or W124 mean?

They are Mercedes-Benz internal model-series codes. The number identifies the series (123, 124, 126 and so on) and the letter prefix the body style — commonly W for saloon, C for coupe, R for roadster and S for estate. Owners and parts catalogs use them to tell generations apart.

What is the oldest Mercedes-Benz model still in production?

The G-Class. Mercedes-Benz calls it the passenger-car model series with the longest production run in its history — it went on sale in 1979 and is still built largely by hand in Graz, Austria.

More Mercedes-Benz research

Sources

Production figures and dates come from Mercedes-Benz Group, Mercedes-Benz Classic and Mercedes-Benz USA material wherever available; auction figures are public results from the auction house. Market medians are CarWhere's own analysis of live US dealer listings from licensed vehicle-data providers.

  1. Benz Patent Motor Car: The first automobile (1885–1886) — Mercedes-Benz Group
  2. 100 years of the Mercedes-Benz brand: Tradition, transformation and technological leadership — Mercedes-Benz Group
  3. Beginnings of the automobile: The predecessor companies (1886–1920) — Mercedes-Benz Group
  4. Mercedes-Benz SL — Mercedes-Benz Classic press information (August 2021, PDF) — Mercedes-Benz Classic via Mercedes-Benz USA Media Newsroom
  5. Types 300 SL Coupé and 300 SL Roadster (W 198), 1954–1963 — Mercedes-Benz Classic archive
  6. "Pagoda SL", Types 230 SL – 280 SL (W 113), 1963–1971 — Mercedes-Benz Classic archive
  7. Celebrating 50 years of Mercedes-AMG success — Mercedes-Benz USA Media Newsroom
  8. Generations of Innovation: The Mercedes-Benz S-Class — Mercedes-Benz USA Media Newsroom
  9. 123 series saloons, 1975–1985 — Mercedes-Benz Classic archive
  10. 460 series cross-country vehicles, 1979–1992 — Mercedes-Benz Classic archive
  11. 190 E 2.3-16 (W 201) — technical data and production — Mercedes-Benz Classic archive
  12. 201 series compact-class saloons, 1988–1993 — Mercedes-Benz Classic archive
  13. 124 series E-Class saloons, 1993–1995 — Mercedes-Benz Classic archive
  14. E 500 (W 124) — technical data and production — Mercedes-Benz Classic archive
  15. 126 series S-Class saloons, 1985–1992 — Mercedes-Benz Classic archive
  16. 1998 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLK GTR — Monterey 2018, lot 241 — RM Sotheby's
  17. 199 series SLR McLaren high-performance sports car, 2004–2009 — Mercedes-Benz Classic archive
  18. 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 S Roadster — Monterey 2021 — RM Sotheby's
  19. Mercedes-AMG Black Series Retrospective: The Absolute Pinnacle of Driving Performance — Mercedes-Benz USA Media Newsroom
  20. Two extreme sports cars, one platform: Mercedes-AMG announces new GT3 and Black Series — Mercedes-Benz USA Media Newsroom
  21. Produktion der Kundenfahrzeuge des Mercedes-AMG ONE ist gestartet — Mercedes-Benz Group Media
  22. 6:29.090 min: Mercedes-AMG ONE breaks its own lap record on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife — Mercedes-Benz USA Media Newsroom
  23. G-Class SUV — models and starting MSRP (checked November 3, 2026) — Mercedes-Benz USA (mbusa.com)
  24. Mercedes-Benz USA announces pricing for all-new Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E PERFORMANCE — Mercedes-Benz USA Media Newsroom
  25. 2025 Mercedes-AMG S 63 E PERFORMANCE Quick Reference Guide — Mercedes-Benz USA Media Newsroom
  26. 123 series estates, 1978–1986 — Mercedes-Benz Classic archive
  27. 463 series cross-country vehicles, 1989–2000 — Mercedes-Benz Classic archive
  28. The new Mercedes-Benz G-Class (2018 launch press kit, incl. history) — Mercedes-Benz USA Media Newsroom
  29. 197 series SLS AMG coupés, 2010–2014 — Mercedes-Benz Classic archive
  30. 49 CFR Part 565 — Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) requirements — eCFR (U.S. Government)
  31. Mercedes-Benz Ponton Data Cards (how to request a data card copy from the Classic Center) — International Ponton Owners Group (mbzponton.org) (secondary reference)

Independent reference compiled by CarWhere Research — not affiliated with or endorsed by Mercedes-Benz Group AG or Mercedes-Benz USA. Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, AMG and the model names are trademarks of their owner.