Mercedes-Benz Classic is celebrating numerous vehicle anniversaries in 2026, as well as anniversaries of motorsport successes and company events.
Press releases, “Mercedes-Benz Classic Notes” and the “Mercedes-Benz Classic Motorsport Newsletter” will be providing information on these and other topics throughout the year.
The Classic M@RS multimedia database offers information and material on the entire Mercedes-Benz history.
The link to the complete illustrated chronicle of the company.
The following overview lists important Mercedes-Benz Classic anniversaries for 2026:
- 23 January 1951 (75 years ago): Patent application for the safety body by Béla Barényi. The series premiere was in the W 111 “tail fin” saloons in 1959.
- 27 January 1976 (50 years ago): Presentation of Mercedes-Benz model series 123. The Estate and Coupé completed the portfolio soon afterwards.
- 29 January 1886 (140 years ago): Carl Benz applied for a patent for his three-wheeled “vehicle with gas-engine drive” – the birth of the automobile.
- 3 to 8 February 1986 (40 years ago): Mercedes-Benz presented the ASR and ASD assistance systems as well as the 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system in Finland.
- 8 March 1886 (140 years ago): Gottlieb Daimler ordered a carriage. The first four-wheeled automobile, with its high-speed combustion engine, was built on this basis.
- 25 to 29 March 1901 (125 years ago): The Mercedes 35 PS dominated the Nice Week. “We have entered the Mercedes era,” summarised the Secretary General of the Automobile Club of France.
- 19 to 29 April 1951 (75 years ago): International Motor Show (IAA) premiere of the prestigious Mercedes-Benz 300 (W 186) and the Mercedes-Benz 220 (W 187) – the precursor to the S-Class.
- 19 May 2006 (20 years ago): Opening of the Mercedes-Benz Museum at the gates of the Untertürkheim plant – a brand fixture that has enjoyed enormous international popularity ever since.
- 25 April to 5 May 1996 (30 years ago): The Mercedes-Benz SLK (R 170) made its debut at the Turin Motor Show. With its steel vario-roof, the Roadster opened up a new market segment.
- 12 to 15 June 1976 (50 years ago): The C 111-II D achieved three world records and 16 class records in Nardò – where the Concept AMG GT XX also became a world record holder in 2025.
- 28/29 June 1926 (100 years ago): Benz & Cie. and Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft merged to form what was then Daimler-Benz AG. The Mercedes-Benz brand was born.
- 30 June 1996 (30 years ago): A Mercedes-Benz C 36 AMG was the brand’s first official Safety Car in Formula 1 at Magny-Cours. Since then, Mercedes-Benz has provided this important vehicle without interruption.
- 31 July 2001 (25 years ago): The Mercedes-Benz SL of model series R 230 celebrated its premiere at Deichtorhallen Hamburg. The Roadster was equipped with numerous innovations.
- 18 August 1896 (130 years ago): Gottlieb Daimler presented the world’s first motorised truck. He sold the first example to the British Motor Syndicate in London.
- 24 August 1986 (40 years ago): The Sauber-Mercedes C8 Group C racing car achieved its first victory at the Nürburgring. It gave the brand impetus for its return to motorsport.
- 12 September 1926 (100 years ago): In the Solitude race, race director Alfred Neubauer used his signalling system to communicate with the drivers for the first time.
- 4 to 14 October 1951 (75 years ago): The sporty and luxurious 300 S (W 188) was presented at the Paris Motor Show as a two-door version of Type 300 (W 186) as a Coupé, Cabriolet A and Roadster. It was the fastest German production car.
- 9 October 1946 (80 years ago): Testing of the Unimog prototype begins. Former Daimler-Benz AG engineers develop the “Universal Motorized Device for Agriculture”. The Unimog was initially built by Boehringer starting in 1949, and from 1951 onwards at the Mercedes-Benz Gaggenau plant.
- 15 October 2006 (20 years ago): Bernd Schneider secured his fifth DTM championship in the DTM race at Le Mans. This makes the current brand ambassador the record champion.
- 5 December 1896 (130 years ago): Benz & Cie. supplied a “delivery vehicle” – the world’s first van. The “Velociped” was also available with a load compartment.