Since 1901 the name ‘Mercedes’ was a trademark of cars produced by German company “Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft’ (Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft). It was founded by Gottlieb Daimler (Gottlieb Daimler) in 1890 in Bad Kannshtate, near Stuttgart, on the basis of their studio, where 1885-1886 years he has built, is the first in the world, 4-wheel car with a gasoline engine. In 1899 (Wilhelm Maybach), who actively participated in the creation of the first vehicles of Daimler, built the car ‘Daimler Phoenix’ (Phoenix-Daimler) with 4-cylinder engine producing 24 hp, with a number of serious technical deficiencies. At that time, had a significant impact Elli Emile Neck (Emile Jellinek), head of the ‘Daimler’ in France and the Austro-Hungarian Consul Empire in Nice. He managed to convince a new Maybach car, which was ready in 1901.
At the suggestion of a car named after Jellinek’s daughter Mercedes. The first ‘Mercedes-35R5’ with 4-cylinder engine working volume of 5,913 cm3 had a classical arrangement of units (front engine, rear wheel drive) and had the appearance, which also came to be called a classic. He became the basis for all subsequent models produced since 1902 , under the name ‘Mercedes-Simplex’ (Simplex). The most famous representatives of this series include models ’40 / 45PS ‘and ’60PS’ with engines in 6785 and 9235 cm3, the latter of which speeds up to 90 km / h. In subsequent years, “Daimler” produced a whole range of passenger cars ‘Mercedes’ engines with capacity ranging from 1568 to 9575 cm3, including luxury models with a fully enclosed body. Some of them were equipped with valveless engines ‘Knight’ (Knight) with spool distribution. ‘Mercedes-Knight’ s engine in 4055 cm3 remained in production until 1924. Racing ‘Mercedes’ won many international competitions held before the First World War. Among the first postwar cars was Model ’28 / 95PS ‘with a 6-cylinder engine in a 7250 cm3, where Paul Daimler in 1921-1922 was experimenting with surround supercharger (compressor) driven from the crankshaft and increases engine power is approximately 1.5 times. These work in 1923 he continued the new chief engineer Ferdinand Porsche (Ferdinand Porsche).