Mercedes-Benz Celebrates 140 Years of Innovation, Kicks Off Biggest Product Offensive in Brand History

STUTTGART, 27 January 2026 – Mercedes-Benz today marked 140 years since the invention of the automobile, celebrating a legacy that began in 1886 with Carl Benz’s Patent Motor Car and continues into a new era of electrification, software and autonomous mobility. The milestone year also launches the biggest product programme in the brand’s history, starting with the world premiere of the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class on 29 January 2026.

From Bertha Benz’s legendary long-distance drive to today’s electric and AI-powered vehicles, Mercedes-Benz has shaped the direction of the automobile for more than a century. In 2026 alone, the brand will introduce over 40 new models across the next two years, blending tradition with cutting-edge technology. All built around one promise: to create the world’s most desirable cars.

From the Birth of the Automobile to the Digital Age

On 29 January 1886, Carl Benz filed the patent for the world’s first motor car, officially creating individual mobility as we know it. Just months later, Bertha Benz proved its real-world practicality with the first long-distance automobile journey in history.

Since then, Mercedes-Benz has consistently redefined what a car can be from the first modern automobile (the Mercedes 35 hp), to safety breakthroughs like crumple zones, ABS and ESP®, and now to digital platforms such as MB.OS and advanced driver-assistance systems.

Today, innovation at Mercedes-Benz is focused on three pillars:

• Electrification & Efficiency – highlighted by the VISION EQXX, which covered over 1,200 km on a single charge.
• Software & Intelligence – with MB.OS unifying infotainment, ADAS and vehicle systems.
• Autonomous Driving – including SAE Level 3 approval and future Level 4 development.

A New Chapter Begins with the 2026 S-Class

The 140th anniversary year officially kicks off with the unveiling of the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class on 29 January 2026. Extensively refined in design, comfort, technology and intelligence, the S-Class continues its role as the benchmark luxury saloon, now reimagined for a connected, electrified future.

Over the next two years, Mercedes-Benz will launch more than 40 new vehicles, including electric performance models like the road-going version of the record-breaking CONCEPT AMG GT XX.

Icons That Built the Brand

From the 300 SL “Gullwing” and the Silver Arrows, to the G-Class and S-Class, Mercedes-Benz’s history is filled with cars that didn’t just follow trends. They created them. These vehicles defined eras, influenced culture, and proved that engineering excellence and emotional design can coexist.

Innovation That Never Stops

With more than 60,000 patents and ongoing research into solar paint, neuromorphic computing, solid-state batteries and next-gen materials, Mercedes-Benz isn’t just celebrating its past. It’s actively building the future of mobility.

As Ola Källenius, Chairman of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, puts it:

“As the inventor of the automobile, Mercedes-Benz holds a truly unique position in history and that same pioneering spirit drives us to create the world’s most desirable cars today.”

📝 Writer’s Take

140 years is more than a number, it’s a statement. In a world where car brands rise and fall, Mercedes-Benz has stayed relevant by doing one thing consistently well: evolving without losing its soul.

What’s exciting isn’t just the nostalgia of the 300 SL or the dominance of the Silver Arrows — it’s what’s coming next. If the VISION EQXX, MB.OS and the next-gen S-Class are anything to go by, Mercedes-Benz isn’t slowing down. It’s just shifting into a smarter, cleaner and faster gear.

Heritage didn’t make Mercedes great.
Innovation did and it still does. 🔥