125 years of Mercedes: How a woman shaped the luxury automotive dreams!

125 years of Mercedes: How a woman shaped the luxury automotive dreams!

What is special about a name? The name Mercédès has played an outstanding role for automotive history. On June 9, 2025, we would like to take a look back at the 125-year history of Mercedes, which not only stands for high-quality vehicles, but is also strongly connected to the relationship between a father and daughter.

The first Mercédès model-the 35 hp-was presented in Nice in 1900 and embodied the change into a luxury vehicle for the high society. With this step, Emil Jellinek, a successful Daimler dealer, made the breakthrough. He not only ordered 72 new Daimler models, which made more than 60 % of the annual production, but also celebrated motorsport successes under the pseudonym "Monsieur Mercédès".

The origin of the name: Mercédès Jellinek

Mercédès Jellinek, born on September 16, 1889 in Vienna, was the daughter of Emil Jellinek and his first wife Rachel Goggmann Cenrobert. As a namesake of the brand, it still has a big impact on the automotive world. Emil Jellinek made sure that the Daimler engine company named its "Mercedes" automotive series after his daughter. The starting signal with the Mercedes model 35 PS in 1901, which was presented at the Paris automotive exhibition.

In 1903 Jellinek had the name "Mercédès" entered as a trademark and then changed its own name in Jellinek-Mercedes. Nevertheless, it should not only stay with the name of the brand: the Mercedes star was introduced on the coolers of the vehicles in 1910 and symbolized the first-class quality of the automobile. The Mercedes brand quickly established itself as the first automotive premium label that was equally popular with Americans and Europeans.

The challenges and the heir

Although Mercédès Jellinek never had a car and did not share her father's passion for automobiles - she was a talented singer - she left a significant heritage. After an eventful life that was characterized by financial difficulties and personal challenges, she died of bone cancer in Vienna in 1929. Your inheritance is not only recognized by the Mercedes Museum in Stuttgart, but also by two streets that are named after it.

The Fusion of Daimler and Benz in 1926 led to the creation of the Mercedes-Benz brand, which retained the respected Mercedes brand. Today Mercedes is not only known for its premium automobiles, but is also recognized as the most valuable car brand in the world. The legacy of the Mercédès Jellinek thus lives on in the streets of the cities and on the highways of the world.

What does the future of the brand look like? One thing seems certain: the spirit of Mercédès will continue to shape the stories and innovations in the automotive world.