The Mercedes-Benz brand and its predecessors have always been synonymous for out-of-the-ordinary automobiles which underline their owners’ demanding personalities. In the early days and well into the 1920s, only the very well-to-do were able to afford cars. Before the beginning of the 20th century, so-called Gentlemen Drivers were predominantly seen at the wheels of automobiles, rich motoring enthusiasts who used their cars for racing. Those who didn’t drive themselves – a more common case from the turn of the century – had their own chauffeurs in much the same way as they had their own gardeners, cooks and butlers.

The automobile therefore quickly became a status symbol and remained the prerogative of the rich, powerful and beautiful in Europe for a long time. It served the purpose of representation and had to meet the most exacting demands on performance, reliability, comfort and attractiveness.

It was not before the economic miracle years in the 1950s and 1960s that the car became a utility object and mass product in Germany as well. More than ever before, the brand and type of car reflected the owner’s status and image. Mercedes-Benz automobiles remained what they had always been – epitomes of elegance, value appeal and prestige.

The very first buyer of a vehicle from Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft was a member of the elite – the Sultan of Morocco who chose a vehicle from Cannstatt in 1892. Kings, chancellors and presidents, popes and movie stars, as well as personalities from the worlds of sports and show business have continued to rely on vehicles from the brand with the threepointed star to this day.