History and Mission Statement

 

History of Mercedes-Benz

'It’s not the idea, it’s the implementation that counts.'

Gottlieb Daimler is born on 17 March 1834 in Schorndorf. After training as a gunsmith and working in France, he attends the Polytechnic School in Stuttgart from 1857 to 1859. After completing various technical activities in France and England, he starts work as a draftsman in Geislingen in 1862. At the end of 1863, he is appointed workshop inspector in a machine tool factory in Reutlingen, where he meets Wilhelm Maybach in 1865. In 1872, he becomes Technical Director of the gas engine manufacturer Deutz Gasmotorenfabrik, where he becomes familiar with Otto’s four-stroke technology. After differences with the Managing Director, he leaves the company in 1882. Daimler sets up a development workshop in his greenhouse at his Cannstatt villa to concentrate on developing petrol-driven four-stroke engines. Working with Wilhelm Maybach in 1884, he develops an internal combustion engine known today as the 'Grandfather Clock'. With its compact, low-weight design, the machine forms the basis for installation in a vehicle. The costs of trial operations soon consume Daimler’s entire fortune, however, so he is obliged to find business partners. He founds 'Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft' on 28 November 1890 together with Max Duttenhofer and his business partner Wilhelm Lorenz. But while Duttenhofer wants to produce stationary engines, Daimler prefers to focus on vehicle production, and a dispute ensues.

After Wilhelm Maybach resigns in 1891 due to unacceptable terms of contract, Daimler resorts to a ruse. He continues to build engines with Maybach, but the patents are all in his name. The increasingly tense relationship with Duttenhofer and Lorenz lead them to exclude Daimler as a shareholder. A deterioration in finances leads to stagnating technical development, which prompts DMG to attempt to reinstate Maybach in 1895. He refuses, pointing out that he would not come back without Daimler. In the end, commercial pressures result in both of them returning to the company. Thanks to the Phoenix engine built by Maybach, the Daimler engine gains popularity abroad. A group of English industrialists are prepared to pay 350,000 Marks for licensing rights. Maybach is appointed Technical Director of DMG, and Gottlieb Daimler receives a position on the Technical Board and becomes the Inspector General of the Supervisory Board. The return of both men to DMG is an unexpected boost for the company. Gottlieb Daimler enjoys this rapid development for only a short period of time. He dies of heart disease on 6 March 1900.

Mission Statement 

Our main business objective is to be the best provider for technical accessories
and collection. With innovative and high quality products, we ensure sustainable economic growth and a constant contribution to the group’s success.

We pursue this goal consistently by

• fulfilling our customers’ needs for individualization, enhanced attractiveness and additional features for their vehicle with our comprehensive portfolio.
• transferring the brand values of Mercedes-Benz, smart and Mercedes-AMG and their premium claim on our complete product range.
• developing products which stand for quality and safety and furthermore set standards in terms of innovation and outstanding design.
• ensuring powerful and efficient processes.
• looking at our employees as key success factor and offering them an attractive working environment.
• being a reliable and long-term oriented partner for our customers, suppliers, employees and colleagues.

Besides integrity, sustainability and mutual appreciation, our mission statement is the basis for all our business activities. It underscores our shared philosophy and is measure for dealing with each other – with the worldwide employees, business partners and customers. Furthermore it lays the foundation for a sustainable and successful business development.

WELCOME TO AMG

The dreams of people who love performance—this is the focus of everything we do at AMG. To fulfill them is our duty. To exceed them is our ideal. We are always prepared to go one step further, with superlative performance and sports cars that challenge the limits of physics. And with thrilling driving experiences that condense into unforgettable AMG moments. This is the World of Driving Performance: created to give our all and to extract even more—from every mile, and from every moment.

PASSION NEVER CUTS CORNERS.

In 1967, two automotive engineers with a passion for motorsports began fine-tuning engines for Mercedes-Benz racecars in an old mill. Today, as the performance division of Mercedes-Benz, AMG creates some of the most sought-after vehicles in the world. They're the product of skilled craftsmen, designers and engineers who live to test the limits, and one shared conviction: on the road to driving performance, short cuts never win the race.