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The name Mercedes.

1898. The name Mercedes. Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft owes its quick rise to fame to an exceptional individual by the name of Emil Jellinek. Jellinek, who bought and sold Daimler products, was a critical customer and constantly nagged the company to make it new cars faster and more powerful. In 1898 he took part in the Nice-Magagnon-Nice rally under the pseudonym Mercedes, his daughter's name. He won the race in a Daimler.

1900. The rise to fame. Emil Jellinek, impressed by the success of the new Daimler cars, ordered 36 cars worth a total of 550.00 Goldmarks and acquired sole rights of all sales of these cars in Austria-Hungary, France, Belgium and America. Gottlieb Daimler also agreed to Jellinek's condition that in these countries the cars should be named after Jellinek's daughter "Mercedes". On March 6, 1900, Gottlieb Daimler died, but Wilhelm Maybach tirelessly continued his work.

1901. The beginning of the Mercedes era. The first Mercedes racing cars and touring cars were now entered in races. The Mercedes era had begun. The Daimler company quickly acquired sole worldwide rights to the name "Mercedes". Further racing successes were quick to follow, for example victory in the "Nice Week".

1909. Daimler's star. The suggestion to use the star as a trademark came from Gottlieb Daimler's sons. Their father had once sent his wife a postcard with a star marking out the house where he was living in Deutz. "One day this star will shine down on my work", he said. In 1909 a trademark was taken out on the star. Its three points symbolise the three branches of motorisation: on land, on water and in the air.