Mercedes Heritage: February 2011

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75 years ago – from 15 February to 1 March 1936:
The world’s first series-produced diesel passenger car, the Mercedes-Benz 260 D (W 138), was unveiled at the International Automobile and Motorcycle Show in Berlin. Also on display at the show were the new passenger car models 170 V (W 136) and 170 H (W 28).
65 years ago – on 22 February 1946:
The first car engine to be built after the end of the war, a 1.7 litre four-cylinder model for the Mercedes-Benz 170 V, was produced in Untertürkheim.
60 years ago – on 24 February 1951:
Daimler-Benz competed in the “Premio Presidente de la Naciòn Juan D. Peron” in Argentina with three pre-war W 154 racing cars.
25 years ago – from 3 to 8 February 1986:
Daimler presented key vehicle safety elements in Rovaniemi, Finland – acceleration skid control (ASR) for passenger cars and commercial vehicles and the automatic locking differential (ASD) for the automatically activated four-wheel drive (4MATIC) in passenger cars.

Mercedes Heritage: January 2011

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125 years ago – on 29 January 1886: Carl Benz filed the patent application for his three-wheeled “automobile with gas-engine drive”. German Patent number 37,435, dated 2 November 1886, is seen as the “birth certificate” of the automobile. Daimler AG will hold a ceremony to celebrate the start of the anniversary year. Continue reading →

February 1936: the diesel engine celebrates its premiere in the passenger car

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  • The Mercedes-Benz 260 D of 1936 was the first series-production passenger car with a diesel engine
  • Diesel technology at Mercedes-Benz is an almost one hundred year history of innovation
  • Modern car diesel engines are economical, powerful and refined power units
  • BlueTEC and hybrid drive make the diesel an engine technology for the future
Stuttgart – The Mercedes-Benz 260 D in the W 138 series was the world’s first series-production diesel passenger car. In February 1936 – 50 years after the invention of the petrol-powered automobile by Carl Benz – Mercedes-Benz presented this revolutionary vehicle at the International Motorcycle and Automobile Exhibition in Berlin. Its 2.6-litre OM 138 four-cylinder engine with the Mercedes-Benz pre-chamber system and a Bosch injection pump developed 33 kW (45 hp) at 3200 rpm, and was installed in the chassis of the petrol-powered Mercedes-Benz 200 with a long wheelbase. The Bosch Four-plunger injection pump allowed engine speeds of up to 3000 rpm and ensured rapid fuel delivery. Continue reading →